Walking out the door

Stopping to smell the daffodils.

There's been a few days this week, today included, due to work, weather, or other commitments I haven't had the time or energy to load up two or three dogs and get to the trails for a proper hike. One such night Max's OCD was in overdrive, he was sucking on the bedding in his crate, and the puppy was getting the idea that bedding was chewable. It was driving me as crazy as he already was, so I put his harness and leash on him and we went out the door. It was dark and getting darker, but we went a mile straight up our road, turned around and came straight back. We moved at a pretty good pace and that little bit of exercise was enough to exorcise the demons from his head for the night. He laid down on the floor behind my chair and sacked out as if we had hiked 10 miles.


We had quite a bit of rain overnight and the
Rivanna is running strong, high, and muddy.



Exploring along the Rail Trail

Today was a rainy day and I was working on a short night's sleep, so I really wasn't enthused about going out for a hike. Today, however, it was the puppy and Maya who were driving me crazy, the puppy especially. I put on their leashes and walking collars and we headed out the door again. Just a short distance away, our road crosses Courthouse Road and it becomes Stoneleigh, an unpaved road. About a mile down Stoneleigh it crosses Rt. 15 into the Village of Palmyra. We walked down towards the old stone mill foundation, the Rail Trail, and then took a little walking tour of the Village itself. By the time we got back we had covered over 4.5 miles and I was tired, although Felix was still pulling badly. I'm going to put an easy walk harness on his little butt and get him into line, or he's going to wear me out. I'm going to another adoption event with him tomorrow, I hope we'll have some luck on finding him a home. He's as sweet as can be, and really pretty good indoors, but the old dogs and I want to find him a new home soon if possible.

Maya and Felix, stopped momentarily.



You can see the muddy Rivanna through the trees.

He's not the best on a leash, but he sure is cute.



The rail trail uses an abandoned railroad right of way
along the river next to the Village.



The old stone jail in the Village of Palmyra, now a museum.



The square in the center of Palmyra, with a memorial to confederate soldiers.
The Village is remarkably well preserved because it never amounted to much in the first place,
and without water, sewer, or a reason to be, there was never much development over the years.

Our home, Edgewood



Today's 4.79 mile route





Felix in front of the old
courthouse in Palmyra