Rocky Mountain Spotted High

Jason and Denise from San Francisco called us up Monday afternoon with a last minute request that we fly down to California for the Fourth of July weekend and spend it with them in Yosemite National Park. Despite some initial hesitation on Dan's part, we managed to buy ourselves two plane tickets to Fresno, and left the following day for what turned out to be a wonderful trip I think we'll never forget.

Yosemite is a beatiful place, with so much to do that we could have spent another full week there exploring the many wonders of the Sierra Nevada. It was my first time in the mountains and the landscapes we saw were spectacular. Snowy peaks, rocky valleys, lush green meadows, crisp blue water, it was unbelievable.

We also saw lots and lots of dogs. And of course, since we weren't able to bring Gus and Charly, I had to stop and say hello to each one we passed. We saw dogs on leash, off leash, in Louis Vuitton purses, and REI backpacks. We saw Labs, German Shephards, Toy Poodles, Daschunds, Chihuahuas, Beagles, even Yorkies. I missed my boys so much, and despite all the fun we had, I'm happy to be home for some much needed puppy love.

Something I always wish we had when we go hiking around Minnesota with our dogs is a portable water and food container. We always end up putting water in a thermos and the kibble in a plastic baggie, and tossing their food and water bowls in the trunk. That's way too much work, and a couple of weeks ago I found this very smartly made portable pet food tote at X-Treme Geek. This gadget is great for day tripping dogs! It's small, easy to pack, and a one-stop shop for food and water.