Peninsula

Kurt and I headed up to Peninsula today for our weekend walk. It sprinkled a bit on the way up, but Kurt kept insisting it was just the gods having a spitting contest, and that the weather would be nice when we got there. He was right.

We've done Peninsula several times before but never with all three dogs. Needless to say, it was an adventure. I had Cordy and Esme on separate leashes, which although it was much more comfortable for Cordy, it was a little uncomfortable to try and manage the two without tangling. Then, Kurt decided to use the restroom at the beginning of the trip, which meant I would be holding all three dogs by myself. Also, Leo HATES when Kurt leaves him, so he started barking in panic, which made Esme bark in panic. A gentleman asked if he could pet them, and headed toward Esme, so I said, "NO! NOT THAT ONE!" and startled him. I offered up the other two but he declined.

Once Kurt was done with his bathroom duties, we headed on towards the trail. Unfortunately, so did every biker in Northeast Ohio. We spent most of the walk going a few yards, and then "pulling over" to let someone pass. Cordy gave up ten minutes in and refused to walk anymore, so I put her in a purse-carrier I bought when she was a puppy. Esme was not the least bit phased by the bicycles, yet two golden retrievers walking by was THE WORST THING EVER in her mind. She has it out for golden retrievers. We finally turned back because we were stopping more than we were walking. Still, it's a beautiful area, and I would love to do it on a bicycle if the chance came up.


Proof we were there


More proof


The river


Kurt and Leo looking for their van DOWN BY THE RIVERRRR

Holmesbrook Park

After searching fruitlessly for the backpacks, we realized we are going to have to special order them. All we are finding are "front loader" ones, which are like a baby carrier worn on the front. We tried one of these with Cordy when we first got her and neither of us liked it.

This is probably closer to what we need. The problem is finding one that Cordy is comfortable in, since she is so small. Esme is closer to 7 pounds and stocky, so she will fit fine. This is another option for Cordy. The only other option on the market is a pet stroller, which neither of us want because we want to walk till the chihuahuas get tired, and then throw them in a backpack, not push them or a stroller all the time.

So, with the lack of a good backpack, and impending rain, we decided to check out one of the local parks rather than going up to Peninsula.



Holmesbrook Park is on the edge of Wadsworth near the hospital. Its best feature is its privacy from the outside roads, as it dips down into a mini valley. I couldn't hear cars at all even though I knew the road was just over the ridge. On the downside, the solitude combined with the wind advisory and the dark clouds, along with the creaking of an old tree that had fallen, gave the walk a Blair Witch feel. There is a roundabout around a small pond, as well as benches along the paths and built into the bridge. Here are some photos from the walk:


Near one of the brooks


Esme loves it


Kurt and Leo


Who is having the most fun?

Easter Weekend

It's in the high 70s today and beautiful out. We're going to look for backpacks today at the various pet supply stores in the area. If we find some, we're going to head over to Peninsula. We've been walking there a few times and it really is a cool place. When "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" was released, they did a Harry Potter theme throughout the whole town, which Kurt, his mom and I all attended. I looked online and there are some good backpacks we are interested in, but we'd rather buy them from a store so we can try them on, etc. I'll keep you updated.