This past weekend was the Western MD Bluesfest in Hagerstown, and I went
there with Muttley as I did last year. But this time some friends joined
us, and we stayed from Friday through Monday, and we just got back.

My friend who has attended many previous Bluesfests reserved a KOA Kabin,
and she went there late Friday afternoon. Another friend meet me at my
house, and we managed to squeeze Muttley into her small car along with all
of our stuff. Then we met another friend, but there was not enough room for
him, too, so he followed us out there. Muttley really enjoyed the ride, and
he got to sit in the front seat, because that was the only way we could
safely attach his harness and seat belt. Upon arrival at the KOA, we
ordered subs, and Muttley got to eat some cheeseburger. We took him for a
walk around the campgrounds and he met a few dogs and people. We had a nice
relaxing evening, and Muttley made friends with everyone. He slept in a
double bed with me, while the others slept in bunks, and Muttley made the
rounds to check out everyone before he returned to stay with me.

Saturday morning we had a nice breakfast, and we went on another walk,
meeting other dogs and people. Mostly he ignored the other dogs, even when
they barked and snarked at him. We were planning to go to the outdoor flea
market in Harpers Ferry, but then several lines of thunderstorms rolled
through the area, and we delayed our trip. The two women stayed at the
campground with Muttley, while Matt and I drove through Antietam to Harpers
Ferry, but the flea market had been rained out. We went to the Factory
Outlets back in Hagerstown, and I got some bargains at Coleman, Timberland,
and Black and Decker. It was getting late, and we had a good dinner at the
Western Sizzlin' buffet. Back at the campground, we got a fire started, but
it was too late to play guitar and sing songs, so we went to bed again.
Muttley was being very good, and Georgie was amazed at how gently he took
pieces of her roast beef sub. A couple of times Muttley was startled by
campground noises enough to bark, but mostly he just gave his subdued
"rrruff" warning as an alert, and he settled down when I praised him and
assured him it was OK.

Sunday the weather was better, although a few showers rolled through. All
of us had to leave about noon, so I left Muttley in the Kabin with
instructions to be a guard dog, and as I left I heard him jump onto the
bed. We listened to several performers playing some good blues at the City
Park. Last year I "snuck" Muttley in, but then I noticed that there were
signs saying "no dogs allowed". I probably got away with it then because it
rained most of the time and people were busy staying dry or leaving, but I
could not chance getting evicted this year. I bought a CD from the last
artist, "Guitar Shorty", and eventually got him to sign my CD "To Paul and
Muttley". Then I called some people I had met on-line, who have several
Anatolian Shepherds, and I arranged for us to meet them later.

Matt, Cathy and I, with Muttley riding shotgun, drove through Martinsburg
to Charles Town, WV, and we went way back into a secluded development just
at the edge of the Appalachian Trail, where we met the couple and their big
dogs, and their four year old daughter, who enjoyed petting and hugging
Muttley as if he were one of her own dogs. The male Anatolian Alex and
Muttley got along well, as we walked along the gravel roads, but their
female Kuvasz was snarky. Muttley pretty much ignored her actions and just
enjoyed the walk and the attention by new people. Their owner paid us a
nice compliment by describing Muttley as a very stable dog. He did not
think Muttley was Anatolian, but he could see some possible boxer and pit
bull, along with his more dominant GSD heritage. We got back late that
night, and Muttley was happy to crawl into bed and keep me company.

Monday morning was very quiet at the KOA, and we finally got packed up and
on the road by a little past noon. Muttley was very good about doing his
poop in the tall grass and leaves off the side of the road, so I didn't
need the super duper pooper scooper I had brought for that purpose. Our
first stop was the C&O Canal, where we took about a 2 mile walk along the
towpath from Cushwa Basin, and we also went into the National Park's
visitor center and saw some interesting exhibits. Next, we stopped briefly
at Antietam Battlefield, and then through Shepherdstown and on to Harpers
Ferry. We visited the KOA there, where we had been told they do not allow
dogs, but the attendant at the gate said a sweet dog like Muttley would be
welcome. He was really well behaved, and he has never snarled or growled at
anyone lately. It was a great pleasure traveling with him.

So, our next stop was at the Hilltop House Hotel, which is presently
closed, and we admired the great views of the Potomac river from that
vantage point. Then, we went through the Harper's Ferry cemetary, where its
founder, John Harper, is buried. Many times I have visited that site, and
toasted his memory with a bit of brandy. We made our way down to the
Appalachian Trail, to Jefferson Rock, and continued on down the famous
stone steps past St Peter's Church, and got a drink at a water fountain.
Muttley was very happy to lap up some fresh water. Then, we continued down
to the center of town, and Muttley met a young dog with short pointy ears
that seemed to be APBT or AST, but they just sniffed each other and seemed
happy to meet, with waggy tails and no snarkiness. Then we climbed some old
wooden steps past several shops on multiple levels, as is typical in this
town built into a steep hill, and we trudged back up the main road to
Hilltop House.

We were hungry and thirsty, so we headed back toward Frederick and stopped
at a small diner where I have eaten before. But things are different when
traveling with a dog. I asked if there were a room where Muttley could stay
while we sat down to a nice meal, but they said no. There was an adjoining
veterinary clinic, and I took Muttley in to ask if he could stay there, but
again had no joy. He was getting rather hot and a bit lethargic, and I
could not leave him in the car, and there was not much shade where I might
be able to tether him. So, we went around back where there was a small
shady spot, ordered carry-out subs, and consumed our meal there. I shared
pieces of my steak and cheese with Muttley, and Matt was very impressed by
the size of his teeth. He has a Golden, and I thought they would be about
the same, but apparently Muttley has bigger jaws. But he is ever so gentle
about taking little morsels of tasty pieces of meat.

Our final trip home was uneventful. We were a bit distressed by the
ever-rising price of gas, nearly breaking the $4 mark, but our vehicles
were getting 35-40 MPG on the highway, so we were not in as bad a
predicamant as some of the yahoos in their souped up pickups, who even
still tried to impress everyone by revving their oversized engines and
peeling rubber on their way out of the gas station after forfeiting a good
chunk of their paychecks. When will they ever learn...

Muttley is just about the perfect dog. Of course, yours may be as well, and
I think dogs try hard to be whatever you want them to be. So if you are
confident and happy, as I am with Muttley, he responds by interacting
calmly and nicely with all the people and other dogs we meet. He seems to
set a good example of behavior by ignoring other dogs' snarkiness, and I
see other dog owners hollering a their dogs to shut up and calm down as
Muttley and I walk by, with him paying just minimal attention to their
displays. He shows good restraint by issuing subdued warnings when he hears
noises or senses things that he feels need attention, but accepts my
assurance that all is OK, and he goes back to his main modus operandus of
sleeping (with one eye open and both ears tuned).

We are both pretty much exhausted but quite relaxed and happy after a nice
mini-vacation. I hope everyone is doing well. I'll post some pictures soon.

Paul and Muttley