So, Brody, Glacier and I went to Colt State Park for a walk along Narragansett Bay. It was a PERFECT day to be on the water - low to mid 60's, cloudless sky, and just the slightest of breeze to keep the sun from feeling too hot. I considered curling up on my yoga mat with my blanket and a good book but alas, a late night last night plus a 5:30am wake up this morning meant that I forgot my yoga mat. And a book. And a blanket. Total failure on that account. But my poor planning made the dogs very happy!
Because I had nowhere to curl up, nothing to read, and nothing but eight squirming legs and two wet snouts (incredibly well aimed at my mouth, usually, wet snouts) to cuddle with, we walked.
We walked past the school group carrying half full trash bags of garbage they were picking up along the beaches. We walked past the family of Asians fishing off the rocks. We walked past every trash barrel in the entire park writhing the first three minutes of the walk. (This point comes clear as to why later on.) We walked past the family of three middle-school aged kids, their parents and their (silent and adorable!) beagle all huddled under the shade of a tiny sapling. We walked past several signs about irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, and colitis.
At about 7/10 of a mile into the walk, Glacier, who NEVER poops while walking on a leash, pooped... as the Environmental Police truck rolled slowly by surely waiting to see if I was going to scoop that elephant pile or ignore it. I scooped it and then had to carry the bag for the next 2.8 miles because of the total lack of trash cans in that part of the park. Ergh!
We walked past the five ~8-9 year old boys pumping quarters into the binoculars but using them to stare at people on the walkway instead of the birds etc. We walked past the picknickers and not-sure-what-they're-doing-in-that-car-ers and the pocket dogs (anything smaller than 30 lbs) and the elderly ladies on walkers chattering to their nurse.
We walked to the end of the walkway and sat down for a moment until I realized that someone in the gathering on the hill behind me was belting out the national anthem and with that, the sudden realization that I was about to be trampled by 300 Chrohn's, IBS and colitis sufferers during their fundraising and awareness walk that was about to unfold.
Me, my two dogs, and my bag of dog poo I had now carried so long, I was considering naming it hit the trail ahead of the walking crew just in time! (There's an irony to leading the charge in a walk of this nature while carrying a bag of poo... But I was quite certain that although I was making myself chuckle with some of the clever witticisms I could share with the walkers, doing so would be at best, poorly delivered... at worst, insulting. I kept my bag of poo and my jokes to myself as I hoofed it back toward the truck.)
Crossing the footbridge, Glacier had caught sight of some cormorant and geese when I had her and Brody jump up on the wall for a photo.
Glacier then spent the rest of the span of the bridge jumping up, surveying the winged community situation, and jumping back down every 8 seconds. The wind was just right and she kept looking right into the wind so that her ears stood straight up and I was laughing so hard at her I could barely snap a picture. I finally did and I've looked at it 50 times today since then and it's makes me happy too!
After 3.5 miles, I was finally able to part with my fourth child - "BoP" (Bag of Poo) and put two hot, tired dogs in the truck (after they drank ALL of my water!), and figure out my mileage.
Another adventure in the books and all I can say is... Summer isn't over until MONDAY, Sept 22, NOT Sunday so I've got a little breathing room to finish up my last 3.05 miles and then jump right into the fall challenge ASAP! :-)
And... After an early day, a busy day, and a gorgeous day, I'm wiped out!
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