Sorry to go dark last week. Thankfully Mom is feeling better, but she’s had a lot of catching up to do. August is going to be busy as she has courses to take, but I will try to share adventures with you.
We may have left Phoenix, but the heat followed us! Eeesh. All the locals are saying this is one of the hottest summers ever. At least the mornings are a bit cooler, and we can get out to walk. One of our favorites is the Riverside Park, which is a 130-acre park located along the Colorado River. We park at the Las Colonias River Park at 1601 Riverfront Drive. You will find restrooms and a shaded picnic area.
From here, you can go toward the Redlands and the Colorado National Monument or Palisades. We’ve done both! Today, we went toward Palisades. Going in this direction, you have the option of a paved path or a dirt one. Since bicycles frequent this path, we usually walk on the dirt. However, this morning they had big sprinklers going, so it was very muddy. I don’t mind, but Mom didn’t want to ruin her sandals.
As I have shared before, I don’t like water. Those daggum sprinklers surprised me, and I got wet. I am
pleased to report I survived, but it was touch and go for a few minutes. Mom thought it was funny; Me, not so much. Anyway, the path follows the river and is full of grass to sniff. Each direction has a sandy beach for easy river access. We haven’t seen any yet, but people paddle board and kayak.
About 15 minutes’ walk takes you by a dog park. We have never stopped, but today we did! They have a pen for tiny dogs, one for medium, one for large or active dogs, and one for senior dogs. Only the large / active dog area has grass. No shade whatsoever, so it wasn’t great, but I made a friend. Walter and I had a blast running around. His human had a ball, and Walter was kind enough to share it with me. In return, I let him have some water out of my bowl. His tongue was big and fat!
After a lot of running, Walter had to leave, and we began walking back to where we parked. Seeing the Colorado National Monument never gets old. It reminds us of Sedona except without all the traffic and people. My tongue was big now…whew. The air was thick. Mom said the humidity was up. We didn’t have much of that in Phoenix. I’m not sure what to make of it yet. Mom says it is nothing like Houston where Kuma lived for a while.
Back to the grassy area where the restrooms reside, and into the car I went gladly because the AC would be on. The Riverside Park is a gem and goes for 28 miles! We walked several sections, and each has something to offer. This is a wonderful path for all members of the family, and we hope you will give it a try. Stay cool!
PS Mom will post her blog when she has time.
By Moka Jiro
My name is Moka, a sesame Shiba Inu, and I am carrying on Kuma’s legacy by sharing adventures with my family. My mom, Lorraine Bossé-Smith, is my translator and photographer. She is also a motivational speaker & trainer, life & wellness coach, fitness & nutrition guide, and author of nine published books. More importantly, she’s the best doggy mom ever!
Enjoy my blog at https://www.lorrainebosse-smith.com/category/moka/
and be sure to follow me on Instagram: moka_jiro_shiba.
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