A Trial Run On The Red Dot Trail

The next morning we left the farm and began our drive back to Albany. But I'd only gone about 35 miles when I decided to turn onto White Pine Road and check out Osgood Pond:

Just a short way up White Pine Road was the entrance to Osgood Pond and, I hoped, the trail head for the Red Dot trail:

Osgood Pond was lovely in the morning sun but I was unable to photograph its full scope without pointing the camera directly into the sun. The dogs played happily around the shoreline:

But my real reason for being there was to find out if, as I'd read, the trail head for the Red Dot trail began there. Indeed it did, and I gave the pooches a call so we could investigate the trail for just a short distance:

The Red Dot trail was broad, level, flat, scenic and very easy walking. The dogs found lots of interesting smells:

We'd have walked farther, but old Winky and Wally were slow and a bit confused. I had to hang back and keep encouraging them:

We crossed a little plank bridge over a feeder creek to Osgood Pond:

Wally can't see much, but he has fun and responds when I call him:

I got to a shady spot and dared attempt a photo of Osgood Pond. It was lovely but not dark as it seems here. The darkness was my camera's automatic response to the bright sunshine:

Even old Winky seemed to be enjoying his walk in the forest. He has been aging rapidly and I never know if one of these happy moments will be his last. I try to keep that in mind and maintain an attitude of patience as I urge him to keep up with us:

Fergus ran happily up and down the trail, checking in on the old timers and the younger dogs too:

But this was only a trial run and I decided that the Red Dot trail was probably too tame and had too many visitors for me and all my dogs during the main tourist season. It might, however, be a perfect hike for the off-season and I was already planning one for a future weekend up at the farm. Stay tuned: