Kevin Judy and Emma
Well-known member
"Come on!"
Mount Hancock 4420’ and South Hancock 4319’
Hancock Notch Trail / Cedar Brook Trail / Hancock Loop Trail
9.8 Miles 2650’ Elevation gain
Kevin, Judy, Emma and Blue
We needed (Love that phrase!) the Hancocks to check them off on our Autumn list. Blue, (Senator Blutarsky, Bluto, Blue Man, etc.) joined us. Although rest and relaxation is helping Linda to improve she is still far from ready to hit the trails again, so Blue is a welcome addition to our hikes. It's kind of like having a grandchild. We can get him all worked up and then hand him back to his mom. No, he really enjoys coming with us now, and he is getting the exercise his breed needs without the strain on Linda. A good working relationship for everyone.
Senator Blutarsky
Emma is teaching Blue the finer nuances of being a trail dog. He is a fine student, and although he has boundless energy at three years old, he is learning to conserve some of that for the long haul. At twelve, Emma has become a master of the conservation of energy on the trail, and is passing this along to Blue. We have been wondering for the last few years how much longer Emma can keep it up, and we have been pleasantly surprised to find that the air in the mountains still brings out the puppy in her. She bounds along the trail like a much younger dog, and is able to keep it going until it's all over. Having two slower bi-peds along helps her to pace herself, I'm sure.
Trail Buddies
The forecast for this day was a bit different than what actually occurred. The call was for an overcast sky and temps in the 50's, but we hiked through a mixed bag. Light rain, heavy rain, sleet, snow, sun, back to snow, back to rain. I felt like I was delivering mail again, all I needed was the dark of night. The changing weather kept the dogs less enthusiastic than they might have been, but they chugged along, knowing that they'd get food at each stop. Despite the weather we crossed paths with many other hikers, several of whom were acquaintances.
Still Leading the Way
All in all a good hike, albeit a wet one. No views, but as is often said, a day in the woods beats, well, it beats a lot of things. Both dogs were tired when we were done. The bi-peds were cold and a little sore from the dampness and cool temperatures that get into our bones at this age. A hike like this makes the little things like dry socks, dry shoes, dry clothes, hot coffee, hot showers and a hot meal seem really significant in a world where we tend to take these things for granted.
Full set of pics HERE:
KDT
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