Millie's Journey

Through the magic of the iPad I am posting this blog from deep in the Massachusetts woods, from a place called The Ledges on the Appalachian Trail about two-thirds up East Mountain, where I'm hiking this beautiful, perfect summer morning with Millie. We've stopped for a rest and some water.

Millie loves to hike, though she doesn't feel the same way about the car. For her it's definitely not about the journey. It's definitely about the destination. Maybe it's because of some of the bad experiences she had in the car when she was a puppy...like the time I rolled the Jeep a couple of times and landed in a swamp durning a torrential thunderstorm with her in back. I guess that would sour anybody on riding in a car. She's not so bad on short trips when she knows she's going someplace fun. But on the trip up from New York she spends most of the ride sitting in the back seat panting nervously, despite a dose of Valium that would knock me out. Julee plays tinkly New Age spa music on the radio which is tough for me to listen to for the better part of three hours.

But once we hit the woods all is forgotten. And I have to say that I admire my dog's stoic bravery as she endures the long ride up to the house. She's getting better in the car so maybe someday we can forgo the Valium and the tinkly music and I can listen to a ballgame. Meanwhile say a prayer for Millie and her car phobia. She'd appreciate it and so would I.

Time to move on up The Ledges. I could sit here writing more but the bugs would eat me alive! And Millie is ready to move on.