Arriving at Wash Park


I drive my Chevy Malibu over to Wash Park - it's really Washington Park but everyone here calls it "Wash". Autumn, my golden retriever, is in the backseat, excited to be going on an adventure. The park is busy today thanks to the Furry Scurry, but I find a place to park about a block away from Wash, hook Autumn's leash to her collar, and get out of the car. I have my camera bag with me too, and I throw that onto my shoulders.

Before the Start


She and I then make the short walk over to Wash, find the registration table, and pick up my shirt and 5k number. This is my first Furry Scurry. The Scurry is an annual event hosted by Denver Dumb Friends League to raise money for their animal shelter. There are so many booths here, I don't even know where to begin. I check my phone to see if Roxanne, my boyfriend's cousin, has shown up yet. She and I are supposed to be doing the Scurry together. She says she's running late and will be here in about forty-five minutes. Uff da.


Autumn and I walk around as I scope out everything around us. There's a "Team Area" for the people who actually fundraise as a team (Roxanne and I did not), the plethora of booths with giveaways and items for sale, food trucks, and various gatherings by people partaking in the Scurry.


Autumn is getting a little up there in years, so any time I pause to take pictures she sits down next to me. It's also very hot out.

Orange inflatable arch gate at an outdoor park event with people relaxing on green grass under a sunny blue sky.
People enjoying a sunny outdoor park festival with green grass, trees, and colorful tents in the background.

Furry Scurry 2018


Roxanne arrives and we find each other by the start line to the 5k. The "race" has already started, the serious participants well on their way towards the finish line. The path for the 5k goes around both lakes of Wash Park, and I stop to take a picture of Autumn by the first one to commemorate us doing this together.

A golden retriever sitting on green grass by a serene lake in a sunny park, wearing a leash.

Wash Park really is beautiful. The cherry trees are blossoming, there's a yoga class or something going on in one of the grassy areas of the park, and the lake is beautiful - a boathouse can be seen across the way. It's no longer used for that purpose, but is actually a venue you can book for weddings and such.

People enjoying outdoor activities on lush green grass among tall trees in a sunny park during spring.
Pink cherry blossom trees bloom in a lush green park on a sunny spring day.
Serene lake in a lush green park with a gazebo, blue sky, and wispy clouds reflected on calm water.

Along the path there are water bottle stations for the humans and pools of water for the dogs. Autumn refuses to share water with other dogs, so she just walks by them. That's okay. I have a portable little water dish with me and she drinks the water I pour into her bowl from my own bottle. One of the pools of water made for the dogs overflowed at some point and there's a huge puddle on the walkway. Autumn walks right through it, but Roxanne's two dogs, CJ and Daisy, take a break to cool off. Their paws are in the water and they are lapping it up. Roxanne doesn't want to get her feet wet, so she stands up on the curb off to the side.

Person jogging past a large puddle reflecting trees on a sunny spring day near a park road with red lane markings.
Two dogs drinking from a puddle in a sunny park while people walk along a red path lined with trees.

We make it over to the second lake, and there are geese and goslings here. They are adorable. The goslings are very young. There's one goose family with eleven goslings - that's a huge number to survive to this age. There's another goose family with just one. My heart hurts a little thinking of what could have happened to the others.

Canada geese family with goslings resting by a calm lake shore surrounded by green grass in spring.
Two Canada geese swim with a fluffy yellow gosling on a calm blue lake.

We make it to the end! Woohoo! Roxanne leaves, but Autumn and I hang out a bit longer actually perusing the booths. I get her a bag full of free treats, some free toys, free bandanas, and so much more. The Furry Scurry is very generous and I honestly had a lot of fun with my Golden Girl. I will definitely be doing this again next year.