Hiking for colors and distance...

Surprise ... 

Surprise...

I finally feel like I got my physical mojo back.

I don't want to brag, but heck, I'm going to anyway. 

I went back to my map my hike and also tallied up the miles I've hiked since June when I got a pretty plain smart Garmin watch.

Miles hiked this year? 698! I have not been tracking it each day or month. In fact, I figured with all the heat and humidity and BUGS we had this year, that my hiking would be pretty lame. I had two weeks that I did not walk or hike at all when I was sick.

So what am I doing with that Mojo? 

I'm moving again. If I can't go to the Reserve and hike, Charlie and I head out to the wilds next door. 600 acres of wild woods with old cattle trails that are now faint deer trails. If I can't find a trail, I wait and let the Trail Master find the easiest path.

We cross ravines, dry washes, and hike up and down steep hills.

OH Come ON Ma!

The fall colors are not always so prevelant inside the deep woods as many of the trees are fairly drab. Portions of the woods have been heavily logged for the really good trees. What is left in the understory are some pretty junk trees along with invasive barberry brush. 

Hint: If you walk here with me, wear heavy long pants so the barberry doesn't poke you so hard!

Photo of one of our hiking areas through barberry 'prickles'.
Charlie can find the deer path through this.

Hunting fall colors can be frustrating when you walk through a thick forest. Since we live in an area of steep hills and valleys...

Wonderful landscape views are rare here unless you can get on top of a bluff or you can stay on top of a ridge.

That has probably influenced my photography quite a bit.

It also means that I hike and hike miles to find a pretty shot or perhaps something very tiny to see. 

So what is the point of keeping track of how far I hike? Well, I don't know but it is fun to have a goal to reach.

Of course, I take Mini-me and Mini Charlie along. We love our outdoor time. The hikes in the forest next door will end in a few weeks when the gun hunters invade. 

But until then we will stack up the miles or as I call it...

time spent breathing air and chilling out.

Meanwhile, Charlie and I are going to see if we can reach a 1,000 miles by December 31st. 

Old dog

Most mornings I can find Mr. Morris like this. He prefers to sleep on HIS couch snuggled up with his blanket. He feels he has reached the age where he can dictate when he wants to get up and do something and when he should be left undisturbed.

On the mornings I go out to watch the predawn sunrise or those nights I go out to look at stars, he simply watches me walk out the porch door and lays his head back down on his blanket.

He never let me set foot outside of the house in years past without trying to go with me or voicing his displeasure with a bark.
I know it. He is starting to show his age.

We did go for a late afternoon walk together on Friday afternoon. I took him with me to the Merry Meadow to check out the wild apple trees.

I had to convince him that he wanted to go. Once we were out the door, he was his old self for a while, running, sniffing, and trying to 'water' everything he could.

Saturday morning I woke up and asked him if he wanted to go out on the porch with me and check out the *Moonset*. He yawned and dropped his head back into his blanket. He never even looked at me a second time as I gathered the keys for the Subaru.

When Ariel and her family arrived late afternoon on Saturday, he was happy and trotted around the living room for a few moments. Then he jumped up on the couch and promptly laid down in between Ariel and I. He dropped his head on Ariel's lap and shut his eyes.
We all sighed. Morris was surely showing his age. Our conversation leaned towards him and how the grand kids have grown up having him underfoot all of these years.

My biggest fear of time and age creeping up on my wonderful pal, was happening. I put my hand on his back and softly ran my fingers down it.

When Ariel's family left I asked Ariel if she'd like to take Morris for a ride in the Jeep. It was something I knew that Morris deeply loves. Car rides.

She said sure and off we went. She helped Morris into the Jeep and we went exploring the back roads.
We went down to Tainter Road and drove passed the Road Closed sign. The bridges and culverts have been out and under repair since the floods last September. There are only two places on the road. We drove down part way and parked to take Morris for a walk. Since the bridge/culvert is out and this road has no real year round residents, it is safe to walk down the road.

Morris was loving it. So many things to smell and stick his nose into! He trotted along and once disappeared into the tall grass. We found him digging out a rabbit nest.
Good ol' Morris.

We got back in the Jeep and let Morris enjoy his ride.

And he did.

What more could a dog ask for? A quiet road, a chance to hang out the window and let the breezes blow back your ears while you sniff the world going by.

Life is good when you are an old dog!