training hike!

Gracie had her first training hike with her new, smaller, backpack today. Since I have yet to make a final decision on a pack, she got to carry everything. For this outing, she carried a bag of lentils and a can of corn in each side of the pack, car keys, a couple of poop sacks, and a small bottle of water on one side to evenly distribute the weight. I'd been a little concerned that she was out of practice for carrying, but she totally rocked it. Even though I was unencumbered, it was still a challenge to keep her from pulling ahead of me. That's my dawg!

We went for an afternoon hike at St. Edwards park, one of my favorite short hike spots in Austin. We crossed the creek, climbed up to the top of the hill that skirts the Balcones Canyonland Preserve, then headed back down. When we crossed the creek again, I took off Gracie's pack so she could go for a brief swim, then I carried her pack the rest of the way to the car. This pack is gonna suit her just fine, and I'm less concerned about her fitness for hiking. Upcoming training will include a hike to the Hill of Life and back from Loop 360.

A potential backpack arrives this week for testing, the camera is on order, and things are starting to come together. It's a little hard to believe this thing is really going to happen. I'm thrilled and nervous both. And incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support from friends and family. I absolutely could not be doing this without them. Exciting times.