The majority of the new snow has melted in Orillia, it is a warm, sunny spring day and it is time to go for the first ride of the year!

Our destination is a rail trail that runs between Orillia and Coldwater. I figure that it will be fairly dry even though there is still a lot of snow in the bush which makes riding on singletrack out of the question. There is also another consideration that helps make my decision: I will be riding with my wife, Renee and our nine month old Labrador Retriever, Oakley. This will be Oakley's first ride and I am a little reluctant. My only experience with dogs and bikes comes from childhood, when our German Shepard would chase and bite at my feet while I pedaled my Raleigh BMX bike around the yard.

I load the two bikes into the back of the Ranger, the dog in the front with us and we're off. It is only a short drive to the trailhead and Oakley spends the time sitting on Renee's lap with her head sticking out the window, enjoying the wind in her fur.

Despite the prospect of a very flat, straight line ride, I am stoked. Just to be on the bike again after a long winter is enough to get me excited. And besides, my legs and lungs wouldn't like me very much if I tackled any big hills after months of sloth.

We arrive at the trailhead and begin to unload the bikes and gear. I quickly realize that there is a lot more to carry when you have a dog with you like extra water, treats and a leash. Oakley is impatient to get going right away of course and finally we're off.

The trail is still snow covered in certain sections and pretty wet in spots. Soon humans, bikes and dog are splattered with mud. No one minds though as we're enjoying the gorgeous spring day surrounded by nature. Oakley loves the water and soon finds a ditch running beside the trail where she splashes along with us as we ride.

Because the trail is so flat and straight we spot some people and dogs heading our way. Oakley is still a pup and thinks every living creature is her personal toy to play and wrestle with, so we decide to put her on the leash. The approaching group is still some distance away, so Renee suggests we get on the bikes and ride a little further. The only question is, who will hold the leash. With a premonition of what could transpire, I graciously hand the leash over to Renee because my feet are clipped into the pedals and hers are not. At first things go well. Oakley is running straight down the middle of the trail, pulling Renee who barely has to pedal. Then the inevitable happens. Oakley catches sight of something off to the left and suddenly swerves off the trail. Renee's handle bars turn with the leash, stopping her bike's forward momentum in a hurry and she is unceremoniously dumped to the ground. I of course would never laugh at someone else's misfortune but the couple walking toward us find the situation quite amusing.

It turned out to be a good thing that we did put Oakley on the leash because the couple had three German Shepards with them and they didn't seem too happy to see another dog. We exchanged pleasantries and continued on our way without any problems except Oakley's disappointment that she wasn't allowed to play with the growling dog, three times her size.

We met a few more people and dogs on the remainder of our ride but a few hours later found ourselves back at the parking lot at the end of our ride.

Things went quite well on our first ride with Oakley and I don't think it will be the last. It turns out, you can go riding with a dog after all, (as long as you don't try to do it attached by a leash).