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Hiking with Dylan

After three weeks of conflicting schedules, I finally got to hike with my four-legged friend, Dylan. Karen came too!

I love all animals, but I have a special place in my heart for Dylan. Unlike my sister’s cat who knows me as “that woman with the vacuum,” Dylan knows I’m his walking buddy. I heard from Karen that he also knows me by name. That news made me stand a little taller. It’s hard to top the selfless love of an animal, isn’t it?

Dylan

Who’s a happy dog?

Early March is beautiful around here. All the trees are starting to bloom in bursts of pink, white and purple. We hiked along the Campbell trail, with a brief stop at the dog park.  It was a feast for the eyes.

I’ve been walking the Campbell Par Course for over twenty years and I never tire of it. I think that’s the way it goes with nature. Nature is constant, but the variables are forever changing.  The creek nearby rises and falls, seasons of course change too. Trees fall, new trees grow, ducks and geese lay their eggs. Two ancient foot bridges finally gave way to wider, safer and more aesthetic ones.  The trail’s essence remains the same.

Come walk with me. Here is part of the view:

Daffodils at the Trail Head

Daffodils at the Trail Head

Trees in bloom

Trees in bloom

Dylan at the Dog Park

Dylan and a new friend at the dog park
The park backs up to a building sporting the mural…dogs on pedestals of course.

Approaching the foot bridge

Approaching the foot bridge

Campbell Par Course

Campbell Par Course

Campbell Par Course

Growing along the trail

Crossing the second footbridge

Crossing the second footbridge

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Do you have a favorite walking place?

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23 thoughts on “Hiking with Dylan”

  2. Very, very cute dog! Mine and Kitty’s dog passed away in June (2012) and we both miss her SO much that it aches. Lovely to see other dogs loved and enjoying life as it should be enjoyed. Nice pics too, very pretty!

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    • I’m so sorry you lost your dog this past June. It’s painful to lose a beloved animal. They’re part of our family and when they’re gone it hurts. I’m glad you and Kitty have each other.

      Thanks for your nice words, too.

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  3. Such a cutie! I used to babysit for a family with a dog named Derby who could have been Dylan’s twin (we’re talking waaayyy back when) I have seen that mural driving by on San Tomas Expressway..where is the trailhead? It all looks so pretty-I love daffodils…..Spring is coming!!!

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  5. “The woman with the vacuum”, that made me laugh so hard. Don’t feel bad, Petals sometimes runs away from Jim at the door like he’s a total stranger. What a nice looking park, is this where we’ll go walking Alys? Walking with a dog always adds a lot of joy to it. I love watching them sniff everything like it’s their first time ever on the same path you always take. If only we could bottle the happiness they exude from a simple walk, wow we’d be rich. What I always enjoy about a walk, is it’s absolutely free and you can’t help but feel better after. We’ve always been big on walks since we had to walk Jasper and then Buddy twice a day. We’ve made great use of the river valley here since we are living so close by. I hope we will when we move too. Dylan looks totally in love with you, great shots Alys!

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    • We most certainly will walk here and a few other places, too. This is more of a city trail, with strollers and dogs. If we hike Quicksilver, we may see deer and rabbits. You’re coming at a great time.

      I’m glad you’re a walker and that Jim enjoys it too. We walked all the time as a couple and more when Chris was in a stroller. Once they were both too old for strollers but not big enough to put in long hikes, we had to scale back. Now I most walk with girlfriends.

      I hope you find a house close enough to continue to use the river valley. I love it in all the pics you’ve posted.

      Thanks for your comments.

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      • I’m glad you have girlfriends to walk with. That’s like free therapy. My friend and ex neighbour Karen and I used to have the best chats on our long walks around the lake. We would be overjoyed to find a home near the valley. Fingers Crossed. Maybe Dylan will join us on our walks, that’d be awesome! xoK

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          • O, thanks for asking Alys, I probably told you we saw a house last Friday but it was too small. It was a older home in a mature area we like. The interior had been updated to some extent. The kitchen while nice had the worlds smallest oven. Reminded me of one in a camper…HA, I’d be off the hook for all Holiday Family hosting. I really haven’t seen anything on line for months that looks worthy. So, I’m going to not fret and concentrate on our visit….All Alys, all the time…..hehe!

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  6. Beautiful dog and so much more fun to walk when you have one with you. They keep you in the moment. I’m looking for a neighbor dog to walk. Maybe if it ever warms up, everyone will come out of their caves. 🙂 Spotted those seed pods on that tree branch and my trigger finger got itchy for my glue gun. Wonder what kind of pod that is? It’s raining here….again.

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    • I’m wondering about the pod, too. I’ll have to investigate further.

      Yes, dogs do keep you in the moment for sure. It’s a funny thing, but almost all of my clients have either a dog or cat and sometimes both. It makes work that I love anyway, all the more special with an animal nearby.

      I hope your neighbors come out soon. Dog walking sounds perfect. Let me know how that goes.

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