Sad, sad news about my new dog Sage

Sage's regular vet has been too busy to see her so I forked out $290.00 to take her to a different vet and get her checked out.  Sage has pretty bad hip dysplasia on her left side.  Bad enough that it would be cruel to take her on the kinds of hikes I go on.  I'm so sad for her and for me.  I don't have a hiking buddy now and she's going to have a painful life of in activity.  I don't know if Sage was born this way or it was caused by her being grossly overfed when she was a pup.

If I want a hiking buddy, I'll have to get a different dog.  This is Sage's forever home, so that means I have to get a second dog and I REALLY don't want two dogs.  Two dogs means twice the expense, twice the dirt and destruction, twice the smell, twice the hassle when I want to travel.

I'm looking for a second dog, I need a HEALTHY dog with good hips and I much prefer Springer Spaniels for their love for water and hiking and for their breeding that causes them to stay close to their master.  Also for their cold hardiness and they funny personalities.

Lower Ellinor

Even on a weekday there is no escaping people, even on the once virtually unknown connector trail.  We managed to get in a nice hike in spite of running into several nice people, one weirdo and a mountain biker. Are mountain bikes allowed on the Lower Ellinor trail?

I did not find any mushrooms, I don't know where they are this year, perhaps lower down.  We started our hike at about 9:45 after stopping at Hoodsport Trail to catch Kabuto.  We finished up around 3:30 and stopped again to catch Kabuto on the way home.

The days are getting shorter now, daylight wasting time is in full force.

7 miles with 2,300 elevation gain

Something is wrong with Sage, she has trouble getting up when she has been laying down.  She goes back to the vet on Monday.

Off trail wandering

I got Sage up into the mountains for the first time today.  We only did 5 miles but we are both tired from it.  On the way home I found  Kabuto nest at Hoodsport Trail and I evolved my final pokemon then and there Kabutops.  So I have caught them all now.  Maybe I can start hiking more.

5 miles 700 feet elevation gain

Not today

Finally sun was in the forcast.  I was all set to hike, had my lunch packed.  Then I could not get my car window to roll up and I threw out my back trying to pull it up.  Car is in the shop and I am in too much pain to hike.  I'm going to have to suck it up and hike in the rain I think.

Quick Update

It's been one of the rainiest Octobers on record, I've been sick and I've been working and I've been obsessed with Pokemon Go.  I've not been doing a lot of hiking.  I hope to get back into it soon, just waiting for a day without rain when I not ill  or working.  Maybe tomorrow.

I walked the tracks in town today for a total of about 7.5 miles with no elevtion gain.