🐾 Amber’s Throwback Adventure at Beauty Spot (From 2020!)

Hi, everybody! It’s me, Amber! Mama says I’m supposed to rest right now because I’m still pretty sick, so I can’t go hiking this week. Huge bummer. But she also said I could share one of my favorite old adventures from way back in 2020 — and honestly, this one was a doozy. So while I’m curled up on my blankets recovering, here’s a throwback tale from one of my biggest hikes ever!

(And don’t worry — my little brother Davy will probably take over the blog for a bit until I’m feeling better. He’s already practicing his “blog voice,” which mostly sounds like “Mama, look! A leaf!!” But he’ll get there.)

Anyway… back to 2020 Amber, who was feeling GREAT and ready to hike the world.

So, this one morning, Mama and I left the house super early — I had barely finished my breakfast! We drove a long, wiggly way up toward the place where we parked for a hike to Beauty Spot last week. I thought we were going to hike up there again, so I was already wagging my tail like crazy… but Mama didn’t stop. Nope. She turned up the gravel road and drove all the way to Beauty Spot!

The road was bumpy and I was bouncing around in my crate like a popcorn kernel, but Mama just kept going until we reached the top. When she pulled out my backpack, I knew it was going to be a big dog‑friendly mountain hike — my favorite kind.

It was chilly and windy up there, which felt amazing because it had been warm at home. Mama thought it was cold, though, so she grabbed her hat. Humans are funny.

We started along the Appalachian Trail — the same part we’d explored the week before — and I trotted right along. No squirrels or chipmunks at first (tragic), but there were plenty of sniffs to keep me busy.

We crossed a big field and headed down a hill, and at the bottom I could see the gravel road again. I wanted to go that way, but Mama said, “Not yet,” so up the next hill we went.

And let me tell you… WOOF. That hill was HUGE. Mama said it was only a mile, but in dog math that’s at least seven. Maybe eight. I had to stop and “pretend sniff” a few times so Mama wouldn’t know I was tired. I think she bought it.

Eventually we came out of the woods into big patches of rhododendron and thick brush — Mama called them “thickets,” which makes sense because there was no way I could squeeze through. Even with my pack on, those branches were prickly!

I thought I heard something big running through the leaves, but Mama said it was probably just the wind or maybe a deer. I wasn’t convinced, but I kept going.

Finally, we reached the top of the mountain and the trail leveled out. The wind stopped, the woods got quiet, and Mama said it was her favorite part of the whole hike. I liked it too — it felt peaceful and cozy.

We found an old fire ring and a log, so Mama gave me water from my pack and a snack from hers. We sat there for a few minutes, just enjoying the quiet.

After our break, Mama said, “Let’s go!” and put our packs back on. I thought she was wrong at first because we turned around instead of going farther up the trail, but she said we needed to head back.

I was disappointed… until I smelled something new and suddenly we were hiking down the long, long hill again.

At the bottom, Mama let me cross the gravel road to explore a different trail. She said it probably led to water — and I REALLY wanted to go — but she promised we’d check it out another day.

We climbed back up the other hill, crossed the field, and headed into the woods again. That’s when I found a weird wooden ladder thing beside the trail. I didn’t notice it earlier because I was busy sniffing everything, but this time I climbed all over it. It didn’t go anywhere, though. Mama said I was being silly, but I thought maybe it led to a secret squirrel tree. It did not.

Eventually we made it back to the car. I didn’t want to get in — I was hoping for one more rest and then more hiking — but Mama took off my pack, picked me up, and tucked me into my crate. I gave her my grumpiest face… and then immediately fell asleep.

I dreamed about the woods the whole way home. Because at the end of the day, I’m just a dog who loves to hike.

❤️ A Note From Present-Day Amber

I can’t hike right now because I’m still recovering, but Mama says I’ll be back on the trails when I’m strong enough. Until then, I’ll share more throwback adventures — and maybe let Davy write a post or two. He’s excited. I’m nervous. We’ll see how it goes.

Thanks for reading, friends. Love, Amber 🐾

🐾 Amber’s Trail Rating — “I Still Remember This One!”

• Sniffability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Even after all these years, I remember the smells on that mountain. Fresh wind, crunchy leaves, mystery critters — perfection.
• Paw Comfort: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ Big hills = big work. But 2020 Amber powered through like a champ.
• Adventure Level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Long climbs, windy ridges, secret trails, and that weird wooden ladder thing I tried to climb. A full adventure buffet.
• Dog‑Friendliness: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Cool temps, wide-open spaces, and plenty of places to rest with Mama. A very good hike for a very good dog.
• Overall Memory Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I’ve hiked a LOT of trails… but this one stuck with me. Even now, while I’m resting and getting better, I still think about this day and smile my pittie smile.