Marathon Dog

Say hi to the Marathon Dog.

Who? Moi? Nah, I just got to wear Alpha's medal when he (finally ;-) got home.

No, this time, Alpha's the marathon dog. As in dog-tired and dog-slow (hee, hee)


Here was Alpha at the beginning of the Königsschlösser Romantik Marathon in Füssen, Germany.

Doesn't he look so happy? If only he knew ...


So here is his first rude awakening.

Of course, you want to keep your running shoes dry -- after all, you'll be in them for 26.2 miles.

And this was at mile 5!


Oops. That would be rude awakening #2.

What the heck -- they are already wet, right?


OK, now we have a different rude awakening. That's right, Alpha had been in front of the 4:00 hour pacemaker.

But ... not any more!

He never saw that dude again ... ever ;-)


Oh look -- more water!

So this time they run a water pump and put in planks to run on.

How thoughtful (hee, hee).


Well, do you know what this all means?

It means it is time for some more photos. If you can't run fast, you might as well enjoy the views.

Oh yeah, that and the lack of adequate training and dead-tired legs.


And that view, my friends, is why we run. Beautiful church with Neuschwanstein Castle in the background.

Awesome. And Alpha at least finished the race. Just don't ask him for his time (hee, hee).

No pictures of Alpha racing you say? Well, right you are. So here are some additions from the photographers along the course:


Oh Alpha. Glad to see you really made it!

Where's Charlie?

Say hi to this loud family of rug rats. Maybe you can see them all barking their fool heads off. Oh wait, they look just like moi ;-)


Well here's the reason they are worked up into a frenzy. Ya see, that's Charlie, and he's terrorizing me.

And guess what, Charlie is the father of all those rug rats.

Really, someone needs to learn some manners. They are all going to be terror-beasts.

Thank goodness I am such a good boy ;-) I would never bark at another doggie ;-)

Which way to go?

Look at all the trail options we have from the top of Furka Pass. I wonder which one we should take?


Oh my gosh, look how far that one goes. I think I've had enough walking for this trip.

Can we go home now guys? Thanks for a great vacation!

Snow in July??

Hey, where did this snow come from? It's July for cryin' out loud!

I guess that's what you get next to a glacier at 2451 meters altitude (over 8000 feet).


Oh, I see how it is. It's all Alpha's fault that I'm up here.

Is anyone out there surprised? (hee, hee)

The long and winding road ... home

Well, all good things must come to an end ... so we are heading home.

But Alpha and Mom didn't want to take the auto-train back, so we took the long way, over the Furka Pass. Check out those switchbacks.


Here we are at the top of the pass, and Alpha is playing with the tacky tourist displays. Oh Alpha, puhleaze!

Let sleeping dogs lie

We've done a lot of hiking and walking, and it's getting to be time to head home.

But hey, no reason to jump out of bed, right? After all, we're on vacation.

So Mom and Alpha, can you please let sleeping dogs lie?

Another day, another beautiful walk

Here we go on another good walk. This time on the other side of the river. We're getting a good look at the valley.


And then we all took the bus home (up hill ... hee, hee).

So Alpha decided to out and take a run back up the mountain, to this really cool lake.

Hey Alpha, how come you didn't take a dip?

Man made stream?

Well, we are on another neat walk today. And it is hot again. So lookee here what we found. A hollowed-out log, with wter flowing continuously through it. Looks like a man-made stream for me to cool off in.


OK, Alpha ... I'm cool enough now ...


OK ... not kidding now. Time for me to get out. Are you going to help? ;-)

Little scary in this town

First off, they have all these troll masks on the sides of hotels, and then check this guy out.

Look at the size of that guy! Can you see me, I'm the little speck on the log bench? (Wowsa!)


And in this picture -- hey Alpha, do you feel like someone is watching us?

Look around the edges of the photo. There are lots of little garden gnomes peeking at us. Kinda creepy if you ask me (hee, hee)

It's a VERY special day!

Today is my Alpha's birthday! In honor of this super duper extra special occasion, I (using all of my doggy technological skills) have created a memoir collage of some of the great times Alpha & I have shared over the years...


Here's hoping there are many more years of running, neck massages and tug-o-war ahead of us :)

Oh, and if you feel bad about getting old, just remember you're still technically younger than me ;) but I bet I can still run faster than you =P

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALPHA!!!

On a woodland trail now

Well, we must be finally getting there, as we've now entered into the woods. Boy, this is a nice break from the full sun.


But I'll tell you -- it is still very hot. Here is Alpha graciously using his hat to pour cold stream water all over me.

Hey, don't give him too much credit -- he was doing that anyways to wet his hat and cool off his own head.

Whatcha doin' down there?

Look at how majestic I look up here in the mountains. My, you guys look so small down there.

I like being way up here -- I am dominating!

Lookee here, another church

Such a cute little thing (just like moi).

Tucked way up here on the high alpine trail. How cool is that?

Gettin' a little toasty!

Hey guys -- just a heads up. It's getting a little toasty out here in the full sun (and up at elevation, where there is less atmosphere to block the sun).


Oh man, does this trail ever end? You know that I start to slow down if I get too hot, right? Good thing I got a haircut just before this trip, that's for sure.


Ahhhh, now that's better. That's what I'm talking about! Little glacial streams strategically spaced out along the trail so I am never too far from a nice cold dip.

Nice of ya to join us, Mom

Well isn't this a turn of events. Have you noticed how almost all of the photos have been of Alpha? You know what that means, doncha? Mom's been the primary photographer for this series of blog entries.


Hey, well, welcome aboard there Mom. Just what I need -- two photographers in the family (oh yeah, and Alli too ;-)

Pictures in every direction

Man, everywhere you turn, there's Alpha snapping a photo. Oh wait, this one must have been taken by Mom. This family ...


"Click" Woah, there goes another one. Fortunately, I avoided being in that one ;-)

I guess that's what Alpha was photograhing when Mom snapped our photo. Purty.

Coolin' off with Alpha

The other cool thing (pun intended ;-) about the Lötschental Höhenweg is that there are glacial streams running down the mountain side every so often.

So even though it get's pretty warm walking in full sun, I get a chance to cool off in the side eddies of the glacial streams.

Alpha, have I told you the water is really, really cold?

Top o' the world (or so it seems)

Here's another view from my lunch table. Pretty amazing.

Hey, don't drop me Alpha.


See what I mean about the views. Take a look at that. Wowsa.

Time for a snack

Now this is what I call a great lunch table!

It doesn't take long to need a break at 2000 meters altitude. That's more the 6,000 ft, or over a mile high. The air is thin, and you really feel it when you exercise.

Not that it bothers me -- just the 'rents (hee, hee)


But I will take any excuse for a snack. Mmmmm, that was yummy!

Heading up the Lauchernalp cable car

Now this is the best way to start a walk. Rather than climbing up the mountain, we take a cable car, and then gradually walk down. That's what I'm talking about!


Wow -- we are really up there! We are taking the Lötschental Höhenweg (as in "high path in the Lötschental valley").


The valley walls can get very steep (and pretty). Hey, don't fall off Alpha -- remember we're leashed together ;-)

I'm cold Mom

Well, we got caught in the rain.

Fortunately, my parents did pack the rain gear, but you know me ... low to the ground, without a hood. I still get wet.


Yep, it's raining out alright. Looks like we'll have to wait it out.


Luckily, someone brought me a towel this time (way to go Alpha).

So I get a nice buff job.


Hey ... just call me St. Frito of the Kibbles.

And I think that is totally appropriate ...


... after all, we are sitting here at a church.

What's that Mom?

Hey Mom, whacha lookin' at?

Oh never mind, I'l take a look myself


Hey Mom ...

I see dead people.

No really, why don't you take a closer look inside.


See, looks like a family from back in the 1800s. Wow.

They do like to memorialize their loved ones.