Clinton Lake Hike

"Like a boss"... Aki seems to think she owns Renee's minivan!

"Are we there yet?"

   This morning Renee and Joe picked me up, and I loaded the Shibas into her van, along with her dog, Rosie (aka "Giant Aki") and we headed out to Lawrence, KS to meet a few others from the local Sierra club. The organizer planned a 6-mile hike through the woods and along the lake, on the blue & white trails on the north shore. The weather turned out to be perfect: cool and overcast, and only a single tick, unlike my previous experience in the area.

   After the hike, the lure coursing, and taking in a nice vista from the top of Sander's Mound...

   Renee, Joe, the dogs and I headed over to Mutt Run park to play a little more.

"Nobody here but us Hobbits."

   Joe found some seed pods which had fallen from the trees, and before long, we all were mustachioed!

"It's-a me, Mario!"

   I took this cute photo of Joe & Tay (who adores Joe). And Joe (one of the wittiest kids I know!) did a face swap:

Of Course

   At our rest stop at the halfway point of our hike today, I saw a man unloading two large Borzoi from the back of his car. It surprised me, because how often do you see Borzoi?! Then I saw an Afghan hound, a Basenji, a Rhodesian Ridgeback... what was this, a sighthound convention?? The man informed me that a group was there with their hounds practicing lure coursing. I'd heard of this sport for years and often wondered if my dogs would be into it, though I'd never had a chance to see it run in person. 
   Today's lure coursing is humane: rather than chasing an actual hare, the dogs chase a white plastic bag, zipping along on a line being pulled by a machine through a series of pulleys along the ground. There are straight sections, and quick jogs to simulate the erratic path of a real animal. The people were friendly and invited me to bring the dogs to watch, and one even suggested that we might try it. Hmm...

The best photo I was able to get, of a very fast Afghan on the course

   We gathered to watch. And the second the plastic bag moved on the line, Aki and Taylor both went berserk. They thought it WAS a real animal! They shrieked and howled and lunged on the leashes while the other dogs ran one by one. Apparently my dogs didn't realize they had just hiked 3 miles!

   One of the organizers came over and I paid the small fee and she suggested that my dogs should try a quick out & back rather than the first course, since this was their first time. I said I'd leave it up to them, but that my dogs were good runners, and would likely do more. She nodded, and showed us to the course, instructing me where to stand and how to hold the leash around their necks so that the dog could be instantly released when the pulley started.

   Aki was first, and made a valiant effort, chasing the bag to the back of the course and through a few turns. She wanted the bag, but isn't especially fast nor was she especially bloodthirsty. She returned and touched the plastic with her nose to ensure it was still. A good first attempt. 
   Taylor was a mad man. He completed the full half-mile course, relishing the chase, and even more: relishing snatching up the plastic in his mouth & shaking his head, to "kill it", much to the amusement of the group. He was my ringer. In fact, he was SO FAST that no one got ANY PHOTOS of him.  ;)
   I rejoined my group and we continued our hike back, and Aki and Taylor kept stopping and looking back in the direction of those evil plastic bags. They seemed to want more. And they continued to drag me along the trail for the entire 6+ mile hike.
   I couldn't help but think of a scene from one of my favorite films, Snatch, in which hounds coursing after a real hare is likened to a man being hunted and kidnapped by his enemies. (The coursing starts at 2:33, and there are several f*bombs. You've been warned.)

Tickfest 2012

   You will probably think this cartoon is an exaggeration, but sadly, had I taken a photo of the actual event (I didn't), i assure you that it would be virtually indistinguishable. I went hiking at Clinton Lake on Saturday morning, and as if the heat & humidity weren't evil enough, Mother Nature surprised me with hordes of thirsty ticks laying in wait. All in all, the 4.25 mile trail produced a minimum of FIFTY ticks among our band of hapless mammals. I lost count.

Sunset at Clinton Lake

I finally posted photos from my Clinton Lake hike on 3/25...

Lucky Find

   I have to credit Taylor for this one... We were walking on the rocks along the shore, trying to make our way back to the trail, when Taylor suddenly lurched—he had found a ribbon snake! It was slender and quick, and did NOT want to be eaten by a portly Shiba, so it took off. I struggled to keep up with it. It finally circled the trunk of a small tree and turned to stare us down. While Taylor held it there, I went behind the tree and nabbed it!

   I've always loved snakes, ever since I was a young child. I think they're beautiful and fascinating. I don't think I'd handle the poisonous variety, but I don't see many snakes, so I can resist handling the harmless ones. (The worst part is that they spray musk all over your hands in an attempt to scare you away... Gross! But these lil' guys are too small to bite you.)

This snake is a little feistier than I thought—watch your nose!!!

A snake bracelet. A snakelet.

Rafael takes his turn, with Taylor supervising closely:

By the time Brett got it, the snake was more docile:

Clinton Lake has Gone to the Dogs

   This afternoon I took Aki & Taylor out for another hike with Joni, Alan, Wager, Kippy, & Asher; and Susan, Mark, Sanda, Louie, & Scruffy. This time we drove out to Clinton Lake, to enjoy the freakishly nice, 45-degree, sunny January weather! Susan & Mark drove separately, while the Shibas and I crashed the Bordermobile...

My best friend, Kippy

"Asher, stop licking my eye!"

"MOMMM! Asher's sticking his tongue out at me!"

5 people + 8 dogs (Joni was behind the camera)

Susan leads the pack

While not water dogs per se, the Shibas sure enjoy playing and exploring on the shore!

Gorgeous Wager poses as soon as the camera come out

"Pay attention to me."

"I said, PAY ATTENTION TO ME!!!"

Louie leads the pack

Taylor poses up on high

Joni caught me holding my apple while digging through my pack...

   After the hike, Susan spotted a Mexican restaurant as we drove through Lawrence, so we stopped. The fajitas were great (I had the shrimp & scallop variety), and the frozen margaritas were REALLY great!

Sunset Sushi

   Brett called to say he was driving to Clinton Lake to look for owls, and I was finally feeling better tonight, so he picked up me & the Shibas (with Sam in the front seat) and we headed out in time for sunset. Sunset was very pretty, but we saw no owls.

Great sushi at Wa almost made up for the owl-lessness:

Tres amigos, yellow dragon, Wa roll