My semester is about to end. With the end of this semester, I am off until the Fall. I don’t feel like I’ve had a summer off in years, although I don’t think I taught last summer! Anyways, this summer I have wanted to set myself a challenge – something that I could achieve but also something that would help me get out more.

I have decided that between May 1 – Aug 30, I am going to try to do 75 hikes / beach walks. These need to be at least 3 km (2 miles) in order to count. The distance may not seem like much but when you add in the bending over to pick up and throw the ball (for my dog) into the mix that equates to about an hours walk on the beach or through a forest trail.

Now that I have my darling puppy dog – she is so darn cute – had to share a photo.

Anyways, now that I have a dog, I walk regardless of the weather. I try to take her out 3 or 4 times per week to the beach or for a hike. She also gets at least 4 walks per day, at about 1km each. When my hubby is home and healthy, he helps, so I don’t do all the walking. We also send her to puppy daycare twice a week on average, where she gets to play with other small dogs and walks a lot and comes home exhausted. As the weather improves, I hope to get out more this summer.

With this summer challenge, I will plan to also write a quick blog update and share a photo or two of each walk/hike – as long as I remember to take a photo! The trails and beaches here feed me emotionally as well as physically. It will be interesting to see how they are transformed over the summer now that we are likely to have tourists again.

Sunday is May 1st, so I better start planning!

75 hikes/beach walks in 4 months. Anyone want to join me?

Feature image: My friend Sue and Cali running after the ball (or Sue trying to coax Cali into running).