Hiking the Luchini Trail . . .
If you’re new to this blog, let me clarify something. Bridget and Spike are my canine crew. My new friend, a fellow camper, is also named Bridget. So far no man has shown up named Spike. For that I’m glad. Then it would really be confusing. Okay, back to the blog entry . . .
Starting at the entrance of Elephant Butte State Park, the Luchini Trail loops around behind the campsites, up a small hill and over to the Elephant Butte Inn. The crew and I hear about this trail from Noah, Hayley and their owner, Bridget.
Noah and Hayley are experienced campers and hikers.
The crew and I visit them at their campsite. Noah and Hayley are good canine hosts. They show the crew how to play with a ball and with a stick. Spike and Bridget (the canine Bridget) watch the demonstration politely. Neither of them get the point of chasing after a ball or running around with a stick in your mouth.
Bridget (the lady) and I talk for about an hour.
She tells me she takes her crew down to the lake every day or walks them on the trail. As you can see from the photo, Noah and Hayley receive excellent care and grooming. As for my crew? I’m thankful they’ve got self-cleaning fur! And they should be thankful, too, for that matter.
We’ll go on our hike after a trip to the laundromat.
The disadvantage of having a lot of clothes is the temptation to put off a trip to the laundromat. For a very long time. It’s pretty bad when you have to ask the attendant to give you ten dollars worth of quarters and you wonder if that’ll be enough. At least the driers are hot, hot, hot! In what I’m beginning to see as typical Truth or Consequences (expect the unexpected), the attendant starts up a floor model popcorn machine. The sound and smell of popcorn popping adds some festivity to the laundromat atmostphere!
Later the crew and I set out on our big hike on Luchini Trail.
I hate to bring this up . . . it’s hard not to think of coyotes. Coyotes have been seen around here and the park ranger tells people to keep an eye on their dogs. In fact, I heard some howling the other night. Bridget’s tale of Noah’s confrontation with a coyote last year doesn’t help. They were walking on the dirt road up by the neighboring campground when a coyote approached Noah who was running free. Before Bridget could catch up and grab his leash to pull him away, several coyotes appeared and formed a half-circle around him! Bridget ran, yelling and screaming, toward Noah. Fortunately Noah came running toward her. She grabbed his leash and got away from there!
Okay. Enough of that. About our hike . . .
I like that the path is very wide. No close bushes from which a snake might strike. Or from which a coyote might lunge. Along with a few of his friends. Gee, are we having fun yet? Move ON. Actually the only wildlife we encounter along the trail is a jack-rabbit, a regular rabbit, a few doves and quail. That’s okay with me.
To me . . . a bench provided for your hiking comfort is a good sign.
It says to me there’s a pretty good chance we won’t be rappelling down cliffs or fording any raging rivers. Luchini Trail is an easy hike. The biggest difficulty is a stone in my shoe.
We walk the path up the hill, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, and suddenly hear a car horn and traffic. The town of Elephant Butte is at the end of the trail. How’s that for roughing it!
rvsue and her canine crew 
Wonderful slide show. That looks like a great trail…and Bridget and Spike look like they’re enjoying the bench!
Tell your human-friend Bridget that I love her dogs. It was my dream to have a blue merle Aussie but I think now I won’t replace my doggies when they are gone. Noah and Hayley are just beautiful.
Hey, Donna,
Noah and Hayley are so beautiful I had to work them into the blog. Bridget puts a lot of effort into their grooming, and it shows. They have wonderful personalities to go with their looks.
Pepper spray may be a good thing to keep handy to make the coyotes think twice. If it works on bears, it should work on most things.
Glad your still have a good time.
Hi, Darrell!
I’ve been meaning to pick up some pepper spray ever since I left Athens, GA. Here I am going off on a trail like Little Red Riding Hood, totally clueless . . .
beautiful photos! I have been reading every entry, just haven’t commented in a while. Still enjoying the blog, but have been watching from the sidelines. Just had to comment on the great photos tho. I am about to leave work, but had to check to see your entry first. Now I will hit the road. Thanks for the enjoyment and entertainment your blog adds to my life. Carol S (cece)
Oh, cece! What a nice thing to say! I’m only too happy to write this blog if someone is willing to read it. I’m glad you get something out of my efforts. Thanks for telling me.
Aren’t cameras amazing these days? Most of the time I can’t even see what I’m taking a photo of because the light is so bright here, the little screen is black. I’m definitely pointing and shooting!
Gee, I hope my blog doesn’t make you late for work.
I appreciate your comment so much.
Wasp spray works good too and it sprays a lot further than pepper spray! Cheaper too!
And you know, I have some spray that shoots pretty far…. somewhere….somewhere in the PTV!
Howdy Sue,
Don’t tell me a Jack Russell can’t whip a whole passel of coyotes!!! Old Spike would tear then
Wily Coyote critters up and spit’em out, while Bridget sat and watched!!! The neighbors’ are
very pretty… We’ve got a Red Aussie who howls with the coyotes… Be careful though with
wildlife like Robert Kittie and Puma Pete… They’ll grab’em and be gone before you can blink!!
Here’s wishing you smooth roads, clear blue skies & balmy breezes!!
Hi, Butterbean!
You may be right about Spikey. He’s never been put to the test, but he can be a pretty determined guy. He used to come in the house sometimes with a swollen nose from sticking it where it wasn’t wanted!
Yeah, the crew is definitely bait for big critters. I probably shouldn’t let them run free when I’m away from civilization and human commotion.
Best wishes to you, too!
Gorgeous, all of it! Hope to see you soon!
I hope to see you, too, Steve. I’m having a hard time thinking about leaving here. Any way you guys might be headed this way?
Beautiful pictures and Hayley and Noah sure are great looking well cared for dogs.
And of course Spike and Bridget are always so pleasing to the eye in their black suites.
But you really do need to remember to get some pepper spray to protect your dogs against things that you wouldn’t be able to fight off. The hornet spray is a great protector for all of you from anything harmful , animal or human. Of course on a trail a big can like that is not easy to handle.
I follow you everyday either at night or early morning. Keep the blog going as others have said it is fun to go along with you.
Hi Sue,
I ran across another rv blogger who wrote about his dogs and confrontations with coyotes. Scary stuff, but it has a happy ending.
http://occupation-of-independence.blogspot.com/p/dancing-with-wolves.html
Great post! MAN I wish we could still camp here in Oregon. Comfortably, I mean. 🙂