Panther Mountain

I recently had a birthday, and despite being far too busy for a real hiking trip with Leo, I wanted to do something special. Two of my favorite pictures are me and Leo on this ledge in the Catskills (in younger, less-lymphoma-y times) and then all of my friends and Leo on the same ledge.  In one of my favorite facebook comments every (yeah, I know), someone asks my friend "who won the king of the mountain?". The reply: "The dog won."

So this is mid-November, highs that day were in the 30's lows in the teens.  I set off from Brooklyn at 8AM (up at 6!) for this hike - I must have really wanted to do it!
We pulled up to the Panther Mountain/Giant Ledge parking area, and it was full.  This was a good sign - it was also the first day of hunting season, and that there were so many other hikers out there would mean that 1) the deer wouldn't be near us and 2) the hunters would be aware that there were hikers there. Still, we were decked out in bright colors - me in orange and red, and Leo in a reflective orange vest. I left his decorative antlers at home.

We actually had to park about a half-mile down the road from the trail-head.  On the walk up to the trail-head, I realized that 1) it was cold! still below freezing, and this was at 11:30AM; and 2) I didn't have boots or anything for Leo's feet - and that's where he could lose a lot of heat. I worried about him getting cold.

I should not have worried. The dog had the most energy, and was super enthusiastic the entire time. He was far out in the lead for most of the hike - or at least as far as he could get on the 10 foot leash (with lots of people with guns, he stays close!)
He finally got a little cold (or tired - or just tired of dragging me around for 7 miles in the snow) in the last 1/2 hour. His 4 wheel drive was much better suited to the slipper downhill that ended the woodsy part of the hike, and he waited for most of that part. And then happily jumped into the car to warm up.
But he was up and at 'em the next morning, and ready to hike again. Seriously, this dog is really telling cancer off. And that's great. Because this (these pictures, this hike) is why we do the chemo, and go through it all. Because he gets to do this, and I get to do this with him.