In the middle of one hot, sticky summer, when Libby and Flapjax were starting to run out of new backyard adventures, their parents decided they would all go on a trip far away in the mountains.
They spent a whole day driving past forests and farms where they saw all kinds of animals: cows and horses in fields and ducks floating in little ponds.
Then they came to the mountains, where there were signs telling them to watch out for moose crossing the street. Libby and Flapjax searched the woods, hoping for a glimpse of a moose family.
After many long hours of sight-seeing, playing car games, and singing along to the radio, they arrived at last at a little house in the woods.
For days, Libby and Flapjax explored the forest. They visited the animals they met on the neighboring farms and went on bike rides through the countryside. Libby’s bike had a nice basket attached on the handlebars, so Flapjax had a front-row seat!
There was even a river to swim in, cold from the mountaintops with slippery smooth rocks on the bottom.
Flapjax had never learned how to swim; he disliked the feeling of wet fur. His monthly baths were bad enough. So he chose to watch from the bank of the river as Libby showed off her paddling skills.
Watching Libby happily splash in the river and noticing how wonderfully refreshing the water looked on such a hot summer day made Flapjax almost change his mind about swimming. He took a few cautious steps toward the river’s edge, slowly moving along the sand until he reached the rocks peeping out on the water. One step, two steps…ewwww! Slimy rocks! Gross. Flapjax ran back to his towel on the sand. Watching would do just fine.
*****
On the last day of their trip, Flapjax, Libby and the grownups went to a bakery for breakfast. It smelled like fresh-baked donuts inside, and Flapjax inhaled the sweet powdered sugar in the air. An old woman with silver hair piled high in a bun on her head and wearing an apron dusted in flour brought over samples of cookies dripping with melty chocolate, fresh out of the oven. They smelled divine.
But Flapjax wasn’t allowed to eat the chocolate (chocolate is bad for bears), so he sulked in his corner of the breakfast table while his humans ate and talked excitedly about their trip.
Finally, after filling their bellies with mounds of pancakes and many sips of coffee (for the grownups) and hot chocolate (for Libby), they paid their bill and got back in the car to head home.
But what Libby didn’t realize was that Flapjax had stayed behind…
Come back next week to find out what kind of trouble Flapjax can get into alone in the bakery!
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Adventures of Flapjax 