The WalkyDog Plus

My husband Drew, is off on another Deployment (YAY Army! -_-) I am officially on summer break as of last Friday. Since it's just me and Rylie this time around and she is a little ball of energy I wanted to try biking with her. I don't run. And to be honest Rylie is leash retarded, she likes to walk in zigzags and she tries to kill me! BUT she is fantastic on the bike! Well the first couple of times Drew held her with the leash and she tried to kill him, then we did it again and she was actually not bad.

A few weeks ago, I posted a picture on Facebook of us biking, I was holding her pink leash and a friend recommended The WalkyDog Plus from The Dog Outdoors. Because using a leash while bike riding really isn't safe at all.

I was skeptical at first because it's $52 + S&H for a metal bar that I could attach to my bike. I thought that holding the leash gave me more control over Rylie, boy was I wrong. On one of our bike rides Rylie saw a cat, we were biking down hill and as soon as she spotted the cat, she booked it towards it. Since we were going down hill, she was pulling, I wasn't able to break as quickly as I wished, and I ran over her. No big deal, she yelped a little, but we were both fine. I still didn't think needed to reevaluate how we went biking. Only she did it 3 more times. All 3 times I lost balance on my bike and ended up toppling over, I didn't get hurt, but it made me think of the next time when I actually got hurt!

So I gave The WalkyDog Plus another look, I still wasn't sold on spending that much money, but after ready many reviews and watching other people's videos on how well it works, I decided to give it a try. I found it on Amazon for the same price, but since I have Amazon Prime shipping would be free. I thought it was a great deal, until I read the reviews. On Amazon it is listed as The WalkyDog Plus, but it is actually just The WalkyDog, the original version. The reviews I read about the Walky Dog said that it was a piece of junk. The Dog Outdoors did a review on the differences on both, which I thoroughly enjoyed. 

When I finally caved an bought the WalkyDog Plus, I was so excited for it to arrive. I found a 10% off code from RetailMeNot, so shipping was only $5, better than the $14 they wanted because they're shipping to an APO (Sometimes I hate being overseas). 

I received The WalkyDog in a week, Rylie and I were so excited to try it out, but mother nature wasn't cooperating with us. When I finally got to try it out, I was impressed with how easy it was to install, (Usually Drew installs things for me). Everything I needed was in the box.
Also while looking at the box, I noticed that it was made in Germany! Go figure. I bought it from an American company only to have it sent back to me in Germany! Actually the fact that it is made in Germany made me even more excited. Since being in Germany we've preferred to buy German made things.

Rylie adapted very well to the WDP. It attaches to my seat.  I'm able to keep both hands on the handlebars. The WDP also has a patented internal shock absorbing system that severely reduces Rylie's pulling and she isn't able to darting out to the side or in front me of.  Rylie stayed right at my side, she was able to hear me when I was giving her commands. But more importantly when she wants to stop, she doesn't make me lose my balance, because I just keep on going.
I've had this product for about a week now, and I think it was a great investment. Rylie and I will go for 5 mile bike rides with no problems. I honestly thought biking with her was going to be a problem, but with it nothing seems to distract her.

Edit: 04/23/16
After a summer in Germany with the WDP, I have to say, buying it was the best decision I ever made. Rylie and I went on bike rides every day and had I had no problem with it! I brought it back to the USA with me and we went on another bike ride, this time with a road bike and it was just as easy! If you're looking for a product to bike with your pet, this is it!

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Herrenchiemsee Palace, Germany

In June 2014 we took a day trip to Chiemsee. On our way back from Salzburg the month before we drove right pass Lake Chiemsee and although I wanted to stop off and check out the island I wanted to go home more. So in June since we had planned not to do anything in anticipation for our Baltic Anniversary cruise the next month we chose not to do anything in June. But of course I wanted to travel so we took a day trip down to Lake Chiemsee.

About and hour south of Munich, there is a freshwater lake between Rosenheim, Germany, and Salzburg, Austria called Chiemsee Lake, it is often called the Bavarian Sea. There are three main islands on the lake: Herreninsel, the largest, with an area of 238 ha; Frauenchiemsee, 15.5 ha, and uninhabited Krautinsel, 3.5 ha, (known as cabbage island because in the Middle Ages it was cultivated by the nuns with vegetable and cabbages).

In 1873 King Ludwig II of Bavaria acquired the Herreninsel, the story was that the island was up for sell and someone wanted to come and tear down all the trees and destroy the natural habitats, the people on the island wrote a letter to the King begging him to purchase the island. King Ludwig II is famous here in Bavaria. He was King of Bavaria at the time when there wasn't a Germany. If you've ever looked at a map of Germany and looked at it's 16 states, Bavaria is by far the largest and best, (I maybe a little partial) it is after all the beer drinking party capital of the world! (Oktoberfest anyone? That's in Munich, which is in Bavaria!)

Aerial View of the Palace (From Google)

Actually he is famous around the world even if many people don't know it. Ever heard the the castle that Disney built because of a famous castle in Germany? King Ludwig II built it! He also build 2 other palaces, while he was king and bankrupted him self in the process. King Ludwig bought the island, and kept all the woodland, but he also used it as the location for his Royal Palace of Herrenchiemsee (New Palace). Ever seen Versailles? This palace is modeled after it! It was built as a "Temple of Fame" for King Louis XIV of France, whom the Bavarian monarch admired. (Fun fact: Louis XIV and Ludwig II had never met! Louis XIV had passed long before Ludwig was even born)

For some reason when we tried to exit off the Autobahn the road that would lead us to the main ferry was closed! So we continued on and followed signs to another port. There are a few ports that have ferries from that will lead you to the islands.

Besides checking out Herrenchiemsee, there are lots of things to do around Lake Chiemsee during the summer and winter months. During the summer you are able to go kite surfing, rent kayaks, etc. During the winter they even have a Christmas Market on the Female Island, although it is a lot smaller than the other Christmas Markets, I hear it is worth seeing at least once.

We bought tickets on board the ship. There were a few people on board we ended up buying tickets that would take us to the other island, but we ended up spending so much time on Herreninsel that we just decided to head back. It took about 30 minutes to get to the island. From the port, there is a ticket office, it's about 8 euros, for a combo ticket that will cover, (New Palace, King Ludwig II Museum, museum and galleries in the Augustinian Monastery)

After visiting the other castles built by Ludwig II, it's safe to say that he likes his palaces in the middle of no where. From the ticket office you have a walk through the woodlands, you could always do a horse drawn carriage ride up there, but we decided to walk. It was a beautiful June day, sun was shinning and I needed Vitamin D.

Can you see it peaking through??

It wasn't a bad walk. It took us less than 20 minutes to get there, and we still had loads of time to walk around and snap pictures of the garden area. Summer time was the perfect time to go. The fountains were on and there weren't many people there. Honestly it was magical.

There weren't many people there either. It was Friday the 13th, maybe they're superstitious too? We had a good time. A nice German older lady and her friend were nice enough to take a picture of us and they were even telling us to kiss! At least that's what we think they were saying, they were talking in German, but we've been told that we're a very adorable couple. I can only imagine that's what they were saying. HAHA.

I told you we were adorable! :D

I loved that the fountains were on. Each statue has it's own special meaning, but I just loved that they were on. I was told that at Versailles they don't turn the water on during the summer, they were only turned on a few times a month, and when they were on the visitors get charged a fee even if they miss it! We didn't miss the water fountains here. 

The Palace in literally in the middle of the Island! (*Pic From Google)

The palace it self is pretty amazing, at least what is completed. Our guide started off at the finished part of the palace, then it continued on to the other wing which looks exactly like the first wing, just not finished. There was an elderly couple on the tour who had been on this tour before about 10 years ago! They loved the palace so much when they came back to Germany they had to come and see it again.

Only the central portion was built before the king died and construction was discontinued with 50 of the 70 rooms still incomplete. It was the first time we actually went inside and toured one of the palaces in Germany and I think it was money well spent. Ludwig II spend about 10 day in this palace, before he died. Can you imagine? Going bankrupt building this castle, then spending less than 2 weeks at it?

Unfortunately we weren't able to take pictures of the inside. But I've found some pictures from Google that don't do this place justice, but it'll give you an idea of how amazing it was.

We went on the English tour, there were about 8 people on our tour, and our tour guide took us through the palace.

*Google

The highlights of the large state rooms are the State Staircase, the State Bedroom and the Great Hall of Mirrors. The king's own rooms were in the intimate Small Apartment, designed in the French rococo style. The palace was shaped in an 'W' with wings flanking a central edifice. Only 16 of the 70 rooms were on the ground floor. It was to have been an equivalent to the Palace of Versailles, but only the central portion was built before the king died and construction was discontinued with 50 of the 70 rooms still incomplete. It was never intended to be a perfectly exact replica of the French royal palace and in several places even surpasses it. Like Versailles, the Hall of Mirrors has 17 arches, the Hall of Peace and the Hall of War on either side have three windows each. The window niches at Herrenchiemsee are wider than those at Versailles, making its central facade a few metres wider. The dining room features an elevator table and the world's largest Meissen porcelain chandelier. Technologically, the building also benefits from nearly two centuries of progress. While the original Versailles palace lacked toilets, water, and central heat, the New Palace has all of these, including a large heated bathtub.

*Pics from Google

*Pics from Google

The Finished Wing vs. the Unfinished Wing

After our tour of the castle we decided to walk back to the port to catch the ferry to the other island, only we ended up taking the long way around, we ended up finding the abbey and the museum! But boy was it a walk. We also found a little garden area. Spring/Summer time in Germany is my favorite, not only because of all the festivals, but because of all the flowers. I've noticed that the Germans love their gardens and having flowers in bloom. Garden's are what make a castle so majestic, at least that's what I think.

Look at all the flowers!

We found Horses!

So we made our way back down to the port, we had every intention of heading to the female island, only thing was that we realized the time. It had taken us about 4 hours to get down to Lake Chiemsee, and we didn't bring the dogs with us, so being the good pet parents we are we decided to head back.

Herrenchiemsee was such a beautiful Palace. Two years later it is still the only Palace in Germany that we've actually gone inside to tour. I think there is a reason for that. I would love to be able to go back before we leave, but for now I'm glad that we got the chance to go.

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Rhine Falls, Switzerland

On our way back from Switzerland we decided to check out the Rhine Falls. It is Europe's biggest waterfall! On our way to Thun Drew saw signs about the Rhine Falls and kept saying he wanted to see it. Since we were on a spur of the moment trip, we decided to stop off at the falls on our way home. I wasn't sure if this should be it's own post, but it didn't seem to fit in with the Interlaken post. So it is its own post! 

Funny thing, although the Rhine Falls are technically in Switzerland, we had to cross back into Germany (biggest pain in the butt with pets, German law states that pets need to be either in a crate, or somehow strapped down to the seats, Seamus & Rylie wanted no part of that!), then cross back into Switzerland!

Pictures from the parking lot!

Theres a little ferry boat that takes you across the water.

The Rhine Falls were formed in the last ice age, approximately 14,000 to 17,000 years ago, by erosion-resistant rocks narrowing the riverbed. The first glacial advances created today's landforms approximately 500,000 years ago. Up to the end of the Wolstonian Stage approximately 132,000 years ago, the Rhine flowed westwards from Schaffhausen past Klettgau. This earlier riverbed later filled up with gravel.

Schloss Worth, (Used to be a castle? now it's a restaurant)

 The Falls are 150 m (450 ft) wide and 23 m (75 ft) high. In the winter, the average water flow is 250 m³/s, while in the summer, the average water flow is 700 m³/s. The highest flow ever measured was 1,250 m³/s in 1965; and the lowest, 95 m³/s in 1921, fun fact the falls cannot be climbed by fish, but eels are able to worm their way up over the rocks.

Sidles' @ Rhine Falls, Oct 2014

We spent a couple hours at the falls, as soon as we got there it had started to rain and everyone ran under the little souvenir shop for cover. Seamus & Rylie were not happy. Luckily it only rained for about 10-minutes. At the Rhine Fall there is an path with elevator goes from Laufen Castle to the outlook platform. You are able to take a boat ride to the Rhine Falls basin, the rocks in the middle of the Rhine and downstream to the national border or farther to the Rheinau power plant. We didn't end up taking the boat ride because we had the dogs. I'm not sure if you could/couldn't take them. We just figured it was easier not to go. We had no planned on staying for very long. It was just a nice stop off point to stretch our legs and get out of the car. 

This used to be a castle!

We walked around the falls for a while, following the pathway that lead up to the top of the falls, it was an amazing site. I'm not on outdoors person, but I love seeing things that nature creates. After visiting the falls I read about it and it looks like on a nice day there is a lot to do. 

 Stopped off in the middle of the falls for a picture

We didn't come on a nice day, and we didn't have any rain gear. Plus I felt like we had a long weekend and all I wanted to do was be in my own bed. Unknowingly at the time we had a long night a head of us, this was the trip where we got rear-ended on our way back home! Thank god for ADAC (Europe;s version of AAA) though. 

The Rhine falls was a nice stop off point. The pictures we got were amazing and Drew was able to pick up a Switzerland Stein that had the all places we went to!

I enjoyed the Rhine Falls. I wouldn't make the drive just to check it out. But it something that was nice to see since we were in the area.

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