Climb Every Mountain....

Yesterday being the last day of decent weather predicted for this week (Maine is a rainy, wet place this Summer for us... ) we headed to Camden Hills State Park to hike the Megunticook Trail. It's only a three mile hike but there is about a 1,400 foot gain in elevation in the first 1.5 mile section so it is a pretty steady climb to the payoff point. We took Rudy and looked at it as an opportunity to work on his leash training and to tire his little ass out for the rest of the day. He did really well both with the actual climb and with his training too. We had concerns over finding the right small dog who would be capable of going on long and somewhat strenuous hikes with us. I think we have found the right little doggie dude for the job.



People we passed on the trail acted as though we were really "doing something" to him by MAKING him hike the trail with us. They were all "Oooooooohhhhhh... Look at the puuuppppy! Poor little fella! Do you think he will be able to make it???" Of course during these opportunistic scenarios Rudy would flop down to the ground on his side and play like he was nearly dead with misery and fatigue. The minute the concerned hikers departed he would begin to enthusiastically charge up the trail eating sticks and devouring any bugs that dared to cross his path along the way. Go figure. I have to wonder if he noticed the view from the top? Do dogs *see* stuff like that? He did go and peer over the edge more than a few times and let the wind raise his little ear flaps up... but more likely than not he was just looking down and out thinking that the trees below looked like so many chew toys.

Today we are trapped indoors enduring yet another rainy day. It's supposed to rain for the rest of the week here. Bleh. Maybe we will try to teach Rudy to play Scrabble.