Motoring Across America

With James "Alex" Alexander

with James "Alex" Alexander



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Blog 231: Midwest Moments

Here are a few pics from our stays with friends in Indiana and Michigan.

Pups
Here is a shot of Mitzy checking out a chipmunk, Guido and Polly on the run, a pup at a car show, a camping pup, and Jack the farm dog.

Mitzy and Chipper

Pup

Camping Pup

Jack the Farm Pup

Critters
Here is a displaying Tom trying to attract hens, frolicking horses and a couple of farm cats.

Displaying Tom

Frolicking Horses

Farm Cat

Another Farm Cat

Jan’s Old Signs
Here are a couple of old signs from Michigan.

Old Sign 1

Old Sign 2

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks all taken in Michigan.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next time.

Blog 181: Really White Christmas

Be careful what you wish for…Janny said she wanted a white Christmas--and boy she got it! We spent a solid week with family and friends feasting like Viking warriors on holiday in this postcard-perfect winter scene. Here are a hodgepodge of pics from this action-packed week.

Winter Sky

Birds at the Feeders

Frozen Berries

Frozen Wine

Squirrels

Cheesecake

Mers Famous Shooters

Christmas Feast

Holiday Alex

Mers and Millie

This Babe Is Hot!

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from Michigan.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

Thanks for following the blog! See you next year.

Blog 166: Fancy Fungi and a Marvelous Moth

Morning After the Storm
Tuesday night we had one “wail” of a storm--buckets of rain, bolts of lightning, and blasts of thunder that would make the hell hounds howl. Here is a pre-drawn beach shot the morning after the storm.

Morning After the Storm

CC the Cecropi Moth Larva
A fellow camp host brought CC the Cecropi moth larva over to show off his good looks. This bad boy styles with a flair for color. He is fancier than a college coed on break at South Beach! After taking a few pics we returned him to nature, eating his way north (by now he is probably crossing the Mackinaw Bridge to the U.P.).

CC #1

CC #2

Want to see what this handsome fellow will look like as he passes through more larvae stages to become a moth? Check out this link and scroll toward the end: http://www.wormspit.com/cecropia.htm

Fancy Fungi
The moisture-temperature equation reached the optimum balance this week for sprouting mushrooms and their fungi family. Here are several specimens captured during a walk in the woods.

Fungi #1

Fungi #2

Fungi #3

Fungi #4

Fungi #5

Fungi #6

Fungi #7

Fungi #8

Fungi #9

Fungi #10

Fungi #11

Fungi #12

Fungi #13

Fungi #14

This and That
Here is a pic of the Empire donkey and a shot of Jerry and Mitzy in a grove of pine trees.

Donkey

Pups in the Pines

Old Signs
Here are two old signs that Jan found and I shot.

Old Sign #1

Old Sign #2

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week.

Blog 165: Yakety Yak

A quiet week up in the north country as the season has ended and the pace has slowed.

This and That
Here are some shots from the park along with a bull yak and cow.

Happy Campers

Beachcomber

Dennis at Dawn

Yak

Old Signs
Here are two old signs that Jan found and I shot.

Old Sign #1

Old Sign #2

Old Trucks
We had this neat old pickup with camper in the campground this week. Also, Jan and I went to an old car and truck show in Traverse City and shot eight old trucks. Two are here and the other six went into our reserve for sparse future weeks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week.

Blog 164: Jerry Gets Promoted

Jerry Gets Promoted
For those of you who don’t know him, our rat terrier, Jerry, is one special guy. Strong as a Russian weightlifter, fast as an Olympic sprinter, and handsome enough to be on the cover of GQ--he’s a natural leader, you might say. Well, not really. Jerry has never had the desire to be an alpha dog, preferring to be the background vocals to lead-singer pups like his sister, Mitzy.

However, all his fine attributes and outstanding work at the campground have finally been recognized. Here is a picture of Jerry accepting the Smoky Bear Achievement Award--the first time it has ever been given to a dog!

Jerry Gets Promoted

I Just Love Aunt Deb

Overwhelmed by emotion, Jerry plants a big one on his hero (and supplier of homemade beef jerky), Aunt Deb.

Lake Michigan Blues
For those of you interested in seeing Jan’s latest painting, “Lake Michigan Blues,” click here.

Kalamazoo Visit
We drove the 200 miles-plus south to visit good friends in Kalamazoo. Naturally, we had a feast. Notice the individual “seated” at the far left.

The Feast

Of course there was a lot of chitchat, banter, and mutual admiration.

Oh, Alex

Halo?

This and That
Here are a couple pics of a good-looking praying mantis and a very proud, new Junior Ranger.

Praying Mantis

Junior Ranger

Old Signs
Here are two old signs that Jan found.

Old Sign #1

Old Sign #2

Old Trucks
Here are three beauties.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week.

Blog 163: Indian Pipes and Black-Eyed Susans

Quick Trip to Dallas
I started off the week with a quick trip to Dallas to work with a new client. Excellent session.

Forest Flora
Here is a shot of lichen and moss, plus the very elusive Indian pipe.

Lichen and Moss

Indian Pipe

This and That
Here are black-eyed Susans, hydrangea, and the Forest Pups on the go.

Black-Eyed Susans

Hydrangea

Forest Pups

Old Signs
Here are two old signs that Jan found.

Old Sign #1

Old Sign #2

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week.

Blog 162: Alex the Slacker

Yes, I admit it…my photographic efforts this week were less than stellar. Therefore, those of you who value brevity will enjoy this week’s work!

Quick Trip to Chicago
I started off the week with a quick trip to Chicago to work with a longtime client. Excellent session.

This and That
Here are a couple of pics taken down on the Lake Michigan beach.

Beach Pup

Beach Bird

Old Signs
Here are two old signs that Jan found.

Old Sign #1

Old Sign #2

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week.

Blog 161: Salty Lakes and Hairy Woodpeckers

Quick Trip to Salt Lake City
I started off the week with a quick trip to Salt Lake City to facilitate a client session of smart professionals. The only bad part about the trip was that I had no chance to admire the beautiful scenery that connects and surrounds this majestic area. Here is one photo from my plane seat flying west on my return just after sunrise.

View Past Salt Lake

Oneida Fair
Just a few miles from our campground is an area of several hundred acres called Port Oneida. The port is long gone but about a dozen farms still exist with the national park service owning/managing over half of them. For two days each year the Friends of Sleeping Bear put on an old-fashioned country fair at five different farms with food, games, crafts, music, vaudeville acts tailored to the area, demonstrations on mowing hay with oxen, blacksmithing, corn shelling, and so on. It was a lot of fun. Here are four pics from the fair.

Fair Musicians

Fair Enactment

Fair Oxen

Fair Weaving

This and That
One afternoon we heard a constant tapping and saw the continuous pendulum motion of a pair of Hairy Woodpeckers busy at our campsite.

Hairy Woodpecker

Things They Didn't Tell Me...

Fallen Tree

Old Signs
Here are two old signs that Jan found.

Old Sign #1

Old Sign #2

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week.

Blog 160: Return of the Prima Ballerina

Donna Marie Pieraciniovich, Prima Ballerina
One of our friends was for several years the prima ballerina at the Galesburg Bar & Opera House. Every Saturday night she would shimmy and glide with pointed toes and arched back to her admiring audience as the house reverberated to the classical tunes played by the Hokey Symphony. Oh, those were the days my friends! Here she is showing that she still has the moves that made her a local legend (notice the classic arch).

Prima Balerina

Beach Sunrise
Here are three shots I took during sunrise on the beach one cloudy morning.

Pre-Sunrise

Sunrise

Sunrise Admirer

Beach Sunset
Here is a pic of a couple enjoying a Lake Michigan sunset.

Post-Sunset

Postcard
This is Jan’s latest painting, a postcard called “The Big Lake Blues.” It is being mailed as a “get well” message to a friend.

Big Lake Blues

Bouquet
This is a floral arrangement Jan put together. The red background was my idea--really makes the flowers pop, don’t you think?

Bouquet

This and That

Beach Mole

Ranger Preso

I'm Stuffed!

Old Signs
Here are two old signs for the week.

Old Sign #1

Old Sign #2

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks for your review.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week.

Blog 156: Park Art and Parade Pups

A few showers during the week, but warm weather, light breezes, and happy campers.

Greystone Gardens
We stopped off at this farm called Greystone Gardens, and wandered through the greenhouses enjoying the colors and smells of flowers in full bloom.

Hibiscus

Coleus

Butterfly Plant

Black-Eyed Susan

July 4th Parade
The Annual Glenn Arbor Parade went right by the entrance of our Park and we joined hundreds of others sitting and standing alongside the road. I was impressed by the quantity of entrants, the infectious enthusiasm, and the sheer poundage of candy tossed out. It was the only parade I have ever been to where one float distributed cherries and another threw out hot dogs! There was one old truck in the parade and it is shown below in the Old Truck grouping. Here is a parade pup, a couple cool trucks, a Woody, and a quite attractive fivesome.

Parade Pup

Parade Truck #1

Parade Truck #2

Snug Harbor Woody

Pups, Deb, Jan, Maryellen

Art in the Park
Every Friday morning, our friend, Marj, puts on an arts-and-crafts workshop for the little tykes in the campground. Here are a couple of participant pics.

Art in the Park #1

Art in the Park #2

Morning Hikes
I did just two hikes this week, Cottonwood and Alligator Trail.

This and That
Here is a shot of abandoned sandals on the beach, the old Canning Company at Glen Haven, two redheads (Janny took this fun shot), and a chipper enjoying leftover Cheerios at a camp site.

Sandals

Canning Company

Chipper

Two Redheads

Jan’s Old Signs
Here are two old signs that Jan selected and I shot.

Old Sign #1

Old Sign #2

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week.

Blog 155: Adios, Federales!

Once again no business travel this week, so I resumed the rhythm started last week. When not camp hosting, I was writing, hiking, and biking. Mitzy and Jerry, unofficial Park Ambassadors, were at our sides constantly, greeting visitors, guarding the Park, and accepting pets from worthy admirers.

Camp Ambassadors

Saint Bernard

Running Like The Wind

Morning Hikes
We had three nice morning hikes this week: Platte Plains Trail - Otter Creek Loop, Shauger Hill Trail, Pyramid Point Trail. All gorgeous, all quiet, as we met no one on any of these. It is remarkable and wonderful to have a national park to ourselves.

Forest Pines

Yellow Fungi

Red Fungi

Toad

Flowers
Of course, there were lots of flowers along our paths.

Iris

Vetch

Forget-Me-Nots

Daisies

Jack In The Pulpit

Bladder Campions #1

Bladder Campions #2

Mini Drones
However, since it was raining a little every day, the mosquitoes were in a frenzy by the end of the week. Even with an ample lathering of Deep Woods Deet, the nasty little critters and their ornery cousins, the deer flies, hovered like government drones, plotting their strikes at the quarter-inch of skin not inundated with repellant. Hence, Friday morning we altered our plans, and avoiding the meadows and forests we took an hour-and-a-half stroll down Esche Beach, one of the finest in Northern Michigan.

Beach Weed

Day Lillies

Beach Sunrise Couple

Canoe Crew

Campground Colleagues
Here are shots of Ralph, Geri, and Deb, fellow camp hosts, and Anna, a volunteer interpreter originally from Russia.

Ralph

Geri

Deb

Anna

Trapped!

Rocky Racoon

While on duty one morning, we found a young raccoon, trapped in a dumpster, coiled up and looking pitiful. We scrounged around and found a ten-foot 1”x4” that we gently laid into the big metal box. Within two minutes, this nimble masked intruder made his escape. As he scampered out and down, I could almost hear him cry out, “Adios, Federales!” I don’t think we have seen the last of young Rocky.

Adios, Federales!

Jan’s Old Signs
Here are two old signs that Jan selected and I shot.

Old Sign #1

Old Sign #2

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week.

Blog 154: Writing and Hiking, Hosting and Biking

I had the luxury of no business travel this week, so we hung out at Sleeping Bear. When not camp hosting, I was writing, hiking, and biking.

Campground Office

Morning Hikes
We had four nice morning hikes: 2.5-mile Bay View Farm Loop, 3-mile Alligator Hill Trail, 1.5-mile Windy Moraine, 4-mile Bay View Ridge Loop plus Moosewood Trail. Woods, pastures, and some views of Lake Michigan.

Forest

Charles Olsen Preserve

Grasshopper

Spring Flowers
Of course, there were lots of flowers along the way.

Puccone

Orange Hawkweed

Poppies

Poppy

Wild Rose

Old Fashioned Rose

Old Friend
A dear friend from 20-plus years ago tracked down this blog via Internet search, and then came to visit over lunch and a quick trip to the campground. Here is a pic of this handsome, worldly devil along with his beautiful, charming wife.

Kevin and Aline

Campground Staff
Here is a shot of Dick, a fellow camp host, and another of colleagues Ranger Maryellen and Ranger Morgan. We are fortunate to have a great group of people to work with here.

Camp Host Dick

Ranger Maryellen and Ranger Morgan

Sandy the River Otter
A young river otter we call Sandy (one look at her face and you’ll know why) was out on the beach greeting strangers and trying to make friends. As one would walk along the water, Sandy would follow along.

Sandy the River Otter

Iris Farm
When we were out and about we stopped at an iris farm. Here is a picture of a vase of irises.

Vase of Irisis

Jan’s Old Signs
Here are two old signs that Jan selected and I shot.

Old Sign #1

Old Sign #2

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week.