The past week was the first time that I was able to exceed my mileage goal for the week since I made my new year's resolution to travel 1000 miles by foot this year. One would think that 2.75 miles a day isn't that difficult of a goal, but I guess it was.
What changed? I purchased a BOB stroller from a family friend, and it has enabled me to take both the baby and dog out hiking in my old favorite spots. Walking just got a lot more fun.
Ah trail, I have missed you.
I wasn't able to take the old stroller on hiking trails, so my only option for the trails had been to baby-wear... which is just too hard on my back when also walking an excited dog who pulls at the leash at the same time (yes, we are still trying to train this behavior out of her!).
Walking Stormy with a stroller plus her halter makes the walks much more pleasant. Pulling the leash when on the halter pulls her toward the middle of the trail, but when the stroller is there she doesn't want to hit it, so she is forced to ease the pulling. If I walk at just the right distance from the edge of the trail or sidewalk, she will walk next to me perfectly and is able to be aware that I am giving out treats for good behavior.
The jogging stroller handles like a dream! It provides just as much resistance on grass, gravel, bark mulch, and the packed earth of a hiking trail as the regular stroller did on pavement. If you give it a mild push on a flat surface, it will just keep going... this is where the emergency break wrist strap comes in handy, because if you let go at the top of even a mild hill the stroller would pick up dangerous speed quickly.
The only downside is that being on a trail that is slightly tilted to one side makes you super aware of how top-heavy the thing is with a 17-pound baby plus a 15-pound car seat perched on top. It feels like just one wrong bounce will send the stroller toppling over. It's hard to tell in the photo, but this part of the trail has just enough slant that I won't be back until Torin can handle the ride without the car seat attached. Theoretically there's just 2 more weeks until he's ready to ditch the car seat, so it won't be too long.
Besides that one trip on the slanty trail, we've been doing Stormy's favorite 2-mile trail, wandering about the town, hitting up the ol' green belt behind the house, and exploring trails at the base of Mt. Diablo.
The only downside is that being on a trail that is slightly tilted to one side makes you super aware of how top-heavy the thing is with a 17-pound baby plus a 15-pound car seat perched on top. It feels like just one wrong bounce will send the stroller toppling over. It's hard to tell in the photo, but this part of the trail has just enough slant that I won't be back until Torin can handle the ride without the car seat attached. Theoretically there's just 2 more weeks until he's ready to ditch the car seat, so it won't be too long.
Besides that one trip on the slanty trail, we've been doing Stormy's favorite 2-mile trail, wandering about the town, hitting up the ol' green belt behind the house, and exploring trails at the base of Mt. Diablo.
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