Shelby and I haven't been outdoors much the past two years, except around the block and to her new favorite place - the tennis courts. (Below is a picture of Shelby with her cousin, Noah, at Christmas, at her beloved tennis court.) Mostly because both of us are in varying stages of crippling conditions - me with RSD, which attacks my foot, causing it to swell up and turn purple like an eggplant, and burn in horrible pain, and Shelby with arthritis in her legs, hips, and now the vet says, in her spine.

But we have been enjoying springtime in February, especially yesterday when it was about 70 in Asheville. We just hung out in the yard, soaking up the sun like we do on summer days.

Shelby will be 15 years old in less than a month. A few months ago she started losing control of her pooping. Then, she lost her bladder control. Now both are completely gone. We learned - in our wall-to-wall-carpeted home - first to put down towels in the danger zones, then plastic mats, and going full circle to Shelby's puppy days, we are now back to wee-wee pads, which pretty much carpet the house. They work really well at catching all the yucky stuff.

At first, it was pretty horrifying and sickening. This was a dog I could leave for 8-9-10 hours at home and she would never have an accident. And then, it was just total chaos. You never know when she's going to lose it. Or where. And it doesn't matter anymore. You learn to deal with it. She can't help it, and she gets upset with herself. We are now armed and ready with Resolve carpet cleaner, Lysol wipes, baby wipes and carpet deodorizer, and we move on.

This week, the vet said Shelby needs a tooth extracted. It is causing her pain and that's why she hasn't been eating at her usual voracious pace. But it will require anesthesia, and due to her age, that's always risky.

I swore after her last surgery three years ago, when she had a soccer-ball-sized tumor removed from her side, that I'd never put her through surgery again. But I didn't figure in the pain factor. The last thing I can stand is for my little girl to be in pain. I'm torn. I give her extra narcotics. I rub her ear on her non-painful side, and her belly and her legs. I give her peanut butter and I try to be by her side about 23 hours a day.

I thought it was fitting that the first time in more than a year that Shelby and I ventured out into the woods again together, it should be on a trail called "Graybeard." Because if you notice, Shelby is my little Graybeard. At 14 years old, she has quite the gray muzzle now, cute as ever.

We have not hiked in more than a year after a painful foot injury last summer. It led to an even more painful foot surgery last November, which has left me mostly laid up on the bed, couch, and office chair since then.

I finally kicked the crutches to the curb a couple of weeks ago, but the pain and unsteadiness in my left foot continues. My brave little Shelby has all this time been battling the nasty effects of advancing age and arthritis in her hips, making stairs and uneven forest terrain dauntingly difficult.

But we were tired of being homebound and headed out to one of our favorite trails last week - Mountains-to-Sea starting at Graybeard Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We didn't get too far (there was a diarrhea incident in the car) and both of our feet and legs hurt, but Shelby's nose was all perky and excited to be out in the forest again. (We wrote about it in the Citizen-Times today)

I highly recommend this trail. It's not in the book (I wanted to keep some good trails to myself), but this one is great at this time of year because of all the blueberry bushed. Hike about 2 miles north and you'll come to Glassmine Overlook, and then head back. Bring something to hold the blueberries in, and watch out for black bears, who are also on the blueberry hunt now.

Hopefully Shelby and I will see you on the trail soon.

The Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest is turning 75 this year, on July 30. The 3,800-acre forest is part of the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness, part of the Nantahala National Forest in the far western reaches of North Carolina. The 2-mile Memorial Loop Trail (Hike No. 15 in Best Hikes with Dogs) is known worldwide for the towering old-growth trees sprinkled around the trail.

The Forest Service is throwing a big bash for the Memorial Forest, a living memorial to poet-soldier Joyce Kilmer, who penned the famous poem "Trees," and was killed during World War I in France. The party will be this coming Saturday, July 30, including a 5K and 10K race on roads in the forest, guided hikes, exhibits and presentations by Forest Service partners, and a 1 p.m. ceremony with dignitaries, and even Joyce Kilmer's granddaughter, who will read "Trees."

When writing a story for the Citizen-Times about the upcoming anniversary, I took a trip back out to Joyce Kilmer. I had been hiking out there a few times in the past, but not for the past few years. If you haven't been out there in a while, brace yourself. The forest is not what is used to be.

An invasive little pest known as the hemlock woolly adelgid has been systematically munching on and destroying the old-growth hemlock trees, some of which have been standing in Joyce Kilmer for more than 400 years. Just about all dead, and posing a risk to hikers on the trail who might get lobbed in the head or killed by falling limbs, the Forest Service in November dynamited some 150 of the dead hemlocks to knock them down.

The idea was to make it look like a powerful storm blew through, rather than sawing and chopping the trees down. Since the Joyce Kilmer is a wilderness area, no motorized equipment such as chainsaws are allowed.

I was only able to see one of the blown-apart hemlocks myself, since I am just starting to wean off the crutches and still wasn't able to walk very far on the trail. It kind of looks like a monstrous-sized blooming onion. I don't know how "natural" it looked, but there is a section further up the Memorial Loop where a large swath of the hemlocks were taken down. Most people out there came out of the forest asking when the storm came through, or what happened to the trees. So just prepare yourself for a different kind of Joyce Kilmer.

For me, it's terribly sad to think that these giant trees growing in the woods of Western North Carolina since long before there was a North Carolina, or a United States, are now gone. There are still the old-growth tulip poplars, but you have to think, it's only a matter of time before a pest starts chewing them to pieces, like the American chestnut blight of the 1930s.

I was happy, though, to be able to make the trip from Asheville out to the Nantahala, and the woods, even if I didn't get to hike very far. I'm hoping to be off the crutches for good sometime this summer and get to do some proper hiking again.

I finally made it! Well, I've been to the summit of Mt. Mitchell - the highest peak in the Eastern United States - many times before. But not since the new, handicap accessible observation tower was installed 3 years ago!
I guess I didn't want to see it because the old stone tower was such an iconic symbol of the great mountain, and one of the first places I ever visited as a NC tourist.

It had a lot of good memories for me, and for Shelby. We'd hiked there often, including climbing the stairs in the old 30-foot high tower with its 360-degree views of the Black Mountains, the Blue Ridge Parkway and the natural grandeur of Western North Carolina.

But I finally headed up there last week - the first real "trek" I've done since foot surgery 8 months ago left me unable to walk without crutches, and certainly unable to hike or to run. This time, I could truly appreciate the accessibility of the tower.

Superintendent Jack Bradley drove me up almost to the top on the "Kawasaki mule," and then I was able to walk the rest of the way to the summit on the winding, paved pathway. It was pretty chilly for a June day - 50 degrees, and 50 mph wind gusts - so I couldn't stand up for long, but I was thrilled to see my old favorite mountain, my favorite views and get outdoors and stretch my legs a bit.

The Old Mitchell Trail I write about in "Best Hikes with Dogs: North Carolina," is still a great hike for people and their dogs, although it is now slightly altered at the top, with the description of the tower.

I think everyone needs to check out this hike, and this tower, at some point this summer. Happy Hiking!

The Animal Compassion Network presents the 12th annual Prestige Subaru Adoptathon today at Pet Harmony in Asheville.

Come down today, Sunday, May 22, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. to take home your new family addition.

There will also be  free “pawdicures,” pet first aid and CPR demonstrations, a kids corner with a bounce house and dunk tank, low-cost shot clinic and the Animal Services of the Asheville Police Department to answer questions.

Pet Harmony is located at 803 Fairview St., which is just off Hendersonville Road in South Asheville, adjacent to Province 620 restaurant.

For more information, call 828-274-3647.

It might still be a little chilly for the humans among us, but for dogs, especially black Labs like my Shelby, it’s  never too cold to go swimming.

Come out to celebrate your dog and their love of water sports at Camp Rockmont in Black Mountain on Sunday, May 8, for Swim With Your Dog Day! This is a nice change of pace for celebrating Mother's Day, especially if you're a mom to a doggie.

Lucky dogs can swim from 1-6 p.m. Two and four legged guests will enjoy pet related vendors, an agility course, photographer on site, tasty food and The Hop ice cream – all on the shore of beautiful Lake Eden. It’s fun for families and kids, even if you don’t have a dog of your own, to benefit a great cause. 

Admission is $10 per dog, proceeds benefit Brother Wolf Animal Rescue and Chain-Free Asheville. Sponsored by Bone-A-Fide Bakery & Pet Bakery.

For more information call 828-669-0706 or visit www.bwar.org.

Shelby and I have just released the second printing of "Best Hikes with Dogs: North Carolina," the 2010 edition published by The Mountaineers Books of Seattle. Our first printing was in 2007.

The cover is still the same, graced by Shelby's cute little face. In person (or in dog) she has a few more gray hairs, but she still has just as much spunk as she ever did.

There are just some simple updates — for example, when we first wrote the hiking guide, the tower at the summit of Mount Mitchell (Old Mitchell Trail, Hike #4) was under construction. It is now open, and handicap accessible. It is a shorter, squatter-looking tower, and is not really a tower, but a viewing platform, with a ramp rather than stairs. This makes it accessible to all people — and all dogs.

Good thing, because the hike up to Mount Mitchell — the highest peak in the Eastern United States — is one of my favorites, but my old girl Shelby can no longer climb stairs. Now she and all the other older dogs out there get to sit on top of the world.

Hope you can get outdoors in North Carolina and enjoy the book, and the hikes, with your favorite dogs.

People ask me all the time which hike or which trail is my favorite in North Carolina, since my black Lab, Shelby, and I wrote a book about hiking all over North Carolina.

I still can't pick one singular favorite, but I have a couple of places very, very close and dear and special to my heart. If you live in Western North Carolina or have ever been here, it's almost impossible to pick only one — it's just a smorgasbord of outdoors wonders.

But, now we can get it all out there in the open. Land for Tomorrow, a coalition dedicated to supporting the preservation of North Carolina’s land, water and historic places, is holding a contest to pick North Carolina's Top 10 Natural Wonders.

They are now taking online nominations through Thursday (May 6). You can find out more by going to the Land for Tomorrow Facebook page at www.facebook.com/L4TNC or www.landfortomorrow.org.

You can nominate any landscape, natural feature, wildlife or plant life that is unique to North Carolina and should be considered among the state’s greatest natural wonders.

The contest is part of Land for Tomorrow’s effort to highlight past generations’ conservation successes and urge North Carolina lawmakers to continue supporting conservation in our state.
Former Governors Jim Hunt and James Holshouser and an expert panel of North Carolinians will help pick the Top 10.

Panelists include Former Governor Jim Hunt, Charles Frazier, author of "Cold Mountain" and "Thirteen Moons" (and an Asheville resident), and Tift Merritt, Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter, among others.

“Many of North Carolina’s greatest natural wonders are here for us to enjoy because of previous generations’ commitment to conservation,” said Katherine Skinner, steering committee member of Land for Tomorrow and Executive Director for the Nature Conservancy in North Carolina. “We believe that this
contest will show that North Carolinians today still have passion for the state’s natural beauty and want the state to continue protecting new areas.”

The general public has until May 6 to nominate their favorite North Carolina natural wonders for consideration in the contest. Then, the expert panel will narrow down the nominations to a group of finalists. Popular vote online will determine “North Carolina’s Ten Natural Wonders.”

And, as an added bonus, prizes from vendors across North Carolina, including fine art, outdoors equipment and music, will be awarded to participants each weekday of the contest. The grand prize will be awarded on May 18 when the winners are announced.

For more information about Land for Tomorrow, visit www.landfortomorrow.org or www.facebook.com/L4TNC.