MORNING ON THE BILLY GOAT

I did my morning hike on the Billy Goat Trail this morning and I was a bit sluggish in the 29 degree temperature at dawn. I was beginning to think that it would have been better to stay at home (particularly when I broke though an ice pond and soaked a leg) when I spotted a beaver. I have had a record of beaver sighting this winter and this big boy walked right in front of me between the river and a pond. It also seems that a great hike always offers a prize and that was my reward.

I watched the beaver as he slowly meandered to the pond. As I got closer, he went into the pond and disappeared under a log.

I hope our readers will have a chance to get out this weekend. It is going to be quite nice in Washington in the upper 40s and even lower 50s. If an over-worked beaver and get up at dawn, we can all find a chance to go for a walk and run outside even in those colder locales.

Here are a few pictures from this dawn on the Billy Goat.