Flagstaff is an island of bicycle/pedestrian-friendly culture in one of the most topographically-gifted and culturally-backward states in the country. (How many states could produce Bruce Babbitt and John McCain.)
I was so worried about Coffee Girl when we started coming to these things. But now I'm not even tense when we approach the gate, with a half dozen red-fanged curs on the other side, waiting anxiously for inbound "fresh meat."
It is therapy for the human owners, too. I simply feel happier watching dogs run and play than at any other time. It's a big reason why I boondock.
Sometimes the interactions are funny. This husky was underestimating the capabilities of these little French bulldogs. (Pay no attention to the little poodle on the right. I never saw him before.) Fortunately, the referee blew his whistle right after this photo was taken and the little poodle had to sit out three minutes in the penalty box, for high-sticking.
Now we move on to the cultural and culinary center of northern Arizona: Biff's Bagels. I have written of Biff before, when I was in Prescott last fall. I was trying to meet the inimitable Granny J, whose blog I had just discovered, when I got the phone call from Will Fancher of Idaho that he had rescued my little poodle (no relation to the dog in the photo above. ahem.) Anyway the Biff's of Prescott was shut down due to California-like rent, or so rumor has it.
Now we enjoy our coffee and goodie. Although I'm not the cinnamon-centric sybarite (grin) that a certain well-known blogger is, it is pleasant to enjoy the goodie guilt-free. After all we had biked into town (downhill) and left the gas hog home.
Sometimes we have other errands: the library, downtown shops, the only Bookmans in northern Arizona, a local grocery store, all within reach of paw and pedal. Man was meant to live like this.
Now we have to hump the climb back to camp. It's not so bad. The ponderosa pine forest is of such a density that you can see wildlife, but not too easily. It is a sylvan tease.
It was easy to tell that the critters weren't deer. I wanted to verify that they were elk and see if there was a bull elk with them. I snuck up as best I could--but they saw my every move. It was surprising that they let me get so close. Maybe they wanted their picture takes. Nah, that sounds like bull.
