Tampa's Secret Waterfront Park

The holiday craziness is over and we are settling back into our regular routine.  This fall, I took a couple of trips to see family, cramping Jack and Chloe's style a bit.  Although we attended agility and obedience classes and terrier trials this fall, it had been way too long since we ventured out for a park excursion, and even longer since we did a park review.

Cypress Point Park Bike Trail

The weather in Tampa this time of year is what made me want to live here. About 95% of the time while the rest of the country is experiencing winter, we are wearing shorts and flip flops.  Today was an especially nice day with low humidity, and I made it home well before sunset, which is more difficult to do at this time of year.

Plane Taking Off Over the Park

So we headed over to Cypress Point Park, a gem of a city park.  Tucked away behind an office park less than a mile from Tampa International Airport, Cypress Point is probably the last place you'd expect to find a beach.  Well, it is really just two sandy areas along the east side of  Old Tampa Bay, but it looks like a beach, with amazing sunset views. There is ample parking (on grass), a short unpaved nature trail, and a 0.9 mile paved bike trail.  The bike trail is plenty wide for cyclists to pass anyone on foot, with or without dogs. And you shouldn't have to worry about much traffic on the trail because Cypress Point may well be the city's--or even the county's--most underutilized park.

Now Entering Squirrelville

If you have a squirrel-obsessed dog or a gluttonous Hoover on four legs (I have one of each), be cautious about wandering over to the east side of the park.  It is full of palm trees that produce a small berry-like dropping that covers the trail when it falls.  And it is overrun by squirrels. But it is a very pretty area.

Although dogs are prohibited on the beach and pier, the west side of the park still provides great views from the bike trail.  There is a lot of native vegetation and a large mitigation area...so be on the lookout for wildlife.  The experts recommend carrying a noisemaker to scare off coyotes...I haven't researched the sightings in this area, but they are all OVER Pinellas County.

Checking out the brush

Cypress Point Park is located at 5620 W. Cypress St.  The park is open sunrise to sunset.  There are poop bag stations in a couple of spots.  There is no dog run. There are a few picnic tables and a sand volleyball court.

Stay for sunset. It is beautiful. I would recommend bug spray most months due to the tall vegetation, but there were no bugs on this visit.  Jack and Chloe give Cypress Point Park a 3 out of 4 paws rating.

Sunset at Cypress Point Park

More Loot from South Tampa's Best Kept Secret

Below is my loot from Animal Based Charities' thrift store, where Jack, Chloe, and I dropped off some donations yesterday. I picked up Lucky Brand jeans, an Under Armour shirt, and Nike ACG pants to wear to agility class and JRT trials…grand total: $12 and some change.  Yeah, they're used but barely and it's nothing soap and hot water can't fix.  There is an entire wardrobe of J. Crew slacks in size 6 (that I may end up purchasing on our next visit) and many items still have tags on them.  And the dogs love to help me shop because they get fussed over and convince Rick to open the treat jar.  This place is truly the best kept secret in South Tampa.

Next Friday, 1/13, from 5 to 7:30 pm there will be a fundraiser at the store for the Cat Crusaders rescue group.  ABC's thrift store is located at 4340 S. Manhattan Ave. in South Tampa (between Euclid and Gandy), in the shopping center behind Adventure Outfitters.  They are open Wednesday through Friday, 10am to 5pm, and Saturday 10am to 4pm.  The store is staffed by volunteers.  The proceeds benefit local rescue groups and pet adoption events.  Please check them out!

View my previous post about ABC's thrift store here.

*Update: ABC has moved to a new, larger location at: 4465 W. Gandy Blvd., Suite 315, in Tampa, not far from the original spot.

Everyday Life with a JRT

Winning at Multi-Tasking...a Trip to ABC's Thrift Store

You've probably heard the old saying a million times, "South Tampa's gently-used discarded household items are another man's treasure." And if there were a treasure map of the city, the big X would be found in the 4300 block of S. Manhattan Ave.,* the (original) location of Animal Based Charities' (ABC) Thrift Store.

A few weeks ago, I was in the garage sorting through a lot of "stuff."  Since we have recently down-sized to a smaller home, I had a large pile of things we don't need anymore, but are not suitable to just toss in the trash.  On that day I also felt like picking up a couple pairs of shorts.  I had the dogs for the day as well (that's another blog entry altogether).  Multi-tasking is my constant goal, so I decided to make a trip to ABC.

Rick and the volunteers at ABC always greet everyone with a smile.  Tails wagged as Rick helped me bring in my donations.  Jack and Chloe love to visit ABC, at least partially because of the treat jar at the register.  Once we were there for a few minutes, they settled down and I was able to take a look around. There is always an amazing find at every turn, especially in the clothing section.  And on top of the already low thrift store pricing, you will find that some category is discounted even more.  

Pictured below is my loot from that afternoon.  A cute dress, capris for agility class, a J. Crew blouse, Ann Taylor blazer, Gap shorts that are my new favorites, Ralph Lauren shorts with tags still on, Sanctuary shorts, and Diesel jeans.  You will not believe the grand total....

 


It was just under $34.00! I don't remember the exact amount, because I left the change for the donation jar.  In summary, here is what I accomplished in one very pleasant trip to the Animal Based Charities' Thrift Store:

• Clearing out clutter from the garage
• "Recycling" perfectly good household items
• Supporting a great cause (helping animals)
• Shopping for designer labels
• Bargain shopping
• Keeping the dogs entertained (and letting them entertain as well)
• Visiting with super nice, dog-friendly people

Now, who is winning at multi-tasking? 

*Update: ABC's Thrift Store has moved to a new, larger location at: 4465 W. Gandy Blvd., Suite 315, in Tampa, not far from the original spot.

Urban Dog Parks Tour: Stop #2

Well, we have clearly had to slow the dog parks tour down and extend it into the "fall" (although it doesn't feel like fall here in Tampa at all) because the days are either too hot or too rainy.  This is not to mention the fact that during the times when it is not quite as hot, or it has stopped raining, the mosquitoes are out in full force as eager to bite me as Sitch is eager to get Snooki to break up with her boyfriend du jour.

Today, since Jack and Chloe were such good sports about having to be crated while the maintenance guy was here, and then tagging along while we ran my errands, I decided they should get to make a stop on their park evaluation tour this afternoon.


It was not super hot due to all the clouds, but it started to sprinkle just as we arrived at the Davis Islands Dog Park around 5:00 p.m.  I drove past the dog "beach" section and over to the fully-fenced-on-dry-land dog area.  I did not have the energy to dive in to filthy looking bay water in case a rescue became necessary.  There are no shade trees here either, but there was a nice breeze, and the natural "water misting." The drizzling actually passed quickly, and we were able to stay for a bit.  I liked it that there was a small area separated from the larger one with the HUGE SAND PIT in the center. I know that the odds are a dog park trip necessitates doggie baths, but I like for there to be at least a CHANCE that it won't.

Chloe going for the Kong ball

So Chloe and Jack enthusiastically fetched balls (Chloe going for the Air Kong squeaker that she adores) and then we ventured into the large area, sand pit and all (I guess I felt like rolling the bath dice). We had a very nice time and they fetched till they were panting maniacs (even after a water break, their tongues were still hanging out) and I had to confiscate the balls or they would not have wanted to stop. If you are wondering, OF COURSE, Jack lay down at the very top of the huge sand pit for just a moment to cool off between fetches. So we walked around on pavement before leaving to try to get rid of some of the dirt. I was surprised that in such a chic South Tampa area, a lot of people are clearly not concerned about picking up a LOT of poop. But life is all about dodging poop, is it not?

Jack waiting to fetch

There is so much for the biped to enjoy about this location.  It is amazingly quiet for being at the end of the Peter O. Knight runway, next to a boat launch, and very close to the port.  Although you can see the phosphate mining operations and the TECO smokestacks (if the smokestacks make a roof this dirty imagine what it is doing to our lungs!) from the park, it also provides an amazing view of the downtown Tampa skyline.  To the west is a beautifully serene marina.  This part of the Davis Islands community attracts runners and cyclists as well.


The best site for reviews, info, and pictures is the DogGoes listing.  There are some very negative reviews there, but it has the best map and details.  We had the fenced area all to ourselves at 5pm on a weekday! There were numerous people in the beach section, but it looked like everyone was getting along fine.  It's actually kind of funny to read some of the complaints. It is a city park after all, and it's a dog park on top of that. Do not expect manicured lawns, people.  Of course, you can check out Jack and Chloe's experience in their Picasa photo album.

Summer 2011 Urban Dog Parks Tour: Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park

Chloe found the shade.

Yesterday, Jack and Chloe kicked off their exploration of Tampa's urban dog parks with a visit to the dog run at Curtis Hixon waterfront park. We found out there are no shade trees inside the one and only fenced area, so it was too hot to stay more than a few minutes. This is the first place where I've seen a maximum dog capacity listed. 


The dog run is located on the northern end of this fairly new park that was created in a kind of L-shape around the Museum of Art, bordered on the west by the Hillsborough River. There are a few benches in shade where you can sit and admire the architecture of the University of Tampa.


The north side of the Poe garage is the shortest route to the dog area. There are valet spaces on the first floor that you can self park in before 5pm if you check in with the attendant. We were only there for about 15 minutes tops, and parking was $1.20. It would be a great stop during cooler weather, or in the evening. The sign says the dog run is open till 10pm!


To check out the scenery, click here.

Terrier Events: Not Just "For the Dogs"

Terrier Events are a great outlet for the energy of Jack Russells, Patterdales, AHT, and more

I would like to see more people in the Tampa Bay area take advantage of some great opportunities to "work" your terriers and have a great time. If you own a Jack Russell Terrier or similar breed, you are probably always looking for ways to help them burn off their boundless energy. There are many opportunities for you and your terrier to participate in racing, simulated hunting, and other activities. Some people are super competitive and some of us (like me) just enjoy bonding with our pets. I did not know that my Jack Russell could get involved because I never filled out the kennel club registration papers, and I didn't know what the events were all about.

**You should know that your dog does NOT have to be registered with any kennel club, nor must you have all their lineage documented.** Some breed clubs require your dog to be purebred (simply by meeting the breed standards), but neutered/spayed and rescued dogs can participate! And most clubs will limit their sanctioned events to the purebred dogs, but also offer a handful of non-sanctioned events for all terriers or other breeds.

The Sunshine State Jack Russell Terrier Club (SSJRTC), for example, offers a wide range of events at three annual trials, such as:
-Flats and hurdles racing
-Go to Ground and Super Earth GTG
-Agility
-Conformation
-Brush Hunt
-Lure Chase
-ThunderTunnel
-Trailing and Locating
-Youth handler 

Most of these events require no training to get started...they make use of the terrier's natural instincts.  The atmosphere for agility and conformation are MUCH more laid back than at most typical "dog shows" and there are even conformation categories for neutered/spayed dogs!  The rules of Jack Russell Terrier Club of America (JRTCA) sanctioned agility include a novice on-lead category so that handler/terrier teams with even basic agility training can enter, which is a great way to get low pressure trial experience.

This is just one club; there are others out there offering similar events, some of which are breed-specific and some not. You can learn more about SSJRTC at http://www.ssjrtc.com. 

Here are two videos we made to provide a glimpse into a trial weekend with our dog, Jack.  These events are not just giving Jack a chance to do "what he was bred to do" but we have a blast right along with him. I promise that no matter which breed you own, or what club you may join, giving your dog an outlet for his natural talents and abilities will be a rewarding experience for you both.