I hope your mom is starting to feel better. Thank you for posting the pictures and the lessons you learned. At some point I want to do something like this.

DebW and IndySteel, did either of you have problems with dogs on the Katy? My assumption is this would be more of a problem on rural roads passing in front of their "territory" (their front/side yards) than on a rail trail or tow path. Not that it couldn't happen there...