Joy of Hiking

Perri and I went for a longish hike again today.   At this time of year, Sundays are golden because no hunting is permitted on Sundays - so no need to stay off of the trails or wear blaze orange (I still usually wear a bright colored something.  Just in case.)

We returned to Lake Ontelaunee and finished the geoart series that I have been working on since late November - it was bittersweet!   We found some other caches along the way with the day's total being 29.  My favorite cache was called "Hey Hey We're the Monkeys" and it was a multi stage.   Three different "monkey" containers were hidden through out the woods and the "final" cache was a banana.   Cute and creative!

I scoped out coordinates on the closed off bridge and will be placing a geocache called "Poodle Medicine" there in honor of all of the strength-building hiking that Perri has been able to do there during the last month.   Exciting!

Couldn't resist a repeat of the photo I took with Molly.   The light wasn't good.

Hiking feels so Right when it comes to returning Perri to the proper shape for agility.  After being most sedentary during the peak of her rehab (except for UWTM sessions and short walks), Perri's endurance for longer walks dropped.  I noticed today that Perri wasn't panting almost as soon as our walk started - she is getting back into shape and I'm excited about that. (When we first started lengthening her walks, her panting was noticeable.)  It was a cold day, but we have been out in colder temperatures than today's forty degrees and she was panting.  Not today.  I just love hiking and exploring, and it is so good for a dog's overall conditioning!  

Most of the geoart series were small pill bottle geocache containers zip tied to trees and a few feet into the woods.   It is annoying dragging the dog(s) and leash in to sign the logbook, so I usually ask Perri to sit and stay while I do so.   Perri is very good at this, Molly not so much.   As soon as my back is turned Molly is up and following me into the woods.  Grrr!  I'm sure we could work on this, but Molly wants food payments always.  Perri is happy to Be Right and be praised with a peppy release and my praise.   Just different personalities, that's all!

I also started letting Perri jump up onto objects, and that is one of her favorite things.  I have been lifting her down or making sure that she gets down gently.  That might be a little premature of me but everything in moderation.

I let Perri drink from a cold stream on our last walk of the day (geocaching is a lot of driving to different locations and finding all caches in that location.)  It was like poodle crack!  She got very wild and kept getting zoomie and butt-tucking and pouncie silliness.  Perri definitely wants to run run run!!

I look forwards to our next hiking adventure, but in the mean time town or neighborhood walks are very enjoyable.  Our progress and time together is so sweet, I am so afraid that our re-check will reveal a reinjury.  I obsess about this.  But I will not let my paranoia make me too overprotective and rob Perri of being active and getting back into shape.  We will enjoy our golden Sundays together and hopefully many many more to come.