“Happiness is only real when shared.”

Meet Max, my new travel companion. He has been following me for the last week, and I have enjoyed his company immensely. Though he may not sit or lie down on command (though he does come to my whistle), he knows how to find his own food, he runs beside me through the mountains as I cycle, and he can herd sheep and goats better than any of your pet dogs. He apparently use to be a shepherd’s dog, though, he doesn’t know the commands other shepherd’s dogs I have met do, so I am not too sure how accurate this is. He is friendly and strong, and follows me around wherever I go. He even comes and sleep in my tent vestibule when it gets cold.

Every time I stop, he goes to the edge of whatever cliff we happen to be on and seems to stand there taking in the mountains. He sure knows how to enjoy a good view!

All tuckered out after a long day of running.

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Though I would love to keep him, in a few days I will begin to increase my mileage since the road conditions are suppose to improve, and unfortunately he won’t be able to keep up. I plan to leave him in a village along the way, then hopefully in Nepal pick up another dog once I start trekking!