Fletchmama
Hi Steph,
Just wanted to say hello. I stumpled upon your website a few weeks back when searching for climbing blogs. You see, I’m a fresh-faced newbie to climbing so I was looking for any and all the inspiration that I could find about climbing. Great blog, by the way, excellent videos too.
Now here’s the important question; how’s Fletcher? I just started reading your book and the first thing I noticed on the cover was you smooching what HAD to be a Blue Heeler. “I thought to myself, “Self” –as you see, I often have odd dialogues with myself– “this lady has to be good stuff as she climbs AND she has my favorite type of dog in tow!” My parents are retired and live in North Carolina where they volunteer with the SPCA. They have made it their personal mission the last couple of years to find a heeler pup for me to adopt, as they’re quite common up there.
Anyway, apologies on the long-winded missive, I just wanted to drop you a line to tell you I’m really enjoying your book so far and to let you know that you helped stoke the fires of another novice climber.
Say hullo to Fletcher for me!
Cheers and keep climbing,
Scotty
Dear Scotty,
Thanks for writing to me, and I like thinking about your parents in North Carolina helping the little creatures at the SPCA.
I should tell you right off, that Fletch died last week. She was almost 16. Since she was my first dog, I actually didn’t quite understand this was ever going to happen….believe it or not! But she had spinal arthritis which had been gradually slowing her down for the last several years. The vet could not believe how well she was doing, and for how long, but finally last week she was unable to get up and walk at all, and she died in her own bed at home on her own, while I was next to her, though I had been afraid I would need to have her put to sleep.
I spent this summer in Rifle with Fletch, sport climbing since I could carry her to the climbs with me or pull her around in my garden wagon, and she really did love camping in the grassy spots by the creek together and sleeping in my truck with me, like always.
Fletch was mostly heeler, though it was always a fun activity to try to imagine what else she was. A lot of people thought she had some corgi, or some husky, or some akita, or some beagle, or some coyote. She was a beautiful little res dog, from the Navajo lands in Arizona. She was originally plucked from the Navajo Res about 15 years ago by the girlfriend of Jimmie Dunn, the famous desert climber. Betsy brought the little puppy to Moab, where, like all itinerant dogs and climbers, she was fostered briefly by my best friend Lisa Hathaway, and was gradually adopted by my friend Scott, who named her Fletcher.
See, Scott always said if he ever got a dog, he was going to name it after those Chevy Chase Fletch movies. So her name was Betty M. Fletcher. I happened to be living in the same driveway as Scott (Lisa’s, actually, since I had also shown up as an itinerant climber in need of fostering), and Fletcher gradually won my heart by being generally unobtrusive and perfectly behaved and an excellent running/climbing companion. Before too long, I was her godmother, and splitting her with Scott. After about a year, he took off for an international trip without end, and Fletcher and I were together forever. Or at least, that’s what I thought. 
Fletchmama was the best, most beautiful, smartest dog in the world. I loved her more than anything. I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without her. She traveled everywhere with me, lived in my truck with me, and spent more time with me than anyone else I’ve ever known. She was also an independent creature with a life of her own. She had many friends I’ve never even met, in fact. In most important ways, she taught me how to be. We understood each other. She was my other half.
I hope you find a heeler to share your life with too, because I agree with your parents. They are amazing dogs. And when you meet the right one, you know.
xxSteph
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