Sugarloaf Mountain

For something different, we headed out to Frederick, MD 

to Sugarloaf Mountain to try out one of their trails.  It's quite the popular place.  

People were hiking, rock climbing and picnicking.  

We headed off on the trail and encountered the steps from hell.  Steps are far worse than hiking up an incline- and that's saying a lot for me because I really struggle on inclines.

The friendly neighborhood vultures were in the trees above me.  

Pretty sure they smelled death.

The view was definitely worth the climb though.

It was a shame it wasn't a sunnier day out,

but it was still gorgeous.

Of course, when we reached the summit

we realized we weren't on the trail we had planned to be on.

We ended up needing to take another trail to get to where we planned to go.

There was another vista called White Rocks that was also gorgeous.

Even my normally afraid of heights son was impressed with the view- 

so much so he ventured out on the rocks.

We were finally headed back towards the car,

though it felt like the never ending trail.

It was supposed to be a 5 mile loop, 

but we weren't sure how much extra mileage we picked up 

when we went the wrong way.

We eventually made it back to the car.

I pointed out we could have seen gorgeous views 

staying in the parking lot.

In the end we hiked 7.4 miles

which is the longest hike since last October.

I didn't have much weight in my pack, 

but all in all I did pretty good.

Lucy did good too

though I did have to carry her for a short while

as she was getting tired.

Definitely want to go back to this spot and try some other trails.

Caledonia State Park Hike #9

March 31st brought a gorgeous day for hiking.  It was great to be able to get outside in some decent weather.  Because it was so nice, I decided to take Lucy along to see how she would do on a longer trail.  Plus, she has a new training halter that's supposed to help with pulling.
Because we needed to stop at the Michaux State Forest Office, we headed out that way for a hike.  Our scout troop has a backpacking hike planned for the fall, and we need to get some permits and special permissions out of the way.  Unfortunately, the office was closed so we'll need to head back there again.
Since we were right there at Caledonia, we stopped in at their office and picked up a trail map.  We opted to hike along the Ramble Trail which was listed as a 2.2 mile more difficult hike.  It travels along a small section of the Appalachian Trail near the end.
The Park was full of people because it was the first day of trout season, so there were tons of anglers along Conococheague Creek.  We only passed a few people along the trail along with some dogs.  Lucy did really well on the hike.
She tackled her first stream crossing, though she wasn't too thrilled about it.  She really wanted to stay on dry land, but she did go across though somewhat reluctantly.  She wasn't pulling as much as she typically does, but I can't say for certain if that was the new harness or that fact that she was racing around the yard earlier in the day and was already tired. Either way, it made for a nice hike.  She keeps me moving forward and gives me something to focus on other than my aches and pains.  I had her clipped to my belt with a carbiner to allow me to be hands free.  That seemed to work really well except for the couple of times she heard or smelled something in the laurel shrubs and popped open the buttons on my pants.  Needless to say, we still have some work to do.  She needs to not get so excited about seeing people, other dogs or invisible creatures in the underbrush.
The hike overall was a pretty easy one.  We're thinking the "more difficult" designation was because of the length.  There was only one small hill, and it could barely be called a hill.  Despite not being very challenging, it was a very pretty hike on a very well maintained trail.  Total mileage was about 2.7 miles which included a short amount on the AT plus the walk back to the car.  I would definitely do this trail again despite (or because) it wasn't too hard.  There are a few other trails in Caledonia that are listed as most difficult and we're planning on going to check those out in the future.

And one of the best things about this hike was the stop at the Appalachian Brewing company on the way home.  We each got a beer and shared some spinach and artichoke dip.  

We voted to hike more in areas that let us stop off and grab a beer.

Hiking a Battlefield

Trying to fit in a hike, we decided to detour to nearby Antietam Battlefield in Maryland to walk some of the historic area, enjoy the weather and get in a little hiking.  We also had Lucy with us, so it was going to be her first ever hike.
My favorite area of Anitetam is Burnsides Bridge.  It's a little off the beaten path, and there are several paths in that area that would allow for some mild hiking.  We opted to hike down to the bridge, across it, along Antietam Creek and up a hill to view the bridge from the ridge.  It was only a short 1-1.5 mile hike, but it was better than not hiking at all.  Lucy did pretty good, but we need to work on her leash skills.  She pulls quite a bit.  Hoping she manages to settle down and be a relaxing hiking partner.

The New Hiking Partner

I love the idea of having a 4 legged hiking companion.

I have 2 dogs, but neither one would make a good hiker.

One is 14 and having arthritis issues.

The other one, while physically fit, isn't the best around strange people or animals,

so not the easiest to work with.

I've been fostering for a rescue for a year now, and when I saw this girl, I knew.

Lucy is a Boston Terrier Mix.

I can't tell you what she's mixed with, 

her mom was around 18 pounds with pointy ears and brindle fur.

Her dad was a full Boston.

She's 100% spoiled brat.

She has a thing for sleeping under blankets.

I'm guessing I'll have to come up with a sleeping bag for her

when we're ready for overnights.

Right now we're working on house breaking, basic commands 

and leash manners.

She'll do anything for a treat.

She'll be completely up to date on all of her shots in 2 weeks.

For anyone hiking with dogs, it's a good idea to get all the shots-

including those for Lyme's disease and Leptospirosis

(Plus your Distemper, Parvo and Rabies)

before taking your dog out to public areas.

Make sure your dog has a decent flea and tick preventative.

I've always used Frontline Plus, but right now we have a free trial of Nexgard

(and I've heard from other hikers with dogs that it works great).

If you have a young dog like I do, or even an older dog who has never hiked before,

make sure you talk to your vet about how to go about getting started.

Young dogs should not go on any extreme hikes.

Lucy will most likely do a mile or less to start and on easy trails.

Puppies bodies are growing, and you don't want to strain any ligaments, tendons or cause problems with growing bones.

And with an older dog who might not be in shape, you want to start out small and build up their muscles and endurance-

the same as you would for yourself.

So, in the meantime,
Lucy will be working on her training,
and most likely her napping.
For those on Instagram, Lucy has her own IG account
(my husband thinks I'm nuts)
Lucy The Boston Mix