Wednesday Walk Riverwalk Edition
About once a week Sam and I go for a drive and walk. He’s really good in the car, loves to go, and loves to find new places to mark and smell. This is one of our favorite spots, but any thoughts that Sam might be part Lab are pretty much left behind at the river.
This is in response to a Challenge by @tattoodjay to take photographs of things on a walk. Things you don’t normally see. I really like the challenge and the challenger so here I am again.
This is the parking area we always stage our River Walks from because there is available shade for the car. You can see the Railroad Bridge and the Guard Tower from the old Territorial Prision. I promise show you the Prison, but I can't take Sam. So it's on hold.
Sam did not violate the rules. This area is formally known as East Wetlands Park, and the State, County and City have done a remarkable job bringing a pretty big area back to original conditions. The trees and shrubs are almost entirely native plants and the trail is well cared for. Makes for a pleasant walk.
I've never seen one down here, but that doesn't mean they aren't around. This is a 'natural' area, I'm sure there are lots of mice and squirrels and lizards that the buzz tails find attractive so it figures they will be around. Rattlers are basically shy and will move on if they hear you or feel your steps in time.
Most of this trail is right along the river, and one of the first things I saw was a couple of Coots that I wanted to photograph. I heard a terrible thrashing and the Coots started heading out.
Because Sam wanted to check them out. He didn't get anywhere near them but obviously got a little swim in which is good for him.
Much as Sam likes running around and smelling the smells, a ground squirrel will drive him crazy. I called him off of this one in plenty of time, but this reaction is just darn near automatic with him.
My trusty scout. One of the nice things about this walk is we went close to two miles and then had the option of returning through an area of the park that isn't exactly ready for prime time. It's been burned off and the Prison fire crew that does much of the work under contract has been in and cut it way back. So, Sam can smell different dirt and I can see different dirt for most of the way back to the car.
But this is really about our walk, the #wednesdaywalk. I really do enjoy this challenge and am grateful to @tattoodjay for sponsoring it.
All words and photos in this post are mine. For better or worse.
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I love your and sams walks
So good the maintain that area in a natural way
Now that I know Rattlesnakes are shy and stay away if they here you coming if I ever visit there I will be stomping my feet to let them know
😂
Thanks for joining Wednesday Walk tip!
When in doubt stomp is not bad advice. It's thought that rattlesnakes get as much sensory information from air and ground vibration as their eyes and smell. Every bite I've ever heard of was either a completely surprised snake or one that felt cornered. If you see them and give them a chance they will almost always move away.
OK greta advise incase I ever visit there
That sounds a lot like my dog. My inlaws have a lot of squirrels in their yard and when we leave her there for a weekend she never wants to come in. She just lays in the yard all day and watches the squirrels. She was quick enough to catch one once. From what I hear it wasn't a pretty sight!
Sam is a hound. He caught a squirrel early on and just didn't know what to do with it. It was funny. He was a young dog then, I suspect he's got the idea now. Erv said he got a cottontail this summer and knew what to do. But he is funny to watch digging after them. He really gets it on.
My dog is a lab mix. We rescued her from the shelter. They said she was found in crate in a ditch along the road with her siblings. I took her to get some training one time and the trainer thought she might have some hound in her as well. The trainer ended up giving up on her. She said she isn't motivated by food so I don't really think I can help. It stinks sometimes because we can't walk her without a lead or anything. She takes off on us every chance she gets and doesn't come when prompted. Although I think she would come back eventually, you never know what could happen to her between her leaving and coming back. Those times when she has gotten away from us have been terrifying!
Oh, I was so lucky with Sam. His lead training was almost all done, I mean he was good on the lead. It took repetitive hard work to make sure he came when called, and still have an episode maybe every other month. But for the most part he is willing and wants to do what I want. We have a lot more dogs and walkers this time of year and I like him close to me when we are close to them. He's mostly automatic with it. He is truly a good doggy.
Not that he didn't have his problems, too. There is no doubt he was hit. He still flinches if I go to rub his head too fast, and he really flinches when he's on the lead and I stumble or drag a foot. It's pretty sad, but he gets better and better.
The only exception to all this is when he kicks out a jack rabbit. He runs like a greyhound and will really give chase. I know to just give him a little more time in that case. :)
Dear sir your walk andexploration with Sam is always marvellous and beautifully interesting, thank you for sharing beautiful natural area with us.
God bless you dear sir.
It makes me happy to explore and also to share them.
I enjoyed your walk, Tom. You and Sam are brave to walk where a sign says ‘Rattlesnakes.’ I would be out of there in a flash.
Labs love water. A friend of mine had a waterbed and used to leave the Lab in the house when they went out. One day they came home to a disaster. The dog had tore open the waterbed and all the water came down from the upstairs bedroom through the kitchen ceiling. I don’t think anyone has a waterbed nowadays and you better not get one. 😂
Oh Jeeze! That would not be a pretty sight. My cat, Cleo, that I write about some poked a teeny hole in a waterbed mattress back in the day and got wet doing it. It was right on top, and a simple patch, and she never hurt the bed again.
I've grown up around rattlers. I respect them and give them plenty of room but am not particularly afraid of them....
Rattlesnakes may be shy but I would do a quick reverse with much stomping if I saw this sign @bigtom13! Enjoy your walks with Sam but please be careful of shy creatures!
The sidewinders out in this part of the world certainly concern me more than diamondbacks along the river. I am pretty sure that I now have Sam convinced to just leave them completely alone. I hope.
There is a training course that I missed this spring. Uses live snakes (in cages) and a shock collar. I'm going to try to get Sam enrolled this coming spring.
That sounds great, would really be valuable!
U rattlesnakes, I would want to come upon one of those (and I really do love snakes). That little bridge is just adorable 💚
I'm sort of a fan of snakes, so long as Sam stays clear. I have a couple of videos of sidewinders that I'll share one of these days...
That bridge is pretty cool, isn't it? It's right at the start of this walk and always makes me smile.
It seems a nice walk ^^ If you walk in my village you will see only old houses and bored old people :P
Uhhhhh. We have lots of bored old people here, this is a retirement haven. I get it. Heck, I'm old. But I'm not bored!
Thanks for stopping by.
I love your pup, Sam! Too cute, I bet he loved that swim :) I'm sure squirrels drive him crazy, lol Such a beautiful setting for a walk today.
Squirrels just send Sam off the edge. Our daily walks in the desert generally result in at least one dig every day. He's such a goof, he digs too deep and has almost no chance of getting one, but it drives him crazy.
OH my goodness, I can just see it. My husband had a black lab and one day he went after something, started digging and he was so big my poor mother-in-law couldn't get him out of the hole...she had to go home and get help, lol She was horrified :) When they get their nose on a scent they go crazy! I can't imagine all of the scents in the desert. How fun!
Oh man. Out there in the desert where I just allow him to dig to his heart's content he will disappear :) He's a real hound, always has his nose down unless he's on something. It is just amazing.
Nice ride between you and Sam. I enjoyed it thanks to the good pictures you share with us, @bigtom13. I also like to go for a walk with my pets, it's relaxing and fun. Greetings.
Hi ya! It's gotten to be so much a part of every day, walking with Sam, I'm not sure what I'd do without.
Nice journey and beautiful pictures. I think Sam had enjoyed the journey as well.
You bet. Sam is a happy dog to begin with, but when we are out exploring new stuff his tail is most generally wagging. He's really happy when we are out like this...