I love it when my parents, Bobby and Wendi Warren, are home for the weekend without any plans. That usually means they will make it a point to do something with me. As a dog, I’m pretty spoiled, ever since I was adopted into my forever home by Mom and Dad. But still, getting to get out and try new places, is one of my favorite things to do. That happened on a recent Saturday, when we took a ride out to Wooster Memorial Park’s new trail at Kenwood Acres.
As it happened, when Mom and Dad were talking about going out for a walk on a relatively mild February day, Dad had suggested Oak Hill Park. Dad and I go there a lot when the weather is nicer for my afternoon walk. Mom was not as enthusiastic to go because while Oak Hill Park is a beautiful walk, it is also a very hilly walk. You walk down for half of the loop, but then have to walk up for the other half. Mom was much more interested in a less intensive hike. That is when she suggested Kenwood Acres. She says she knew it was an American’s with Disabilities (ADA) compliant trail, so she surmised it would be flat and therefore much easier to walk than Oak Hill.
Dad agreed, especially since neither Mom nor I had ever been there. Dad had been there at the very beginning because he worked at The Daily Record and had done a story in September 2017 about the trail as it was being built. I guess the trail opened in the summer of 2018, but for some reason Dad never thought to take me there. Can you believe it?!
Wooster Memorial Park is pretty close to our home, so it didn’t take us very long to get there. It actually took Mom longer to get her hands-free leash hooked up to her and me. I am not the most patient dog, especially when I know we are somewhere new, so I tried to hurry her along with encouraging barks. She didn’t go faster, at least not from my point of view. Mothers!
Finally we were off for our trek around the Kenwood Loop. It is not an incredibly long trail, about 1 mile, but it is nice and flat. The area is paved and it includes a couple of things I think Mom and Dad called overlooks. I guess cause they overlook the woods. One has a creek running near it. They told me it is paved so that people with wheelchairs can come out and view nature up close. I think that is really nice. And mom’s can bring their babies in strollers, too.
While Mom was much more interested in taking in the sites, I was very interested in the smells. It’s just part of my charm because I’m half beagle. My nose is often on the ground. I learn so much about who was there before me. Also what kind of critters crossed this way before me. And of course I have to let them know I have been there, too. I marked my way all along the path, so there is no denying I’ve been there!
My dad, who is the family chronicler, took plenty of pictures of our trek around this beautiful trail. With it being winter and all the leaves off the trees, we can only imagine how beautiful it will be in the spring, summer and fall. But luckily we are close enough that a trip out there shouldn’t take us another 5 months! (Boy, do I hope my parents read this, so they’ll get the hint. Maybe you could make comments to them in a few weeks to see if they’ve taken me out there again.)
I am really a blessed pup. I know that and Mom and Dad remind me of it all the time, too. But I never feel so blessed as when we get out as a family to do things together. If you want to do things with your family, I would recommend a visit to the Kenwood Acres. It is something that everyone in the family can do together, no matter your age or mobility.
