Town Diary - February 2001
Doris and Chelli - a Pleasant Valley walk.
Doris Dunbar, long time resident of Pleasant Valley, and her
dog Chelli (Chelsea's nickname) are well known to people living in town or passing
through Pleasant Valley. For the last ten years the two have logged 6 or 7
miles each day walking the road along the Farmington River. Doris started
walking when she first got Chelli. "I figured the dog needed the exercise,
and that it wouldn't hurt me either" said Doris.
Doris Dunbar and Chelli on another Pleasant Valley walk in
February, 2001.
The two go walking two or three times a day. Chelli, part
border collie, loves the walks. "When she was two or three years old, right
after I got her from the Terryville Animal Shelter, she was always anxious to go.
Now that she is about 11 years old, she isn't always so enthusiastic. Sometimes
now when I ask her if she wants to go, the look I get back seems to say, 'I ain't
going on this one'". But Doris and Chelli hit the road at least twice a day.
Over the years Doris has suffered several twisted ankles on the
walks. One time she turned an ankle after stepping on an acorn. Since
then a relative cautions her to watch out for those "killer acorns".
On the walks she has seen countless ducks, geese and other birds, including bald
eagles.
One day on Route 181 approaching Route 44 Chelli began peering
intently up into a big tree overhanging the road. Doris looked into the tree
to see what was attracting the dog's attention, and quickly saw what it was:
Perched in the tree were about 25 huge turkey vultures! She slowed down, wondering
whether they should even walk under the tree. "They might think we're as good
as dead meat!", she related. But she and Chellie walked under the tree and
lived to tell about it (and to walk another day!).
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