It's a dog's town!

I'm reluctant to say it's a San Diego thing. For all I know it might be a California or even a West Coast thing... this taking your dogs out for a ride thingy. There are lots of pet dogs in Missouri, but they generally don't get to go out joy riding in a car or on a bike very often. Here in sunny San Diego, though, sometimes it seems like there's a dog or two sticking their head out of the window of every three or four car that pass you on the street... among other places:

This was a really discipline dog. He wasn't tied down or anything, but just stood there in the pickup enjoying Mission Trails and my weird looking cycling gang.

This pooch wasn't as discipline, I guess. His owner had a good grip on him as he fought to get more of him over the ledge.

 

Coconut the English bulldog usually rides in the passenger seat, tho when his mom is away he keeps her driver's seat nice and warm.

Some dogs get to enjoy good view without even leaving his pad!

Though leaving the pad seems like a nice idea to some...

People here even like to take their dog out for a walk on their bike.

Now this last one wasn't working out very well. So many things wrong with this picture!

Even with that many obviously bike-acquainted dogs in town, many of my fellow cyclists are still quite deadly afraid of running into dogs on some deserted roads in the country side, however. I understand some dogs are friendlier than others. I have been lucky and haven't been really chased by a leashless dog yet... mostly because I spot them early and don't really give them the chance. I actually love it when a dog comes over to say hello while I'm on a bike. They usually are just curious and want someone to play with... so the best thing to do is to stop and dismount with the bike in between you and the dog... and let him sniff a bit. Unless you're on a fast downhill chances are you won't be able to outrun the dog anyhow, so better not try to take of 'cause 9 out of 10 dogs will give chase if you do.

This pooch saw me coming, but he was having too much fun swimming after the elusive blue heron to come over.

This gang of three at the Red Gate Rd corner on Hwy 76 on the way to Palomar Mtn did come over for a bit, though. They were quite cool.

But not as cool as these four dogs from one of the houses on lower Mother Grundy Truck Trail in Jamul. They not only came over, but actually escorted me for 2 miles - nearly to the end of the road - and I ended up having to turn around rather than going on my own way in order to take them home. They just flat refused to go home on their own!

This handsome old dog from the house near the top of Camino del Aguilar also tried to escort me and my friends to the top of Starvation Mountain.

And this lovely little pitbull knew a dog-petter when she saw one! She was roaming around Bullard Rd near Alpine as I tried to find my way across the mountain to Crest.