one of our camping/hiking trips.
When I was a little girl, I used to play in the woods behind
my parents house for hours at a time. My mother would
throw conniption fits when I'd disappear for the better
part of the day, only to reappear around dinner time, usually
covered in dirt and pine straw after "hunting wild animals"
all day. It wasn't that I meant to disregard her admonitions,
it was just that the call of all those trees, and birds,
and snakes, and turtles, and frogs, and deer, and the
imaginary indians was just too strong to ignore. My dad
understood, and just made me swear a solemn promise to
never try to actually catch one of those critters. It was my
good fortune to marry a man who shares my love of the
woods.
Richard and I are gonzo hiking and camping enthusiasts,
and we prefer to hike off-trail in Appalachian wilderness
areas. Richard, an MBA student at Georgia State University,
has a passion for maps, whether they are geographic,
historical, stellar, sociological, or other sorts of maps.
With maps and compass, we have explored areas in the
Southern Appalachia virtually untouched since the
20's and 30's. We've even been known to drive through
a snowstorm to get to a trail head. I won't say much about
that trip, other than to we won't try it again.
On many of our hikes we have seen deer, falcon, hawk,
boar, black bear, a buzzard nestling sitting in the
middle of a trail, and once some very large cat-paw prints.
Nowadays, even the dogs wear backpacks . We found that
with the right packs they could carry their own supplies
as well as some of ours.
Due to work and class schedules we don't get to go as
often as we like. I know when I start daydreaming
of our favorite locations that it's time for a hike and the dogs
know that when their packs come out of the closet it's time
for some fun!
A few notes on hiking with your dog:
Talk to the area rangers. They can tell you the laws
regarding dogs on trails Amazingly, some trails will allow
pack animals but won't allow dogs!
If you don't have complete control over your dog, keep
it on a leash. Nothing can ruin a hike like a lost or
injured dog! Also, the other hikers will probably not
appreciate your wet/muddy/skunked dog running up to them.
Carry out or bury your poop! What? Were you raised in a
barn?
Other hikers/horse back riders are probably using the trail
as well. Step off to the side when horses approach. No one wants
to get kicked. Remember, all it may take is one disgruntled
hiker to ban all dogs from the trail.
What will you do if you or your dog is injured while on a
hike? You have to give this some serious consideration before
starting out. While we've been very fortunate that we
haven't encountered anything more serious than a few
yellow-jacket stings, we realize the unexpected can happen
in the blink of an eye. Find out where the nearest hospital
and vet's offices are. If you're going to be in snake country
(and who isn't),does that hospital/vet have the
serum on hand? If your dog is on the hefty size,
plan ahead what you'll do if you have to
get him out. Carry a first aid-kit for your
dog in addition to the one you're
carrying for yourself.
Can you render first aid to your pet?
If not, why not take a course.
And of course, have fun!
For more information on hiking, check out these links and resources
