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| Merle as a pup on the San Juan River, UT |
Benj and Merle on the San Juan River, UT |
Singing on the San Juan River, UT |
Swimming between the kayaks on the San Juan River, UT |
Hamming it up on the San Juan River, UT |
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| Merle, Zula, and Jack in Kelly |
Merle and Ted at the office trailer |
Merle and young Tessa |
On the Continental Divide |
Merle high in the Absaroka Mountains |
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| Merle and Ted horsepacking |
Packing into the River of No Return, ID |
Exploring Pariah Canyon, UT |
After a swim in Coyote Gulch, UT |
"Eyes locked: together." |
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| Cutting Firewood: Merle, Ted, Tessa, and Scott |
A last few turns before the snow melts |
Breaking trail in new snow |
In the ski patrol hut, Jackson Hole Ski Area |
Merle on Teton Pass |
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| Skiing deep powder |
Scouting for elk, Gros Ventre Mountains |
Merle and Scott, Gros Ventre Mountains |
"Merle, his nose lovingly caressing the invisible and airborne trails of elk, knew all about sillage." |
Merle hot on the trail. |
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| Gray Cat |
Gray Cat hard at work |
Merle and Gray Cat share the dedicated quadruped couch. |
Construction dog |
"He was looking down at me, lashing his tail and grinning form ear to ear: 'This is so cool.'" |
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| Merle and Ted take a snooze in the alcove. |
Teacher Merle, student Brower, Omaha. |
Merle and Brower got brushed together in Omaha |
Merle and Ted in Omaha |
Merle, Brower, and Ted peak-bagging in the Gros Ventre Mountains |
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| Ted, Brower, and Merle ski on Teton Pass |
Allison, Merle, and Brower, back roads, Montana |
Merle and friends get ready for a walk with Jill Oja in Kelly |
Merle helps Eric Moore compose a new song in Kelly |
Merle on the summit of Mt. Democrat, Colorado (14,286') |
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| For a dog who like the outdoors so much, he also liked his comforts. |
White muzzle |
Shall we dance? |
Dr. Marybeth Minter gives Merle acupuncture |
The mayor of Kelly |
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| Merle skied through his thirteenth year |
Merle climbed Sheep Mountain (11.239') thirteen times |
Merle above Jackson Hole |
"From that party on—and he was a party animal—bandanas joined dog panniers as meaning fun." |
Merle rallies during his illness |
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| Merle and I passed the last days of his life under his aspen tree |
And this ceremony was no more than my nod to Merle |
"HA-ha-ha!" he panted. "I dance! I DANCE!" |
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