In the past six years, my dogs and I have seen a lot of this country. I take a lot of photos when I travel and my favorites are usually the shots with my border collie mixes Bowie and Dio (short for D.O.G.). Without the dogs, it’s just a pretty picture, but with them  it’s a place I’ve been, a place I know and love. From time to time I’ll post some of my favorite photos on here from my travels with Bowie and D.O.G. Today: Virginia!

Virginia is for lovers & hikers! Shenandoah National Park is the first place I ever went backpacking – the summer before my senior year of college, not long after I adopted Bowie – and it’s still one of my all time favorite places on Earth.

Since that first trip, the dogs and I have been walking our way across the state on Virginia’s 544 miles of Appalachian Trail. Next time we’re back east, we’ll tick off a few more miles! So far, my favorite sections are the 100 miles in Shenandoah and the 30-mile stretch between Roanoke and Blacksburg that includes Dragon’s Tooth, McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs. I love living in the desert, but man, do I miss those Green Tunnel trails…

Rose River Falls D.O.G.

Appalachian Trail Shelter "Bird's Nest"

Black Snake D.O.G.

Shenandoah Valley Bowie, Early Spring

Log Church Dogs

Dragon's Tooth Dogs

Hayrock Bowie

Rose River Falls Dogs

Previous East Coast Travels with Bowie & D.O.G. posts: West Virginia, Cape Cod, New Hampshire & Pennsylvania. 2012 Calendars coming soon!