I feel really, really good. Six miles this morning before the rain hits. Smelled lots of fabric softeners and muffins baking and other Sunday morning aromas.

3 miles in woodsy neighborhoods with a fine mist falling from the sky = heaven 

 Proclivities wrote: 

Well, I'm totally serious. I'd love the company. I'll be meeting up with someone for Chimney Rock over the weekend...but on Labor Day we part ways and I do the BIG one......3 hours up, 3 hours down is what I've heard it takes.


So if you feel like a little road trip....just let me know.

 Alexandra wrote: 
Yeah, we do.  We haven't done very many hikes this summer, though.  My wife and son went out to the mountains about 2 weeks ago.

 Proclivities wrote:

 

Ha!

 

 

What about YOU?  Do you and your wife do long day hikes?  

 Alexandra wrote: 

Man, that's a pretty long hike from The Buckeye State; you'd better start soon if you want to make it there by Labor Day.

 Alexandra wrote: 

Nope, but I'm going to the top of the Hatteras Lighthouse at the end of September.

I'm probably going to be hiking to the summit of Mt Mitchell in North Carolina on Labor Day.......who's in?

 Antigone wrote: 
wait.  What happened to Spring & Summer??

 Antigone wrote: 
Beautiful! Love!

I took a brisk walk this morning at 6am.....and I was going to play my iPod but there were so many lovely bird symphonies going on....I had to just let that be my music for awhile.

Middy and I saw this on our walk.

So much for getting home from work and taking a 2 mile walk.


My energy is just zapped this afternoon.
I better not be coming down with something.

 Mugro wrote: 
Hey - if you are out in the UK you will have to visit Exeter - you'd love it down here.  That kind of open space is pretty easy to get to! 

 Mugro wrote: 
yeah, we got it sweet... I forget what a tiny portion of the world has this kind of uncrowded environment. 

Maybe a dog park around there somewhere?

 rosedraws wrote: 

I miss taking walks with the family (Mrs. Mug, Seamus and the 70 pound yellow lab I have nicknamed "Monster" for her uncanny "Marley & Me" impression) out in the woods up that way!

I walked the dog today down here in the Beltway Bubble, and it sure wasn't the same. Despite having almost 70 degrees and sunny, it wasn't as pleasant as a brisk spring day up in ole Lane Village. You see, we were walking in the suburban landscape were there weren't many trees and no forest to speak of. Nowhere to let the dog just run.

One of my neighbors has a little terrier mix dog, who looks like a little black mop when he walks. Zach isn't quite sure what to make of him, and is usually rather uncivilized. Today was no exception - Zach lunged at Masca. After a thorough "correction" from me, Zach settled down somewhat. Then G. suggested we walk together to get them acquainted with one another. It worked like a charm.

G. is an attorney who works from home for a Seattle law firm. She'd mentioned some time back that she was doing pro bono work on her days off (she's on the firm's clock 4 days a week). I never asked her - actually didn't think it was proper - about the cases she was working on, on her own dime.

Seems she's representing three Gitmo prisoners. One has already been returned home to Yemen.

Always an interesting walk here at druid labs PNW.

 Antigone wrote: 

 rosedraws wrote: 
You and I MUST walk together, some day!

I took Obi to the railroad path in Peterborough.  Out past the dump, the path travels along the Contoocook river.  Although surrounded on both sides by water- and ice-filled ponds and swamps, the raised path is smooth with small gravel and wood chips and is mostly mud-free.  There are still a few areas of snow.  It's a wonderful flat place to walk, and easy on the little dog.

A cold front has come through, rushing the damp fog and drizzly clouds away. The air is crisp and bright and cold — the sunshine is spectacular.  The late afternoon sun beams onto bright green pines, and is reflected in the wide rushing spring-melt swell of the river water, glowing with unreasonable green-ness. The wind occasionally roars through tall evergreens, giving a sense of thrill as trunks creak and squeak and crack. 

Bird song and a big flock of robins enhance the springlike feel.  I love to stand on a big boulder at the water's edge, mesmerized by deep, swirling endless flow.  It seems to be in such a hurry.  And I can hardly contain my urge to drive all the way home to get the kayak... the overflowing banks entrancing.

What a marvelous 45 minutes.