May 2006

In an effort to exercise our dog to the point of exhaustion so that he doesn’t have the energy to escape the backyard every time we turn our backs, we bought the Springer.

A local dog trainer highly recommended this device that latches on to the side of your bike and allows your dog to run beside you without getting tangled up. Unless, of course, your dog is deathly afraid of storm drains, because if this is the case, then you will most definitely get tangled up. Again and again. In fact, every time you pass a storm drain and your dog stops dead in his tracks for fear of his 50 pound body being sucked down a drain that is 3 inches wide, you will get tangled up.  No matter how many times you try to tell him that he’ll be alright, the mean ‘ol storm drain will not hurt him, it’s no use. He won’t believe you.

So we’ve taken to avoiding the Almighty Storm Drain and have been riding on various dirt roads and trails, which makes Jack very happy. All I need to do is make a motion toward my bike and he starts salivating, running circles, and howling like a lunatic. I swear, you would never know that this dog gets a TWO MILE WALK EVERY MORNING by the way he freaks out at the mere suggestion of exercise.

The only problem with riding on the trails is the comfort of our Little Princess in her roomy bike trailer.

First she will complain about all the bumps and how bumpy they are because she doesn’t like being bumped around by all the bumps. And then she will fall asleep, bumping her head against the walls which is, I’m sure, why they require children in these things to wear helmets.

All the bumpiness has given her a bad taste in her mouth and she’d rather not go with us anymore.

"Nah, you guys go. I’ll stay home with Lulu."

"But you’re only 4. You can’t stay home by yourself. Just come with us, it’ll be fun!"

"Nah. Too bumpy."

When we find the solution to this problem, we’ll let you know. In the meantime, watch out for those storm drains.