4-wheeling with Rufus...and his family

Friday afternoon we headed off for another adventure in the Kaibab.  The stake is planning to do a trek over there next year and we went over with Kris and Robyn Johnson to do some prelim checking out of routes.  We drove our truck as far as Kanab and dropped it off for stone to be loaded up and then joined them in their truck for the rest of the trip.  Their dog Rufus came along too.  We dined at Jacob Lake and then found our camp spot.  They had their camper and we had our trusty tent and airbed.  After some hot chocolate, cookies and a game of No Peaky, we all called it a night.  We woke to coyotes singing in the morning.  It is pretty interesting, but just a little disconcerting too.  We tried to record some of it.  After breakfast was done we loaded up on the Johnsons' 4-wheelers and started looking at some possible routes.  It was beautiful with rain in the air, and sometimes on us (but not too much) and everything fresh and vibrant.  We covered some beautiful routes through the forest and to the  rim of the Grand Canyon.  This was my first 4-wheeler trip other than the short rides I have been on at Family Camp.  It was great! The Johnsons are such fun, nice people that it really made the trip great!  I got to know Rufus the dog a lot better and he even gave me a turn throwing a smashed bottle for him to fetch and also gave me the opportunity to be his pillow once in a while in the back seat on the way home.  He is a funny fellow and made a great masthead riding shotgun on the Johnson's 4-wheeler.  He did get out and run some here and there just to keep in shape.  We stopped by Jacob Lake again on the way home to see if they had had a chance to fill our hopeful request for some of their amazing coconut cream pie...they did!  It was very crowded and we were in a kind of a hurry, so we just got it to go.  Mmmmm good!  We picked up our truck/load in Kanab and headed on home after a perfect trip.  We were glad that we had finished our scouting before a huge hailstorm hit the area.  It was crazy with hail pounding down and piling up along the road.  Rufus was not bothered by it and just slept peacefully on my knee.   Thank you Kris, Robyn and Rufus for letting us join your fun!