BlackFive

It was a very cool start, but that worked out great once things got going as it kept things comfortable.  There were prizes given out, and LL and family won for furthest distance travelled to get to the event.  I do wish I could have gotten Dude's jump for joy at winning the chain pizza gift card... 

While neither pack won for most laps (despite the strong efforts of one member of the party), the youth in the set did get to meet the wolf chosen to come out and do a lap (two even!) with the crowd.  Tilly is a puppy at just about five months of age, but did a great job meeting, greeting, and setting a somewhat interesting pace.  She replaced Renki, who the day before had been benched for use of profanity aimed at the members of his former pack during a practice lap. 

I had just taken the younger members of our packs over to meet one of the researchers who has been studying the pups (an interesting young lady), when Tilly decided to come by and greeted the kids.  Despite a one flinch from a "kiss" ("Squirrel!"), all were delighted and got to see a real wolf up close. 

All got to see other wolves fairly close, but through a fence.  The walk also serves as environmental enrichment for the main pack and those in the retirement community (at least one of whom I suspect was amused at all the walking in circles).  The participants also got to see the other canids at the park (coyotes and foxes), though the bison were mostly bedded down out of sight (they tend to ignore such things).  Afterwards, we repaired to a nearby tavern for food and drink, and some wonderful conversation.

It was great to get to see LL again, and to meet Chris and his family.  We are already talking about next year, and we might just try to put together a mini-blog meet sometime between now and then as well.  Hope more of you might join us. 

LW