Saturday, September 26, 2009

a HUGE adventure






So we set out on a GORGEOUS morning with Penny the beagle to hike the gorge and waterfall at Taughhannock Falls (SP??)which is near our house and taller than Niagara. Or higher, would you say?
ANYWAY just after we snapped pics of the waterfall and us and Portland Ponygirl, Penny's collar snapped in half and she thought we had given her free range. This is every beagle owners nightmare, esp. people like us who live on a busy road: beagles get free and GO. She thought I was giving her permission I guess.
SO here we are, thank GOD not on a busy road with a dump truck coming, and she is following some trail at extremely fast speeds and I am racing along 50 feet behind her calling and calling, then 100 feet behind her and I sprinted for about a mile. I havn't sprinted in awhile, but you do what you have to, and luckily she was standing in the path down at the camping area waiting for me. I thought she might stop there, because there are 10-20 occupied campsites (this whole park is beautiful--my favorite place anywhere) and you know, people were there frying bacon. I thought she might stop there, and she had. And she rolled onto her back and showed her belly and I leashed her and we resumed our hike.
However, I have asthma and it has been so mild for so many years I don't carry my inhaler with me, and we had to cut our 4 mile hike short and drive home because I started wheezing pretty badly. But anyway, we got a shot of Cayuga lake beyond the falls and gorge before we left.
I am fine now. My legs are rubbery. But I am fine. :)

14 comments:

Farmer*swife a/k/a Glass_Half_Full said...

OH MY! Way to still be able to sprint though! Beagles are fast too!

soubriquet said...

Asthmatics of the world unite!

Me too. I've pretty much always got an inhaler in my pocket, but in recent years, the treatment is so good there are many days when I don't need it.
Chasing a beagle would probably kill me.
We had a beagle when I was a kid. He was forever escaping and getting into trouble. And of course, he'd always find something stinky to roll in.

Reverend Awesome said...

Whoa. That would be so scary. Glad Penny is such a bacon enthusiast.

Unknown said...

Oh my goodness, that is scary when the leash or the harness comes off, glad you caught up with her OK, glad you are feeling OK now too.

Unknown said...

Look at you! So glad everything worked out! I have always loved Beagles. Something so sweet about them!

Emily SIL said...

Glad you're okay. How were you able to leash her again after her collar snapped in half?

ang design said...

hahaaaa beagles you gotta love em.... can i say keep an inhaler in the car....

Unknown said...

Penny's an ornery one. Mag has taken off like that before into a corn field... but that was a long time ago, Brian chased her with his Mustang and finally caught up with her. He's not into running.

I'm glad you caught her though. :)

Ron said...

I always worry about something like this. Glad you got her and made it home to the inhaler. Beautiful waterfall.

Chelle said...

Whew! We're pretty safe with Wilson...he'd NEVER take off and will always come when he's called. But, Beagles, oh yes, Beagles. They will do what they will. Glad she's (and you) are okay.

Miss Heather said...

Oh man, I have mild asthma too! I hate that! I usually get attacks when hiking as well. It's terrible!

And I know what you mean about the "dogs thinking they have free reign" thing... Lucy gets harnessed and leashed whenever she goes outside (since we don't have the luxury of living on a non-busy road like LUCKY you!)... but if someone accidently opens the front door she bolts as quick as she can to escape...

And we have had several LONG chases up and down the street trying to catch her!!! :)

Dez said...

WOW! You too??!! What a scary place to lose Penny! So glad you caught her safe and sound! (This must be chase your dog week - LOL)
Are you feeling any better?
The pictures of the falls and lake are such a beautiful area! Lucky you, living so close.

Anonymous said...

that's my nightmare too and i don't even have a beagle. there's a busy thoroughfare about 100 feet from my front door and sunglasses is a thick as stump, she'd just run out there if i gave her the chance and she ignores me if i call too. beautiful waterfall, and so close to you.

Karen (formerly kcinnova) said...

I've been to that waterfall!! :) Except we had too many people in the picture and you can't really see the waterfall behind us...

Bet you are thankful for bacon today! Silly Penny. Glad you survived your cross-country run. EB does several miles every day on purpose, but he doesn't suffer from asthma... although there are a few people on his team who do... I don't know how they manage it.