Whenever we leave Competa, we have to snake our way down the mountains.  I find it a bit of a nail biter and the experience reminds me of the old Road Runner cartoons when he is running around the blind corners on the highway.  Rod is the car ahead of me.  I spend most of the time in second gear and occasionally hit third.

https://youtu.be/44QlxW9PRR4


This is our new friend whom we have dubbed "Rudy" short for Rudolph.  Clare's idea.  He is the most gentle thing you can imagine.  We went back to visit him today and fed him some apple.  At first, we couldn't see him in the pen. (He's kept in a construction yard of someone's business.  He has a small barn and hillsides to graze.)  We called to him and he let out the loudest bray (like something out of a Jurassic Park movie) and came to the gate where we could get our hands through to pet him.

https://youtu.be/cL-uDMbYgiU


In the same construction yard, is an ostrich in a small pen.  The walking trail to the next town runs right past the ostrich.  We always stop to say hi, but I wouldn't know what to feed him, so we don't. Collin, the bird lover, is communicating in his own way.  The big white bag Collin is holding is full of pine cones.  We collect them and use them as fire starters.  That's the Competa way.

https://youtu.be/HnB3QwNs5uc

The kids will have experienced a church built in 1505 by command of Queen Isabella and a donkey named Rudy.  In 5 years, which one do you think they will remember?  I agree.....it will be Rudy!