Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, PA - Hidden Lake


ABOUT THE PARK:
Hidden Lake Trail - National Park Service

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.05092, -75.05398
There are a couple of other lots but this is the largest with a restroom.


TRAIL MAP:
Kittatinny Trails Map #120 - New York New Jersey Trail Conference


HIKE DISTANCE:  2 miles
Hiked together with McDade Trail - 3.8 miles (about a 3 mile drive away)

THE HIKE:
There is a trail to the right of the restrooms that goes downhill to the Hidden Lake Trail.
It's Shawnee's first hike with her new wheels.
A cold front had finally arrived and it was a gorgeous drive in but Hidden Lake was hidden in a cloud during the first part of the hike.
I had thought this was a woods road going around the lake but I was wrong.  I was shooting for an easier trail for Shawnee's first time out but we made it around.
This is what I kind of had in mind but this was only a short stretch.
She is learning that the wheelchair can go just about anywhere.
Oops.  What used to be an asset is now an obstacle.
But we found a way.
Yikes!  Bigger obstacle.
By lifting on her harness handle I was able to get up up and down safely.
She toes under and drags her right paw sometimes so I brought a bootie along.  It was just a disposable one I had but she will be needing something sturdier.
That cloud is finally starting to burn off.
This is where her wheelchair came from.  It is the one her veterinary chiropractor highly recommended as it provides full range of motion where others don't.
A dog can even go into the water with a wheelchair.
The chipmunk sat there for the longest time staring at Shawnee.  He had probably never seen such a thing!
When we returned to the car Shawnee clearly was not ready to quit yet so we drove on to the next hike.

6 comments:

  1. Aww, I love her license plate <3

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  2. That's so awesome. She got the hang of it so quickly too - not that I am surprised...

    --Dawn

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    1. She did, Dawn, I was so pleased. Some dogs flat out refuse to move in them and others take some time. When I first put her in it she tried to back out of it, then got this look on her face, went forward and plowed over anything in her way including me, LOL!

      Daniela

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  3. To say Shawnee is one brilliant, strong and resilient dog would be an understatement. Your ingenuity is pretty damned great, too. :) Saddened to see her setback @ Pochuck Sat. But really happy to see her adjust so well and accomplish so much on these hikes. And...luuvvv that license plate, too. Much love.

    Linda & Jim

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    1. Thanks Linda and Jim! About 10 years ago I took Shawnee to a dog/human summer camp in upstate NY. Pets with Disabilities was there with 4 paralyzed dogs in wheelchairs. They hiked, they swam, they did everything the other dogs did. I got to thinking this might work for Shawnee and indeed, dogs that still have use of their back legs can still use their legs in the wheelchair without stressing the rest of their body so much to drag their failing back ends along so this has just worked out beautifully for her.

      Daniela

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