Dear Maia and Isaac,

Today is my first hike with Maizzy in her K9 Sport Sack since way back in the saguaro cactus on my road trip last month.  That noravirus hit hard and I didn’t eat much for a couple weeks after . . . so I think all those muscles I was building up wasted a little.

Even though I haven’t been hiking, I have stitched Maizzy’s travel patches from our road trip last month to her K9 Sport Sack.  I figure it may be her last year to travel with me, so I should keep some memories.  We got patches from El Morrow, El Malpais, Salinas Mission Pueblo Ruins, White Sands, Chiricahua, Catalina State Park, Petrified Forest, Route 66,  Hubbell Trading Post, Canyon de Chelly, Four Corners, and Canyons of the Ancients.  Most of those are National Parks and Monuments.

I want to thank you two, because I think this blog is motivating me to try some new hikes.  I have been using that GJ hikes site to see all the trails near me.  Today, I started out tired.  (it has been a wild week and next week is ultra busy, too). So, after looking near and far, I decided on near.

We ended up going to Ridgeway State Park – but a trail I had never taken called Mears Bay.  It was paved and flat, so good one to get back in shape on.

The water is still pretty low from the drought last year, but it has been a lot wetter this year.

You could see the mountains easily from the trail.

And, some boats out on the water.

The cutest site was my dogs begging, though.

We got home and I noticed Sazi broke her hind foot nail, again.  Because of her intervertebral disc disease, her back legs are weak.  When she gets tired, she knuckles under (drags the top of her foot on the ground a little).  I have spent the evening looking for non-slip boots for her.  No luck.

At least we got out today – and it’s only two weeks until our annual trip to Pearl Lake State Park named for your great-great grandma.  That is the start of camping season.  I can’t wait!!!

Love, Grandma Hartt