The Forest Roadcat

A couple days ago we picked up a load in Sacramento that was due to
deliver yesterday in central Oregon (Bend and Redmond). We got into the
area midafternoon Tuesday and couldn't deliver until Wednesday morning,
so we stopped at the truck stop in LaPine, OR.

This truck stop sits right up against a nice stretch of woods. That's to
be expected, being in the middle of the Klamath National Forest. I
decided we'd try an afternoon walk in addition to a dark walk, and Harri
agreed to the idea. We took about a 20 minute walk, her first through a
forest. It took a little time for her to get used to the deadfalls and
all the broken branches on the ground, but she did finally figure out
that they could be fun. We did an hour long dark walk that night and an
hour sunrise walk the next morning, and she was really getting into the
forest scene. She would explore along the tops of deadfall trees, being
fairly careful not to snag her leash. And she found that it's fun to do
zoomies up tall trees, at least as high as her overly strict Paw will
let her go.

We finished off our deliveries and returned to the same truck stop to
await our next load assignment. We did an hour and a half dark walk last
night and almost an hour sunrise walk this morning. Now she's really
getting into this forest explorer thing! She zooms along the fallen
trees, hops over bushes, scrambles very quickly up tall trees (up to
about 8 feet up, where I stop her), and is generally out close to the
limit of the leash the whole we're walking. She really loves forest
walks. She will generally spend at least 10 minutes of each walk
sitting atop a tree stump just watching, listening to, and sniffing the
forest around her. It's quite a sight.

On a side note, she's getting more beautiful as she matures too. I need
to put up some new photos, I guess. Her white tail tip is now close to
an inch long, the lighter orange raccoon strips on her tail are now
white, the light socks on her feet are all turning white, and the fur
from her rear paw, over her back by the base of her tail, and down her
other rear paw is turning whitish as well. She's coming to look a lot
more like her handsome Sammy brother!

We are now on a run from Springfield, OR to Las Vegas and will be
travelling a stretch with a dearth of truck stops and lousy cellular
coverage, so we might not be able to check in again for a couple of
days. But we will return as soon sa we are physically able to do so.
Purrs coming to all who need them.

Dan

Dan M wrote:

A couple days ago we picked up a load in Sacramento that was due to
deliver yesterday in central Oregon (Bend and Redmond). We got into the
area midafternoon Tuesday and couldn't deliver until Wednesday morning,
so we stopped at the truck stop in LaPine, OR.


Lucky Dan and Lucky Harriroadcat. That part of Oregon is one of the
most beautiful in a beautiful state. I've had people accuse me of being
a scenic Pollyanna, but most places are beautiful, each in a different
way. However Oregon is, in my opinion, the most beautiful of the
western states.

Please do get pictures of Miss Harriroadcat updated. She's a pretty
little thing and I'd love to see how she's grown into her cathood.

Purrs and hugs,

Pam S.

"Dan M" wrote in message
...
A couple days ago we picked up a load in Sacramento that was due to deliver
yesterday in central Oregon (Bend and Redmond). We got into the area
midafternoon Tuesday and couldn't deliver until Wednesday morning, so we
stopped at the truck stop in LaPine, OR.

This truck stop sits right up against a nice stretch of woods. That's to
be expected, being in the middle of the Klamath National Forest. I decided
we'd try an afternoon walk in addition to a dark walk, and Harri agreed to
the idea. We took about a 20 minute walk, her first through a forest. It
took a little time for her to get used to the deadfalls and all the broken
branches on the ground, but she did finally figure out that they could be
fun. We did an hour long dark walk that night and an hour sunrise walk the
next morning, and she was really getting into the forest scene. She would
explore along the tops of deadfall trees, being fairly careful not to snag
her leash. And she found that it's fun to do zoomies up tall trees, at
least as high as her overly strict Paw will let her go.

We finished off our deliveries and returned to the same truck stop to
await our next load assignment. We did an hour and a half dark walk last
night and almost an hour sunrise walk this morning. Now she's really
getting into this forest explorer thing! She zooms along the fallen trees,
hops over bushes, scrambles very quickly up tall trees (up to about 8 feet
up, where I stop her), and is generally out close to the limit of the
leash the whole we're walking. She really loves forest walks. She will
generally spend at least 10 minutes of each walk sitting atop a tree stump
just watching, listening to, and sniffing the forest around her. It's
quite a sight.

On a side note, she's getting more beautiful as she matures too. I need to
put up some new photos, I guess. Her white tail tip is now close to an
inch long, the lighter orange raccoon strips on her tail are now white,
the light socks on her feet are all turning white, and the fur from her
rear paw, over her back by the base of her tail, and down her other rear
paw is turning whitish as well. She's coming to look a lot more like her
handsome Sammy brother!

We are now on a run from Springfield, OR to Las Vegas and will be
travelling a stretch with a dearth of truck stops and lousy cellular
coverage, so we might not be able to check in again for a couple of days.
But we will return as soon sa we are physically able to do so. Purrs
coming to all who need them.

Dan

Oh, *please* post some pictures of her soon - she sounds gorgeous!

Hugs,

CatNipped

I love your stories, Dan and Harri! I'm so glad you have such exciting
walks.
Best wishes,
--
Polonca & Soncek

"Dan M" wrote in message
...
A couple days ago we picked up a load in Sacramento that was due to
deliver yesterday in central Oregon (Bend and Redmond). We got into the
area midafternoon Tuesday and couldn't deliver until Wednesday morning,
so we stopped at the truck stop in LaPine, OR.

This truck stop sits right up against a nice stretch of woods. That's to
be expected, being in the middle of the Klamath National Forest. I
decided we'd try an afternoon walk in addition to a dark walk, and Harri
agreed to the idea. We took about a 20 minute walk, her first through a
forest. It took a little time for her to get used to the deadfalls and
all the broken branches on the ground, but she did finally figure out
that they could be fun. We did an hour long dark walk that night and an
hour sunrise walk the next morning, and she was really getting into the
forest scene. She would explore along the tops of deadfall trees, being
fairly careful not to snag her leash. And she found that it's fun to do
zoomies up tall trees, at least as high as her overly strict Paw will
let her go.
snip

On Thu, 28 Apr 2005 06:38:32 -0700, Dan M wrote:

A couple days ago we picked up a load in Sacramento that was due to
deliver yesterday in central Oregon (Bend and Redmond). We got into the
area midafternoon Tuesday and couldn't deliver until Wednesday morning,
so we stopped at the truck stop in LaPine, OR.

You could compile of file of all the adventures of Harri Roadcat and
maybe publish them. They are delightful to read. Of course a book
would have to have pictures of the heroine in it. She sounds like such
a doll.

--
CATherine

Dan M wrote:

On a side note, she's getting more beautiful as she matures too. I need
to put up some new photos, I guess. Her white tail tip is now close to
an inch long, the lighter orange raccoon strips on her tail are now
white, the light socks on her feet are all turning white, and the fur
from her rear paw, over her back by the base of her tail, and down her
other rear paw is turning whitish as well. She's coming to look a lot
more like her handsome Sammy brother!

They both have those wonderful orange whorls. It must be wonderful
having a roadcat with you. I often wish that I could bring cats to
work.