The Dude and his best friend, Ryan Brinkman, receive the first-ever B.A.R.K. Ranger award and tag from the Chelsea Area Chamber of Commerce in April. Photo courtesy of Ryan Brinkman.

by Marsha Chartrand

Nearby Chelsea contains about 50 maintained walking trails. It’s a great place to go for a walk of any distance; from beginners to high-achieving hikers. It’s also become a popular place to walk with your dogs. So the Chelsea Area Trail Challenge was initiated by the Chamber of Commerce, followed by the “B.A.R.K. Ranger” challenge initiated last winter.

What’s a “Bark Ranger,” you ask? Well, here’s a description from the bark ranger web page: https://chelseamich.com/annual-events/ctc/

Calling all dog lovers and outdoor enthusiasts! You and your four-legged friends can explore, protect, and enjoy Chelsea’s beautiful trails together! Become a Chelsea B.A.R.K. Ranger!

Start by picking up your free B.A.R.K. Ranger activity booklet at the Chelsea Area Chamber of Commerce! Then hit the trails with your pup and complete two fun tasks: take a hike and share a trail photo using #USBarkRangers and #ChelseaTrailChallenge hashtags.

Learn the B.A.R.K. principles:

• Bag waste
• Always leash
• Respect wildlife
• Know where to go

Submit your entry online on the Chelsea Trail Challenge page, then stop by the Visitors Center to claim your sticker and certificate. Want to go all in? B.A.R.K. Ranger tags are available for purchase, too!

Here’s where the Manchester Connection comes in. Remember The Dude? Well, The Dude and his companion, Ryan Brinkman, went to Chelsea in late April to help kick off the program (it actually started in February), and Dude officially became the first dog to receive the new Bark Ranger tag. Chelsea’s program is unique in Michigan, but there are dozens of B.A.R.K. Ranger programs at parks across the nation. It will run from February to November each year, alongside the more traditional trail challenge.

The Chelsea Chamber, who sponsors all of this, happens to be directed by Manchester native Terris Ahrens, a long-time friend of Ryan’s. He filled us in on the details of the B.A.R.K. Ranger and the Chelsea Trail Challenge. For even more information, call the Chamber office at  734-475-4618.

And this story wouldn’t be complete without an update on The Adventures of The Dude.

“This is his 44th Bark Ranger badge from parks across the country,” Ryan noted. “He’s also now been to 47 states, and in June we’re heading out on a road trip to Alaska—which will bring him up to 49 states. After that, just Hawaii left!”

“Dude’s now up to over 28,000 Instagram followers and more than 21,000 TikTok followers. We’ve been getting a lot more sponsors lately — free places to stay, fun things to do — and we’re even making enough money now through online sponsors to help pay for our travels,” Ryan continues. “At this point, the trips are pretty much covering themselves, and it feels like things just keep getting better every day. We recently took a small airplane ride over Moab, Utah — super-cool experience and Dude loved it!”

Watch for more upcoming adventures on Instagram, TikTok, or right here at the Mirror.

Photo courtesy of Ryan Brinkman.