Arry & Wetfoot, Vol. 25, Day 57: The Art of Hiking in the Rain

Day 57: 16.8 miles, infinite smells, 24 pesky squirrels

After a comfy rest on soft blankets and a squishy mattress I was ready to take on the day! Mom took me on a short walk around the hotel grounds in the morning. There were lots of good smells, and I made sure to let all the future dogs that pass by know I was here.

I watched mom, and the two others that joined our pack recently, put together their backpacks. Mom used to make me carry my own, but recently she has been carrying it all for me. I may have looked calm lying on the soft bed, but I was intently watching mom’s every move, and making sure she didn’t forget to bring me with her on the adventure today.

Finally she said the words I love to hear: “Are you ready for an adventure!” I jumped off the bed and wagged my tail as hard as I could. I’m ready for an adventure!

Rainy days on the trail.

Mom put on my hiking harness. I wasn’t sure where we were going to walk to today but that doesn’t matter. I knew I would be with my mom and that there would be lots of new smells!

I jumped into the back seat of a black car. Mom even let me sit on the seat instead of on the ground! The car took us back to where it picked us up yesterday. The men with the huge bucket of dog treats weren’t there today, unfortunately.

I saw a man in a yellow poncho across the road. He looked suspicious.  I huffed to warn mom of the impending danger. She thanked me. I’m very good at my job.

Mom took my hiking harness off; I think she didn’t want it to get wet. It is raining, which isn’t my favorite, and when I’m home I prefer not to go outside in the rain, but I don’t mind if I get to go on an adventure with mom.

Our pack ran across the busy road and then onto a path. Many humans and critters have walked this path before us.

Mom took a picture of me trying to be patient as she and the pack took pictures. So many smells await.

I got to jump up giant rocks for a while. I love rock jumping! I follow mom usually, but I enjoy picking my own path too.

After the rock jumping it was boring and flat. The rain made everything smell good. I kept trying to stop to smell the plants sticking out on the trail, the ones humans and critters brush as they pass by. Mom and the rest of the pack wouldn’t let me sniff very long; they kept hustling me along.

We stopped at the top of a hill. The pack took some pictures. I tried to be patient with them. Mom took pictures of me trying to be patient.

I’ve learned that my pack isn’t very good at smelling. Mom makes me follow her when we walk, which is silly because sometimes she will lose the main path and we end up on a side path, which I don’t actually mind. Then I get to lead for a little bit and show the pack the correct main path. I’m very good at my job.

The water streams here are very nice. Sometimes mom offers me water in my blue bowl, but usually I prefer to drink the natural water from flowing streams and creeks. I took some nice long drinks from the streams we passed.

I love the trail. The smells in this picture were amazing!

It kept raining. It soaked into my fur. We walked for a long time. Finally we came to a little house. There are lots of silly houses here; they only have three walls. I think that’s why mom has to carry our portable house that we sleep in; it has four walls.

Mom rubbed me with a towel, and when I was mostly dry she went to go pee. I followed her, just to make sure she was OK and didn’t get lost. And I got the zoomies. After walking for so long I just had to run. I sprinted in circles around the campsite, and around the silly three-sided house. Mom called for me and I kept sprinting and sprinting until she finally sounded annoyed and told me to get in the silly house.

She wiped me down again, and then pulled out the crinkly bag. Inside that crinkly bag are all sorts of goodies. Mom shared some beef sticks and some peanuts with me. I walked around the rest of the pack to see if they had any good treats to share with me. They did, but they did not want to share. After a while I laid down and took a short power nap as my pack talked.

I started paying attention again when mom started putting her pack back on.

Mom is excited about this sign. I’m excited about the upcoming smells.

After the beef sticks I was thirsty. Mom offered me water in my blue bowl, but the streams taste so much better. I waited and made sure I took an extra long drink at the next water stream we passed.

After some more boring terrain we came to some wooden signs. The signs made mom very happy. My pack took lots and lots of pictures with these signs that said Massachusetts. Mom tried to get me to pose too, but I just wanted to keep walking and smelling.

Soon after the signs the terrain changed. It was still boring and flat, but like magic there appeared sassafras and chestnut trees! There also were lots and lots of pesky chipmunks, although mom wouldn’t let me chase them.

My pack, very excited about this sign.

We eventually came to a giant rock garden! It had giant boulders facing every which way, none of them flat. I enjoyed the rock garden!

As the sun was almost ready to go down, my pack and I left the main path and walked along a much less frequented path. This usually means mom is looking for a water stream or a place to set up our portable house.

We stopped walking and while the pack set up their portable houses, I did a security check of the campsite. There were lots and lots of chipmunks and squirrels, and they kept throwing acorns at me!

Another sign mom took a picture of: the Southern Terminus of the Long Trail.

Mom left the portable tent and we walked to a water stream. She never drinks from the water stream, but instead fills up these baggies, which she later puts into water bottles.

Then it was dinner time! Dinner at home is usually kibbles. Not interesting. Out on our adventure mom adds green gloop and tuna on top of the kibbles! Which makes it more interesting. But not as interesting as the beef sticks!

After my pack finishes eating, and I’ve gotten an acceptable number of pets from them, mom and I go into our portable house. There are two portable beds, a little one for me and a bigger, comfier one for mom. I lie on mom’s portable bed as she massages me and rubs wax onto my paws to keep them hydrated and protected. She fills my blue bowl with water and places it in the corner for my midnight drink, which I will inevitably wake her up for on accident.

Snuggles with mom.

Then mom lies down. I snuggle with her in as much of her portable bed as she allows. I know tomorrow my pack will walk more, and there will be more smells. I am not sure where we are going or what we are looking for, but we will keep following that main path. For now I am happy to snuggle, sleep, and dream of chasing those pesky squirrels.

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Comments 3

  • Redwing : Nov 23rd

    Katherine,
    This is the most wonderful post. My black lab went hiking everywhere with me for over 15 years, and I miss her every day. I love that Arry is with you on this adventure, and especially, I love how you love her.

    Reply
    • Katherine Boy : Nov 24th

      Thank you! I am sure she loved every adventure with you. I cannot imagine being on the trail without Arry!

      Reply
  • Yellow Bear : Jul 30th

    So hard to believe this was a year ago. I have such fond memories of the experience. Miss you guys!

    Reply

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