On New Year’s Eve morning my grandson Zach asked, “Hey grandpa, why don’t you go with me and Estrella (his dog) to the dog park”? It was a beautiful warm winter morning and I jumped at the invite. We live near three dog parks. The biggest is a couple of miles north of us. It’s called the Westminster Open Space Dog Park. It’s a couple hundred acres of dog heaven. Some days the parking lot, which holds at least 80 cars, is packed, along with the side road. This morning we got there as it was filling up.
Out we came, rollator and all. We got on the path, turned the doggy loose and began to take the gravel trail up the rise to the crest of the hill about a half mile away. I told Zach I was good for about a 20 minute walk and then I would park myself and look out over a most beautiful Rocky Mountain landscape. To the south one can see all the way down to Pike’s Peak, and to the north, Long’s Peak all the way to Wyoming. There was not a wisp of wind and the radiance of the morning sun lit up the world.
When I first planted myself on my perch on the trail there were no other people with dogs set free. That soon ended. Here I was along the side of the road as a parade of people and dogs worked their way towards me. My first visitor was a “Golden Doodle” who pranced right up to me and planted its head under my ear scratching hand. Soon a couple of other canine buddies joined, and I was dishing out greetings.
I really had no idea just how many encounters I would attract, but Every dog that headed up that path stopped to check out the grandpa in his own chair. Often their owners would try to offer an apology which I turned into a moment of gratitude. “If you can’t tell I am loving this, these pups are making my almost New Year”.
They came in all sizes and shapes. Some were obviously purebreds and others of the Taos “Free Puppies in a box” variety. Dogs don’t care, they were just loving being able to run free and romp with their kind. I soon began to get two—way traffic, as I was on a circular path. Not one dog missed an opportunity to “say hello and check out my sky blue rollator”.
About 30 minutes after I planted myself there, here came Estrella, who spotted me and pranced about 50 yds to make sure she said Hi. She takes very little attention, like maybe I rubbed her ears and she was off to her next bush.
The next time Zach asks me to go there I will beat Estrella to the car.
Onward and Upward,
Woooffff, Mark
Lyfting Me Up 