Today marks six months since we started this blog. My, how time has flown.
This was our first blog ever and we didn’t really know what we were doing when we started. Our vision was just to share our hiking stories with the world. People are always surprised to see our weiner dogs, with their little legs, out on the trail.
We aren’t just talking about a casual stroll in the woods either. Chester has hiked 15 miles up and over a mountain pass. Gretel’s hiking career is young but she can finish a steep 3-mile hike and looks at me like “when do we start the hard stuff?” when we get back to the car.
We started this blog by posting once a week but along the way we have expanded to posting 5 days a week. To date, we have reached 8,400 all-time views. We had 254 views on our busiest day so far. Early on we started a Facebook Fan Page and we have watched it grow from 0 to 260 fans. We see all of this as a great success and appreciate each and every person who has taken the time to check us out and “like” our Facebook page.
Along our blogging journey we have learned that we have other things to share besides just the stories of our hikes, as entertaining as they might be. We want to get the word out about what great hiking partners small dogs can make (many people don’t give the credit they deserve) and the importance of exercise for you and your dog. We even started The Adventureweiner Club of Seattle(TM) to encourage other Doxie owners to get their dogs outside to play.
We have watched our reader numbers steadily grow and we are excited and thankful that some of the people like us enough to subscribe. We have made many bloggy friends along the way and look forward to making more. We look forward to another 6 months of growth, new friends and fun.
We started this blog last fall when the days were short and the weather was cold. Summer is here now (almost) and the sunshine beckons us outside. In the Northwest you have to take advantage of it while it is here because it is cloudy, gray and drizzley 9 months out of the year.
I suspect we are not the only ones having a hard time balancing outside play with time spent in the blogging world. I notice everyone’s post comments are down this time of year and some bloggers are posting less. We are going to try to do our best but make no apologies for spending more time outdoors instead of on the computer. Hey, at least it will give us more blog post material 🙂
For example, this is a 3-day weekend. In the winter I would be able to spend about 12 hours in blogland. This summer weekend you will find us heading out on a hike with Chester and Gretel and competing on a relay team for the Ski to Sea,a multi-sport adventure race that starts at the top of one of Washington’s highest peaks and ends at sea level. Once we get back Monday we will be tired and will have to unpack so I only see room for about 2 hours on the computer.
So if you don’t see us as often it is because we are out having fun. We hope you are too. What are your plans for the weekend?
Mumsy and Chancy says
May 28, 2011 at 4:52 AMCongrats! We are looking forward to all your future posts. We just started our blog here on WP and we are glad we found your blog right away…it’s a good one and we really enjoy! Hugs and nose kisses for all!
jme says
May 28, 2011 at 8:48 AMah for me, working- which means rehoming dogs and that is always good work…but oddly enough, holidays and weekends are the only time i can seem to “catch” up on what i couldn’t get done during the week…i do long for a day when rescue work for me can be an 8 hour day, rather than 16 hahaha. everyone enjoy the weekend and i will too- after adopting out dogs, we go to a picnic…fun- with a little work thrown in! 😉
Elizabeth says
May 28, 2011 at 12:26 PMCongrats on your first six months! You’ve got a niche, for sure. 🙂
I’m taking advantage of a crappy rainy Memorial Day Saturday to get caught up on blogging. (I guess I’m thankful.) Anyway, I just read through your posts about Gretel’s unfortunate past. What a terrible mess. 🙁 I hope this case sends a message to anyone else out there who might be doing the same thing. Gretel’s a lucky girl to have found her way to you.
Debbie Cohen says
May 29, 2011 at 7:53 AMI can’t think of a better reason for not blogging than needing a break to enjoy your life. And yes, I am sure you will have lots of stories for the blog. I just started to blog and sometimes I find myself sitting in front of the computer for 4 hours and I have 1/10th your traffic.
And Chester has hiked 13 miles! I am in awe of him…he’s a stud! The most I’ve even done is 10 and that kicked my butt. The most Sienna and I have done is 4 but I hope that changes this year thanks to the Adventureweiner club.
AdventureJess says
June 1, 2011 at 11:02 AMDuring the winter I was spending 4 hours on this blog easy. And that is with a full-time job! Now I have wedding planning and that blog to fit in too 🙂
georgia little pea says
May 29, 2011 at 3:04 PMHi there,
I just wanted to thank you for dropping by and leaing a note for Rufus. It was very kind of you.
I’m terribly impressed at how much you’ve achieved in such a short time. I’m afraid I don’t post enough to get that kind of daily hits! Ahhh well, I like to think of LDOLL as a boutique blog [which is rather like a real estate agent calling a crap house that’s falling down one with tremendous potential].
Daschunds on adventure hikes is definitely unusual. The ones in our neighbourhood tend to get carried around and wear little coats. We’re a bit scared of daschunds, Georgia and I, both having been nipped by them [on separate occasions and by different dogs]. I suspect Chester and Gretel might help us get over our fear :p
Hope to read more adventures soon. And yes, that publish button is unnerving! Have a great week xox
georgia little pea says
May 29, 2011 at 3:07 PMI’ve also suddenly realised I spelt the D word wrongly. Twice. *sigh*
According to Gus says
May 29, 2011 at 6:11 PMI hear you on the lack of time! As much as I’d like to spend more time blog reading (and writing), life gets in the way. I always told myself that spending time with Gus will always trump writing about him. He thinks it’s a pretty good plan, too. 😀
AdventureJess says
June 1, 2011 at 11:03 AMThat’s how we feel too. Adventure, outdoor fund and excercise with always trump blogging. I am just trying to find a way to have the time I need for both 🙂
Mary Hone says
May 30, 2011 at 9:09 AMHey we’re right behind you on months blogging. I’ve been blogging Roxy’s travels and such for 4 months. And yes, there are other things to write about. It’s been a fun adventure. It’s hard to find time when we are out on the road, or the great weather beckons. We’ll all make it work though. Cause we’re good like that.
AdventureJess says
June 1, 2011 at 10:58 AMWe’re making to work too 🙂
Kas says
May 30, 2011 at 6:39 PMHappy 6-month blogiversary! You definitely have super wieners, that’s for sure. I don’t know if I ever told you about my friend’s doxie, but he’s a height dog in flyball and always one of the crowd favorites. People always look twice when they see such a short, small dog pump those legs just as fast as some of the more typical sport dogs. And most importantly, doxies have those hearts that never give up 🙂
AdventureJess says
June 1, 2011 at 11:00 AMGretel is a super athlete. If she got into agility or flyball I am sure she would wow the crowd too. I don’t have the time or patience for that right now though. I consider jumping up and over huge rocks and trees on our hike her “agility” training 🙂
2browndawgs says
June 1, 2011 at 5:07 AMCongrats on your 6 months. Oh are we ever having trouble keeping up…..
AdventureJess says
June 1, 2011 at 10:57 AMThanks 🙂 We are glad to learn we are not the only ones having trouble keeping up. This is our first summer blogging so it is a learning adventure for sure.
furfilled says
June 6, 2011 at 9:05 AMWell, it’s nice to know that I’m not the only one having a hard time keeping up with posts and comments…! I just returned from my self-imposed “spring break” so I’m ready to hit the keyboard again. : )
AdventureJess says
June 6, 2011 at 10:55 AMYeah, we are glad you took a break so we didn’t have to feel bad for not having the time to read or comment on your posts. Ha, ha. Joking….kinda. We do look forward to an upcoming post from you though.