Marty’s photo of the day #4442: Deb and I took our dog, Nellie, on a hike up the Fred Burr Creek Trail this morning. About half the time Nellie had to be on a leash, and Deb and I took turns “driving her.” The rest of the time Nellie got to “self-pilot.” Whether she was on a leash or not depended on trail-visibility and whether any people were around.

All that time, I was thinking about how I can’t wait to get Nellie on the wide-open Canadian tundra later this fall. As long as there aren’t any caribou around, she’ll be able to run to her heart’s content—without people in the way, cactus to avoid, or other dangers.

Yes, we’re driving to the top of Canada again this fall, and I can’t wait. If Nellie knew what was in store for her, she couldn’t wait either. It’s gonna be a beautiful thing to watch her run!

This photo features Annie, who got to experience in 2002 what Nellie will experience in 2023.