My Blogs

By Matt Kells

Category: Hikes

Hikes with Matt and Pepper take time to reflect

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On December 1, 2020

In Dogs, Hereford Zone, Hikes, Prettyboy Reservoir, Trails

Through all of this, I have been surprised at how much I have enjoyed doing this blog. It hasn’t felt so much as an assignment as it has being a hobby. I thoroughly hiking with my German Shepherd Pepper through the Hereford Zone and venturing to beautiful unknown areas we are bound to return to. It definitely makes me think that I could do this as a little hobby should I choose to stick with it, whether it be with hiking or other topics I’m passionate about.

For the goals I set for myself going into this blogging journey, I said I had hoped to learn how to write blogs, and I believe I have. I have incorporated both photos and videos in each of my blogs to document the stunning visuals of the trails Pepper and I have explored. I also learned somewhat how to structure a blog, and talk about certain specifics at a given point in my writing.

For my other goal, I have learned about new trails as well as visit old ones to strengthen my knowledge for the breathtaking paths we walked upon. I visited two trails I had gone on previously, on both occasions going farther to truly reveal what the trail brings to the serious hiker. Going on hikes with my wonderful dog has also showed me not only how much I enjoy hiking, but how Pepper loves walking along trails that remain virtually untouched by the footprint of humankind.

The key lesson I learned is to never undervalue the presence of those you love. I take for granted the loving and caring dog I have for a pet, and with her going through surgery for a lower injury from an accident, I enjoy them more now knowing that anything can happen tomorrow and how nothing is certain.

To end on a positive note, the next steps I would need to take to continue with my blog is to buy a domain for a website to start my blog. This would certainly be a start, but I would also have to market my blog to those I know to draw foot traffic to my work because otherwise I would just be praying for visitors.

I loved having the opportunity to share my hiking experiences with my dog Pepper and my brother Jimmy with you all, and hope you have liked reading about different hiking trails in northern Maryland. Thank you and hoppy holidays!

Hikes with Matt and Pepper take Gunpowder Road

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On November 17, 2020

In Hikes, Prettyboy Reservoir, Uncategorized

Hello folks! Today Pepper and I went on a glorious adventure with my brother Jimmy to a trail on Gunpowder Road. We drove around for about 25 minutes trying to find a good trail that we could have for ourselves and one we hadn’t already ventured on. When we stumbled about to this path, we were flabbergasted by the beauty it displayed to us upon our wonderful hike.

First off, I would recommend this trail to anyone regardless if you’re a biker, horseback rider, or a hiker. It is very welcoming to those who enjoy different means of traveling. The trail is certainly wide enough, it is quite long in distance to test the endurance of animal or man, and also gives you one hell of a workout along the way.

The weather when we hit the trail was cloudy and windy to start, as we had not gone completely into cover from the forest around us. But when we got a ways in, the wind was essentially non-existent and it was rather pleasant.

We were faced with two trails, one on our right and our left, and we decided to go with the one on the left because we inferred the right would lead us right back to the road. As the quote from Indiana Jones goes, “You chose… wisely,” as the trail we chose went on for miles and provided us with more than enough exercise on a chill November afternoon.

The trail was smothered in leaves, as the trees around us looked as bare as newly shaven sheep. The aesthetic the trail gave us upon traveling was incredible, with the brisk fall air and the crunch of our shoes hitting the leaves beneath us gave off a very calming vibe. Along the path we saw horse droppings which told us the trail is commonly used by all walks of life.

As documented in the photo above the trail is extremely wide, making way for even horses to have an enjoyable time on the trails of the Reservoir.

As displayed in this video, although the trail never got seriously close to waterfront, beyond the countless trees the glistening waters of the Reservoir can be seen, making for a peaceful jaunt.

The trail itself has multiple points of entry, as displayed in the map photo above. There were several side paths leading to the road in case one point of entry had a visitor parked there.

As displayed in the background of my brother and Pepper, the elevation changed countless times, with steep inclining hills and deep dipping declines. I would not recommend this to the faint of heart as this trail truly goes on for quite a while as it took us over forty minutes to go one way, and we hadn’t even reached the finish line of the trail.

I do however recommend this trail to those seeking a challenge and are looking for a personal moment of reflection. This trail is certainly long enough to work through personal problems that have been nagging to the point of mental exhaustion.

I absolutely loved this trail on Gunpowder Road and will most definitely be returning for another hike soon enough. For Hikes with Matt and Pepper, I’ll see you next time.

Hikes With Matt and Pepper take Parsonage Road

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On November 15, 2020

In Hikes, Prettyboy Reservoir

Welcome back to Hikes with Matt and Pepper! This week on our latest adventure Pepper and I took to a trail on Parsonage Road off of Spooks Hill Road in Parkton, MD. I had gone on this trail once before in the summer with my brother and one of his friends and remember it being like a rollercoaster with lots of elevation changes. This seems like common knowledge but as I’ve learned since I’ve picked up hiking, trails don’t change much at all. Going on this trail is a great way to start off the day with a challenging hike.

This trail isn’t one where you could necessarily sit down and enjoy the company of your hiking partner by the water, as the entire trail was inland with no waterfront with the exception of a couple streams.

The weather wasn’t quite ideal as clouds blanketed the sky, but the calm and cool fall air was a great reminder to go hiking while the weather is still manageable.

As was the case with Traceys Store Road, fallen leaves stretched upon the entirety of the path and came with it the bareness of the trees above as winter is drawing nearer.

The blue line in this screenshot depicts the trail that we went on earlier this morning, and man was it awesome. I love to go on hikes with my German Shepherd that pushes what I can sustain on hiking fronts, and at times it was tested on this trail. The breathtaking views of Maryland during the fall coupled with the physically demanding trail of Parsonage Road really tests even the experienced hiker on this particular hike.

This trail didn’t offer any side adventures despite what the photo above displays. Its a very wide trail that is incredibly long in distance so it is quite safe for those who enjoy bike riding and horseback riding to venture on.

The video above documents just one of the numerous elevation changes that Pepper and I encountered on our latest journey on the wonderful trails around the Prettyboy Reservoir. The appearance of the trail in this video isn’t quite picturesque, but its the point of being with your dog out in nature that matters the most.

I would recommend this trail to bikers and horseback riders with the connotation that this is a very demanding trail. If you are up to the challenge of testing your cardio and do not mind steep inclines all along your adventure, then this trail is for you. I would not recommend it to those with infants or the elderly as the trail could be too big of a challenge to have them go a good distance. But for those who love a challenge, this is a great opportunity to test your endurance.

This picture here is of Pepper chilling out by the stream for a quick second as I ready my camera.

I love being able to share our adventures on the trails around the captivating Prettyboy Reservoir up in the Hereford Zone, as it truly is a blessing. If you know of any trails around Prettyboy that you would love for me to share on blog, don’t hesitate to email me. Until next time, hope you all have a wonderful hike!

Hikes with Matt and Pepper Take Traceys Store Road

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On November 4, 2020

In Hikes, Prettyboy Reservoir

The first of many hiking adventures for Pepper and I this Fall took place on Traceys Store Road in Parkton, Maryland. I had taken her on this particular trail twice before this past week, both occasions being in the summer. I wanted to take Pep there twice this week so I could really take the time to get a feel for how I felt about this trail. So this past Sunday after I finished up work, Pepper and I got into my Honda Civic and drove over to the trail.

We had an absolute blast. Even though the weather wasn’t ideal on Sunday, we didn’t let it stop us from having an awesome hike on the trail. This particular trail on Traceys Store Road seems to be one a book where you could have several endings depending on the choices you make, as there were several trails that branched off the main route.

The Earth was littered with fallen leaves and the smell of plants decomposing with the changing of times from summer to fall. The scenery along the route was nothing short of extraordinary, as the water filling the reservoir comes into view not too far down the trail with breathtaking sights.

 

This video displays not only the beauty of the Prettyboy Reservoir, but also the fact that Pepper loves to cool off in the water while getting a much needed lap of water.

I would recommend this trail strictly to hikers, as the terrain would be rather unpleasant for bikers at times and some of the smaller trails would be very narrow for a bike to turn and maneuver.

Pepper and I took to this trail again with my younger brother, Jimmy,  on Tuesday as we set off for another round with mother nature. The weather during round two was outstanding, as the sun was shining with limited wind.

The blue line on the bottom of this photo is the trail we embarked on, and we continued straight at the fork in the path where the blue splits into two. When continuing straight, the path down to the waterfront is very pleasant because it contains quite a decline in elevation. But I have to warn you readers, the time spent going back up will not be as fun as you will go up a decent incline to get back home.

The sights are exceptional during the summer with the full bloom of nature in effect, but the fall is just as splendid with leaves changing colors. Having the ability to be on the trails for sunrise or sunset is a blessing, as the colors in the sky are mirrored on the water’s surface.

I would recommend this trail to anyone who not only enjoys exercise but also the great outdoors. I have gone on several trails in my four years of living in Maryland, and this trail is absolutely fantastic. I really recommend this particular one to couples, as there is constant waterfront area where it is level enough to enjoy a romantic picnic by the water for a peaceful date.

I hope you guys enjoyed my first true blog post, and hope you join me for the second wave of Hikes with Matt and Pepper.

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