Damn, that boy can run!

We took a nice long walky this morning, up through a saddle on the big ridge, then over one of the tallest knobs. We walked back down on the BLM road, the boys staying ahead, not quite done having fun. When I reached the meadow at the foot of the ridge, I caught sight of LB sniffing around the Indian Tree. Then he broke into a run, passing to my right.

I didn't see what he was chasing at first, but then a smallish jackrabbit came blasting over a little rise. He had apparently decided continuing to freeze wasn't in his best interest, and now he was visiting the sound barrier. When I could see them both in the meadow, LB was maybe ten feet behind and closing slowly. He's got the speed, but I wasn't sure he'd have the staying power this was gonna take. Ghost got a late start and didn't have a prayer, but ran along for the fun. A cottontail would have been jinking all over the place, but this jack was relying on straight-out speed and so far it wasn't doing the job for him. He must have heard death behind him, drumming the ground like a horse. I could hear it, and I was a good 20 yards away. LB can be a goof, but he takes his rabbits very seriously.

I lost them in some junipers, but when they reappeared the rabbit had opened the gap. LB was already flagging, and they were headed for the rocks. Looked like it was the rabbit's lucky day.

All three disappeared into the rocks. I stood and waited, and several seconds later Ghost came back, quite pleased with the run. He's not interested in catching them anyway; he just likes to run. But LB wouldn't have given up so easily, so I settled down for a bit of a wait. I'd know if he caught Bugs - the evidence would be pretty graphic one way or the other.

A few minutes later LB came trotting back down the BLM road, his mouth empty. No free lunch today. But just a little more flat ground, and he'd have had that sucker. For such a stocky guy, he sure can run when he's motivated.