This article appeared on page C - 13 of the San Francisco Chronicle
It seems that nobody has any time these days. And everybody's vexed by money.
Yet at my feet, Buddy the dog, the self-absorbed golden retriever, sleeping with his head on a boot, has all the time in the world. Next to him, Poochy McNabb, the lovable mutt with the heart of gold, is stretched out to my right, his eyes fluttering in a dream. He doesn't seem to care much about money.
Maybe he's dreaming about the 6-mile hike we just took. Or is having a fantasy about the 3-miler to end the day, which will arrive after I finish this story on my laptop.
Even in sleep, each dog is primed. They know the sound of the computer getting shut down. That's when they will spring up, instantly alert, hoping. When they hear the jangle of the truck keys, just like Pavlov's dog salivating at the sound of the bell, they know good times are ahead.
If you have a dog, you know what I'm talking about. They have to go for a walk every day. That means you get to go, too.
If you love nature, your daily adventure can provide insulation from all the bad news on Page One. The joy with your dog trumps it every time. Not only do they have something to look forward to every day, so do you.
Then there's the time thing. It seems a lot of people are overwhelmed. The Should List never gets done, so your adventures don't either. A dog forces you to make that time, that is, to go for that walk.
That's why people who own dogs are often a lot healthier than those who do not. According to a study I've noted a few times, people who go for hikes (or ride bikes or take part in other exercise) three times a week, and generally cut out the bad habits, live 14 years longer than those who don't, and feel better along the way. Your dog, looking up at you with those big brown eyes, hoping for a hike, can be the difference-maker.
The joy they add is fantastic. You never know what they will do next. On one walk this past week, where the dogs were legally off-leash but always within the sphere of command, Buddy found a small deer bone. This was on a trail along a creek where I was enjoying the arrival of fall, and Buddy paraded with that bone for about two miles. When we took a break along the creek, the dog walked into the creek to drink, and dropped the bone. It then sank to the bottom, about eight inches deep.
Through the clear water, he stared at it like it was the forbidden treasure. For nearly a minute, he appeared conflicted. Then, with a surge, he bobbed his head underwater and grabbed it. He emerged like a drowned rat, water gushing off him, but he had his bone.
Then, a mile later, he dug a small hole and buried it, apparently to be retrieved on another visit.
With some exceptions, the Bay Area, and California in general, is a good place to be a dog. With your daily walk, it's even better to be a dog owner.
Fido-friendly?
Rating Bay Area parks by how they accommodate canines:
Great
East Bay Regional Park District, ebparks.org
Marin Municipal Water District, marinwater.org
San Francisco Headlands, nps.gov/goga
National Forests, www.fs.fed.us/r5
Bureau of Land Management, blm.gov/ca
State Wildlife Areas, dfg.ca.gov
Fair
Marin Headlands, nps.gov/goga
Midpeninsula Open Space District, openspace.org
Bad
Point Reyes National Seashore, nps.gov/pore
Muir Woods National Monument, nps.gov/muwo
California State Parks and Beaches, parks.ca.gov
San Mateo County Parks, eparks.net
Santa Clara County Parks, parkhere.org
San Francisco PUC lands, sfwater.org
Contra Costa Water District lands, ccwater.com
East Bay Municipal Utility District lands, ebmud.com
U.S. National parks, nps.gov
Happy trails
Marin
Carson Falls Loop
Kent Lake Pump Trail
Laurel Dell Loop from Cataract Trail
Lagunitas Lake
Yellow Bluff
San Francisco
Sunset Trail, Fort Funston
Land's End Trail, S.F. Headlands
Coastal Trail, Presidio, S.F. Headlands
Golden Gate Promenade
Peninsula
Sweeney Ridge Trail
San Pedro Mountain Trail, McNee Ranch
Pillar Point Head
Arastradero Preserve
East Bay shore & hills
Point Isabel Regional Shoreline
Franklin Ridge Loop, Carquinez Regional Shoreline
Grass Valley Loop, Chabot Regional Park
Little Yosemite to Cerro Este, Sunol Regional Wilderness
Bay View Loop, Point Pinole Regional Shoreline
Briones Crest Loop, Briones Regional Park
Bob Walker Ridge Loop, Morgan Territory
Round Valley Loop, Round Valley Regional Preserve
Doggy do's
Owner command: Keep dog leashed if required. In off-leash areas, dog must be under instant voice command.
Papers, license: Carry proof of shots. Dog collar must have license and rabies shot tags, and advisable to have ID tag with name, address and cell phone number.
ID chip: For a cheap precaution (as little as $20), have vet implant computer ID chip in back of neck.
On the road: Never drive with dog free in open pick-up truck. Inside vehicle, make sure dog is not exposed to direct sun for long periods. Always provide drinking water.
After walk: Bring rag towel to dry dog, if necessary. Check for ticks around eyes, ears and neck.
"The Great Outdoors With Tom Stienstra" airs Sundays at 10 a.m. on KMAX-31 Sacramento. E-mail Tom Stienstra at tstienstra@sfchronicle.com
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/19/SPOS13HLKB.DTL
This article appeared on page C - 13 of the San Francisco Chronicle
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