Today’s episode is with Megan, the dogmom to Apollo @Golden.Apollo.Rocket, a golden retriever from Charlottsville, Virginia. Megan, along with her partner Liam, gets out nearly every weekend with Apollo to explore the Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge Parkway.
Megan, who grew up in the area, is very familiar with some hidden gems in the Shenandoah Valley, having visited them as a child. Now, with Apollo, she regularly visits some of her favorite local spots including the Monticello trails and Carter Mountain Orchard, just a few minutes from her home. Nearby is the Charlottesville Reservoir and the Sugar Hollow Trail to Blue Hole, accessible from outside Shenandoah National Park. With the entrance to both Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway only 45 minutes away, they are able to drive and explore many turn outs and trails that aren’t normally visited by tourists and sometimes not even listed on the maps! One favorite in Shenandoah is Hawksbill Mountain. Along the Blue Ridge Parkway, they like Humpback Rocks and Sherando Lake.
On a recent trip to the western side of North Carolina, they went to Grandfather Mountain and Roan Mountain in the Cherokee National Forest Area, and stayed at nearby Linville Falls. Towards the east side of North Carolina, Megan has spent quite a bit of time with her grandparents who live near the Outer Banks. The Outer Banks are a 200 mile (322 km) long strip of barrier islands along the Atlantic Coast. Some of the beaches include Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills, and Kitty Hawk, site of the first manned flight and home to the Wright Brothers National Memorial. The area is also dotted with coastal reserves and wildlife refuges. Croatan National Forest is one such area, located at the southern end of the Outer Banks.
Megan is a big fan of her Kurgo car hammock for the back seat of her car. She uses a biothane long line from Sloppy Chops Co. And though she is not sure of the brand, they keep a fabric folding kennel in their car while traveling for situations where dogs aren’t allowed.
Her shout outs go to Lindsey and Togo & Charles @blueridgehusky, who live and explore in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, and to the whole crew at @pacifichound.
My own shout out for this episode goes to @redrivergorgeouscabinrentals, who helped me find an awesome spot to stay the night in Red River Gorge.
Thanks for listening!
adventuredogpodcast.com 