Jack is a rescue dog who came up from Texas to find a new home. He just happened to be at his foster Mom’s in New York during the most glorious time of the year in the Hudson Valley. Every year for ten years in September the Hudson River Ramble schedules a series of events and hikes all along the great stretch of the river. On September 19 Jack and foster Mom, Barbara, NGPR’s director, headed off with 26 other intrepid hikers and a rescued Corgi to hike the escarpment trail in the Northern Catskill mountains where some of the best views of the Hudson River can be found.
Valley View from the Mountain House Site
It was a flawlessly beautiful day. The kind of day that everyone hopes their hike will be on. One of the first views on this hike is from the site of the famous Catskill Mountain House, which attracts thousands of visitors every year. I’ve seen it many times before in all the many moods the Catskills offers and this day was one of the best.
We headed back through the woods and explored the site of another famous hotel, the Hotel Kaaterskill. There are many old carriage roads in the woods from the days of the great hotels. Later in the day we came to a juncture where several trails met and headed over to several other famous overlooks.
At a Crossroads
One of the things I needed to do as Jack’s foster was to observe his behavior with other people on the hike, people we met in the woods and other dogs. Jack did really well with everyone and the Corgi, too. He wasn’t overly excited and was able to walk well on his leash and obey commands.
Barbara and Jack
I realized that there were many similarities between Jack’s situation and this hike. Like the beautiful Hudson River, as a young dog, Jack’s life stretches out before him. If he could make new friends, he would succeed in finding his way out of the woods and reach his forever home at this important crossroads in his life.
When we rested along the way, Jack snuggled close for a picture of our hike together. He did well on his big day in the woods but like all good things, our hike had to end. I was pretty tired, but glad I went, especially when I saw the big smile on Jack’s face after the end of his excellent adventure. Seeing a dog like Jack grow and develop to meet new challenges is one of the reasons why fostering is so rewarding. Jack was a tired but happy puppy that night and so was I.
Jack's a Happy Guy