7/17/2021 Joshua City to LA and back.

Got up this morning and was feeling really good. Went out into the rocky back yard, ate a stick, felt the cool morning desert air, had a good poop, came back in and Food Lady already had my food. This day was going great! But then it didn't. She took me for a quick walk, and then they put me back in the car. What the hell? This isn't how this usually works. They didn't take all their stuff, so I figured it was gonna be a short drive, but it wasn't. They tricked me. We must have driven for like 18 hours. I don't know what they were thinking. I mean usually we stay in a place for a couple of days before we drive like that again. The road was not very well maintained. It bumped and buzzed and woke me from my slumbers. I couldn't really get comfortable. Snack Guy kept saying something about driving like an abuelita, or little old lady, since the crash. And this road was no place for that. Cars were whizzing past us on the left and right. I could sense my Humans were getting tense. It went on like that forever. Until we found ourselves in a HUGE city. "Beverly Hills" was the only thing I could really make out from the excited chatter Food Lady was talking. Snack Guy was saying something about seeing the "HOLLYWOOD" sign. I have no idea what any of this is or what any of this means or why we are wasting our time driving around when we could be playing. We saw a sidewalk with a bunch of stars on it. It was really hard to get excited about it all, but I kind of just fed off the energy my Humans were giving off. We finally found our way to a pier, Santa Monica Pier. Now this was fun. There was way too much stimulation, people, lots of people, talking, singing, laughing, dancing, yelling, eating delicious smelling things, coming way too close so that I had to bark at them, then those damn bicycles which need barking at no matter what else is going on. God, I hate those things. I swear I'll catch one, one day and it make it pay for all the others that crossed my path and got away. I swear it to Athena. Until then, everyone that passes will hear my roar and remember: Risa is near, be wary and afeared.

But we walked around the pier for a while, and I was totally overladed with smells and sounds and people and food. We got to a sign to take more pictures…(ugggg…the things I do to humor my Humans). This one said something about the end of rt 66. It was kind of anticlimactic after all the buildup Snack Guy was giving it. It was just busy, dirty, and loud. But we got our picture, and Snack Guy told me that from here on, we were only eastbound. I licked him. Not so much because I understand what all that means, but mostly because he just seems to need it; it's like encouragement for him. What we do for our humans….

Anyhow, after that crazy like, 19 hour drive, we packed it in and started east from LA. Snack Guy kept singing "Born in East LA," but again, I didn't really get it, so I just went back to sleep. OR I tried to, but that LA traffic is no joke. Like, seriously, no joke. What was mapped at 2 hour 45 minute drive was suddenly 4 and a half hours. We were getting nowhere, and Snack Guy couldn't even drive like an abuelita because it was basically stopped on the freeway. Cars doing some crazy things when we could move. I've never in my 9 long months seem anything like it. Later on, I heard Snack Guy say he felt about two years older and had suffered about 200 minor heart attacks. I'm really glad I just zoned out through most of it. At some point we stopped and tried a dog park. I think they were killing time for traffic to die down. Whatever, I don't care. It was a dog park, and that's all I needed to know. I ran, I jumped, I sniffed butts, I made friends, I barked….then I found the one, tiny little place in the entire park where there was a mud puddle. First, I put my face in it. So cool…so refreshing….I could see Snack Guy and Food Lady running toward me…but it was too late. Before they could get me, I laid my whole body down in the dirty water. The mud was so deep it kind of sucked me down into it. I wish I had the words to describe my joy. I don't understand why my Humans didn't seem to be experiencing the same joy. It was incredible. Well, they hauled me up and dragged me out of the park to a water fountain and then…you know what they did? They washed it all off me. All of it….well…most of it. I mean it wasn't as stinky or sticky as the mud pit I played in, in TX, but they barely let me enjoy it at all. I was kind of irked. But whatever…they just don't get the simple pleasures, I guess. I mean they take pictures of signs, so you know. But after a thorough (or at least and thorough as Food Lady could manage with a water bottle and a half-working water faucet) washing, I got back in the park. The hot air and wind dried me off quick enough, and they took to me to the side of the park with the little dogs. There was no mud there, sadly, but there were some lively puppies who knew better how to play. I worked off a lot of my energy, and back in the car we went. Another 14 hours and we were back and the desert house in Joshua Tree City. They bought wine because "Wine Friday" is sacred. Food Lady made some nachos and I got to eat again, but really, I was just tired and wanted us all to go to bed, so I wondered around and occasionally barked at them. I think they finally got the hint. I can't imagine what they have in store for tomorrow, but I hear Snack Guy saying something about Skull Rock and getting another stamp in his passport. Sounds like a hike, but who knows with my special Humans. We may wind up in Bolivia for all I know.

I'll keep you posted,

Risa

PS: I think they've given up on the Jeep.