Down to ride

Delilah the traveler, protector and friend

Whether they're out on the water in La Veta, Colorado (above photo) or they're at home in Weatherford (featured photo by Alana Holt) Delilah and Jarrod are by each others' side, ready for whatever life has for them next.

Courtesy of Jarrod

BY: ALANA HOLT

Staff Photographer

The sky was lit by a golden sunset, mountains rested against the radiant backdrop and water lapped against the kayak. Jarrod, with his line cast, was trying to get his new pup accustomed to kayaking and being out on the water. She stood at the bow, looking out at the landscape a few hundred yards away. There's a splash — not a fish.

Jarrod looked at the dogless bow of the kayak then down into the depths of the water hoping she'd come back up for air, all the while thinking, "Well, my dog's gone." A couple minutes later, after looking all around him he saw her swimming in the opposite direction about 100 yards away toward land — going after a squirrel she'd spotted. He circled back around and picked her up. He recounts it as one of their more exciting, and scarier, moments together because he really thought he had lost her, "but it turns out she can swim!"

Delilah is a traveler, protector and friend to Jarrod Reynolds. The 2-and-a-half-year-old Chesapeake Bay/Blue Nose Pit mix was a spur of the moment decision for Jarrod. The first time they met, she couldn't even open her eyes. But as soon as he was able to bring her home, she was a travel dog.

Delilah has had a rather atypical life thus far, but its just right for this explorative and energetic pup.

Photo by Alana Holt

Jarrod is a photographer, Lifeproof ambassador, founder of Nomadic Anglers and a student at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. He's always been a free spirit in the sense that he doesn't know where he's going to be the next year, or even next month. He had just moved to Colorado when he welcomed Delilah into his life, "and from that point on it was a learning experience for the both of us," he reminisces.

Their learning experience started with puppy potty training while living out of a tent for three months and not having any access to running water for a period of time. Shortly after he adopted Delilah, Jarrod camped around southern Colorado while doing some remodeling. But the three-month camping trip bred her for traveling and life in the outdoors.

Delilah was born in Texas and always comes back with Jarrod to visit. She has been all over the state of Colorado and traveled to Wyoming countless times. She's also been to New Mexico, Utah and Montana. Their travels together have made for a true and unbreakable bond.

Exploring the Poudre River Canyon with Delilah.

Photo courtesy of Jarrod

She can read me like a book, and I can do the same with her,

Jarrod said.

If Jarrod comes home from class and had a bad day, she knows; if Delilah has done something she wasn't supposed to, whether he's found the mess she made or not, he knows; if they're hiking on a trail and he runs the other direction she quickly sprints after her best friend.

I'm really the only stability that she knows, so she knows if I'm there and I'm good, everything's going to be okay.

Delilah has anything but a typical life.

Delilah and Jarrod have nail-biting adventures, like when they visited Alligator gar at the West Fork Trinity River.

Photo courtesy of Jarrod

She's "wild, crazy, awesome" and great company to Jarrod and has only helped enhance his life. She was his friend when he knew no one else after moving to Colorado, she tries to alert and protect him from big cats when they're out hiking, and she's just simply there.

It's great to just have an adventure buddy that's always there, that doesn't have a paper that's due at midnight, that doesn't have school the next morning — that if you're free, they're down to ride.

Jarrod adopted Delilah shortly after moving to Colorado, and the two have been best friends since.

Photo by Alana Holt