Six mile Saturday

I set out on a walk this morning with Della and Elvis. They've become my best hiking pair. Elvis can't match her stride but it makes up for it in speed and youthful energy. They are also good about not reacting to everything that we see or encounter on a hike. That was important today because it was a beautiful day and there were people out on that trails. We didn't encounter a lot of them, but they were there. There were also horseback riders out today, although we managed to avoid all of them. 

It was a beautiful day and I was really needing the exercise. Della had been crated all the time I was gone on Friday picking up Reyna so I owed her a good amount of attention and activity today too. Elvis is just always happy to go along. We ended up with six miles walked, my longest hike in a very long time. Oddly, it's not my legs that feel the most tired after that, it's my back and arms. 

Nothing special about the hike, except it was a beautiful day, perfect hiking weather. A few other hikers that we encountered were all bundled up like it was January. I don't understand that. When I'm hiking I generate enough heat to keep me plenty warm. In the coldest weather my ears and fingers get cold, but even in winter I'm often still wearing shorts.

This evergreen plant common on the forest floor around here is called running cedar, part of an evolutionarily ancient family of plants known as club mosses. The term "club" comes from the tall structures shown here, called strobili, which release spores. It has been used as a Christmas decoration in the past. It requires adequately moist soil year round. It's slow growing and apparently it is all but impossible to transplant. 

I am so lucky to have this park with such an extensive trail system so close to home.