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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSaturday Chill - Bobbie the Collie mix who found his way home
We just saw this on the Travel Channel - what a beautiful story
http://offbeatoregon.com/o1101a-bobbie-the-wonder-dog-put-silverton-on-map.html
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Lost in Illinois, the affable collie crossed the Rocky Mountains on foot in the dead of winter, making friends along the way and causing a sensation on his arrival.
The town of Silverton, nestled at the edge of the foothills of the Cascades east of Salem, has been home to some notably famous personalities, including muckraking cartoonist Homer Davenport and movie star Clark Gable.
But this towns most famous scion is probably a dog named Bobbie.
Bobbie was a young Scotch collie mix who lived with the family of Frank and Elizabeth Brazier, owners of a popular Silverton restaurant called the Reo Café.
Bobbie & family leave on vacation
In the summer of 1923, Frank and Elizabeth packed up their Overland Red Bird touring car and headed east for a visit to Indiana. And, of course, Bobbie came with them perched proudly atop the pile of luggage in the back seat, or else riding jauntily on a running board.
They were almost to their destination when it happened: Frank was gassing up the Red Bird when a pack of local mongrels jumped Bobbie. The last Frank saw of Bobbie that day, he was running for his life with three snarling dogs in hot pursuit.
At the time, Frank wasnt worried. Bobbie, he thought, could take care of himself; hed be waiting back at the house where the Braziers were staying.
But he wasnt.
The Braziers started searching. They called around town, advertised in the local newspaper and did some driving around. Still no Bobbie.
So, leaving instructions to hang onto him if he reappeared, they continued on their trip. Theyd pick him up on the way back home, they figured.
They figured wrong. Bobbie still wasnt around on their return. So, regretfully, the Braziers continued on their way, leaving instructions to send him home on a rail car at their expense should he turn up hoping for the best, but fearing the worst.
"Oh look isn't that Bobbie?"
Exactly six months later, one of Elizabeth Braziers daughters from a previous marriage, Nova Baumgarten, was walking down a Silverton street with a friend when she suddenly seized the other girls arm. Oh look isnt that Bobbie? she said (or words to that effect).
Sure enough, it was Bobbie sore of foot, matted of coat, his toenails worn down to nothing. Bobbie had logged more than 2,500 miles and probably well over 3,000 swimming rivers and crossing the Continental Divide in the dead of winter to get back home to Silverton.
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How beautiful is this story
Tom Rinaldo
(22,913 posts)L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)I'd walk back from Indiana too if I had to!
malaise
(269,157 posts)Too good
Arkansas Granny
(31,525 posts)This happened in the mid 50's when my dad was working in a small manufacturing company. One day a dog wandered in through the open overhead door and just laid down on the floor. I'm not sure why, but they got the impression that he was traveling. He wasn't aloof, but he wasn't overly friendly.
They gave him a drink and shared their sandwiches with him and he spent a couple of hours just hanging out while they worked. Then he got up, stretched really big, wagged his tail a few times and left. They never saw him again and often wondered if he had made it to his destination.
malaise
(269,157 posts)bellmartin
(218 posts)Just a couple of days after I decided on a whim to gather photos of some heroic dogs, DU alerted me to the story of Odin the Great Pyrenees, who braved the California wildfires to protect his small flock of goats.
And now, Bobbie!
Thanks for a great story and great addition to the collection. These "Incredible Journey" stories are always amazing, but when you try to imagine what they actually must have gone through to complete the journeys, you can only stand in awe of the dog.
Dogs... the greatest achievement humans ever had a hand in.
malaise
(269,157 posts)+1,000
Bayard
(22,128 posts)But you wonder about the thousands who don't make it.......hit by cars, taken to the pound, shot, whatever.
I used to say it was owners' fault for letting dogs run loose. But since adopting an escape artist Great Pyrenees, I have become more understanding. Our fences have become steadily taller--we're up to 6' in most places. Over two acres!
malaise
(269,157 posts)That's true.