The Writer's Pen

My workday begins every morning when most people are settled in for a good night’s sleep. I usually wake up before my alarm goes off at 2 a.m. My morning begins with a shave and shower, then quickly changing into my YMCA work clothes. I then get my dog, Gabby, ready to go for her walk. She has a red-lighted collar she wears on our walk, while I wear a safety vest so that we both can be seen. After grabbing a bottle of water and its container, we are ready to go.

Gabby’s leash has a 30 foot extension which gives her a little more freedom during the walk. It also allows me to have control over where she goes. Walking after dark means to be sure footed and to avoid any dangerous inclines or declines. Having the extended length allows her to go down into the ditch without having to go with her. It keeps us both happy that way.

Every morning walk is different because of changes in both the weather and the environment. Snow and rain means a different set of clothing, and wind often facilitates a scarf or heavier head wear. Even though we often take the same route, that doesn’t mean differences can’t occur. Nighttime always seems like an adventure, because everything appears differently at night. The sky varies with the weather and can be bright and beautiful with a magnificent display of the stars. Or, it can be eerie and scary when it is overcast with nothing but dark shadows with every step. Ordinary objects and structures take on a whole different imagery at night.

I continue to be amazed that my dog willingly joins me in my nighttime adventures and doesn’t seem to mind the dark. At times she does seem very alert and wary of some of the night-time sights and sounds. Certain noises or movements will elicit a reaction from her, and at times she seems nervous.

I have learned that if she suddenly does not want to continue on the walk and would rather turn around, I should generally abide by her wishes. I figure with her sense of hearing and sight, she could be aware of potential dangers a whole lot quicker than I could.

Generally, my morning walks are peaceful and quite quiet. Occasionally I will hear some geese honking above me. On rare occasions we hear the sound of a train passing through town, with its whistles and horns.

Sometimes we’ll hear a coyote howling in the distance. Gabby does not seem to mind If she hears a single coyote, but if several coyotes are howling at the same time, she usually wants to go home that second. We had one morning where it seemed like surround sound with the coyotes’ howling coming from all directions. That was scary for both of us and we hurried home quickly. Every now and then a deer will cross in front of us. Usually, it’s at a distance that we do not feel threatened. One morning there was a big buck and a doe on a lawn right in front of us. As long as we didn’t react, they eventually moved on.

One morning we actually had an encounter with a coyote. We were just approaching a corner when I could see what looked like a dog coming down the street. When I stopped it slinked into the bushes, but once I started walking again it followed behind us. I don’t know if it was attracted by Gabby’s lighted collar or just curious. I knew I could not just yell and scream at it at 2:30 in the morning, so I just waved my arms and made various gestures. Eventually it scurried off into the darkness. It wasn’t an experience I want every morning, but it certainly did wake me up.

The moon also plays an important part in my morning experience. It’s hard to describe the beauty of a full moon on a crisp winter night. In the spring and summer it brings light to an otherwise dark landscape. The beauty of a harvest moon with its orange hues is surely a sight to see. It is fun to watch the progression of the moon from a sliver to a half-moon to a full moon and then back again. It certainly brightens up my morning walk both figuratively and literally – it makes it more enjoyable.

Every morning I usually walk about a mile and a half, and it usually takes between 35 and 40 minutes. It is enough to thoroughly wake me up and it also prepares me for my work shift. By the time I fix breakfast and feed the dog, I am ready for the excitement of another morning of opening up the Spencer YMCA.

I’m sure not everyone would get the same joy from an early morning walk, but it certainly works well for me. Regardless of the weather, Gabby and I always get our morning exercise together. I then go to work and Gabby goes back to bed.

David Hoye lives in Everly with his wife, Cheri. He is a published writer with several different titles for sale on Amazon and WestBow Press.