Roller Coaster Ride up a Mountain

So Tammy and I went mountain climbing last week. Well, adapted mountain climbing: we did go up a mountain, but we didn't use pitons, ropes, or rappelling gear. We took the civilized route, up the side of the mountain via tram, in a gondola that I'm sure must be very safe, but which sways most alarmingly from time to time... I'm sure Tammy was OK with this ride, but my ears were popping like crazy; I laid quietly under a bench and tried not to look down.

Sometimes people went "oooooh!" as the gondola passed the cable tower and lurched in a tummy-flopping way. I don't like tummy-flopping stuff.

I heard somebody talking about a black bear cub and a deer, but since they were far, far away on the safe and solid ground I just left them alone. They didn't seem to be a danger to any of my people.

Tammy brought her parents along, which is always a bonus for me, 'cause even though they know the service-dog no spoiling rules, I still get the occasional surreptitious pat on the head or scratch behind the ears. Dad loves me, I can tell.

I got to ride in the car with them, too, which almost made up for the roller-coaster ride up the mountain. Almost...

Of course, another benefit of playing tourist is all the people that can't keep their eyes (and sometimes hands!) off me. I'm so popular, Tammy always has to keep my fans at bay. That's the price of stardom, I suppose.

We watched a cheesy lumberjack show while we were up on the mountaintop waiting for our lunch. They made chainsaw carvings, performed tree-topping stunts, and log-rolling maneuvers, and it was fun to see the crowd's enthusiasm, though personally I wanted to get indoors away from all the blackflies and skeeters!

After lunch - where I was the model service dog, lying under the table NOT BEGGING, or shaking (even though I was itchy from the blackflies) or being noticed, while all around me people were eating - we took the cable car back down.

I enjoyed the cool, fresh, pine-scented air up on the mountain, but I was pleased to have all four paws firmly planted on the ground again.