by Roger Normand

Hi.  My name is Isabella.  That’s Isabella, not some condescending variation like Izzy or other silliness.  Behind me is my chauffeur, Ira.  I’m a Shitzu, and Ira, well, he’s only human.We’re visiting here from Indiana.

It was Ira’s idea to get away from the Indiana cold and head south for a few months.  Fine with me.  I don’t see too many humans going outdoors to do their business in the cold and snow.  We’ve been to Sarasota before, but this time Ira looked at a map and spotted the Legacy Trail.  I’m game.  So Ira helped me with my goggles and off we went from our RV parked at Oscar Scherer State Park for our first trip on the Legacy Trail.

I like that we can cover a lot more ground on a bike than my short legs could otherwise take us.  I enjoyed the sights, smells, and sounds along the trail from my comfortable front perch, all at a pace that I can grasp.   I gotta admit I loved seeing all the different humans smiling at us as we rode by them, though I pretended not to notice.

  What’s up with the goggles, you ask?  Been wearing them for years when we go for a bike ride.  It’s the UV.  Oh, and those nasty dirt particles or insects in the air.  I think they also add an element of Shitzu dash.  Don’t you?