
As some of you know, our Valentine's Day was extra-special this year. I adopted a new best friend for Greg: an Anatolian/Lab mix that we named Taavi. He is very sweet, but has some separation anxiety issues, so I've started bringing him into the office with me some days.
As dog-friendly as Steamboat is, our clients come first; please let me know if you have any allergies or other concerns about Taavi being present during a session with me. On the other hand, I've had multiple clients request that he be there during their appointments, so there's that, too.

One of the reasons we got Taavi was to force Greg and I to get outdoors more. With modern life, it's awfully easy for all of your free time to siphon into a screen.
I gotta tell ya, it's been wonderful.
This morning, I listened to the sandhill cranes calling and watched them feeding in the wet meadowland below. I've heard Canadian geese honking and robins heralding the return of spring. We hear the coyotes singing up and down the valley at night. Soon, we'll start to see the first fox pups bounding around the neighborhood.

A lot of locals complain about this time of year. The weather is unpredictable, the scenery is uninspiring, and the skiing is often "meh" at best.
I. LOVE. IT.
The nights and early dawn are cold, but the days are often beautiful. It's not the heat of the summer, nor have the mosquitoes arrived yet. The days are getting longer, and we're perfectly balanced between dark and light.
After the hectic winter season, I'm often inspired to try physical challenges in the spring. This year is no exception.
I invite you to join me in GoRuck's Ruck Your Dog event, a virtual fundraiser for Pets for Patriots, a 501(c)(3) that pairs military families and veterans with difficult-to-adopt shelter animals. Simply put, rucking is to put weight on your back and go for a walk. GoRuck was started by a Special Forces veteran as a way to help him transition from military to civilian life.
So what's this Ruck Your Dog event? It's pretty straightforward: from now through the end of March, commit to rucking X number of miles by the end of April. Send in your donation for your patch, then you're on the honor system to complete your miles. Patches will be distributed at the end of April.
I really love the idea of the Ruck Your Dog challenge. Not only is it inspiring me to get more in shape after the winter, but it benefits two causes I care deeply about: military veterans and animal rescue.
So, to encourage more people to join, I'm offering two sweet rucking rewards. They won't be available until May, so you have plenty of time to plan ahead!
Rucking Reward Level One
During the month of May, come in with your Ruck Your Dog patch and save 10% off of your challenge pledge on any massage. For example, if you pledge to ruck 1 mile, your patch donation is $15; you would save $1.50 off your massage. A 5K ruck pledge is $25, so you'd save $2.50 off your massage, and so on.
Rucking Reward Level Two
Put your money where your mouth is! Download the app Walk for a Dog and use that as your rucking tracker; it helps support your local animal shelter of choice every time you ruck.
Come in during May and use the tracker to prove you've rucked the miles you've pledged, and your Ruck Your Dog discount will double.

If you're new to rucking, like me, don't overdo it. I'm starting with easy weights (a gallon jug half-filled with water), flat terrain, and short mileage. My goal is 50 miles by the end of April, and I've already knocked out 20% of that in the first week.
Speaking of which . . .
I've been trapped at this computer for the last several hours. Time to get moving and get my ruck on. Join me?