The End Point Changes

This is the photo that the Companion showed me today.

He said: This is the Golden Gate Bridge, Antigone. It is now our the end point of our bike ride. But its an extra 600 miles for us to travel. But it will be ok. We have to go to this bridge.

I looked at him and said: Why?

He said: From this week, about twice a month, or every other week, someone dies by suicide. We have to go there.

So its on to The Golden Gate Bridge, where we will cross it (although I'm no so sure I'm going up there)then find a spot in the park and walk into the Pacific to end the bike tour with drama (although I'm not sure I'll be getting my feet wet in that water.)

If what the Companion says is true about the number of people suffering from suicidal thoughts: then we must go! I remember when the companion was having those thoughts, I remember the fear, I remember the images in his mind--but I don't want to talk about them--they are too horrible.

I hope it helps others! So we will go!

A Short Bike Ride

Today the Companion finally got unlazy and we went for a short bike ride on the trial.

The Companion likes to wake me from a nap with this: lazy girl, you are just a little lazy girl.

I usually ignore him.

But this week he has been lazy himself. He’s spent so much time in the hotel, I’ve started to think this is home and we are not ever going to leave. And he eats snacks a lot, and hides them from me. Like I can't hear the Doritos bag opening. Lazy companion.

So after his on the computer and on the phone and watched some TV, he gets this idea that we should bike down town and see some things. He pulled out the bike and contraption and loaded me, and off we went.

We didn’t go down town. The trail, the bike trail joined a road, and the companion didn’t like it. He said: I really don’t want to bike with traffic in town because New Mexico has a high rate of DUIs and uninsured drivers. So we turned around and went back, passed the hotel and kept going.

The trail was lovely, its quiet and high above the city. Not much in the way of smells because there is still traffic near, and on one side of us was what looked like a cement river. After an hour we sat down at Lotaburger and had lunch. I had a hotdog, and he had a burger. The ladies at the burger joint liked me and waved at me from inside.

I was wearing my hat, but I’m sure it was because of me and not my attire.

Farewell Capitan, Mark

Our time in Capitan, NM has come to an end. I don't know why? I liked it there. I liked the sofa. I like the smells of Mark's yard. He has lots of visitors to his yard, all leaving lovely smells for me to investigate. I would sometimes get the companion to take me outside, and I would stand on the deck and lift my nose up and get lots: roadrunners, deer. Just lovely.

Here is Mark. Not only did he let me sleep on the sofas, but he drove us to our next stop. Thank you Mark for you hospitality!

Smokey Bear, I Stayed Home

Today the Companion went to see Smokey Bear at the Smokey Bear Historical Park. I was surprised that he went alone. He said, that he just wanted to run down there and get some photos and then get back.

All he said was that Smokey Bear was an important! So down he goes. He liked it!

But when he returned I was so excited! I ran around the house, and scared our host's bird. Ha! I didn't mean too.

The Companion had to tell me that dogs were not allowed in Smokey Bear's Park. What?

The Companion Works?

So last night the companion tells me he has a job for the night. He says he'll be back around 3am. I just wonder what kind of work goes on at that time of the night.

He comes back before 3am, and I can smell the booze on him. Working? Really? Really!

He says the he worked as a casino dealer, dealing Blackjack. Riiiight. I know he has never dealt cards in his life. I know that he place on his computer. Well he has these pictures to prove it.

I still question.

He did come back saying this: "I know that I've had a rough time with life over the past years, but I've been in fairly good health. And dealing cards for these two and hearing their brief stories of rough health, made me realize that I'm very lucky."

He then continued: "I was really inspired by them."

Well if they inspired him, then his work was ok!

Roswell, UFO Museum Rocks!

Roswell has Aliens! The companion wanted to come here because he says that aliens must exist. Must they?

We started the day off with rocks. We ran around downtown. The Companion needed to repair the bike and wanted to get a bath for me. We couldn't find the bike repair but found the groomer. To my relief, the companion thought the owner was rude, so we didn't stay. Ha! No bath for me! We then made our way to the UFO Museum.

The Companion was going to leave me outside while he ran in to get post cards. Well he came back in like two minutes, totally excited.

"You get to come in!"


At the UFO museum in Roswell, pets are allowed! I loved it. I was kind of tired, so while the companion was looking at exhibit, I would relax and get some nap time. I loved it, so nice that they let pets in. They must understand the connection with dogs and their humans! They understand that we dogs want to be with our humans, even if we don't understand what they are doing.


Here we are going into the UFO Museum in Roswell, NM where they allow pets. We were not the only dogs in the museum! Totally fun. And of course the staffed loved on me, and asked the companion questions about our journey!

Roswell was fun!
We are waiting on the Companion's friend, Mark to come and take us to his house!

Roswell was fun!

Hobbs, Tatum, Help

We arrived in New Mexico a couple of days ago. Hobbs was our first overnight stop. I wasn’t happy with that town. It wasn’t really clean and it wasn’t really friendly. But most of all the hotels didn’t want to allow dogs.

There we were in trouble: it was dark, and we were still biking. And the first hotel wouldn’t let us stay. So we found another, but the companion said it was too expensive for us and not friendly. Finally at the third hotel, he got a good price and got me in free. I liked the place: America Value Inn. I think it was called.

But I wanted to leave Hobbs. So up in the morning early I woke us. I told the companion that he should try to hitchhike some so we could get to Tatum early. If we got there early, he could hitchhike from there to Roswell. He agreed and tried.

We were able to get a short ride from outside of Lovington to the Tatum highway. But then the land flatten out and the companion was biking really well. He tried to get a lift but no such luck. After a while he realized that he could make it easily. So on he went! We got there early anyway.

But no one picked us up, so we had to stay in Tatum. At their one hotel. I’m not going to go into it. It wasn’t bad but: “I don’t want the dog on the bed,” the woman said. The companion just looked at her. She went on, “I don’t want her hair all over the bed. I don’t want to wash it.”

I thought the companion would faint right there. I know I nearly did. She didn’t want to wash the bedding after we left. She said she meant only the bed spread but I’m not sure I believe that.


The road to Roswell is long, barren, and long. All day long the companion tried to get us a ride and it was not to happen. I felt bad for him because he looked so silly. He would wave at the trucks, he would put his thumb out, he would do all sorts of things to get the attention of the trucks.

Nothing.

Finally around 2:15pm, a man stopped and picked us up and drove us the last 40 miles or so to Roswell. We had done 30 miles already that day. He was really nice, made a nice space for me to lay down on the seat, told us about Roswell, and drove us all the way to the hotel. But leave it to the companion to forget to find out what his name is. So its just Nice Man.

Thank you Nice Man for your help! We really needed it!

New Mexico

We finally left Texas for New Mexico! I'm beat! just Beat!

But please notice the new links to the videos we've been in!

Great Day

What a great day! The companion got on the phone this morning and got some interviews set up. One happened today, and one will happen in the morning. That means, we had to stay another day! Great. I rested for a while, until the reporter showed up for photos. He and the companion then talked for a while.

Then we were picked up by Kimberly and Brandon. They are married and live here in Andrews. They showed us around town and took us to Cpl Ray's Cafe. The companion loved the coffee and the cafe as well. They sat around on the patio for a while talking and laughing, while I layed and relaxed in the sun! This is Brandon and Kimberly.

Now let me tell you about Cpl Ray's Cafe. The companion liked it mostly because of why the cafe is there. Cpl Ray was killed in the line of Duty, and his parents open this cafe in memory of him. Well that is lovely. The companion told me that he was touched by this. It's hard to lose a child, and this is a lovely way to remember him and to inspire others.


After coffee we walked for a long time, longer than I like. But we were looking for something. We found it: a home where the humans love to adopt senior bassets. At one time Sheri and Terry had 12 but now they have only 6. Sheri said that they had recently lost three within three weeks. So sad, but I keep thinking about how thankful I am that they gave homes to the old bassets. Senior Bassets often do not find homes quickly, and sometimes not at all. See people want a dog that will be with him for a long time, and seniors may only stay with their human for a few years. I understand the difficulty with this, so i'm really thankful for people like Sheri and Terry--they welcome the seniors in, and love them and send them to the bridge being happy and having a home.

I think this is one thing I havn't talked about. Dogs that do not have homes, dog that are sent to the bridge in a shelter, leave us feeling alone. What a horrible feeling. But you can help by adopting, by fostering, by responsible breeding. Sorry I don't mean to preach.

Here is Sheri with some of the bassets. And then all the bassets in the yard! Great dogs!

Wind, Help, Motel

We started early today before 9am to go to Andrews, TX. The day started out well. We were moving along ok. It was up hill but not so bad.

Then the companion says: "Why can I not get going? It's like I can't move." And then he gets off the says. "We've got a flat."

We've? It was not on the contraption. It was on his bike and the front. So he pulls it off and fixes it. A man pulls up and offers help. The companion tells him that he fixed it and it was ok. But I was asking him for a ride. The companion tells me: he doesn't have room in that little car. So we got back on the bike.

Then the wind kicks up at 17mph from the south, southwest. Then companion can't overcome it. he keeps going but I can tell he's bet. after about 30 miles he starts walking the bike for a break. A truck passed us and then the companion stuck out his thumb. And that truck stopped! came back and picked us up!

Mike picked us up and drove us into town. He was a nice fella, goes bow hunting with his dog--I hope the companion heard that. Hunting would be cool.

Then we made it to this hotel. Its really cute.

loved me so much she let me stay free!

Wind and Church

Well here we are still in Big Spring, and the companion got all excited about these wind things. Windmills he calls them. They harvest wind, he says. They make electricity. Harvest wind? Who ever heard of such. Like that can be harvested. But I agree with him--they look wild! sort of like giants, he said.

Ok Don Quixote!

And here we arrived at the church in Big Spring. This is the first time he's gone to mass since we started, even though he's had a couple of chances. He first had to go to confession. I hope he confessed leaving me tied up for three hours. Well he went to confession then came out, then went back to mass.

He stood where we could see each other, but I'm not sure why. He stood with his back toward me. I do not like that, so a couple of times I barked at him to get him to come out. And he did. Still a good day.

The Companion Gets Sad, and Weird

The Companion and set out from Colorado Springs Texas today. Early. He fixed the tire and we were moving by 10am. Really good for him I can tell you! We biked along the the highway 20, and I didn't care for it too much. Not bad, but too open, too windy, too noisy. Luckily Cecile found us again and helped us in the last 12 miles. I couldn't believe we were so close!

But the Companion got a little sad today. We had an interview with the radio station yesterday. That interview was aired this morning. That was cool.

Then outside of Colorado City, we stopped to eat. And as the companion was standing in line to get food a man asked him how the biking was going. He had seen us earlier, and had heard us on the radio. Then a lady asked me if I were the hound she heard about on the radio! Wow! It felt so good to hear that people heard us.

But then the first man came out and told the companion: "It was really good that you told people about the crisis phone number."

"Yeah," he said, "I think that's the most important piece of imformation."

"We've had a lot of suicides here," the man said. "Something like 14 in the past 5 years."

The companion was speechless. And after he was off the phone with his mom, he called Nissa and left a message telling her, and I think he's going to call Katherine and tell her this weekend, (that's what he said), and he called Jeff and told him.

"But what I don't know is, has the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention done something in this area? Do they even know about this?"

When we got to the hotel, he got right on the internet and sent an email to the closet chapter.

I understand why he is upset! Fourteen deaths by suicide in such a small area is really high. it comes to three a year. I think he is just hoping to get someone, what he calls a professional (which he says he is not) to get up there and stop this trend.

I'm on his side on this one.

But what he did that was weird was get a photo of this clown. He hates clowns! he's scared of clowns!

Flats, Hills, Help

There is a lot to cover today, so lets get started so I can get to bed.

We started the day early at 9:30am from Robert Lee. We had not made it out of the garage the companion says: Oh we've got a flat. And its the same flat the he has fixed twice already.

We stop at the store and he pumped it up, and it went right down. So he fixed it and it went down again We walked over to a tire repair store and got it fixed.

Off we sent for 44 miles starting out two hours later.


We have to climb out of the valley today and this won was taken at the top!

We kept going. The companion was making good time for a while but he couldn't beat the sun. It began to set and he was worried that he wouldn't get us to Colorado City before the sun set. And he started to hitchhike. No luck. Well there isn't much traffic!

Then he's back on the bike and he looks back and says something I will not repeat. "We've got another flat." Its a different tire this time. But its flat. He pumps it up and is looking at When along comes Cecile. He gives us a ride to town, and takes us by the radio station and we get an interview!

We are now in Colorado City, Texas

Great Day! Oh hello Grand mom and Grand dad.

I Found a Picture

So Last night the companion was looking at photos. And I saw this one? from a newspaper? Why did I not about it? I like it. I think the hat looks really great!

Farewell Edwards Plateau, and an Improvement.

Here we are at the end of the Edward's Plateau and so we bid it Farwell! For me it means very little. Hills or flatlands, woods or dessert make no matter to me. I get all the smells I need and want and they are all interesting and fun. Just heavy traffic is bad for me. I don't like car smell.

Today had started out like it has been so much--Overcast, Cloudy, Rainy. Not really rain, but foggy wet air. The companion thought it would be a good idea to put the poncho over the entire contraption, and then stick my head out of the hole. So its yellow and all you can see is my head sitting out of the top of a yellow mound. Well I'm was sceptical until we started biking. The water from the road didn't get all over me. I stayed cleaner all day, and the cool air didn't hit my body as much.

Way to go Companion!

Creepy, and the next route

I have no comment on this. Buffalo in Oklahoma City, Cows in Chicago, now Sheep in San Angelo. When will it be Bassets?

We leave Tuesday start our journey out of Texas. The route is:
Tuesday, Robert Lee
Wednesday, Colorado City
Thrusday, Big Sping
Friday, Andrews

then Saturday in Hobbs New Mexico!

My Blog

I over see the companion typing my blog.

This photo was taken by Gerry from the Mason newspaper

Texas Snow

The companion is on the phone with his mother:
"Can you believe it? Snow in Texas!"

Is that odd, I wondered.

"Yeah, look at the map on the weather channel. There is snow and snow & Rain in Central and south Texas."

We get snow all the time, I thought. I mean every year there is snow. Why did he thing this one would be different.

"We went south to get out of the snow and here it is. And its going to be coming down all day, I'm sure."

So he talks to his mom about this great snow thing in Texas, and I sleep. It is kind of cold out today, and he said we would be staying in doors today. Unless the Brady newspaper would like to run a story about us. then he says we will bike down to the courthouse, more scenic for photos.

I"m not biking in the snow. I have rules, and that's one of them.

Then the housekeeper comes to the room and she and the companion talk. she says: "We've never had this much snow in Brady."

Really? This must be really odd for this place.

So our bike ride has been one challenge after another, and each time we overcome it. I was worried he would say: ok lets just give up and stop. But last night I remember him saying to Gerry: "I had said we would stop if we ran into unusual bad weather when we got to Texas, but now that we are here--oh no we are moving on!"

Way to go Companion!

Cold Temps, and Lovely Ladies

We are no in San Saba Texas. We left Lampasas this morning early in cold temps with no sunshine.

And that is how it stayed all day. There was some sun shine during the day. And I heard the companion say: wow its kind of nice when the sun comes out. Then back the sun would go.

So the path we took was out in now where. Lots for me to smell. All kinds of livestock in the area. You know Texas is really pretty. Long rolling hills, small mountains really. I know the companion is tired of hills, and he was talking on the phone when we got to home that his legs were so tired that he couldn't stand up!

Ok so we take a left in Lampasas and get on FM 508. About an hour after we turn, the companion says: Oh no, I forgot to get water. And we didn't find a store open until we got to San Saba! thats 40 miles or more. The companion was really beat and hungry most of the day.

So around 4pm the companion says: you need a walk. And he gets me out and we go walking down the road. Then this lady, Carol, stops her truck to talk to us. This is what I heard:

"Is everything ok," she says.
"Oh everything is fine, I'm just not sure where we are."
Well that was enough for me and I started to ask Carol myself if we could ride. I don't know why the companion waited so long. Luckily Carol understood and offered to drive us the five or ten miles into towns. She was such a sweetie. Made me feel so comfortable in her truck. And pet me and gave me all kinds of love.

We said our good byes, and the companion heading to the store. He put me outside, as he always does, walks in then walks right back out, grabs me and takes me in. He talked to Shannon the lady who works there. She said, Its too cold out there for her to stand.

How did we meet two really sweet and nice ladies on the day the companion said: this was the first time I really felt lonely, there was nothing around.