An 80% Scrappy-led walk

So every once in a while, I get him onto Groundhog Row and just let him lead, and that is our subject today.

Over the hill we go... but will we cross the bridge?

Yes... yes, we will...

...and proceed south along the canal trail.

Mourning dove was silent on upcoming rain.

And across the footbridge and California Road...

And down the very full south canal.

All the way to Coliseum!  Here I put my foot down, and after some hesitation he agreed to turn...

...and head towards the river.

Saw this along the way.

Turning north near the river.

And making a big loop-de-loop around a clump of trees.  This might have went on forever, but...

"Look, Scrappy, there he goes!"  And I wasn't lying; I saw two groundhogs that he didn't...

But the rabbit?  THAT he saw, and away we went to check out where he disappeared.

After a BabyBel break, HE wanted to double our walk by crossing over to the IPFW side.  Again, I put my foot down.  He was getting beat as it was, and I wasn't a lot better.

Oddly enough, the river's way down.  Holding things up at the reservoir again?

Scrappy, no!  There's twenty feet of muck before you can,,.

...get to the river.  Sigh.

Listen, bitch, I'm hot and thirsty, and I'm going swimming!

I feel so much better when my pee-pee's cool...

So after a five minute break to smell the flowers, and what-have-you...

... we abandon a perfectly good road to go traipse in the tall grass.

And find the wettest, muckiest place to get back on the road...

"...because I just loves to hear Daddy's toes squishing in his shoes!"

That was one of the biggest frogs I ever saw!

So back across the footbridge...

And, God help us, behind the IPFW soccer pitch.  Will he ever head home?

As you might guess I put my foot down again when he tried to breach this mess.  For his own good and my own, I said, "There he goes!"  And pointed at an imaginary woodchuck headed towards home.

Surprisingly, he crossed the old wooden bridge...

...and mercifully headed north.

As you can see, the dove let us down... but by this time, it felt good.

And with Mr and Mrs Goldfinch to welcome us back, we concluded our trip.