No more hikes

My wife doesn’t enjoy the off-trail exploratory hikes I like to do from campsites, so until recently my hiking companion was our west highland terrier, Woody. Over the years he and I have tramped together across all types of terrain except those that were just too rugged for his short legs. While I studied geological features and plant life, he chased the jackrabbits and ground squirrels. We shared some adventures—getting caught in thunderstorms and being overtaken by darkness, for instance. This photo shows Woody on a hike at Afton Canyon in the Mojave Desert.

As he aged, Woody became hard of hearing, and he gradually started lagging. Eventually, I had to restrict him to short, easy walks near the trailer. Now I take extended hikes alone. It’s hard on both of us. I miss his company, and he doesn’t realize he’s 14. As I slip on my backpack and walk out the door, he stares at me with his big brown eyes, his ears perked. “How come you never take me with you anymore,” he seems to ask.

Woody’s grounding haunts me with the reminder that someday I, too, will no longer be able to do more than short, easy walks. Someday I’ll have to give up RVing altogether. Meanwhile, each trip, each hike seems a little more precious.

And Woody? In deference to his senior status, we pamper him endlessly.