Now that I'm rested and somewhat more focused I've put together a topo map covering our hike yesterday. Our guidebooks clocked the hike at around 8-9 miles while my hand-traced route in Topo! shows just over 7 miles. In either case it felt like plenty of miles.

Click the thumbnail to see the route along with an elevation profile. The dogs, Zeke and Tucker, had a grand day out as well. Waterfalls and cold mountain streams to splash and drink in, plenty of dog biscuits, exercise in the woods, and best of all a couple dozen other like minded dogs met along the way. I think Labrador mix breeds were the most prevelant, with lab-husky, lab-sheperd, and some other lab induced varieties left unidentified. Still, Tucker, a purebred Golden Retriever, garnered the most attention of any. Everyone had a kind word to say and few could resist giving him a quick pat in passing or bending down to scruff those irresistably fluffy golden ears. I said it was because he's essentially the "blonde" of dog breeds. Zeke got a few pats, but for the most part he's too serious and intent on the business at hand to stand for idle dog worship.

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