Day One.
A 6.5 hike along the river using hiking poles gave me a hearty workout. It was a gorgeous sunny day and my dog Lulu came along. It's motivating just to watch how she reacts to her surroundings. She runs back and forth along the trail ahead of us as if to tell us "just wait 'til you see what's coming up!". She insists on greeting every stranger along the way, be it hiker or cycler. When she sees the geese in the river she charges them from afar, as if she can surprise them. She never gets close, of course, but believes she can still catch them. She leaps into the river and swims after them, scattering them into the sky.