Searching for a place to walk the dog

This week, I’m going to ask readers a question.

This column typically is a platform to answer readers’ questions about anything related to Merced County. I prefer to answer these questions with traditional reporting. Please bear with me as I explain the reasoning behind me reversing the roles here.

This question is something I’ve wondered for quite a while now. I’ve tried to find solutions but to no avail.

Q: Where do Merced residents go to take a walk and/or walk their dog?

Maybe I’m just being picky, but I’ve had a lot of trouble finding a place.

I despise working out in a gym. I don’t like the image of other people’s sweaty bodies all over the machines before I get to them. I’m not a fan of listening to weights banging on the ground accompanied by an athlete’s grunt or huffing and puffing. I also feel self-conscious because I’m clueless as to what a proper workout should be. All the mirrors lining the walls just give me an extra opportunity to see how silly I look. If you couldn’t tell, I don’t really fit into the “athletic” category.

I do, however, enjoy a nice evening walk.

Time and place are crucial for me to really enjoy a walk and actually get off the couch and get to it.

There’s no way I’m going to wake up early in the morning and step outside before I’ve showered and eaten breakfast, so walks in the mornings aren’t realistic for me. But, I do like to take a walk after dinner in the cool night air. It helps me get over that after-dinner lull as my body digests my food.

I’m also not a big fan of treadmills. I don’t trust myself around heavy machinery in general because I’m already a hazard to myself without that stuff. Plus, I like being outdoors. I like feeling a breeze on my cheek, hearing leaves rustle and getting a glimpse of an evening or night sky.

I also have a young puppy who is holed up in an apartment all day and needs an outlet for loads of bottled-up energy. Before he had his shots and was cleared to run around anywhere and everywhere, I looked forward to taking him on nightly walks.

Unfortunately, when he was of age and received all his shots, I had a tough time finding a place to walk.

I am familiar with Merced’s dog park at Yosemite Avenue and R Street. I did take my little puppy there often before it began getting dark early. The dog park is definitely well used by Merced residents. But, my dog is a small dog (a miniature dachshund), and that side of the dog park is not lit at night. It’s a great place for little dogs to run and play, but not the best place for an evening stroll. We still frequent the dog park on weekend afternoons, but it’s not a place we can go each night.

I am impressed with Merced’s Michael O. Sullivan Bike Path, but it, too, is not lit at night. Neither are the trails running along Bear Creek. My little pup surely would do his best to protect me if I were in danger, but how many people would be scared of a little wiener dog?

A couple of times, a co-worker and I used the Blue Devil Stadium at Merced College for running, but that began closing earlier, too, when it started getting dark before 6 p.m. So we tried Merced High School. That was worse. The field and dirt track were pitch black. School stadiums wouldn’t be my first pick for an evening walk anyway because I don’t think a dog would be welcome there.

In desperate times when I need to get out of the house, I’ll park in a random neighborhood with bright street lights and take my little buddy through the cul-de-sacs and suburban sidewalks. I can’t help wondering if this is really my best option.

So, alas, I turn to you for advice, Mercedians.

Am I being too picky? Is the answer to my question obvious or right under my nose? Should I just settle for walks in residential neighborhoods? Please help! I am eager to hear your suggestions.

And, as usual, please continue sending me your burning curiosities or calling me with your questions that pertain to Merced and the surrounding area.

This story was originally published November 22, 2015 at 3:09 PM with the headline "Searching for a place to walk the dog."