Catskill Mountain Adventures: Dog Friendly Venues and Breathtaking Scenery

September 16, 2016 by janet

THE CATSKILLS: NATURE’S PLAYGROUND
We wanted a camping destination relatively close to our central New Jersey home. The Catskill Mountains are just a little over two hours drive, only an hour and a half north west of Manhattan. They are known by locals as the “blue mountains” due to their uniquely beautiful coloring. There’s dense forest as far as the eye can see. This sylvan paradise was perfect for a three day weekend holiday with the pack.

We also desired a vacation spot that offered dog friendly activities. When we took the leap and added the third husky to our pack last year, our lovable rescue Lobo, we realized that travel might become more difficult with that many large dogs in the family. This is how we discovered the beauties of a travel trailer, the relatively luxurious camping that comes with it, and the ease with which one can travel with canines. The Catskill region is made for camping with dogs, with dog friendly campgrounds located in every possible area you might want to visit, and outdoor activities in abundance to keep both dogs and people happy.

PLACES TO VISIT IN THE CATSKILLS

Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome
The aerodrome has been in operation since 1959, when an old farm was purchased by pilot and vintage airplane enthusiast Cole Palen to house his vintage plane collection. He formed the aerodrome museum foundation in 1993 so the preservation, education and entertainment could continue past his lifetime. His cheery refrain when facing a complicated restoration job on an old plane was “No problem. It’ll fly.”

It was with amazement that we watched lovingly restored planes from 1909 through the 1930’s, take flight before us. It is a feast for the eyes and a tribute to Cole Palen’s dream and his legacy. The engines roar to life and some planes take to the clear blue skies and others (the very old ones) would simply float gracefully across the demonstration field. It is a true living history of flight.

Dogs are warmly welcomed at the aerodrome. We were told by several people where to find the oversized green water bowl and water faucet to keep the pups hydrated. And we were cautioned that some few dogs might find the show too loud – not so much the planes – there are some simulated shoot outs as part of the theatrical program. Our pups were not phased by the show at all. Lobo did get bored and begin to bark – that is so very Lobo – so we took a walk to get some popcorn together and he was fine after that.

The aerodrome is open all day with active planes arranged around the fields and hangars housing other planes in various states of restoration. Seating for the 2 pm weekend show is on rustic wooden benches arranged beside the field. There are several consignment stands with everything from salmon burgers to ice cream to popcorn. The popcorn came in handy when we ran out of dog treats!

The fee for the museum and afternoon air show is $25 per person. One can also purchase tickets for a flight in a vintage plane for $75 per person. People queue first thing in the morning for the flight tickets and they do sell out. The experience is truly unique, viewing the Catskill mountains and forest of the Hudson valley below, from the vantage point of an open cock pit in a vintage plane. Old cars and motorcycles are also part of the show and audience members are invited to dress up in vintage clothing and take a ride.

The aerodrome is a true treat to visit and a bona fide gem of the Catskills.

A replica of The Spirit of St Louis ( Charles Lindbergh’s famous plane)

Sam’s Point Preserve
Sam’s Point area is part of the larger Minnewaska State Park Preserve. The drive up to the park entrance winds up the mountain, past some steep cliffs and gorgeous views. A few miles from the parking lot, along a scenic stopping point, is a hot dog stand. That vendor has a challenging location but the best view of any food vendor I have ever seen!

The parking lot was quite full but we managed to find a spot. There is a parking fee of $10 per car, which is paid in a convenient parking kiosk. The park is a “carry in, carry out” location so there are no garbage cans and you must bring any trash home with you. The park is pristinely kept so it’s obvious everyone respects this rule, which is common in many state parks.

The trail leading to Sam’s Point from the parking lot can be taken from the left or the right path. We chose to take the longer path to the left. The trail is as wide as a road, sometimes dirt, sometimes gravel and sometimes paved. It is well shaded and scenic, with mostly a gradual climb, although there are some more challenging inclines. Half way around there is a pretty lake to visit, Lake Maratanza. The pups dipped their feet in to cool off and enjoy the view.

There are ice caves as well as a water fall, although we didn’t visit those. The waterfall area was closed and the ice caves we decided to save for a future visit, as there was no ice this late in the summer.

Sam’s Point has a lot to offer. The loop we walked kept us busy for hours at a leisurely pace, enjoying the weather and the scenery, and allowed us to visit the lake and the Sam’s Point overlook. There was an abundance of hawks along the cliffs, soaring on the breeze with outstretched wings. This untouched mountain area looks like a hawk’s paradise! There are eagles as well although we didn’t see any this time.

(A word of caution, there are rattlesnakes in this area. It’s nature after all, with acres and acres of untrammeled wilderness. We didn’t see a single one for which I am very grateful.)

Lobo splays out – I made it to the top, mom!

Skyway Camping Resort
Skyway is pet friendly, people friendly, and well run. The bath houses and restrooms are sparkling, obviously cleaned several times a day. The pool and hot tub are set well apart from the camping spots and overlook the surrounding forest and mountains. The entire place is scenic, spotless, and well-laid out. The staff could not be nicer if they tried.

We arrived late, after dark, and were escorted directly to our spot by a friendly young staff member in a golf cart. Our spot was perfectly level, offered trees for shade, some bushes for privacy, a gravel surface for our patio, and a picnic table and fire pit.

There was some loud partying going on around us but it all ended nicely once quiet hours began at 11 PM. After that it was quiet, peaceful, nothing but crickets, and we slept long and well in our little haven.

Skyway is a dog friendly camp ground. There were dogs everywhere, much to our pups’ delight. Dogs love dog watching just like people love people watching. It’s a constant source of amusement. There is an enclosed dog park for off leash fun for your canines; we were so busy sight seeing that we didn’t avail ourselves of this thoughtful amenity.

After days full of adventure, at the Aerodrome and Sam’s Point and simply driving the beautiful forested roads of the area, we were happy to return each evening to our relaxing camping spot in Skyway.

All in all, a very happy excursion to the Catskills!

THE COLEMAN LANTERN EDITION TRAVEL TRAILER (192RDS)
Our Coleman Lantern Edition travel trailer offers a queen size bed and a couch and dinette, both of which convert into beds. It’s on the small size for a travel trailer at 19 feet but it is just perfect for our family. Two people and two dogs can sleep on the bed (cramped but we’re used to it!) and one dog takes the floor or the couch.

With a small kitchenette and bathroom with shower, we are well kitted out to camp at length should we choose. The bathroom even has a small tub should one dare to wash a dog…! The couch is a fake leather which is ideal for those like us with shedding dogs – no need to vacuum – just brush it off and sweep it up!

This small trailer has the advantage of being tall which makes it seem even roomier. As my husband is 6 foot 3″, this is a definite plus.

Having tent camped last year with the pack, this travel trailer is like a luxury hotel to us. We love it so much we sometimes sleep in it in our driveway on weekends when we are not camping!

The Power of Routine for Dogs: The Pack Returns to New Hampshire

June 21, 2016 by janet

Our latest foray into New Hampshire was blessed with cool mornings and evenings and warm, sun-kissed days. The longest day of the year was nigh and that was lovely too – we had glorious daylight until almost nine o’clock.

Fiona, Secret and Lobo are great travelers. We create routine for them within the boundaries of travel and this is a key to happy, travel savvy dogs. How do we do this? The basic routines involve, quite simply, food and potty breaks.

THE MORNING ROUTINE
When we wake in the morning, whether it’s 6 am or 9 am, we walk all three dogs so they can pee and poop if they need to do so. They know this, expect this, and rely on this, as well they should. This typically means wandering around camp bleary eyed in our pajamas, with a roll of blue poop bags sticking out of my pocket, but camping is casual and that is fine for us. No matter how sleepy we are, we are watchful for critters (chipmunks, snakes, bears, frogs, other dogs, moose). Rob takes two dogs and I take one.

Soon after we return to the camper, the tea kettle gets placed on the stove for me, and I begin preparing their bowls of food in our handy dandy bento bowls. At home, each dog is given his or her food bowl in a specific order and in a specific spot. This is how I create order and boundaries for meal times. I do the same in the camper – Fiona first by the dinette, Lobo next by the door, and Secret, third, is fed in the middle near the fridge. The dogs take a fish oil vitamin every morning in cream cheese and this is given before or after their breakfast. Lobo, ever vigilant for breaks in beloved routines, barks at me if I forget!

THE EVENING ROUTINE
The same routine is followed in the evening. Dinner is served somewhere between 5 pm and 7 pm. I like to vary the time – same goes with breakfast – so they learn to be a little flexible. Before we go to bed, they get a long walk around the campground to pee and poop. Then we settle in for the night of watching a movie, sitting by the campfire gazing at the flames, or falling blissfuly asleep to the tune of crickets and bullfrogs.

CAMPING WITH DOGS
You will find dogs everywhere in campgrounds. On leash, off leash, in vehicles, in golf carts, in tents, in pop up campers, in travel trailers. It really is a dog lover’s paradise. This is why camping made such sense to us; it makes traveling with dogs easy. We’ve done the hotel stays with one dog or two and that was great, albeit expensive. Now with three canines in our family, camping is the answer. Of course camping also means a lot of time spent outdoors, which we, as a family, love and appreciate.

LEAVE THE CAMPER BEHIND?! HECK YEAH
We discovered a great travel trailer “trick” on this last trip. The campground we were staying at has a policy, based on availability of course, where you can leave your trailer in place for two consecutive weekends, as long as you book and pay for the two weekends at once. To keep the electric on (and the items in your fridge and freezer cold) you pay a very minimal fee.

So the camper waited for us patiently all week long and we didn’t have to drive it back and forth from New Jersey twice. It was like having a familiar vacation home waiting for us in another state. I guess this is why some folks have “seasonal” spots at campgrounds and just drop their trailer in place for the entire summer season.

The savings in gas and tolls alone almost paid for our second weekend. When we drive with the trailer, we must stop at least every two hours to gas up. When we drive the car alone, it is every four or five hours.

The difference in ease of travel (not having an extra 22 feet of vehicle in tow to maneuver) and savings (cut the gas expense in half) with not having something in tow is huge. Staying two weekends in a place satisfies our desire to get to know a place better by staying longer. This pack is ready to travel!

Off to New Hampshire with the Pack

May 29, 2016 by janet

Coleman - Travel Trailer As we left on our first journey with our camping trailer, we were a bit nervous. There were so many things to worry about, including the height of our trailer, which was a bit above the norm, topping 11 feet 2 inches with the air conditioner on top. Rob is six foot three inches tall, so the height of this trailer was a selling point for us. It felt spacious and airy inside, although it was small as trailers go.

When you travel, notice that certain overpasses have the height printed on them, and the height can vary from left, to middle, to right of the arch. We now watched out for these with rabid attention, our hearts in our throats, that a bridge might rip off the air conditioner or worse yet, the whole top of our travel home. We had once seen a Ryder rental box truck which had unsuccessfully tried to navigate under a train bridge not far from our home – the top peeled off that truck like a sardine can lid. That would not happen to us! Of course we had done our research on our route, but it is still unnerving to contemplate what could happen if we were not vigilant or strayed onto a side road.

We began to drive towards the Garden State Parkway, our conduit to get just about anywhere. As we drove, we realized that the “tow/haul” function on our Jeep was not engaged. The darn thing would not turn on! Thinking it might be as simple as a fuse, we stopped at an auto parts store and Rob changed the fuse to a new one. Still no go. We decided to drive on anyway, but as we navigated some big hills we had misgivings while we listened to what we imagined was our SUV struggling to pull the trailer.

We called our Jeep dealership. They recommended we bring the car in but at this point we were about 45 minutes into our journey. They suggested another dealership in Paramus, NJ. We stopped by and the parking lot was so tiny that it actually had valet parking. Rob struggled to find a spot to park the Jeep and trailer, while the valet parking guy waved him this way and that. Rob ran inside to ask for assistance, but no one could look at the car without an appointment. The general consensus was that the jeep would be fine without the tow function considering the weight we were hauling. Rob navigated out of the parking lot like a pro, backing up the car and trailer around a tight corner to exit onto the busy route in Paramus where this dealership was located.

We were at last on our way, two hours behind schedule, but feeling more comfortable about our transportation. The pack was well behaved. They are great travelers. Secret was a bit hyped up to start with but she is that way even on a short drive. She settled down after the first hour….

We arrived in New Hampshire around 6:30 PM, well after the pack’s usual dinner time. They were remarkably patient. We even took a wrong turn and navigated down a dirt, dead end road before we arrived at our campground. It’s not easy to make a wrong turn, with a travel trailer in tow, and turn around on a dirt road! Luckily our doggy daddy Rob is a great driver. Once we arrived at the Meredith Woods Campground and parked and set up the trailer, the three dogs and I trooped inside around 7:30. I placed their food in the new bento bowls and they chowed down happily. It was a chilly evening in the forties, and I turned on the heat to warm the place up.

We’d passed a diner on the road to the campground and thought we’d try it out. It was too late to find a supermarket and cook in my little kitchen. We packed the pups back into the car and drove down the road to the diner. With my gluten allergy I am used to very limited options. When I walked in and asked if they had gluten free meals, I was shocked that they had an actual gluten free menu! I ordered a hamburger with bacon on a gluten free bun, with a side of garlic mashed potatoes. I was in heaven!! This town of Meredith is awesome! They also had great soda choices, with real sugar.

After a trying and longer than expected journey on the road, we ate our delicious dinner (I know it doesn’t sound like much – but to be able to order a good hamburger on a gluten free bun is actually a rare treat; restaurants in general have a lot to learn. It would be so simple to keep some gluten free buns in the freezer. Charge extra – I don’t care! I just want to eat with everybody else). We watched a little tv, walked the pups around the campground, and settled down for a much-needed sleep.

The next morning on Saturday we headed out early to the Highland Mountain Bike Park. We passed much beautiful, forested countryside and “moose crossing” signs along the way, but no moose sightings yet. If Fiona goes crazy for donkeys, I can’t imagine her reaction to a moose! It was a brisk sunny day, perfect for opening day of the park. We found a nice spot on the porch of the shop to set up camp for a while. The pack and I relaxed while Rob rode his mountain bike. The pups made lots of new friends and I got in some much welcome reading time.

Secret sleeps in traditional husky style

We arrived back at the camper around dinner time and it had started to rain. No cooking outside for me. So I decided to cook up some hamburgers on the tiny stove in the trailer. This was great in theory, but I soon filled up the place with smoke and set off the smoke alarm! I was trying out a new cast iron grill pan and it was not yet seasoned. The dogs weren’t that phased by the smoke and alarm, and we pulled out the battery to stop the alarm and opened a few windows. We ate undercooked burgers with a chill breeze blowing through our little travel home. All five of us collapsed onto the small bed and slept deeply.

All three dogs crowded on the camper bed with us

The next morning held more rain. It looked like our hiking plans would have to wait until the next trip to New Hampshire. Unless we wanted to stay in the trailer all day or get completely soaked, we needed an alternative plan. We found an indoor bike and skate park in Rye near the shore and decided to head that way. I’d never been to Rye so why not? Luckily the park allowed the dogs inside so we took our place in the balcony and watched the action down below. It is a beautiful place to ride, with many interesting features to navigate.

After riding we found a wonderful local Mexican restaurant called Tacqueria. Very gluten-free friendly and amazing food. We drove happily back to our camp site, the K9 Camper awaiting us with a warm welcome on this rainy, chilly day. We weren’t surprised at the weather. This is New England, after all. We had been here tent camping last year in August, traditionally a very warm month at home in New Jersey. It dropped to the forties at night and we were shivering in our tent, huddled up with the dogs!! We would have fun no matter the weather.

Our first trip posed its challenges, both mechanical and meteorological. We also discovered that New Hampshire is top in the nation for cases of Lymes disease and deer ticks. We found at least a dozen ticks on each dog, luckily none embedded. Next trip we’ll try a natural tick repellent spray in addition to the traditional topical vet-prescribed tick preventatives. Despite the challenges, we learned that this pack loves to travel together and that our new travel camper was a great success for the family.

Does Classical Music Really Soothe the Savage Breast in Your Dog? Our Lobo Put the Theory to the Test

May 8, 2016 by janet

Dog Playing The Piano. Classical music has always been a part of my life. My father listened all day long on the radio, played Beethoven sonatas on the piano from memory, and brought the family to Carnegie Hall for concerts as much as we kids would tolerate it. As an adult, I am now an avid listener. Would playing classical music in the house help our foster boy Lobo to relax?

When we first met Lobo, we were told he had anxiety and would benefit from doggie daycare while we were at work. We were told he was very destructive, an escape artist, didn’t get along with all dogs, had bitten one or two people, and might be anxious or fearful if left at home without people. His past record had proven this to be true; in a stabile home environment, with two loving sister dogs, and two doting pet parents, we felt that this could change. If we were to adopt Lobo, he needed to get along with Fiona and Secret. We needed to feel confident that he would not hurt them or the house and that he wasn’t fearful for himself while we were not at home. We were a bit taken aback at the laundry list of challenges, but we felt we saw the inner dog.

Imagine three pups left alone in a completely silent house. For eight hours. A little noise might be most welcome! Quiet strains of violins and cellos fill the air. Classical music can of course be very soothing. I recall as a kid I would sometimes become so relaxed that I would nod off during a performance. I was deathly afraid of falling asleep and tumbling over the balcony rail onto the people below in the orchestra seats… That of course never happened! However, what I came to understand is that a well-played symphony or sonata can induce a deep, almost meditative state which is very calming and restorative. I now look forward to concerts as time for reflection as well as appreciation of fine music – and I do still nod off sometimes!

Knowing Lobo suffered from anxiety, we thought classical music might hold the key to helping him relax in his new environment. If music soothes the savage breast, would it prevent our Lobo from having a freak out when we were not home? For a resource, I turned to what I’d known from childhood: WQXR, the classical music radio station of New York. My father built a crystal set to listen to this station when he was a kid – it’s been around for over 70 years. Lobo, Fiona and Secret could chill all day listening to Beethoven, Brahms and Bach and skilled announcers with soothing voices. I crossed my fingers and hoped Beethoven and his brethren would work their magic on our big fella Lobo.

The first week we experimented with four hours of day care for Lobo and four hours home alone with Fiona and Secret and classical music radio. I arrived home full of trepidation and found… nothing wrong. All three dogs happy to see me, but no bleeding, limping, piles of poop or puddles of pee, no couches torn asunder or molding chewed to shreds. I breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

What we discovered under Lobo’s big dog exterior, is a sweet boy who can play a little rough and likes to bark loudly at times, but whose heart is pure gold. He is obedient, coming inside whenever we call, and loves to stay near his humans in the house, even when the other dogs are outside. He is very troubled whenever I sneeze – he rushes to me, looks at me with a clearly worried expression, and wags his tail nervously, even jumps in my lap sometimes. I have to sneeze now with caution! This dog was so worthy of love and attention – what dog is not? – and his loving nature spoke to us louder than words. We worried about the effect of adding him to the pack; would our two girls be happy with this new addition?

The second week we went full force with our hopeful experiment. We left the dogs alone together all day, 8 1/2 hours, while we were at work. I prayed that it would be okay. That no dog would come to harm. And that Lobo was not anxious or afraid. And that our living room and kitchen furniture would be intact. When I arrived home, a bit early because I was nervous, all three dogs were thankfully fine. What did this mean? It meant that we could officially adopt Lobo, who is now a happy member of the pack.

Looking back a year later, I see a pack of three dogs who love each other and get along very well. Like all siblings they have their differences, but at the end of the night they always cuddle up together very sweetly. We have begun traveling with them and they have adopted the camping trailer easily as a second home away from home. They are a united force, adaptable and happy in their shared bond of family.

Is it the classical music they listen to all day which has led to harmony in the pack? I am sure it is a contributing factor. Once a routine is established, dogs fit into it quite comfortably. The classical music playing in the house has become part of the familiar routine for Lobo and the girls, along with giving them cookies before we leave the house, and letting them out into the yard as soon as we get home. Thank you, Beethoven, for bringing the inner dog out to shine in our sweet Lobo! I can safely safe the girls are happy that Lobo is part of the pack.

Go Pet Bento – Pet Travel Bowls: A Woofus Product Review

April 26, 2016 by janet

Our journeying begins in just a few short days. Feeding three woofuses on the road will have its unique challenges. I have been looking for food bowls and a water bowl that are sturdy and easy to pack in the K9 Camper. The Bento bowls by Go Pet are a revelation to me, stylish, convenient and well made in the USA, North Carolina to be exact.

Made of human-rated, food grade stainless steel (yes, this can be different from pet-grade, believe it or not) and BPA free plastic, these sleek bowls link together neatly and securely for travel. They come in your choice of two bowl, three bowl or four bowl configurations. We opted for the four bowl of course, to feed and water our pack of three dogs.

The bowls unlocked and loaded with kibble

Each bowl holds up to 20 ounces of dry kibble. The top bowl holds 16 ounces of water, has a vacuum seal on top and a handle for carrying the whole kit. Bowls can also be used to carry all sorts of pet accessories – leashes, poop bags, treats, toys, medicines and more – almost like a small suitcase for your dog.

The only suggestion I would make for this nifty feeding gear, is to offer the multi bowl kits in different colors for each bowl or to in some way differentiate them. I lose track of which bowl is for which dog. As I do feed them slightly different amounts each, having color coded bowls would be a big help.

I am quite pleased with the compact nature of the whole kit. In a travel trailer, there’s not a lot of storage room. The four bowl set is only 8 1/2″ tall and 6″ in diameter, when all clipped together.

You can of course pack the food and water in the bowls themselves if you are just taking a short journey. Heading to grandma’s house for the day – easy peasy – send the Bento bowls along with your pup’s dinner!

The bowls may seem a bit small for large dogs like huskies, but they fit our food nicely with some room to spare. Lobo is an eighty pound dog and the bowl suited him just fine!

Where to buy: Check out these unique pet travel bowls by Go Pet online at Healthy Human Life.
Price: $18.99 – $26.99
Colors: Liquid Blue, Kiwi Green or Hawaiian Pink.
Sizes: 2 Bowl, 3 Bowl, 4 Bowl (Please note that the sizes refer merely to the number of bowls in your set – the bowls are all exactly the same size.)

At Woofus, we love to see dogs on the go – the Go Pet Bento makes packing for your dogs’ travels effortless!