Tag Archives: parks

Dog Walk: Noelridge Park

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Gertie rattled her kennel early yesterday morning, and since I went to bed early Friday night, I hopped out of bed right away to let her and Duke out. I decided to walk my babies before going for a run, so they wouldn’t feel abandoned (and because their ensuing cries would’ve woken up the whole neighborhood if they had to watch me put my running/walking shoes on and leave the house without them).

I was all set to drive to Bever Park, when I thought, why don’t we try a new walk destination? So off to Noelridge we went. The dogs were pumped. The cool morning breeze egged on their friskiness, and their enthusiastic sniffing and snuffling made me smile.

First we checked out the gardens, and I tried (mostly successfully) not to let Duke trample the pansies in his effort to mark each and every petal.

Not pansies, but Duke did pee on them.

The quacks and honks emanating from the lagoon attracted Duke and Gertie, so we headed over to check out the ducks and geese.

We walked along most of the trail that runs through Noelridge, though we romped in the grass as well.

Gertie stakes out a scent spot. Mmm, no Mom, not moving yet.

All in all, it was a smile-inducing walk at Noelridge Park. The fall color palette, with flowers still blooming and a variety of trees in different colors, makes it an extra scenic spot at this time of year.

Where do you walk with your dogs?

Dog Walk: Bever Park

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Yesterday was a DW Day (Double Walk Day) for Gertie and Duke. In the morning we simply walked through the park and grassy areas in our neighborhood. The dogs relished the crisp, cool air, walking with an extra friskiness in their steps. They seemed especially entranced by the smells they encountered, as if they hadn’t ever inhaled such interesting odors as the ones along this fence–no wait, this tree–no, this patch of exquisite weeds!

The barn at Old MacDonald's Farm in Bever Park

In the afternoon we headed to Bever Park in Cedar Rapids. The park offers a loop road, trails through the woods, and Old MacDonald’s Farm. We walked the loop road yesterday, which goes past Old MacDonald’s Farm (the canines can’t go in, of course, but they still enjoy the sights, sounds, and especially smells, from outside the fence).

The main entrance to the park is off Bever Avenue, but we always park at a little gravel lot off of Linden Drive. The first stop is what I call the Bulletin Board. I imagine that these posts have all kinds of odoriferous messages for dogs: Who’s been here lately? Male or female? Any wild animals come by last night? Ooh, a human spilled something! Gertie and Duke sniffed them intently as we entered.

We're so excited, and we just can't hide it!

I enjoy walking the loop road with the dogs because there are plenty of natural areas just off the road for the dogs to sniff (and mark, and yes, mark again, Duke). But it’s also nice because it has two big hills, so I feel like I’m getting a bit of a toning workout.

When we walked past Old MacDonald’s Farm, we heard quacking, which always perks the dogs’ ears. Sometimes we hear mooing or braying or clucking. The dogs always smell exciting scents.

There’s even excitement outside the fence–poo!

After we got past the farm, we walked along the stream, up the hill, and back to the car for post-walk refreshment:

Slurp! Ahhhh.

 Where do you like to walk your dogs? What’s your dog’s favorite thing about fall?