Porter's Blog

Dog oh dog, what a gritty, crummy February day; lots of rain, damp cold, and mud, mud, mud…blah. After our jog, I kinda made a nest in the car hoping dad would get the hint that outdoor activities weren’t going to be the highpoint of my day.

Dad took a photo of a westbound train coming into Edgemont through the early morning snow. I stayed snug in the car.

But, we did drive down to Igloo Bridge where I managed to snap this UP eastbound train.

Edgemont and Igloo had no snow on the ground and never did during the day, but in between Edgemont and Igloo, well, how bizarre is this?

The seven miles between the two train photos had a three mile swath of snow on the ground and the road! Bark about the weird weather of Edgemont. We took a short hike through this snow on Barker Ranch.

George’s day in 2007 was so much better with pleasant weather and no mud in sight. George howled happily at the airport.

And look at this jaunty walk!

Dog! That George sure could strut proudly.

Another walk along Old Hwy 85 under a big sky.

Sometimes a basset just has to get out in the wide open spaces to feel free and alive.

After our walk we headed over to Igloo Bridge for some train action.

The clouds were moving in but it still was a heck of a nice time to be enjoying the trains and the mild February weather.

George in 2009 was also at Igloo Bridge. However, bark about a little more energetic than me. George happily greeted trains with basset howling as the trains roared underneath the bridge.

Here’s what George saw in 2009.

Here’s what I saw today.

Timeless!

Hey, it snowed last night. Guess winter is still here, huh?

Well, it may look like a lot of snow, but really it wasn’t much. Dad and I were walking the Old Hwy 85 when I decided to sniff in the small drifts on the east edge of the road. I think just about a mile of field snow left the field to make these measly drifts.

This is about as heavy as the snow got on Old Hwy 85.

George had much more snow in 2006, light and powdery snow. George waited for dad to take some pics of a Ponderosa Sky at Craven Canyon.

…and waited…

…and waited!

I wasn’t waiting in this photo where I told dad to capture me with all four paws in air. Catching air! Yes!

Go Porter go!!!!

The afternoon was darn nice for relaxing some and watching the trains go by.

Um, with plenty of treats

Not much sun for today (and predicted for tomorrow), but dad and I headed to Robinson Flats for our long hike. And guess what? A hazy sun followed us for most of the way. Robinson Flats Trail leaves Elbow Canyon Road and continues for many miles to Dewey Road. Needless to say, dad and I only hiked a part of Robinson Flats Trail.

We were headed for Black Hills National Forest Trail #321. The car is back that way about 2 miles.

Yes, the Basset Back Ridge fire burned along #321. It’s looking pretty grim.

Back in 2003 and 2004 George and dad spent many hours hiking along #321 along Driftwood Ridge and down into Driftwood Canyon. I haven’t done much hiking in this area. Maybe we’ll do more, but we’ve got so many hiking areas. It’s basset heaven.

2006 was the year of temperature extremes. On February 18th the temperature dropped to -33! The day before had been -28. Finally, on February 19th the temperature only dropped to -19. It got above 0 degrees for the first time in two days. George and dad took a hike to Craven Canyon. The air and snow were crisp and clean. George was loving the fresh snow and fresh air. Dad was loving George at his winter best.

These photos were taken with the Sony DSC-R1. Dad has had the camera for over 6 years now. It’s gone jogging with dad numerous times, taken photos in minus 0 weather, taken photos in over 100 degree weather, and not only does it still work very nicely, it also takes beautiful photos.

2006, oh dog! -33 on February 18. 108 on July 18. Welcome to Edgemont.

Deep down in Basset Bottom Gulch you’ll find a very special place: Basset Amphitheater. Getting in and out of Basset Amphitheater is not an easy task, but it’s well worth the effort. The entrance is marked by a tall, stately Ponderosa tree that, alas, burned badly in the Basset Back Ridge fire.

Once inside Basset Amphitheater, it’s, ahem, time to sing! A one and a two, and a one, two, three…

Arrhhoo-oo!!!

And beautiful basset arrhhoo-o-o’s!!!!!

When you have a perfect February day like today, basset singing describes it to perfection.

George performed his happy basset singing on Howling Rock early in the morning back in 2009.

The day didn’t have the bright blue skies of today, but George sure looked good on his early morning hike.

Looking good, looking good!

I posted this photo last year, but I can’t resist showing George again as he ran the airport path back in 2007.

Go basset go!!!!

Dog oh dog, this is about as much sun as Edgemont got today.

That would be our morning jog sun.

At Summit Tree Camp the lighting failed to make much of an impact so we brought out the flashes.

We needed groceries anyway, so we only did about 4 miles hiking near Edgemont, and then headed for Custer. Even better dad kept going to Pactola Reservoir, where magnificent sky and scenery came together for a most beautiful hike on the shore and the ice of the lake.

Did I mention we stopped at Dairy Queen afterwards?!

Oh puppy! The winds of February! George in 2008 showed his stuff in gale force winds on Ears to the Wind Ridge during the morning jog.

Leaning into the wind at just the right angle takes much practice for bassets of long ears. George knew how to attain perfect form. Just look at him.

The wind on that day brought a mess of clouds and a bit of snow, but George didn’t let that get him down and howled happily at Summit Tree Camp during the morning hike.

Perfect basset howling form too!

Dog oh dog, when you get another beautiful February day for hiking, a basset never knows where dad will lead him. I was all ears as dad told me.

Barking of ears (I digress for a second, but I’ll get back to my day), George’s ears in 2007 tagged the wind bringing all sorts of neat photos.

Aren’t basset ears the neatest? Isn’t George the coolest?

Okay, back to my hike today. Dad took me to a place that I hadn’t been yet, the Sculpture Patio. It’s hidden away in a small canyon off of Coal Canyon. There’s a flat patio of stone cut into the slope with a balustrade on the east side.

On the south and west sides abstract stone sculptures…wow!

How about this for basset magic?!!!

Tada!! Here comes the sun!

I think a sunbeam caught early in the morning is the next best thing to having a few treats in celebration afterwards.

Wow! Another great day for hiking…just keep’em coming. There were some clouds to the southwest, so I got up on Howling Rock and stuck my tongue out at them and told them to stay away.

How about that, they did!

Dad got me a bacon cheeseburger at Remember When for lunch. The day just kept getting better

George in 2006 had a snowy early morning jog to Basset Back Ridge. He was leaving big basset paw prints in the snow as he and dad headed back to the car (which is in the upper left hand corner of the picture).

Later on at the library Linda dressed George up in his new Aussie bandana that Sue had sent him.

When George went out into the snow for an afternoon hike, he was looking very stylish indeed.

Back on Valentine’s Day in 2009 George had to deal with more snow falling from the sky. He and dad rode over to Fiddle Creek Road for some train action in the afternoon. As a UP train approached George raced to get the best shooting position.

After the photo of the train, dad took one of George watching the endless hoppers of the train go by.

As far as the weather, Valentine’s Day 2012 turned out much better, though with the gorgeous sunrise I wasn’t sure if that would be the case.

Yup, I had my doubts.

And those doubts continued as we finished our jog…blah.

By the time we got to the end of Indian Paintbrush Trail, where I watched a train in the distance, the sky glistened a deep blue with sun warming my back.

Our hike to Yucca Flats using the the roadbed of old US18 couldn’t have been better.

In the background you can see the plateau of Indian Paintbrush Trail.

Big sky day here in Edgemont, quite excellent!!!!

A terrific morning for hiking along Indian Paintbrush Trail. We wandered near the edge of the plateau, and, well, you know that feeling of wanting to keep going and explore?

I asked dad if perhaps we could descend the south slope of the plateau and wander through Prince’s Plume Meadows to the Little Knoll.

We were on our way; dad is so agreeable! Going down wide open slopes always gets me attentive, cuz you can see so well all around the grasslands.

Once we reached the Little Knoll I climbed to the top for another look around.

In the background you can see the plateau of Indian Paintbrush Trail. Cool, huh?

We then wandered along the abandoned roadbed of old highway 18 and gradually made our way back to the car. Great hike! (The morning jog was pretty good too, and hanging out at the newspaper office wasn’t so bad either.)

George in the days of jogging Basset Back Ridge would eat and then catch some more shuteye on his chair or the couch until dad got going. Here he is in 2006. Doesn’t look very awake does he?

But he sure would bark with excitement as the car got nearer to Basset Back Ridge. And when dad would open the car door – happy flying George!

That day in 2006 after the jog, George came home in a joking mood. So he got out some of dad’s basset socks and got dad ROFL.

Always many happy smiling memories of that guy!

Quite the day for this Porter basset today. After our jog we had a great hike under a Ponderosa sky around and up to Mathias Peak. Um, I did step on a cactus. Ouch!

Dad saved me by pulling the cactus needle out of my paw. Whew.

We then made a trip to Custer for a Dairy Queen lunch. Yea!!! We ate it at Stockade Lake. While there dad and I went out on the ice of the lake. Whoa! Strange noises were emanating from the ice.

That got my attention! Dad said not to worry cuz the ice was shifting due to temperature changes, but was still safe. Okay…I think.

Next we did a little mountain hiking.

There’s so little snow this year that even in the high areas of Custer State Park the hiking is darn nice.

George in 2008 hiked Mathias Peak under a big blue sky and a wide white ground.

Pretty amazing sight!

George howled with happiness at his good fortune.

“Bon hiver!!!!”

Cold jog this morning, but mighty fine under a sunny sky. Thought you’d like to see me jogging on my normal path through the airport.

Sometimes when it’s cold like this, I really get to hustling.

Go Porter, go!

Of course, you’ve already seen George jogging on his Basset Back Ridge path. And here he is again back in 2007 on a decidedly winter gray morning (8:43am to be exact).

He’s almost back to the car and looking eager and energetic as ever.

The rest of my day was quite splendid indeed! Brilliant blue sky with a winter tinge to the air and ground. Bark about great hiking!
The view from Howling Rock was grand.

My happiness of the day got me playing pranks on poor dad, like here when I woofed, “Dad, you just stepped in coyote poop! Yuck!!!”

“Lol! Just woofing with you dad!”

After putting 14 miles on my paws dad and I took it easy in the afternoon by watching the trains at Igloo Bridge.

Neat day!

A winter day today with snow and clouds.

Dad and I hiked Basset Back Ridge and Windsong Rise. On Basset Back Ridge there’s an area of fallen trees that the rabbits love, so I LOVE that area. I’m after one of those rascally rabbits now!

You know, my colors fit right in with the burned Ponderosa trees and the snow, don’t ya think?

Alas, that rascally rabbit managed to evade me anyway…sigh. Yup, the darn critter hid out amongst the fallen trees down in a rabbit hole.

Rats!

George in 2008 woke up to bring Edgemont all the nose fit to print. Yup, George was Edgemont’s nose leader!

Later in the morning George was scaling boulders descending into Cube Stone Meadow.

Winter days are the best for hiking, right George?! Bon hiver!

Oh sure, it’s looks like the morning would be bright and cheery when seeing this photo during our jog.

Wasn’t meant to be, however, and the clouds moved in quickly for the morning.

Dad and I did some grocery shopping and then headed through Wind Cave National Park to Custer State Park. What a difference time and distance can make!

Beautiful sky, beautiful mountains, and a handsome basset

We got home to sun in Edgemont. I asked dad to take me to the Edgemont yard so I could use the 200mm lens on some trains.

Love it!

Like me, George liked to snooze in the car, but he loved looking for Pronghorns when he and dad would drive Elbow Canyon Road to and from their jog on Basset Back Ridge. Bark about alert and ready for action!!!

George told dad that this would be a great shot of General George commanding his forces during the F St. War. And so it was.

Another shot on that day in 2006 was George looking at Eeyore tails and a couple of Eeyores.

The shots had to be edited to look like this.

Did you notice the missing fig bar, hmm-m?

Dunno what’s the problem. The 70-200mm lens never seems to work well with the T2i. I hooked on the fixed 200mm lens today to see how it focused.

Quite nice, thank you: sharp Porter on a creamy background.
The problem with the 70-200mm lens is the back focusing issue which Canon never really resolved…blah.

Arrh-oo-oo!!! Perfect hiking weather this morning. The little bit of snow brought that cushion to my paws again. See?

The scenery was spectacular what with the frosted Ponderosa trees under an azure sky.

Beautiful!

George had no complaints as he took the early morning jog under a colorful sunrise four years ago.

And the hike to Mathias Peak gave George much to be proud about.

Log leaping anyone?

What’ca think, does this guy look gloomy under a gloomy winter sky?

Well, maybe not, but it most certainly was a gloomy sky all day.

On the Mickelson Trail, dad and I could have sung “snow flakes keep falling on our heads.”

Arrh-oo-oo!!! I did feel pretty spunky with the cushy snow under my paws even if there wasn’t much of the stuff.

Still, it felt good to get back home and get under the covers for a nap on my chair.

George was running in the morning on Basset Back Ridge with his imagination running in full gear for more episodes of the F St. War.

Back at the house the stage was set for another day of the F St. War!

2006

Nice golden morning for a jog.

The clouds were moving in, so from Portrait Rock I pointed in the direction of the Gold Rocks and told dad that we should hike to them before the blue sky goes away.

It’s a couple of miles from Portrait Rock to the Gold Rocks. We made it with plenty of blue sky left for a beautiful time at the Gold Rocks. Definitely worth singing about!

George in 2009 didn’t have a golden morning, but the view from Howling Rock sure looked good in the early morning.

The evening, however, turned into a golden sunset. George couldn’t resist watching the sunset.

Neither would I have been able to resist.

It was a beautiful day to look sharp. Dad got out the 200mm fixed lens, and puppy oh puppy, I do look sharp!

Dad tells me that I have a great profile.

Yup, pure blue skies today, so resting at Grand View Point was grand

It was nice enough to read and nap at Cheyenne Valley View. Sweet!

Back in 2006 George started to prepare his F St. War story. It took a considerable amount of concentration.

He got it going with an Eeyore eating cottage cheese out of HIS bowl! Oh my dog!

The nerve of that Eeyore!

And the nerve of the deer in my backyard!

I probably need to latch onto one of the throats of these beasts, so they realize Porter’s backyard is not for them!!!! And trim your ears! Ghastly overgrowth of hair! Don’t you Mule deer have any sense of decency?!!!

After our jog this morning dad and I hung out at the Edgemont railroad yard for a bit of action.

That fuzzy blur next to my head is a BNSF engine getting ready to start the day’s work. The fuzzy blur comes about by using a 200mm lens.

Once things got going the photo shooting was less challenging.

Oh, and we did get some train shots as well as Porter photos.

George had a splendid day back in 2007. The jog had been wonderful on Basset Back Ridge. George was quite pleased.

Later in the morning, George and dad went hiking around Mathias Peak. Dog oh dog, George certainly remained alert…

and had fun!

My afternoon wasn’t quite as fun cuz dad had to take photos of basketball games, but I was alert for rabbits up at the airport.

Though no happy howls from me this afternoon.

If you look to the south, there’s a huge storm system dumping tons of snow on Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska today.

It brought plenty, plenty clouds to the Edgemont area in the last couple of days, including today.

But dad and I were lucky enough to enjoy some sun on our hike on Basset Back Ridge and Windsong Rise. It’s still an eerie place with the orange pine needles and blackened tree trunks.

The hiking continues to be excellent, I gotta tell you. Here I am trotting along Windsong Rise headed back to Elbow Canyon Road.

We were too busy with the movie crew for this shot yesterday for me to make a comparison to George’s same scene back on February 2, 2007. So five years and a day later is the comparison.

Here comes George at the same spot.

Once again the fire has made such a huge difference.

On this day in 2009, George and dad were hiking Red Canyon Rim Trail.

George was having a pretty darn good hike. Even towards the end of the hike he was moving along with gusto.

My excitement for today came out of helping a movie crew looking for buffalo and buffalo artifacts to film.

I helped with lighting and made sure no dangerous animals would interfere with the filming. Dad tells me that I did an excellent job. We’ll be helping tomorrow too.

We did get some walking in on the Mickelson Trail afterwards. Under cloudy skies dad asked me to pose on the Buena Vista bench again.

Notice the ‘Mickelson Trail’ words?

George in 2008 hiked around Mathias Peak. He thought hard about some interesting photo shots.

“Hey dad,” he woofed. “How about I pretend I’m a ferocious wild basset of the Black Hills attacking?!!” The results were excellent.

Let me rewoof that! The results were outstanding!!!

Well, it’s been a year now for Porter’s Blog. I guess that’s kind of an anniversary. Do you remember my first photo? I didn’t, so I looked back.

This winter has been so much easier to live with than last winter. Arrhh-oo-o!

Beautiful morning for taking our first 2012 walk through Dead Horse Canyon and onto Buena Vista using the Mickelson Trail.

At Buena Vista I sat down on the bench and enjoyed the view…

and some treats

It was so nice that dad and I kept right on going underneath the Chilson Bridge and farther north on the trail.

While near the Chilson Bridge I imagined what a great spot this would have been to frame a Burlington mallet steaming up the Highland. Wow!

Dad and I enjoyed the sun as much as possible knowing that tomorrow and Friday won’t be sunny at all, blah!

In 2007 George had a wintery jog on Basset Back Ridge. He didn’t get any sun either. Blah! Right George?

Look at the ice on those ears! Shiver….

George, however, didn’t let the weather get him down. He knew that his favorite fig bars were waiting for him at home.

Life is grand sometimes!