Kelly Lund - Wild Together: My Adventures with Loki the Wolfdog

WILD TOGETHER

Pegasus Books Ltd.

148 W. 37th Street, 13th Floor

New York, NY 10018

Copyright 2018 Kelly Lund

First Pegasus Books edition July 2018

Interior design by Maria Fernandez

Photography by Kelly Lund with special help from Jon Jenkins, Nate Grimm, Travis Lund, and Ally Coucke.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher, except by reviewers who may quote brief excerpts in connection with a review in a newspaper, magazine, or electronic publication; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other, without written permission from the publisher.

The Library of Congress has cataloged the printed edition as follows:

ISBN: 978-1-68177-769-6

ISBN: 978-1-68177-834-1 (e-book)

Distributed by W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

www.pegasusbooks.us

I dont know if we are driving in the right direction.

The road doesnt look familiar, cell service is lost, and we are running out of daylight.

I look over my shoulder and see Loki sleeping with not a care in the world.

It slowly washes over me, and I let it; it doesnt really matter.

It doesnt matter where we end up or when we get there. We are together.

K elly Lund is a professional dog dad, photographer, and avid outdoorsman. His trusty companion, Loki, is an Instagram sensation but has yet to realize it. Together, Kelly and Loki roam the country and take photos of their journey along the way. While they reside in Denver, Colorado, they are rarely seen there, outside of repacking the truck before charging off on their next adventure.

Along the way, they have captured memories and stories for a lifetime. They also picked up a couple of tag-a-longs: Ally Coucke and her dog, Bailey. While traveling around North America, the duo has curated photos and writings about travel, the outdoors, and the love of a dog. Kelly and Ally share a love of adventure, wanderlust, their dogs, and each other.

To explore this Earth is such a marvelous ride, and the journey with a dog next to you can be hard to put into words. Kellys mission is to show the world that a dog can go where you go; he doesnt need to be left behind. You truly can go into the wild, together.

I want to go to a place Ive never been before. I want to meet it like a new friend. I want to learn its best attributes, and explore the heights within that. I want to know the dark parts that dont really matter because the good shines too brightly.

Let us drive until the road signs disappear and become a distant memory. Come with me, and let us push the limits on this treasure hunt that is life.

I really dont like saying the phrase, I own a dog, because honestly, what right do I have to do such a thing?

Dogs are not simply possessions to be had. It is not our right to chain them up, lock them in rooms or cages, or keep them under any sort of lock and key. It has to be a gray area, where we get to keep them, and they get to keep us. Yes, we set boundaries and guidelines, such as leashes and certain protocols. We can argue that it stems from love and caring for the animals wellbeing, but at the end of the day, we cant own them.

Lokis mind and body belong to him. I, as his human, chose him, and he, as a dog, seemingly has chosen to stay with me. We do know that his species communicates far beyond human interactions, and I promise you, they know things we dont.

Denver, Colorado

Old Friends

An undeniable fact: there isnt a heart on this planet that cant be melted by a fuzzy eight-week old puppy. They have a power over you that makes you want to stay home from plans with friends and go for walks in the park by your house that youve never been to before. You bounce around with a spring in your step feeling so excited about all the possibilities.

When the novelty fades, you are now staring at an adult dog. As the years continue to pass, the little changes you notice will tightly grip your heart. The soft gray hair appearing around his eyes, his pace slowing on your runs, and his stretches become more labored. The only thing that hasnt changed is his love for you, nor yours for him.

Nothing can compete with that love; it has been earned.

After all the places we have been, we know there is more. We know we have to keep going, and we have to keep looking for the unseen.

Loki is my challenge every day. I look at him, and I want to feel how he does. He is always ready, he is always on that level I strive to be on. I know without him I wouldnt go as far.

Pistol River Beach, Oregon Buffalo Pass, Colorado

Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here. To watch his woods fill up with snow.

Robert Frost, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

I would rather our memories root deep into my heart so I can vividly remember every detail. We could go on one thousand walks at the same park just to give him his basic needs. But I would rather take him somewhere new, somewhere that requires commitment and time.

Morrow Bay, California