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Road Tripping up California’s Pacific Coast

Posted in Trips by

Last week Matt and I road-tripped up the Pacific Coast Highway from L.A. to San Francisco. This 660 mile journey took us along some of the most beautiful coastline I have ever seen and included stops at several parks, landmarks, and California towns. Here’s a photo-heavy recap of our 5 days in California… enjoy!

Bixby Bridge

Chino Hills State Park

Chino Hills SP Views
Matt hiking on Bane Ridge

We flew into LA-Ontario airport on Thursday, picked up a Mustang convertible, and made a beeline for the nearest In-N-Out Burger. I had never been to one and the (very patient) guy at the drive-thru was kind enough to explain all of the crazy ordering lingo. Thanks, In-N-Out guy! Next, we set off for a hike at Chino Hills State Park. This park was nearly empty (it was a Thursday, after all) and we enjoyed the sweeping vistas of Southern California from the top of Upper Bane Ridge Trail.

Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery (San Simeon)

105 Seals at play

Matt and I worked on Friday and then resumed our road trip that evening. By Saturday morning we were cruising up Highway 1, aka the Pacific Coast Highway. Our first official sightseeing stop was just north of San Simeon to see the Elephant Seal Rookery. I knew we’d see seals here but I didn’t realize that there would be hundreds of them flopped all over the beach! Some were splashing around in the water, others were fighting/playing on the sand, and most were just passed out in piles. Very cool!

Matt looking at the seals
Seal friends
Seaweed mouth
Elephant Seals EVERYWHERE!

Limekiln State Park (Big Sur)

337 Limekiln Falls

We continued up Highway 1 to Limekiln State Park. Like most (all?) CA state parks, you have to pay an entry fee (this is not the norm in PA), but the hiking, redwood forest, and waterfall made this stop well worth the $10 we paid to visit!

Redwood Forest
I almost fell off the log trying to take this timer-photo!
Lime Kiln
Lime Kiln State Park
Giant burned-out redwoods

Big Sur Coastline

463 PCH

North of Limekiln the views really got amazing. (They seemed very nice before Limekiln… I just had no idea what was ahead!) The road started climbing and twisting along the steep cliffs and we were presented with breathtaking coastal views at every turn. All through Big Sur there are gravel turnouts near all of the good views, so we happily spent the afternoon pulling over every few miles to snap more photos.

Bixby Bridge (Big Sur)

505 Bixby Bridge

We stayed in Carmel-by-the-Sea on Saturday night and then returned south to Big Sur for more sightseeing on Sunday. We started at Bixby Bridge, a concrete, single-span bridge built by the CCC in 1932. Bixby is one of the most photographed spots along the Pacific Coast Highway and the turnout on the north end of the bridge was packed with tourists snapping photos.

Bixby Bridge
Bixby Bridge

After taking some photos of the bridge from Highway 1, we left the Mustang behind and hiked 1/2 mile up Coast Road, a rough dirt road that roughly parallels the highway. From Coast Road we got to see a different angle of Bixby Bridge and had the view completely to ourselves.

564 Bixby Bridge from Old Coast Road

Partington Cove (Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP, Big Sur)

Partington Cove from above

Next up was Partington Cove, a beautiful rocky beach at the bottom of a steep canyon. We parked in an unmarked turnout on the highway and hiked down to the Pacific on a wide gravel path. Although there were several hikers enjoying the scenery this area felt much more private and serene than the busy Bixby Bridge.

610 Matt at Partington Cove

We sat and watched the waves crash against the rocks for a while, then took a side trail to a little waterfall. I didn’t want to cross the creek on the wet rocks so Matt took the camera across and got a good shot of the waterfall. (He’s very proud of this photo so I have to include it in my recap of Partington!!) 😄

Matt’s waterfall
Matt across the creek

McWay Falls (Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP, Big Sur)

After Partington we were getting really hungry… it was nearly noon and, due to a freak power outage in the entire Monterey peninsula on Sunday, we hadn’t had a real breakfast or any coffee. Ignoring our grumbling stomachs, we pushed on to the famous McWay Falls, an iconic waterfall 2 miles south of Partington.

711 McWay Falls

The waterfall was in the shade and therefore wasn’t quite as breathtaking as I’m sure it looks in afternoon sun, but the views from the trail were excellent. We hiked to the remains of the “Waterfall House,” a mansion that was donated to the state along with the surrounding land for use as a state park. The state could not find a public use for the house so demolished it in accordance with the donor’s wishes. We stood on the terrace of the house and took in the views that the previous owners would have had from their living room… not bad!!

Looking north
Looking south

Pebble Beach (17 Mile Drive, Monterey Peninsula)

After McWay we enjoyed a laid back, lazy lunch of nachos, beer and sandwiches at the Big Sur Taphouse. This was a great way to unwind after a busy morning of sightseeing and recharged us for our next stop… Pebble Beach!

797 Lone Cypress, Pebble Beach

Pebble Beach is a gated golf community just north of Carmel. We paid a $10 entry fee and drove along 17-Mile Drive, a scenic road that passes several landmarks and overlooks. After driving around Big Sur for free all morning, it seemed a bit silly to pay a corporation to see their coastline… but I immediately forgot all about that the moment the water came into view. We drove by gorgeous sandy beaches, rocky points, and, most notably, the famous Lone Cypress (above). Now I see why everyone told us we had to visit 17-Mile Drive!

Pebble Beach
Pebble Beach View
Pebble Beach
Bird Rock
Red succulents on the coast

After a day of sightseeing we somehow found the energy to go wine tasting in Carmel on Sunday evening. My favorite tasting room was De Tierra Vineyards. Matt and I sipped wine at a wine barrel table by an open window, discussing our favorite parts of the trip and looking forward to continuing the journey up Highway 1 on Monday.

Carmel to San Francisco

2560 Made it to the Golden Gate Bridge!

Monday morning we had a hearty breakfast at From Scratch in Carmel, then we drove through Monterey on our way north. We made quick stops in Santa Cruz and at several beaches and lookout points and finally arrived in San Francisco at around 4:30PM.

I had never seen the Golden Gate Bridge before so I was excited to finally glimpse its red towers in the distance. With all of the other trip planning I never actually researched where we needed to go to see the bridge, but as luck would have it we happened to turn right into the parking lot for the Batteries to Bluffs Trail. We hiked down to the beach and were rewarded with amazing views of the bridge… what a great way to end our California road trip!

939 Golden Gate Bridge

We spent Monday night at Fisherman’s Wharf and took a 6AM flight home the next day. Reading over this post I can’t believe how much we saw in such a short time! The California coast is truly one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited and I can’t wait to go back!!

Want to see MORE photos of our journey up the coast? Check out my full photo album on Flickr.

Lye Brook Falls (Manchester, Vermont)

Posted in Hikes, Trips by

047 Lye Brook Falls

During the last weekend of September (aka “Pope Weekend” for anyone in the Philadelphia area) Matt and I headed north to the picturesque town of Dorset, Vermont for a wedding. After a smooth 5 1/2 hour drive we arrived in neighboring Manchester at 1PM on Friday, eager to do some New England hiking before going into party mode.

We ended up doing two hikes during our short stay in southwestern Vermont. I highly recommend both if you’re in the area and feel like exploring.  Just make sure to bring good hiking shoes and a camera! This post covers Friday’s hike. Info on Saturday’s climb to Gilbert Lookout in Dorset will be posted soon!

Lye Brook Falls Hike

Trailhead: Lye Brook Falls Service Road, Manchester, Vermont (Google Maps Location)
Distance: 4.6-ish miles round trip
Trail Map: U.S. Forest Service Lye Brooks Falls Guide [PDF]
Terrain: Rocky out-and-back; gradual uphill out and downhill back
Highlight: 125 ft. high Lye Brook Falls, one of Vermont’s tallest waterfalls

I first learned about Lye Brook Falls from the US Forest Service web site. Here’s how they describe the hike:

The trail, marked with blue blazes, enters the 15,680-acre Lye Brook Wilderness following along Lye Brook. Utilizing old logging railroad grades and old woods roads, the trail travels up a steady gradual slope. Downed trees from a 1995 cyclonic storm and a few small stream crossings make some of the trail challenging, which is in keeping with Wilderness management practices. A century ago, this area had been heavily logged, with railroads, charcoal kilns, and sawmills dotting the landscape. The land has reverted back to its natural state, but those wishing to explore can still find the remains of many of these turn of the century industries. The spur trail at 1.8 miles on the right, leads to the 125-foot high Lye Brook Falls, one of the highest in Vermont. Slippery rocks make the falls extremely dangerous and climbing the falls is not recommended.

Sounds cool, right? It was! The Lye Brook Falls trail is just a short drive from the factory outlets in Manchester but (thankfully) you immediately feel like you’re in another world. The trail is well marked and the sounds of the Rt. 7 highway quickly fade away and are replaced by the babbling of Lye Brook and forest noises. (Namely chipmunks… those guys are LOUD!!) 😀

Be forewarned that the trail is extremely rocky in some areas, so good shoes are a must. The view at the falls makes all of the uneven terrain totally worth it though!

Rocky Road
Waterfall Selfie!

Vermont has been having a major drought so Lye Brook Falls didn’t feature a ton of rushing water, but the sheer height of the falls was very impressive. The rocks just kept going up and up and up!! When we got to the falls we initially climbed down to the bottom, but the falls were so tall that it was hard to actually see the top from way down there. We returned to the trail and climbed up for a ways which gave us a much clearer view of the waterfall. It was beautiful!

SO TALL!
Forest Service Map

After our hike we returned back to civilization, checked into our B&B and met up with a big group of wedding guests for a late-night welcoming party. It was a great first day in Vermont!

049 Lye Brook Falls

Piper’s First Birthday

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Piper turned one last Wednesday! Matt and I considered taking her for a celebratory birthday hike, but it was super hot out and we agreed that all three of us would have been sweaty, panting messes within the first five minutes of any activity we attempted. Instead, we decided that Piper would have the most fun playing in our backyard with her GSP-lookalike, Bella!

1758 Piper's goofy ear-do and Bella_

Bella belongs to Matt’s parents. She stayed with us for a few weeks in August and during that time Piper was absolutely thrilled to have a live-in playmate. These dogs have very similar styles of play and spent hours running at top speed around the yard, playing tug of war, and wrestling with one another. Here are some photos of them playing on Piper’s birthday afternoon. (Piper’s in the orange collar.)

Piper has no clue that Bella’s about to POUNCE!
Tearing around the yard
Pointer twins
A better angle for tug of war?
Piper and Bella
Crazy Ears
White whiskers
Bella’s going to steal that toy

After all of that fun I think it’s safe to say that Piper had a fantastic first birthday!!

Pair of Pointers

Like these photos? Follow me on Instagram: @The_Little_GSP

Weekend Getaway to Skaneateles, NY

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Matt and I have been having a great summer so far, with lots of long weekend vacations including the Hunting Camp, Bethany Beach, and a 4th of July celebration on the Jersey shore. We still have a few trips ahead of us, including the Poconos and Vermont in September and a combined business/pleasure trip to California in October. (We’ll be driving up the Pacific Coast Highway in a convertible… I’m SO excited!!)

339 Bonfire by the lake

Our most recent weekend getaway took us to the gorgeous Finger Lake region of New York. We stayed with my brother and his fiance’s family at their house on Skaneateles Lake. I hadn’t been to the Finger Lakes before this and wow… I never knew what I was missing!! The views were breathtaking, the water was crystal clear, and the whole area had a relaxing, laid back vibe that was perfect for a mini vacation.

273 Piper waiting patiently for me to throw the stick

Piper is now a total water-loving fiend, so naturally she came along with us and spent hours in the lake. The water was so clear that I could stand knee-deep and still read the logo on my shoes. Unreal!! In fact, the water was SO clear that I actually went swimming… a rarity for this “dark-water” fearing girl!

So good she retrieves with her eyes closed
Waterdog

The house that we stayed in was built in the 1890s. It was floor-to-ceiling dark, varnished hardwood and featured a wraparound porch, 9+ bedrooms, a huge kitchen, and, of course, amazing lake views out of nearly every window.

Fallbrook Point
Skaneateles Lake

The sides of Skaneateles Lake are very steep so in order to get down to the house and lake front we drove straight down a half-mile long cliff driveway. This made for a fun start to my run on Saturday morning!! A creek bisects the property as it tumbles down from the main road to the lake. My brother, his future father-in-law and I followed the creek’s course up to the road and scaled several waterfalls in the process. The water was perfectly clear and I loved how it slid effortlessly over the shale rock formations on its way down to the lake below.

Waterfall
View of the lake from up on the road
Scaling a waterfall
Fall Brook

There were six dogs at Skaneateles including Piper. We tried to get Piper to follow the yellow Labs as they confidently jumped off the dock but she wasn’t so sure she wanted to take the leap. Instead, Piper entertained herself by retrieving EVERY SINGLE STICK we could find on the edge of the lake. After paddling each stick safely to shore Piper would proceed to chew it up until it was unrecognizable. (Unfortunately she also found the S’mores stick stockpile and chewed those to smithereens… oh well, she was on vacation!!)

To jump or not to jump?
An excellent stick
Maneuvering around Lady the GSD
This stick doesn’t have long to live

In addition to fun at the lake and house, we also visited the local winery two (two!) times and had dinner in the cute little town of Skaneateles, New York. Our hosts recommended that we stop by Doug’s Fish Fry for dinner and they were spot on… best fried fish sandwich I’ve ever had!! I was too busy stuffing my face to take a photo, sorry. 😆

Anyela’s Chardonnay was my favorite
Anyela’s Vineyard

We wrapped up each night with a big bonfire by the lake. The weather was pleasantly cool and breezy and the views of the full “blue” moon were ridiculous. We sat by the fire as this moon rose up over the horizon… I sure was happy that I still happened to have my camera on me!

Blue Moon over Skaneateles Lake
Bonfire Moon

Matt, Piper and I thoroughly enjoyed our weekend at Skaneateles Lake. Thank you to our hosts and hopefully we’ll get to return next summer! I know Piper has certainly spent many happy nights dreaming about sticks and blue water ever since… 😄
131 Piper galloping thru the water

 

That time Piper defended our house from an invading chipmunk (and other July happenings)

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01 Piper on a rainy afternoon

Piper has had a fantastic summer so far, with multiple trips to the pool, plenty of playtime with her buddy Hershey, and hours of outdoor ‘hunting’ in our backyard. Here’s a recap of last month in photos. Enjoy!

02 Piper the happy swimmer!

In June when Matt and I were in Bethany Beach Piper finally learned how to swim in a pool! Prior to this she was scared to step off of the top stair, but when we returned from the beach Piper was swimming around like a little fish. A really really happy spotted fish with cute white whiskers!! 😄

03 Piper water entry method

Piper still hasn’t mastered her pool entry but she’s working on it. She sort of slithers off the side and closes her eyes as she hits the water. Hopefully we’ll get her jumping in like a normal dog by the end of the summer!

04 Piper and Hershey tug

Hershey usually chooses not to go in the pool. Instead, she patiently waits for Piper to retrieve the wubba and then immediately tries to steal it the moment Piper emerges from the water. These dogs crack me up.

05 Backyard puppy

When Piper isn’t paddling around Hershey’s pool she’s usually stalking something in our backyard. Over the past month she has become much more interested in chipmunks, groundhogs, toads and birds. Apparently there are nests with baby birds all around our patio because she has been spending every afternoon with her face wedged in the bushes and her tail wagging at top speed.

06 Uh oh, what has Piper gotten into??

Tip of the month: it is NOT a good sign when your puppy greets you at the back door looking like this!! This happened last Wednesday, just as we were about to go out for dinner. Piper was all “What? Why can’t I just come inside and lie on the carpet?!?”

07 Nope, I didn't do that

We surveyed the yard and discovered a huge muddy hole at the front corner of our house. It appears that a chipmunk foolishly attempted to hide from Piper by taking cover in the gutter. (This has happened before.) Piper “defended” our house by attacking the gutter and then proceeded to dig a moat around the gutter to keep future intruders at bay… or at least that’s what she’s claiming!!

08 Washing off the mud

Piper was REALLY muddy. Fortunately she is easy to bathe.  😄

09 Piper staring

In late June Piper won a “summer dog” Instagram photo contest with this photo. Her prize was a set of three split elk antlers from RidgeRunner Antler Chews in Colorado. I wanted to take some photos to thank RidgeRunner so I hung up a white sheet and started playing around with my camera settings before actually giving Piper an antler. Piper didn’t know what was going on so she just gave me her best puppy eyes as she waited to find out what I was so excited about.

10 Antler Piper

Piper figured out what the big deal was as soon as I handed her an antler. She LOVED it!! These antlers are fresh from the Rocky Mountains and have a thick layer of marrow that Piper went nuts over. She chewed and chewed for about 30 minutes while I snapped away.

11 Antler Piper

If RidgeRunner or any antler company needs a puppy model to “taste test” their products, Piper volunteers!!!

@Puppy_Transit’s portrait
Original Piper

This has been an excellent month for insta-contests. Piper won a second contest, this one for “Cute Puppy Eyes,” with the above photo. One of the prizes was a cool digital portrait of Piper’s winning shot, complements of @Puppy_Transit. They did such a great job! The other big prize is a custom dog bed with our choice of fabric from @LillyandAbbie. Piper has never had a new bed (she sleeps on hand-me-downs from Bailey) so I am really looking forward to receiving her custom bed in a few weeks!!

~~

That’s about it for Piper’s month in review. Hopefully August will be even more fun!! (Although I could do without the mud hole in the front yard.) 😉 I’m pretty sure Piper will be happy as long as she gets to play in the pool!

00 Piper in the pool

What does your dog do for fun in the summer?
What’s your favorite photo of Piper from July?
I like the second antler shot and her awkward pool entry. 😎

The Hunting Camp, 2015 Edition

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912 Piper on the ATV

Last weekend Matt, Piper and I took a mini vacation in the central Pennsylvania wilderness. We stayed at Globe Run Rod and Gun Club – fondly referred to in my family as simply “The Hunting Camp” – for our seventh year of outdoor fun. 😄

I’ve blogged about our Hunting Camp adventures in previous years so feel free to check those posts out for more background (2013, 2014). For this year’s recap, I’m going to summarize the Hunting Camp in “Five Things Friday” style.

Five Things we enjoyed at the Hunting Camp in 2015

1. SWIMMING

Hiding in the grass
Can you spot Piper and Hershey?
Enjoying the lake
Splash!
Lady and Piper
I got a STICK!!!

Matt and I were excited to discover that Piper LOVES water!! She paddled around the lake with my brother’s German Shepherd, Lady, and even swam WAY out into the lake with Hershey to flush a flock of geese. (I don’t think Piper knew what was going on until the geese actually took off!)

I’m not a fan of swimming in “dark water” but it sure was fun to watch Piper take the plunge!

2. BOURBON

I don’t know anything about bourbon so for fun we had a bourbon tasting on Friday night. Our family members each brought various bourbons (we ended up with 11 bottles!) and it was fun to try them all. The verdict? Basil Hayden was my favorite (probably because it had the lowest alcohol content), but ultimately I think I’ll take a glass of wine over a bourbon any day!

3. HIKING

Such a cool puppy. 🙂
Morning run in the state forest
Piper on the trail
Piper loved being off-leash

There are miles of wooded trails at the Hunting Camp and the adjacent Rothrock State Forest. Every day we took at least one hike with the dogs and on Saturday morning I ventured out on a solo 6 mile run in the state forest. My brother saw a black bear at camp just before Matt and I arrived on Thursday, so naturally I spent the whole run worrying about what I would do if a bear appeared around the next bend. (Run the other way? Make a lot of noise??) Luckily the largest animal I saw on my run was a squirrel so I was OK.

4. FOOD

BBQ Ribs
Panzanella
RIBS!

Matt and I were in charge of dinner on Friday night and we had fun with it. We made BBQ baby-back ribs, panzanella, potato salad, cornbread, and strawberry-rhubarb crisp. YUM! The other days we feasted on sausages, burgers, hot dogs, shepherd’s pie, and lots of chips and guacamole. Good thing we did so much hiking! 😃

5. RELAXING

Matt on the porch
Piper and Lady
Lady checking out Piper’s stick

One of the best activities at the hunting camp involves no activity at all.  The huge rocking chair-lined wraparound porch is the perfect spot to relax with a book (or Kindle or iPad). The porch is also a great place to watch the dogs (all four of them!) who spent hours in the yard wrestling, playing chase, and chewing on sticks. By Saturday afternoon the dogs were exhausted!!

=====

After three days of fun we drove home late Saturday night with a very tired, very happy Piper.  We all had a great time and can’t wait until next year!

367 Piper in a clearing copy

 

Friday Five: Piper in May

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Apparently posting fun quinquennial lists on Friday is a blogging “thing” so I’m making up my own version of the Friday Five today.  (And yes, I totally googled quinquennial; I learned a new word today!)

Top Five Photos of Piper in May

#1. Working hard to eat that stick! Our front yard was completely in bloom in early May… you can see the white crabapple in the background.  (5/2/15)

Stick eater 5-4-15

#2. Water Dog! We took Piper to the Darlington Trail and Matt walked into Chester Creek with her while I snapped some photos. She thoroughly enjoyed herself! (5/9/15)

Chester Creek 5-9-15

#3. Waiting on a train. After playing in the creek we continued on the Darlington Trail to the abandoned SEPTA line that used to run from Media to West Chester. I love train tracks! (5/9/15)

Piper on the tracks- 5-9-15

#4. Backyard wilderness. Piper was standing about 30 feet from the house in this shot, but I like how it looks like she’s in the middle of the woods. Also, that yellow squeaky ball at her feet is REALLY loud!  (5/28/15)

Tongue 5-29-15

#5. My goofy puppy. It was really hot yesterday afternoon so we retreated into the house for some indoor playtime.  I love her expression in this shot. (5/28/15)

Goof 5-29-15

Which photo is your favorite? Mine is #2.

Like what you see? Follow me on Instagram: @The_Little_GSP

Triple Dog Weekend

Posted in Adventures at Home, Piper by

Triple Dog Weekend

What’s better than enjoying a gorgeous Spring weekend outside in the yard? Sharing that yard with your two best friends, of course! I’m pretty sure that was Piper’s attitude a few weeks ago when Hershey the Chocolate Lab and Bella the GSP spent a long weekend with us.

Piper and Bella
Hershey and Piper

Piper is 8 months old and full of impish puppy energy. Having two friends over at the same time meant that Piper could keep playing at her usual warp speed while the older dogs took turns resting. Piper would eagerly goad Hershey into a game of tug, then zoom around the yard a couple dozen times with Bella, return to instigate a wrestling match with Hershey, and finish off the rotation with a game of frisbee keep-away with her GSP twin.

It’s all fun and games…
…until Hershey accidentally CRUSHES you!

During the rare moments when Piper needed a break all three dogs lounged around, blissfully chewing on sticks. SO many sticks! I never knew how many sticks were in our yard until we had three dogs scouring every inch of the lawn in an effort to find the biggest and best specimen. At one point Piper showed up with a small log (where did THAT come from??) and Bella gave her tips on how to position it just right to get the best chewing leverage. (Click on the photos to zoom in and see Piper’s funny expressions – priceless!)

Bella showing Piper how it’s done
Piper’s turn!

I’m pretty sure that our triple dog weekend was the absolute highlight of Piper’s life thus far. Not only did she spend it with two friends in PERFECT mid-70s weather, she was also finally able to run loose in the yard without a leash or long line attached to her collar! We were in the final stages of training her to our underground “invisible fence” and, since the older dogs both know the boundaries of the yard, this was the perfect opportunity to see what Piper would do on her own with less direct supervision. Piper thoroughly enjoyed her freedom and never once showed any interest in leaving the yard.  Success!

In Sync Shorthairs
Crazy Piper Ears!
Mmm, log…
Piper playing tug with Hershey

Can you tell how much fun the dogs were having? 😀 Except in that one photo up top where Piper got totally crushed by Hershey… I didn’t realize how hard Hershey fell on her until I saw the photo afterwards!! Luckily none of the dogs sustained any permanent damage over the weekend and everyone went home tired and happy.

Love this pup.

I love this pup. ❤️

Thursday Thoughts

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I once read somewhere that you should never begin a post by apologizing for not blogging regularly, so I’m not going to do that. Instead I’m going to tell you about a few of the random things that are on my mind this lovely Thursday afternoon…

1. Instagram

Way back in December when I had maybe …50 (?) followers I shared this image of Piper checking out her reflection in Ridley Creek. That photo was the first of many Piper (and Bailey) shots that have since been featured and shared on Instagram and I now have about 40 times the followers that I had last year. I think people are going to be shocked when someday I post a sweaty race photo instead of a cute Piper pic, but for now I’m having fun sharing my adorable little GSP with the IG world.

Log Shower jump Carry

Want to see more of Piper?  Follow me @The_Little_GSP 😄

2. Run Run Run!

The Broad Street 10 miler is 3 ½ weeks away and I am getting excited!! I restarted speedwork on the track last week and I had a fantastic 8 mile training run experience at Ridley Creek State Park on Saturday. During the run I never looked at my watch and just focused on staying relaxed and listening to Serial (the podcast) and the miles flew by.

RCSP 8 miler

Before I get to Broad Street, I still need to tackle the Tyler Arboretum 10K Trail Run this Saturday. I’m feeling less confident about that race after a tough time on the trails at Granogue, but I’m interested to see how I will do without snow on the ground. There might be some mud though… this is the current forecast for tomorrow. Eek!

At least Saturday's weather is looking perfect!!

At least Saturday’s weather is looking perfect!

3. Family

Last weekend Matt and I got to see everyone from both of our families on Easter. “Everyone” now includes 2 newborn babies! Plus 3 siblings, 3 step-siblings, 6 sibling spouses/fiancés, 1 toddler, 4 parents (/in-laws), and 9 (9!!) dogs. Luckily all 9 dogs did not participate in the Easter festivities because that would have been crazy.

I was designated the official family photographer but in the interest of everyone’s privacy (I’m looking at you, Suzanne! 😉) I won’t post the group shot. Instead here’s one of me and Matt.

Annie and Matt

This is what we look like when we aren’t hiking or running. 

4. Food

The weather was beautiful over Easter weekend so Matt and I pulled out the grill for the first time this year.  Yippee! Saturday we had patty melts (burgers with melted Swiss and grilled onions on buttered toast) and Monday we made what is possibly our fanciest grilled dinner yet: Paella!

Paella

Don’t worry, the recipe for this grilled masterpiece will be coming soon. And it’s surprisingly not that hard, considering how crazy it looks.

5. Piper

No post would be complete without a shout out to my little pup. (Oh, I already did that in #1, didn’t I? Well here’s more.) Piper is 7 months old now and has recently had some major breakthroughs. First off, she hasn’t had an accident in her crate since March 31st (not that I’m counting) and secondly, Piper has now graduated to sleeping in our bedroom in a big crate rather than all alone in her little crate downstairs. She has been very quiet so far and I think she likes the extra sleeping space.

Nope, not doing it!
Look at all of that cheese

Hopefully Piper’s next breakthrough will be summoning the courage to walk up our front staircase. These stairs are “floating” with open space between them that goes all the way down to the basement stairs below. Piper is, somewhat understandably, completely and utterly freaked out by these stairs. She won’t even come up for cheese! We’re taking it slow, one step at a time (literally).

Yes, the stairs are scary, but this is the puppy who climbs all over the place on hikes. Look what she did on Monday… what an agile little pup!

These round things are slippery!
Queen of the stone garden

 

That’s it for today. I’m off to The Running Place to pick up my Tyler 10K bib. Wish me luck on Saturday! (I think I’m going to need it!)

Ridley Creek State Park Orange Trail

Posted in Hikes, Piper by

As I type this it is 67 degrees outside… easily the warmest day of the year!  I’m about to go on a nice, long run and I’m definitely looking forward to running in a t-shirt!!!

Before I embark on my run I want to share some photos from a hike that Matt, Piper and I took last weekend.  We explored out a different part of Ridley Creek State Park on Sunday and it was beautiful!

Ridley Creek

We typically stay on the west side of Ridley Creek but on Sunday we ventured eastward to the park’s Orange Trail.  This single track path follows the eastern bank of the creek before looping back through a hilly forest.  The trail is well marked with orange blazes and the entire lasso-shaped loop was about 2.35 miles long.

Oddly, the official DCNR map shows a shorter orange loop than what was marked in the woods, so I overlaid the outline of our actual hike on the above map.

Oddly, the official DCNR map shows a shorter orange loop than what was marked in the woods, so I overlaid the outline of our actual hike on the above map.

Piper had a blast, as usual.  She is getting very comfortable climbing on boulders, logs, dirt piles and anything else we find in the woods.  She also really wants to go in the water but it’s still pretty cold out so we still haven’t really let her get more than her paws wet.  I can’t wait for warmer weather!!

Staring me down
Stalking
Something smells GOOD!
Wishing she was swimming in the creek…

All in all this was a pleasant little hike with great views of the creek.  I’ll definitely return to the Orange Trail, maybe for a run or a summer picnic by the water.  Piper still doesn’t even know that summer exists, but soon enough she’ll see what I keep raving about! 😀

What are you looking at?

“‘Summer?’ I’ll believe it when I see it!”

Ridley Creek State Park
351 Gradyville Road
Newtown Square, PA 19073