What A Day!!

[6 Beautiful Pugs]

Yesterday my mission was to drive out to the Lancaster shelter to pick up a 4 year old male there who had a URI and bring him down to the vet in San Diego where his foster would pick him up when he was ready to go. About a 350 mile day in the Rescue Roadster.

If you have not heard, we had some rather violent and unusual thunderstorms down here yesterday in the afternoon.

So after an uneventful trip up to Lancaster, I pulled a GORGEOUS little guy from that hell hole of a shelter, bold and beautiful with a big head and smiley face and the cutest double curled tail ever. He is super affectionate and friendly with everyone....and not a trace of URI!! I was very pleased thinking Mr. Gorgeous would go quickly to a wonderful home. Doing his paperwork, the girl at the counter reported that he had an owner - who was called, but declined to come get him because he would have to pay for his neuter before they would release him, and being a monorchid (only one testicle descended), it would cost a little extra. The previous owner reported his name was Fugly. What an awful name! I quickly re-named him Ruger.

The staff was a bit distracted, as it seems lightning had set off several brush fires in the area and all were trying to determine if their home might be affected or if there would be evacuations (when people are evacuated all the animals are sent to the shelter).

So I loaded Ruger into the Rescue Roadster and off we went, headed for San Diego. The sky was threatening and leaden with towering clouds. We were soon deep into the remote desert on the way south, passing through tiny desert towns, with their colorful character and names like Littlerock and Pearblossom on the Pearblossom Highway a road still closely resembling the old Route 66 in character and construction....

I could see the hills to the west were being inundated with rain, and soon Ruger and I were as well. Pearblossom Highway, a part of Hwy. 138, is one of those two lane desert highways where pavement is laid with little to no grading. The road simply follows the contours of the desert, with many large dips, the locals refer to them as whoop-de-doos. These dips follow the gullies and washes carved by desert flash floods. Well, with the surrounding hills and desert now being inundated with a torrential and violent thunderstorm those whoop-de-doos were now rushing rivers of brown water.

We took the first one a bit too fast, as you can't see they are full of water until you are far too close to slow down much. Remember the Rescue roadster is NOT your typical rescue vehicle. Most who do rescue transport have large and lumbering sturdy SUV's with plenty of room for many crates with names like 'Chevy Subdivision' and 'Ford Exposition'....but not I. The Rescue Roadster is a two seat, convertible 2009 Pontiac Solstice GXP a drop dead sexy sportscar. Low and lean and light and nimble with a turbo-charged engine, black on black. As far from the typical rescue vehicle as can be.

So as the Roadster hit water 18" deep at 50 mph, it produced a wide wake of golden brown water which washed completely over us. Quickly checking for brakes, we continued on, albeit slower...through endless flash floods. The intrepid Roadster became a river forder....but we made it through all of them.

Soon the leaden sky took on a reddish brown hue as the many small brush fires became obvious, luckily none close to the road. As we drove on through the Mormon Rocks, the weather broke and we observed a beautiful rainbow, brightly glowing on the gray sky and contrasting with the white, other-worldly rock formations.

The Mormon Rocks - Cajon Pass, California - Photo Tour

Ruger seemed to care little for the wild storm or the beautiful rainbow, preferring to dig for fast food wrappers and rogue french fries or nap on the floorboard where the a/c comes out, with occasional forays onto my lap to lean against my body and put his head on my chest. I have a booster seat and restraint harness ordered, but there is no room for even a small crate in the Roadster, so he was free ranging.

As we neared Lake Elsinore we could see fires dotting the hills with fire trucks and borate bombers scurrying to avert a full on major brush fire. Roofs were damaged and the freeway was littered with debris, on the news that night I saw that they had endured a mini-tornado which had done a lot of damage to homes and knocked out power which is still out....a disaster when the temperature is expected to reach 110 there today.

As we entered San Diego, the weather calmed and the skies cleared. We made it to the vet with no more trouble, where he was pronounced healthy and fit, and they found his second testicle, it was inguinal, not abdominal, so the neuter should not be too complicated after all. There was no sign of URI, so they are isolating him for a short time to observe and continuing his antibiotics.

I told Ruger goodbye and headed back home, with nothing worse than the usual heavy evening commute traffic to deal with.

Then I arrived home to have my eldest son, Tanner the boomerang child, report that Peaches - now thwarted from accessing the trash and butter dish - learned how to open the entryway closet and, climbing high onto the shelves, savaged open a bag of ZiwiPeak stored there, causing it to rain down flakes of food like a torn pinata, onto the gathered celebrating pugs below. At $11 a pound, it was a costly fiesta.....it appears between the participants (Peaches, Marty, Bugsy, Jake and Bear) they consumed about 1/4 of an 11 lb. bag.

The geriatric crew (Dickson, Bailey, Cleo and Sammy) were thankfully too deaf, arthritic and/or blind to join in and slept away on their beds in the office oblivious to the party. We will now be bungee cording the door of the entry closet closed.

Going out to observe the Rescue Roadster this morning, it is covered top to bottom and front to back with a brown haze of dried silt, which extends even into the door frames and under the hood...my husband shook his head as he headed off to work muttering something under his breath about me ruining that car...my youngest son, Colton, rolled his eyes as he slid into the passenger bucket, which was liberally dusted with fawn hair...as was the dash and carpet, the windows hazy with nose smudges. A trip to the car wash may be in order....unless I get the okay to pull the little fawn male still waiting for his rescue in Bakersfield today, another 300+ mile round trip.....

Sometime I have to work too...

Take care,
Lisa

[tall grass pugs]

Ms. Peaches is a dangerous influence on the mob. You might invest in a dollar hook and eye toddler lock and thwart her efforts. I often wish I were a close by neighbor, I would have loved to have gone on that desert run. Jay went to Santee Elementary close by to your vet's office. A new by car wash and the boomerang child earning his keep will clean the dirt off the engine. You probably need a new air clearner as the one on the
Solstice is now wet and filthy. Change the oil and lube with a wash and a vacuum and you are good to go.

[BeachyKeen]

That was a great story!

Loved the bit about the fiesta, too--well told!

[Three D's]

What a great story! It was like I was sitting in the roadster with you (not that there'd be room, lol). And that Peaches - what a hoot!

[6 Beautiful Pugs]

Ms. Peaches is ruthless and has a stubborn/persistent streak that is awe inspiring. When I got her she was chubby. Little sausage body on toothpick, fine-boned legs. Getting weight off of her has been nearly impossible....but we finally got her svelte and beautiful....now she can jump and climb and perform all manner of acrobatics....and she's HUNGRY....LOL.

Take care,
Lisa

[jstpugginalong]

Lisa, you rock!!! Sound's like another day in the life of an Angel of Pugs was quite an adventure! Stay safe ♥

[Wonka & Nilla]

What a great story! I loved every twist and turn. And that Peaches!!! She is a character and a half. LOL

[shaynapug]

Well written and very enjoyable!!!

All I could think the entire time is what an angel you are to do this over and over again for so many pugs!!!!

[6 Beautiful Pugs]

Tomorrow Christa and I will be braving the fire on the grapevine to transport the little male from Bakersfield down. Wish us luck. Saturday will be a 12 year old female coming from way up in San Luis Obispo.

I almost had to go to San Clemente today, but they found a good private party home for her last minute, so today I get to work a little!

Take care,
Lisa

[CountryPug]

Oh my goodness what an adventure! Some of those rural roads can be a real booger when it rains and it's hard to tell how flooded they are until you are hydroplaning.

I'm glad you renamed him to Ruger, a very fitting and manly name for a pug. Sounds like he is in good hands.

Hoping the fires are contained and the weather cooperates for us tomorrow