Attention:

If you have time to read only one posting, click the following link to read the entry for the last day of our journey.


http://ontheroad6.blogspot.com/2013/10/day-59-th-trip-so-far-805-pm-saturday.html






Leben 2001-2014

Leben, 2001-2014



Leben was put down today at 1:00 p.m.

On Monday, August 4, 2014, I discovered a large mass on Leben's head.  After two visits to the vet hospital, the doctors diagnosed what he had as a tumor.  I took him home on Wednesday and his condition deteriorated rapidly over the next two days.  By Thursday night, he had lost his entire pleasant life.  Today, the vet came to our home and put him down as I held him in my arms.  Nature tried many times to take this dog down and failed, but finally found an insidious way to do it.  Never did I imagine that a dog could be so loyal and obedient as Leben was.  He was the consummate good dog.

On Monday, I shall take his body to the pet crematory myself in West Virginia and stay by his side until I can take his ashes him.  He always wanted to be with me, and I shall honor that even in his death.

I miss that magnificent dog so much already.  I miss the team of Leben and Erde.

ED
August 8, 2014


Note: The photo of Leben was taken in August 2011 in Pinset Arm, Labrador, on our second cross-continent road-camping

P.S. After Leben died, I wrote an essay for the  Washington Post about him, which they published August 24, 2014.  Here it is below:

Index

CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THIS INDEX.

PRE DEPARTURE POSTS - For pre-departure posts, please go to the bottom of this index.

 
TRIP POSTS
Click here to read the final posting of the trip first.


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
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PRE DEPARTURE POSTS
1           New Estimated Date of Departure
2           New Tent for the road
3           Trial Run
4           African Queen
5           A little snag
8           Leben at Dean and Deluca
9           Results of the Denali Lottery
11           The Journey begins to take shape
12           Remaining ToDo list, July 23rd
13           To take list (July 24)
16           July 29: my options
18           July 31: A few maps
20           Aug 1: route options as of today
21          August 2: The plan from today
22          August 2: Erde, D90
23           August 2: Daily Food Rations
28           August 11th - Closer to a decision
29           August 12th- Decision day
31           Our Outward Bound Plans
32           Packing wardrobe
33          Packing is done
34           August 14 - Almost made it
35           August 14th - 7pm 3 items left