February 17, 2005

February 17, 2005

Lakewood to Living Desert State Park, New Mexico & return

DAY 244

 

Today was cloudy and cool. I felt slightly ill all day with some sort of flu bug.

This morning when I took Bo for a walk, he fell into and got stuck in the livestock grate on the road at the entrance to "The Ranch". A livestock grate is a series of large pipes laid across a trench cut in the road. The pipes, maybe six inches across, are laid about 6 inches apart. They prevent livestock or wildlife from crossing into where they're not wanted, while still allowing cars to pass through. They are on every roadway through fenced land around here. When he walked across it this morning, both his front and back legs fell between the pipes, and he hung there with his belly laying on the pipes, his legs dangling underneath, flailing. Poor Bo. At least he learns quickly. When we came walking back into the park, he refused to step on the livestock grate. I had to carry him across.

We got a late start this morning, partially because I wasn't feeling well, and slept late. We unhitched the truck from the trailer, which we hadn't done yesterday when we arrived. We had an early lunch, then set out for Living Desert State Park, on the outskirts of Carlsbad, about 20 miles away. We spent the afternoon there. It is a zoo and botanical garden set on a 1.3 mile trail through natural desert environment. It exhibits many different desert plants, cacti, grasses, trees, etc., as well as an aviary filled with birds indigenous to the desert, a reptile house, and large fenced areas throughout the grounds housing animals found in the desert. We saw bald eagles, golden eagles, wild turkeys, a variety of owls, collared peccaries ( wild desert boars ), road runners, snakes, cougars, bobcats, mule deer, and more varieties of cacti than I imagined could exist. Most of the birds and animals came to them as injured or "domesticated" and could not be returned to their wild habitat. The cougar, for example, was raised as a domestic pet until confiscated by authorities. When we approached its pen, it came running over, purring loudly, looking for some interaction with people. Just like a big version of Teddy. The male bobcat made chirping noises similar to the "talking" that Toby used to do. Cats are cats, I guess.

I just came in from taking Bo out for his late night walk. There are coyotes howling just a few hundred feet away out in the desert. Kind of spooky. I guess they're waiting for the next rabbit to come by and be their next meal. Or maybe a cute little Yorkshire Terrier cross would taste nice !

DSK