Motoring Across America

With James "Alex" Alexander

with James "Alex" Alexander



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Blog 319: Adios Atascosa

Our Journey

North and West
We picked a gorgeous day to depart Laguna Atascosa accompanied by two traveling friends—a warm breeze and soft sunshine. In addition, with rare exceptions the traffic was sparse and roads OK to good.

Wet and Wild
Our first night out we stayed in Beeville, where the winds ratcheted up like a politician at a rally, and the rain poured down like hallelujahs at a tent revival. So glad we did not have to travel through it. Except for one other night of heavy rains and wind, the other days and nights were mild.

Wildflowers
As we got into Hill Country* we were surrounded by magnificent wildflowers that paralleled our path for hundreds of miles. It was if a rainbow dumped its bucket of hues along our journey as it cantered across the skies. Soon our color neurons were flashing as we reached our quota of beauty, absorbing the reds of the Indian paints, the blues of the bluebonnets, the purples of the vervain and the Texas stork’s bill, the pink primrose, the yellow great blanket flower and the Englemann’s daisy, and the whites of the prickly poppy. What a phenomenal gift of beauty Ladybird Johnson gave to all travelers of Texas.

Field of Wildflowers

Indian Paint

Indian Paints

Purple Flower

Yellow Flower

Yellow Flowers

Service Along the Way
Jan and I had a choice to make: We could take a two-week, all-inclusive luxury tour down the Amazon River, or buy new tires for the coach…it was tempting, but practicality won out. At Bill’s Tire Center in San Angelo she got her new shoes. Also at San Angelo, Lone Star Trucking successfully performed a chassis recall, something I had put off for too long.

While waiting for the above two services to be performed, we explored the area, had two great lunches—one at the fancy Crazy Cactus and the other sitting on picnic tables by the highway with the Pups at the Best Burger Truck in Texas.

International Waterlily Garden
Although not the best weather or the best season to visit, we had a very enjoyable time exploring the Water Lily Garden of San Angelo. Here are a few pics, but also check out their website: http://www.internationalwaterlilycollection.com.

Lily Sign

Waterlillies

Non-Birder Birding

Both Jan and I enjoy watching and photographing birds of all types, but we don’t consider ourselves birders. However, we were in areas with lots of cool birds, and we had some time on our hands, so on three afternoons along our path we ventured out to three really cool places.

San Angelo State Park
Here we saw scissor-tailed flycatchers and gorgeous cardinals (alas, I did not take a long lens๐Ÿ˜ž).

Palo Duro State Park
Just 30 minutes south of Amarillo, Texas, is Palo Duro State Park. We had camped here in a motorhome 10 or 12 years ago and very much enjoyed it, but we were even more impressed this visit. This is the type of location where three to four days is needed for hiking and exploring to give it the credit it is due. Below are a few pics taken at their bird blind.

John Martin Reservoir State Park
Twenty miles east of Lamar, Colorado, you’ll find John Martin Reservoir State Park. Here we took a short hike and a five-mile drive or so, checking out the water and viewing birds.

Female Cardinal

White-Crowned Sparrow

Black-Crested Titmouse

Grandkid Stop
After a night at Limon, Colorado, we drove the 77 miles east into Denver, dropped off the coach (yikes, more repairs๐Ÿคจ), and then pulled into Kelly and Aaron’s place to spend a few days enjoying the area, seeing a few sites, and spoiling the G-Kids. More on that in the next blog.

Old Trucks
We really enjoy far Southeast Texas, but crazy as it seems, for some reason there were no old trucks! None…nada. Therefore, it was great to uncover some old truck beauties as we traveled north and west. Here is June, a colorful flatbed we missed on our last San Angelo visit last fall.

June

Further north, our “old truck Indicator” activated to alert us of some fine specimens. Here is a pic I took of Thelma with our coach in the background.

Coach and Thelma

To see Thelma in full resolution and the challenging story behind her, click on this link to go to my “What the Truck!” blog.

See you next time.

*The Texas Hill Country is a geographic region located in the Edwards Plateau at the crossroads of West Texas, Central Texas, and South Texas. Here you will find the LBJ Ranch and National Park, Austin, San Antonio, and the famous Luckenbach. Not only home to gorgeous wildflowers in the spring, wineries and breweries are popping up as well. Lots of cool places in Texas, and this is definitely one of them.

Blog 318: Life at Laguna

Habitat Tours
For five months we guided habitat tours at Laguna Atascosa Wildlife Refuge in far southeast Texas, close to Padre Island and an easy hour from Mexico. What a difference a year makes! Last year we volunteered here during a drought with most flora a grayish-brown color and huddled critters hanging close to the few sources of fresh water. This year all plants and trees are different shades of green with a rainbow of colors popping out of flowers like champagne just uncorked.

Questions Galore
Depending on the day of the week, the time of day, and the phase of the moon, we addressed a variety of questions from guests—from visiting Winter Texans to lifelong Valley residents, students, biologists, geologists, sentimentologists, hydrologists, cardiologists (I just made that last one up) and on and on—science has a broad wingspan. We responded to questions about hydrological influence on bay salinity, wind generators’ impact on bird mortality, gestation periods of feral hogs, the eating habits of exotic nilgai, favorite diets of the Aplomado falcon, and how to best cook yucca blooms.

Different Kind of Place
This is a wonderful place for nature lovers, with birds and critters flying, scooting, running, landing, hiding, kiting, loping, crawling, and swimming that you won’t see elsewhere in the US, and in most cases on the planet. We also rekindled friendships from last winter, plus we met lots of good folks on the staff, other volunteers, interns, and Friends of the refuge. A close-knit community with common goals and a shared purpose is tough to beat.

Recommendations
Spend a month (or two or three) at South Padre Island in the winter. Note: Try, try to avoid Spring Break. Spend time at Laguna Atascosa and the other wonderful nature locations in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Hang at the beach, watch the dolphins, visit Sea Turtle Inc., and enjoy great Mexican (and TexMex) food. On chilly days check out the museums and the historical sites. Go to the birding centers even if you are not a birder. Take a deep dip of nature to cleanse the soul, relax the body, and ease the mind.

Last Photos from the Refuge

Birds
The refuge has a well-earned reputation as a mecca for birders and those who just appreciate the beauty of color in flight and the voices of jubilation. Here is a photo of the stunning Altamira oriole, a female cardinal sparkling in pretty light, a glowing pink roseate spoonbill in flight, the petite but classy stilt, a longed-bill curlew that had just landed (I wonder why they call them “long-billed?”), some immature white Ibis hanging out (as teenagers do), and a chacalaca and a red-winged blackbird eying each other at a feeder adjoining the photo blind. Not all bird lovers have just two legs—here is Jack checking the birds out (he prefers watching rabbits, but birds will do).

Altamira Oriole

Female Cardinal

Flying Spoonbill

Long-Billed Curlew

Stilt

Immature White Ibis

Busy at the Feeder

Jack in Photo Blind

Ocelot Day
There are only two breeding populations of the crazy-rare Ocelot, and you guessed it, one of them is at Laguna Atascosa. Every year Gladys Porter Zoo helps to sponsor the Ocelot Conservation Day in Brownsville. This year two ocelots from the Texas zoo in Victoria came down to put on a show for kids and adults. Wonderful event that just about everyone from the refuge participated in, with Jan painting ocelot faces and me with the fun and easy job of playing photographer.

Ocelot

Ocelot Day

Flowering Flora
Just about everything with roots in ground has been showing with buds and blooms and flowers.

Butterfly on Thistle

Flowering Prickly Pear

Horse Crippler

Rescue Pup
Our good friend, and a ranger, rescued a pregnant female dog at the refuge. Shy, skittish, and afraid, with love, affection, and little attention (especially from Jack!), she has flourished into a beautiful female called Momma.

Momma

Critters
Finally, I end this blog with some critters. Here is a cute rattler, a sweet nilgai, and a wild hog.

Rattler

Sweet Nilgai

Wild Pig

Old Trucks

Meet Doris

Doris

Meet Esmerelda

Esmerelda

Meet Desert Rose

Desert_Rose

Check out www.onceuponatruck.com. Sign up for my What the Truck! blog, and get a sweet gal in your in-basket once a week.

See you next time.

Blog 317: Whistling Duck and Soaring Spoonbills

Things continue to go smoothly here at the refuge. Here are a few pics from our tours.

Nilgai Bulls

American White Pelican

Black-Bellied Whistling Duck

Feral Hogs

Grooved-Bill Ani

Immature White Ibis

Jack Rabbit

Roseate Spoonbills

White-Tailed Kites

Young Nilgai

Old Trucks

Meet Florence

Florence

Meet Harriet

Harriet

Check out www.onceuponatruck.com. Sign up for my What the Truck! blog, and get a sweet gal in your in-basket once a week.

See you next time.

Blog 316: Wild Hogs and Nilgai Nation

Government Reopened
With the Washington stupidity ending (at least for a few days), life at the refuge is in full season mode. Decent weather (for the most part) has kept the Polar Vortex crowd of Winter Texans pouring in. Jan and I have been having a lot of fun leading habitat bus tours on three property locations. Here is a pic of us with our buddies Cathy and John.

Tour Guides

Nilgai Nation
Nilgai are exotic antelopes native to India and Pakistan. The King Ranch brought them to Texas for game hunting and of course some escaped. Now there are about 1,000 of these magnificent creatures on the refuge. It is rut time for these critters, and they are putting on a show.

Niigai Nation

Nilgai Bad Boys

Nilgai Family

Nilgai Dude

Janny Art
Jan has also been helping to beautify the refuge. Here are a couple of her works in the Visitor Center.

Jan's Visitor Center Art

Jan's Green Jay Cafe Sign

Critters on the Tour
Here are a few critter pics I have taken on the tour.

Bunny

Caspian Tern

Chihuahuan Raven

Great Blue Heron with Catfish

Green Caterpillar

Green Jay at Feeder

Harris's Hawk on Yucca

Mixed Company

Oh, Deer

Osprey with Fish

Pair of Cara Caras

Snow Geese

Snowy Egret

White Pelicans

White-Tailed Hawk

White-Tipped Dove

Wild Hog Taking a Dip

Old Trucks

Meet Marion

Marion

Meet Nina

Nina

Check out www.onceuponatruck.com. Sign up for my What the Truck! blog, and get a sweet gal in your in-basket once a week.

See you next time!

Blog 315: White Tails and Early Blooms

Atascosa Boots
Ever wonder what the Spanish word Atascosa translates into English? It means sticky mud, the term given by the early Spanish explorers who came to this area. Here is a pic of my boots demonstrating its authenticity.

Atascosa Boots

CBC
The CBC (Audubon Christmas Bird Count) is an annual event involving thousands of professionals and amateur birders that help to chronicle which birds and how many are where. I participated in my first CBC this year and it was quite an experience. On a crazy-cold morning, Steve and I rode with Michael, a 30-year birding pro of remarkable talent. For six hours we chronicled 68 avian species within our designated area. Here is a picture of a grove–billed ani and Michael.

Grooved-Billed Ani

Michael in Action

For you hardcore birders, here are the 68 species we spotted and confirmed:

Snow goose
Blue-winged teal
Northern shoveler
Gadwall
American wigeon
Mottled duck
Northern pintail
Redhead
Lesser scaup
Bufflehead
Red-breasted merganser
Northern bobwhite
Mourning dove
Groove-billed ani
American coot
Sandhill crane
Black-necked stilt
Black-bellied plover
Semipalmated plover
Killdeer
Long-billed curlew
Marbled godwit
Ruddy turnstone
Dunlin
Short-billed dowitcher
Short-billed/long-billed dowitcher
Wilson's snipe
Greater yellowlegs
Willet
Lesser yellowlegs
Laughing gull
Ring-billed gull
Gull-billed tern
Caspian tern
Royal tern
Double-crested cormorant
American white pelican
Brown pelican
Great blue heron
Great egret
Snowy egret
Little blue heron
Tricolored heron
Reddish egret
White ibis
Turkey vulture
Osprey
White-tailed kite
Northern harrier
Harris's hawk
White-tailed hawk
Red-tailed hawk
Golden-fronted woodpecker
Crested caracara
American kestrel
Merlin
Aplomado falcon
Great kiskadee
Loggerhead shrike
Rough-winged swallow
Cactus wren
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Long-billed thrasher
Northern mockingbird
Savannah sparrow
Eastern meadowlark
Red-winged blackbird
Great-tailed grackle

If interested, learn more at https://www.audubon.org/conservation/science/christmas-bird-count.

Some Pics from the Refuge
Here is the curve-billed thrasher.

Curve-Billed Thrasher

Check out this caterpillar.

Caterpillar

Normally, yuccas in this area don’t bloom until February. We have been seeing some blooms since mid-December.

Early Yucca Bloom

Here is Jack out frolicking.

Frolicking Jack

Here is a blast-off of many types of birds.

Mixed Blast-Off

Check out this good-looking reddish egret (and, yes, it is really a reddish egret, just a white morph).

Reddish Egret White Morph

Lots of tarantulas around here! Here is one we helped across the street.

Tarantula

Rafts of Ducks
Here is a shot of several thousand coots hanging out on our big lake.

Thousands of Coots

Here is a white-tailed hawk and a white-tailed kit.

White-Tailed Hawk

White-Tailed Kite

Old Trucks

Meet Elizabeth

Elizabeth

Meet Amanda

Amanda

Check out www.onceuponatruck.com. Sign up for my What the Truck! blog and get a sweet gal in your in-basket once a week.

See you next time.

Blog 314: Lower Rio Grande Valley

Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge
We have returned to our winter home of last year, to the distinct flora and fauna of the wild Laguna Atascosa, located about 40 minutes north of Brownsville and 40 minutes west of South Padre Island. Jan and I are habitat tour guides, sharing the unique beauty of one of the most biologically diverse areas of the world. This 100,000-acre refuge is one of the last undeveloped coastal areas on the planet. With over 400 species of birds, 400 species of plants, 40 types of mammals, 40 types of reptiles and amphibians, and over 100 species of butterflies. Enough stuff to keep a nature-lover busy for decades!

Some Pics
Here is the beautiful Altamira oriole—you should hear him sing.

Altamira Oriole

This cute little fellow is a cotton mouse—he lives near the Photo Blind.

Cotton Mouse

Lots of good things to eat here as this svelte coyote demonstrates.

Coyote

Here is a buck and a couple photos of an exotic nilgai male. This big guy loves to pose for the camera.

Buck

Nilgai Male

Nilgai Male Close Up

Yes, I know they are feral and quite destructive, but the three little pigs are still cute.

Three Little Pigs

Sow and Litter

Boy, do the little boys like their gators.

Alligator

Go Away
Here is a picture I took in Texas hill country close to election time and forgot about. It kind of gives you a flavor of the folks that live there! Note: Look close for the faded out “free beer” message.

Go Away Sign

Old Trucks

Meet Maureen

Maureen

Meet Patricia

Patricia

See more beauties like these at www.onceuponatruck.com. Sign up for my What the Truck! blog and get a sweet gal in your in-basket every week.

Blog 313: Looking Forward and Luckenbach

Sevilleta to Laguna Atacosa NWR

With our time in New Mexico over, we headed south and east. Our first stop was Roswell, then on to San Angelo, then Kerrville, finally arriving at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, our home for the coming winter and where we wintered last year. While we did take the auto tour of the Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Roswell, most of our trip was just point to point, except for a day in Hill Country.

Hill Country Loop

LBJ National Historic Park
We visited the Lyndon Baines Johnson State Park and LBJ National Historic Park that adjoins it. We took a short trail with the pups then took the driving tour through the ranch. Picturesque—recommended.

LBJ Park Sign

LBJ Hereford Calf

Johnson Graveyard

Fredericksburg
Home to dozens of wineries, a few breweries, and a couple distilleries, this classy upscale town is a great place to visit. We stopped at nearby Magnolia Pearl, a store known for unique handmade clothing and adorned with awesome old trucks around the exterior. Here are a couple to drool over.

Old Magnolia Pearl Truck 1

Old Magnolia Pearl Truck 2

Luckenbach
Being so close, I had to see Luckenbach, Texas, made famous in the Waylon Jennings song. Lots of artists, cowboys of sorts, and old hippies hanging around. Fun place.

Alex at Luckenbach

Sisterdale
Our last stop on our Hill Country day trip was Sisterdale. Tiny place, but it had its own winery and a functioning bar. It was pouring rain, but I couldn’t pass up these old gas pumps.

Gas Pumps

Old Trucks and Classy Chassis
Like the Magnolia Pearl Trucks? See more beauties at www.onceuponatruck.com. Sign up for my What The Truck! blog and get sweet gals in your in-basket once a week.

See you next time.

Blog 312: Cool Canyon and Very Large Array

Sevilleta Sign

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta
An easy hour from Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge is Albuquerque, home of the world-famous balloon festival. Yes, you could say that the Balloon Fiesta is “uplifting,” or “a lot of hot air,” but it certainly is impressive. We watched from afar, enjoying the lift-off, but next time I want to get up close and personal.

Balloon Fiesta 1

Balloon Fiesta 2

Balloon Fiesta 3

Balloon Fiesta 4

312_Balloon Fiesta 5

Cibola Canyon Tour

The Rock Doc

We had the marvelous opportunity to go to a remote part of Sevilleta NWR to a place called Cibola Canyon. Studying geology doesn’t sound exciting, but Dave the Rock Doc brought it to life—just a great journey where few people get to go.

Cibola Canyon 2

Cibola 4

Jan at Cibola

Oryx
On our return to the Visitor Center, I saw my first oryx, an antelope species from the arid parts of Africa. Check this dude out…make you keep your nightlight on.

Oryx

Oryx Butts

Very Large Array
The 27 dish antennas that make up this astronomical radio observatory are not located in the middle of nowhere, but close—51 miles west of Socorro, a tad off of Highway 60. At 7,000 feet, a herd of pronghorn graze the acres surrounding the facility and appear to act as greeters to all who visit.

Pronghorn

Did you ever watch Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos” series? I was fascinated by his dramatic explanations of the universe and all the mysteries implied. Driving up to this spectacular facility brought this same surge of wonder back into my being, viewing this huge radio telescope reaching up into space peering into dark matter 150 quadrillion miles away. An awe-inspiring place that you need to see.

Below are a few pics. My favorite is the one with the pronghorn posing in the foreground.

VLA Sign

VLA 1

VLA 3

VLA with Pronghorn

Bosque del Apache

Bosque Sign

Bosque is one of my favorite places on the planet. I have spent many a frigid morning in winter stamping my feet and wishing I’d bought hand warmers, waiting for thousands of sandhill cranes to blast off into the sky with a roar only these birds can make. Only 45 minutes from Sevilleta, it is a sweet day-trip. It was a little early for the crane and snow geese migration, but we saw a few on a super pleasant drive through this refuge. Here are snow geese in flight, a view to the west, and a roadrunner lift-off taken as we headed back.

Snow Geese at Bosque

View to the West

Roadrunner Lift Off

Green Chili Cheeseburgers
We brilliantly ended this morning with brunch at the famous Buckhorn Tavern. I had a green chili cheeseburger with green chili fries, and Jan had the green chili cheese burrito with onion rings and a side of beans. LIVING LAVISHLY LARGE. I love New Mexico.

Here is just Jan’s lunch!

Jan's Lunch

Sevilleta Hikes
Jack and I spent a lot of time hiking the trails. Jan took a far-away shot, and here is another of Jack.

Far-Away Hike

Jack on Ladrones Trail

Unicorn Butt Caterpillar

Jan and Mitzy hike as well. Here is a pic of Mitzy going up some steep steps.

Mitzy on the Trail

Magnificent Mornings
Sevilleta is a wonderful place, but what I think I miss the most are the morning skies.

Sevilleta Sunrise

Old Trucks and Classy Chassis
We have been seeing and shooting lots of old trucks in our travels.

Old Montana Truck 4

Old Montana Truck 5

Go to www.onceuponatruck.com to check out some of my latest vintage trucks. I added several more since my last Motoring blog. If you want to get a new, old truck photo each week, sign up for my What The Truck! blog.

See you next time.

Blog 311: On to Desert Country

Farragut to Sevilleta

After a summer spent in the beautiful Northwest, we worked our way down to the beautiful Southwest—through Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and into New Mexico.

Along the Way
We found many old trucks near Casper, Wyoming (they are being added to the Old Truck library). We spent three great days in Parker, Colorado, visiting grandkids (and their parents๐Ÿ˜Œ), we had a nice visit with our good friend, Wendy, in Monument, Colorado, and spent Labor Day with our friends, the Talbots, in Mountainair, New Mexico. We ended up at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge about 50 miles south of Albuquerque right off of I-10.

Sevilleta NWR

Sevilleta NWR
We are volunteers at this refuge of over 200,000 acres and help with interpretation, managing the visitor center, and doing whatever else needs to get done. If you like desert country this is the place to be. Lots of wildlife call Sevilleta home—from lizards and snakes to mountain lions, bighorn sheep, bears, elk, and pronghorn.

Brownfoot

Jack at Sunrise

Mitzy at Rest

Lizard

Dove

Hike Break

Jack Wearing Hat

Sevilleta Landscape

Sevilleta Sky

Sevilleta Sunrise

Jan, Alex, Bryan and Alishia

Prairie Dog Project
One of the Refuge’s projects is to help reintroduce Gunnison’s prairie dogs that have been forced from their homes (Albuquerque development) back into the wild. Hence, there is a lot of catching, weighing, measuring, monitoring, and releasing of these cute little guys.

Gunnison's Prairie Dog

View from PD Town

Mexican Gray Wolf Project
The Mexican gray wolf is an endangered species and another interesting project of the Refuge is getting wolves ready to be reintroduced back into the wild. Unfortunately for us, there are no wolves on the refuge now, as their facilities are all being updated.

State Championship of the New Mexico Territory Cowboy Mounted Shooters
We traveled to Socorro to watch this fascinating event. Riders are timed on how quickly they can successfully shoot 10 balloons strategically placed within the arena. Not only do they have to be fast and accurate, they must change pistols (replica 1890s Colt 45s) during their trial. Sevilleta’s Renee was a contestant, ending up in the top group with a completion time of 12.3 seconds! Crazy fast and super fun to watch.

Another One Bites the Dust

Hard to Starboard

Blast

Renee at the Ready

Three to Go

Easy Day Trip: Salinas Pueblos Missions National Monument

Salinas Pueblo Missions

One morning we loaded up and took an easy 123-mile day trip to visit each of the three sites of the Salinas Pueblos Missions: Gran Quivira, Quarai, and Abo. Starting 7,000 years ago, the ancient Anasazi and Mogollons produced the earliest societies at these three sites. In the late 1500s the Spanish arrived, and missionaries started to push their views, integrating (to some degree) religions, but eventually (along with the Apaches) destroying the ancient way of life. Yet, among the ruins one can see pueblo kivas standing side by side with churches. All the three sites are wheelchair and dog friendly. All are worth the trip, but we especially enjoyed Gran Quivira.

Jan Abo Ruins

Abo Ruin

Gran Quivar

https://www.nps.gov/sapu/index.htm

Quebradas Backcountry Scenic Byway
The Quebradas Backcountry Byway is an unpaved county road traversing about 24 miles of rugged, colorful landscapes east of Socorro. Beautiful drive.

Quebradas

https://www.blm.gov/visit/quebradas-backcountry-byway

Tarantula
Late one afternoon I was sitting outside when a black guest appeared. Jack and Mitzy were quite curious, but I am afraid they frightened our new eight-legged friend. Here is a pic of Terrence the Tarantula, and one of him with Bryan.

Terrence the Tarantula

Bryan and Friend

Jan’s Art
Sevilleta management asked Jan to paint a bean bag game for an upcoming family event. Leave it to Jan to take a basic project and turn it into a piece of art! The first photo shows both of the boards, and the second one is for fun.

Jan Bean Bag Game

Jan Bean Bag Fun

Old Trucks & Classy Chassis

We have been seeing and shooting lots of old trucks in our travels south. Go to www.onceuponatruck.com to check out some of my latest vintage trucks. Note that by demand, I have now segmented my Old Truck Library by make, so you can check the photographs out by Ford, Chevy, International, etc. If you want to see a new, old truck photo each week, sign up for my What the Truck! blog.

A note to those of you who signed up for my Old Truck blog previously: We have moved the blog to a new platform, so you will need to re-subscribe. Apologizes for any inconvenience.

See you next time.

Blog 310: Off We Go to Idaho

From Campground St. Regis to Farragut State Park

We spent the summer volunteering at the lovely Farragut State Park in the Idaho panhandle. This 4,000-acre park was created on a World War II naval training base (has the old brig and lots of old structures) and adjoins Lake Pend Oreille, the largest and deepest lake in Idaho. The park was full of good folks, and we were especially fortunate to live next door to a crazy fun pair of volunteers that I am sure we will be seeing more of in the future.

We were within a half hour north of famous Coeur D’ Alene and a half mile south Sandpoint, a destination that has the flavor of locations like Jackson, Wyoming, or Estes Park, Colorado. Quaint old town, beautiful neighborhoods, everything close to the water.

The Weather
When we arrived, everything was a brilliant green, the color of deep jungle, and the snow melt and recurring rains kept the lakes high and the docks under water. For two months the temperature was mild, the breezes light, and the air as fresh as a newborn calf. However, the rains stopped, the fires started (all across the Northwest), and the air turned smoky.

Scenic Drives
During our stay we took many a scenic trip: Lake Coeur D’ Alene Scenic Byway, the Wildlife Scenic Byway, the Pend Oreille Scenic Byway, and several others I forgot the names of. We drove to Priest Lake State Park to meet a couple we volunteered with last winter in Texas, and had the chance to get together with them a couple more times…looking forward to getting back to Texas again this winter. Also, this area was great old truck hunting—more on that later.

Jan’s Art
As often happens, Jan was “volunteered” to do an art project for the Junior Ranger Program. Take a look.

Jan's Junior Ranger Art

This three-dimensional piece was very well received, especially by the little tykes who liked to feel the work on their tiny hands. Many newly minted Junior Rangers were photographed in front of her work.

Within the park is a for-profit organization called Tree2Tree. Here are a couple pics of folks on this adventure course.

Tree2Tree 1

Tree2Tree2

Critters
All kinds of critters at the park—below are a few.

Western Bluebird

Western Bluebird on Jeep

310_Flicker

Alarming Ground Squirrel

Calliope Hummer

This and That
Here are a few odds-and-ends pics.

Bird on Two Houses

Bayview View

Cool Bus

Happy Jack

Old Trucks
Here are four old trucks from the panhandle.

Athol Old Camper Truck

Bad Brown Dumper

Brown Dodge Flatbed

Green Dodge Dumper

More Classy Chassis
To check out many more vintage trucks go to www.onceuponatruck.com and sign up for a pic a week.

See you next time.

Alex

Blog 309: Byways, Bison, and Bears

Deadhorse to St. Regis

Jordanelle
It was a short and easy trip from Dead Horse Point State Park to Blue Cut RV Park in Helper, Utah. Not much going on in Helper, but it was a chance to regroup and plan the next legs of our journey. After two nights, we headed north again to spend five nights at Jordanelle State Park north of Heber City, Utah (about 30 miles east of Salt Lake City).

During our stay I had a quick gig in Irvine for a few days with a great bunch of people.

After Jordanelle, it was another easy journey to Pocatello, Idaho, where we spent one rainy night at the Buffalo Meadows RV Park, a part of the Ft. Hall Casino.

Dillon
Next, we travelled to the Countryside RV Park just outside of Dillon, Montana. We have stayed in the Dillon area in the past, and it was enjoyable to come back to this picturesque area. I had planned a day trip that would take us on the Pioneer Scenic Byway through the Pioneer Mountains. We headed west on 278 and north on 73 through Polaris and up to Elkhorn Hot Springs. The plan was to continue all the way to Wise River, then head west on 43 through Fishtrap, at Wisdom take 278 east to Jackson, and then back to camp. Unfortunately, the road was closed at Elkhorn Hot Springs, so our only choice was to backtrack the way we came to our campground.

Pioneer Scenic Byway

Round Up

St. Regis
Continuing our northward journey, we next went to Campground St. Regis, a gorgeous and tidy place to stay next to St. Regis, Montana.

National Bison Range Day Trip

National Bison Range

One morning we drove the picturesque 51 miles to the National Bison Range, with most of our journey on the National Bison Scenic Byway that parallels the Flathead River.

We had visited this national wildlife refuge a few years earlier and really enjoyed it. This trip was to prove even more impressive, as the heavy winter snowfall and the abundant spring rains kept everything a vibrant green that proved a brilliant contrast to the wildflowers and the snow-white peaks of the Mission Mountains.

Our prime goal was to see critters, and we were well rewarded. We saw bison, of course, pronghorn, deer, and a momma and baby bear. Mitzy enjoyed herself, as always, pointing out the different species to Jack. Especially fun was that Jack had his first bear sighting—he was in total awe as he speechlessly stared wide-eyed like a toddler opening Christmas presents.

Baby Bison

Grazing Bison

Momma Bear

Baby Bear

Jack's First Bear

Yellow-Headed Blackbird

Meadowlark

We were extremely pleased with our critter findings, but there was more. The hills and valleys erupted wildflowers. It was like hoping for a pair, and drawing a full house.

Arrowleaf balsamroot covered the valleys like the golden robe of a Bishop giving high mass. We saw prairie smoke, shooting stars, penstemon, Rocky Mountain iris, lupine, Solomon’s plume, serviceberry bush, chokecherry, desert parsley, wild geranium, giant hyssop, baby tansy, and more, that shined like the multicolored jewels of a pirate’s treasure box. All the while, as we meandered up and down and over and across, we were serenaded by meadowlarks. Wonderful trip.

Balsamroot and Mountains

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from Montana.

Old Montana Truck 1

Old Montana Truck 2

Old Montana Truck 3

That ends our “post-Texas holiday.” Now it is time for our next adventure.

Blog 308: Dead Horse and a Pucker Pass

Cherry Creek to Dead Horse

Given a choice, we often choose not to take interstates, as the less-traveled paths often are more inviting. But heading west from Denver provides few alternatives, so we took the always-dependable I-70 West. With the sun at our back, the mountain peaks glistened with lots of bright white. And with the vibrant greens of meadows adding brilliant contrasts, it was just a beautiful journey. To top it off, we saw three (yes, I said three!) flocks of bighorn sheep (totaling at least 50 head) less than 100 yards from the road.

James Robb Colorado River State Park
We stopped for the night east of Grand Junction at James Robb Colorado River State Park. This is a beautiful park with the Colorado River running through it, with mountains surrounding three sides. We will stay here again.

Tuscany at James Robb State Park

On to Moab
We had a headwind all across Colorado, and it picked up once we left the state. But the traffic was light, the roads were decent, and the scenery made the trip a joy.

We have been to the Moab area three times before, and each time the temperature was above 100 degrees. In those past trips we spent our time exploring Arches National Park and stopping by the Moab Brewery to cool off. This time our objective was to explore Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park.

Normally, this area only gets 10 inches of rain a year, but during our four days it was cloudy and/or rainy most of the time, with temps mid 40s to low 60s. Nice to have things green and comfortable.

Dead Horse Point State Park
We stayed at a beautiful, brand-new campground. Big and level with views of the snowy-peaked La Sal mountains. Here is the view from the nature trail, curious Jack and his master, and a blooming cactus found along the way.

Dead Horse VC Nature Trail View

Jack and Alex on Nature Trail

Blooming VC Cactus

Blooming Cacti

Dead Horse Point
According to legend, the point overlooking the canyon was once used as a corral for wild mustangs roaming the mesa. Cowboys rounded up these horses, herded them across the narrow neck of land and on to the point, and corralled them with branches and brush. Here cowboys would select the horses they wanted and release the rest. For reasons unknown, several horses were stranded in their corral and died of thirst 2,000 feet above the waters of the Colorado River.

We went a couple of times for the famed sunrise photography. Here is a nice shot Jan took into the sun, and a couple I took looking into the canyon reflections.

Dead Horse Point Sunrise Jan

Dead Horse Point Sunrise 2

Dead Horse Sunrise 3

Canyonlands National Park
Consisting of 560,000 acres, Canyonlands is naturally divided by the Colorado and the Green River into three sections. The Maze is by far the least traveled, as it takes days of background 4-wheeling and rough camping to explore. Island in the Sky and the Needles are the other components.

Canyonlands Sections

Map of Canyonlands

Scenic Paved Drive
Like most tourists, we took the basic drive stopping at all designated areas and getting out and walking/hiking as appropriate. Here is a shot of Grand View and Holeman Spring Canyon.

Grand View Scenic

Holeman Spring Canyon

Pucker Pass
When I first heard of Pucker Pass, I assumed it was name after someone such as a locally famous pioneer, meaning Pucker Pass was named after Peter Pucker or the like. However, once upon the steep, narrow, rocky road, I quickly felt that pucker was a verb and not a noun. Rocky and narrow, curvy and steep, it was just the type of “path” that Jan thrives on. We were the only ones on this “road” as we went down and around this “shortcut” to Moab. A ranger had alerted us that a boulder had fallen across the road but that you could drive underneath it, otherwise we may not have.

Mitzy Scoping Out Pucker Pass

Pucker Pass 2

One More Pucker Pass

Pucker Pass  Rock 2

Shafer Canyon Road and Shafer Canyon Basin
I had read about the great views of Shafer Canyon, so we decided to take the dirt road that started on the top of the canyon and wound its way down to the canyon basin. If Pucker Pass was a 7 on the “Scary Road” scale, then the Shafer Trail was a 9…really steep in places…really skinny in others…and really rocky most of the way.

Shafer Trail Start

Jan on Shafer Trail

Shafer Basin Desert Flower

The Needles
From our campground at Dead Horse Point State Park to the Needles section of Canyonlands and back, we put on over 200 miles on this road trip. Lots of miles, but worth the effort.

Newspaper Rock Archaeological Site
On our way to the Needles, we stopped to take a look at Newspaper Rock, a petroglyph panel etched in sandstone that records approximately 2,000 years of human activity. Prehistoric peoples etched on the rock from B.C. to A.D. 1300. Ute and Navajo as well as European Americans made contributions. Unfortunately, scholars don’t know if it represents storytelling, doodling, hunting, ancient graffiti, or something else. Pretty cool.

Newspaper Rock

Scenic Paved Drive
Once inside the park again, we took the Scenic Drive. Pretty trip, lots of nice scenery, but a long day.

Wooden Shoe Arch

Needles Scenic

Back in Moab, we treated ourselves to the Quesadilla Food Truck (Mitzy had her favorite—double cheese). Gorgeous scenery—wonderful trip—highly recommended

Old Trucks
Here are four old trucks from Moab.

Old Moab Truck 1

Old Moab Truck 2

Old Moab Truck 3

Old Moab Truck 4

See you next time.

Blog 307: Babysitting, and Standing, and Running…

Taos to Cherry Creek

Pueblo Lake State Park

Scaled Quail

Our drive from our campground in Taos to Pueblo State Park was uneventful, as was our stay. Only about 10 percent of this huge campground was open, and the main task of those of us camping/RVing was to stay warm. Jack loved his daily off-the-leash runs, though.

Chatfield State Park
After a couple of days, we headed north and parked at Chatfield Lake State Park. I said “parked” and not “camped,” as our G-kid babysitting duties ramped into gear. Kelly and Aaron had nine days in the UK planned, so we moved into their house to manage/guide/direct/cajole/influence/tolerate/beg our two grandkids. Get them up, feed them breakfast, make sure they have on clothes and clean faces, drive them to school, more of this and more of that, pick them up from school, transport them to football practice…lather, rinse, repeat. Wow, we were glad to see the tykes and happy to help Mom and Dad, but no tears were shed upon task completion.

Austie Football 1

Austie Football 2

Cherry Creek State Park
After three days, we moved the coach to the east side of Denver. Had a very nice snowfall and the chance to take a few pics.

Snowy Cherry Creek 1

Snowy Cherry Creek 2

Snowy Cherry Creek 3

Snowy Coyote

Snowy Deer

Snowy Magpie

Snowy Tuscany

Old Trucks

Old Parker Truck 1

Old Parker Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next time.

Blog 306: Monumental Monuments and Taos Tacos

Caballo Lake to Taos

Albuquerque
From Caballo Lake, we headed north on I-25, and then turned west on I-40 for about 15 miles to our new short-term lodging at Route 66 RV Resort, a part of Route 66 Casino. Big, new park with lots of empty sites during the off-season.

Big Day Trip to National Monuments

Route 66 RV Park to El Morro

El Morro
Getting an early start, we drove 100 miles through light traffic on good roads to the dog-friendly El Morro National Monument arriving just a few minutes after the park opened at 9 a.m. After stopping at the visitor center, we took the short Inscription Rock Trail, first stopping at the pool and then on to Inscription Rock, where hundreds of travelers over the centuries carved their names into the rock…ancient Puebloan Indians, Spanish explorers, Jesuit priests, and American settlers of the Old West. El Morro was a very special place—the only source of fresh water for 100 miles. Many a traveler would have perished except for this oasis in the desert.

El Morro Hikers

El Morro Inscription Rock

Some of our group took the trail to the top to view the ancient dwellings and kiva of the Anasazi.

El Morro Ancient Pueblo Ruins

El Morro Sitting Kathie

Here are some other scenic shots of this impressive specimen.

El Morro Scenic 1

El Morro Scenic 2

El Morro Scenic 5

El Malpais
Close to El Morro is the El Malpais National Monument. Malpais translates into “badlands,” and the term is used across the Southwest referring to all grounds with lava flows. Those of you who have visited and enjoyed the Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho would feel right at home here. We stopped at the huge visitor center just east of Grants, then headed south on Highway 117 stopping at Sandstone Bluffs for a picnic lunch. We then traveled back, heading south to our campgrounds.

New Mexico is very dry and the (mainly) westerly winds picked up midday, every day, at 20 miles an hour, with gusts up to 40 miles per hour—not grilling or campfire weather.

Taos
After a beautiful ride from Albuquerque, we headed north and a little east to set up camp at our favorite place, the Taos Monte Bello RV Park, just west of town a couple miles on US 64. Here is a sunrise shot from our campsite.

Taos Sunrise

High Road to Taos
On our way to Taos, I sadly watched many old trucks along our route, starting at Espanola. Since it is crazy difficult to park the rig in most places, get out, shoot a photo, and get back in the coach without a hassle, I longingly watched as we passed by many good-looking old trucks. Therefore, the next morning, we loaded up the pups and retraced our previous route down to Espanola. About an hour down the road, we stopped at the Blue Heron Brewery, where I had a pint (Jan was driving). Just a little-bittie old building on the side of the road, but a great way to kickstart our journey.

Blue Heron Brewery Sign

Alex at Blue Heron Brewery

A few miles further, and we spotted some old trucks a few hundred yards off the road. As we pulled up, out drove Anthony, the owner, his granddaughter, and his pup. He walked me around his prize trucks (he has plans to fix them all up). You will be seeing all of them up close in later blogs.

Old Truck Heaven

Old Truck Cross

At the southern edge of Espanola, we found a dozen or so more classy old trucks—what a day! New Mexico is a wonderful old-truck-hunting area. We ended the morning with a couple of awesome taco platters (Jan had carne and I had fish) from a food truck. We then circled around to return, taking a section of one of the area's scenic drives, the High Road to Taos.

High Road to Taos

Enchanted Circle
On Easter morning, we took a day trip on another famous scenic drive, the Enchanted Circle.

The Enchanted Circle

This route travels around New Mexico’s largest mountain, Wheeler Peak, part of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range that spans from southern Colorado to the southern parts of New Mexico. Known for its incredible scenic beauty, we decided to confirm this hypothesis. The drive started by heading east on US 64 out of Taos, passing through the empty streets and unopened shops. As we went east, the elevation increased as we passed through the lush evergreen forest. The windy road climbs through Taos Canyon and into the Carson National Forest.

Once over Palo Flechado Pass at 9,101 feet, we descended out of the forests and into the Moreno Valley, arriving in the town of Angel Fire, where I found another old truck ripe for photographing.

We stopped briefly to admire the distinctive white, sail-like structure of the Vietnam Memorial, and then continued north on US 64, arriving in the town of Eagle Nest, nestled between New Mexico’s two highest peaks, the 12,441-foot Baldy Mountain and the 13,161-foot Wheeler Peak.

In Eagle Nest, our drive continued north on NM 38 up the valley. The road continued to climb NM 38 until it headed over Bobcat Pass and descended into the town of Red River, an old mining town.

Taos Cattle

The drive continued west on NM 38 toward Questa, passing between Wheeler Peak Wilderness and Latir Peak Wilderness. As luck would have it, we had the chance to see some bighorn sheep up close and personal. Always fun to shoot these handsome creatures.

Bighorn Sheep Near Taos

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from recent travels.

Grants Old Truck

Old Truck 2

Old Espanola Panel Truck

See you next time.

Blog 305: White Sands and Dripping Springs

Big Bend to Caballo Lake

From Big Bend we headed north and west. First stopping at the Lost Alaskan in Alpine for one night, then rumbling through sprawling El Paso on I-10, and finally rolling to our stop in Las Cruces at the Sunny Acres RV Park.

White Sands National Monument
We headed out early one morning driving east one hour to one of our favorite places, White Sands National Monument. We arrived early in the morning with only a few other souls out wandering in the 35-degree weather. The cold temperature made no negative impact on Jack, as he raced up and down the gypsum dunes, running like a war horse headed for battle. Mitzy has been here many times, and I am not quite sure her perception of the place, but she hung out like a trooper, padding across the sand. Also, we were pleased to introduce Tucker the pup to the joys of sand slogging.

Jack the Sand Machine

Jack Is Ready

Jack Is Ready to Rumble

Mitzy at White Sands

Tucker Making Tracks

Alex and Jack on Dunes

After our time at the Monument we headed east 15 miles into Alamagordo, stopping at the Pistachio Shop, and then enjoyed a nice breakfast before heading back to camp.

Organ Mountains Deserts Peaks National Monument
Just 30 minutes outside of Las Cruces is a little known national monument. In talking to the staff at the visitor center though, popularity is surging as the illustrious leader of the Department of the Interior has threatened to shrink or eliminate the monument—the publicity has more than doubled attendance! We arrived at the time the monument opened and hiked the Dripping Springs Trail.

Dripping Springs I

Dripping Springs II

Dripping Springs III

From Las Cruces, we took I-10 West, turned onto 26 North at Deming, took 180 East, and then 61 to 152 to 35 to our next stay at Mountain Spirits RV Park.

Mimbres
Our park’s address was Mimbres, a tiny village about 20 miles east of Silver City, the nearest place for groceries and gas.

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
We made a day trip to the biggest attraction in the area, the Gila Cliff Dwelling National Monument. Although just 38 miles away, this curvy journey took over an hour and a half to get to. Because of its isolation, this stepchild of the National Park System gets only a tiny fraction of the attendance of its big brothers and sisters. However, that does not diminish the interest and the importance of this protected place where Mogollon Indians once lived. After hiking up to the ruins and touring the rooms we had a picnic at Lake Roberts on our return to camp.

Another Group at Gila Cliff Dwellings

Gila Cliff Dwellings Drawing

Gila Cliff Dwellings Room


Jan and Alex at Gila Cliff Dwellings

Silver City
We enjoyed several short visits to Old Town in Silver City, checking out the architecture, having a beer at the Little Toad Creek Brewery, and enjoying a world-class Mexican meal at Jaliscos. Enjoyable, relaxing visit.

Caballo
From Mimbres, we headed south and east, and then back north to Caballo Lake, camping at Caballo Lake RV Park. We could walk to the lake from the campgrounds, and Jack enjoyed his time off leash. Our campground was neat as a pin, and the lady that owned and managed the place was a doll.

Caballo Lake to Chloride

We took a day trip to Chloride, an almost (there were 5 residents) ghost town. The museum was especially interesting, as it was once a general store that was shut down, boarded up, hidden, and stayed exactly intact with its entire inventory for 70 years.

Chloride General Store

Another Chloride Building

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Mimbres area.

Old Mimbres Truck 1

Old Mimbres Truck 2

Old Mimbres Truck 3

Great week!

See you next time.

Blog 304: Adios Laguna

Laguna to Big Bend Map

Our tram tours ended, the work completed, and the gig was up. After four months in extreme SE Texas we pulled up stakes and plotted a new course. Our friends, Al and Carolyn, organized a farewell feast for us, and then we said our goodbyes and hit the road—time for the refugees to flee!

We took the tried and true trip to Harlingen, north on US 77, east on 70, north on 286, east on 357, and then east on 22 onto Padre Island. It rained most of the day with some occasional thunder and lightning, so we were happy that we found a site on the first-come, no-reservation Malaquite Campground overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.

Padre Island National Seashore
This national park stretches for 80 miles, ending at the Port Mansfield channel (no bridge). If you have 4-wheel drive, almost all of it is drivable. There are three very reasonably priced campgrounds in the park, plus open camping for free on the Gulf beach for 60 miles.

Girl on Malaquite Beach

Brown Pelican Squadron

Walks on the Beach
From our site, we had a two-minute walk to the Gulf beach, where we were entertained by the antics of shore birds with the relentless murmur of seductive waves providing background music. Jack just loved his at least one-a-day runs through the sand.

Birding Trip
The park offered a free, two-hour birding tour which I participated in one morning. Just coming from a renowned birding area, I was pleased with the variety of birds we saw, especially the rare apolomado falcon.

Aplomado Falcon

Caspian Tern

Willet

Short Trips
We had the chance to explore most of the Park’s hot spots, and also took a daily 14-mile drive to the outskirts of Corpus Christi for Internet and Verizon connection. One time we headed north up to Mustang Island and Port Aransas, where they are in the middle of hurricane recovery.

Choke Canyon State Park
Soon it was time to head west, catching some of the beautiful wildflowers along the road through the west portion of Texas Hill Country. We stopped overnight at Rockin J RV Park in George West, and then on to Choke Canyon State Park. One of the nicest state parks we have ever stayed in—large sites with most all having a water view, easy water access, and lots of trails to explore.

Sweet Acacia Tree

Butterfly on Texas Sunflower

Del Rio
After three pleasant days there, we headed west again, spending one night just outside of Del Rio at the Trav-L RV Park. Nothing fancy, just an overnighter to prepare and rest for our upcoming national park stay.

Big Bend National Park
We continued on 90 as it first headed north and then west over the Pecos River and through some gorgeous, but lonely countryside. Both traffic and winds were light, the road was (relatively) smooth, and the temperature mild—just about a perfect driving experience. We saw three javelinas roadside and one badger that stopped in the middle of the road, stared at us for 10 seconds then retreated back into the brush. After this pleasant journey we made it to our destination, Big Bend National Park. Once at the entrance, however, we still had 51 miles to go to get us to our Rio Grande Village campground. Here we dry camped with our good friends Kathie and Gary and their new canine sidekick, Tucker.

It had been four years since we visited the Park in a dry, windy November. Our March weather was much more pleasant with spring knocking on the door of the seasons. Cacti were showing their yellows and reds, and the vibrant ocotillo flowers added contrast to the mountain browns.

Big Bend Map

Campsite
A pair of gorgeous vermillion flycatchers claimed the territory that our campsite was within. We saw both mates snagging flies and other insects out of the air, with the male doing double-duty, chasing his mate (it is that season, you know) and running off other males attempting to invade his domain.

Vermillion Flycatcher

Hikes
We had the chance to do a few nice hikes during our stay. The Nature Trail at the edge of our campground started along a marsh, headed up a rocky hill, and ended at the Rio Grande. We saw a swamp rat and had a pretty vista to gaze at. The Boquillas Trail was also quite pleasant—after some ups and downs, it ended again at a canyon with the Rio Grande running through it. The Hot Springs Trail was also nice, ending up with the springs adjoining the river.

Swamp Rat

Walking Birding Tour
We took a ranger-led, hour-and-a-half, walking birding tour just a mile from our campground. Perfect weather, an excellent interpreter, and lots of birds made for a great morning. We saw kestrels, woodpeckers, vultures, and the rare (not so common) common black hawk.

Common Black Hawk

Day Drives
We loaded up the pups and headed off for a couple driving tours. One day driving to the dinosaur exhibit, another taking the 21 miles back to Panther Junction, and then heading southwest taking the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. After stopping for a picnic at Castolon, we headed west, stopping to view Santa Elena Canyon. We then took the road less traveled and looped back on Old Maverick Road, a rough gravel trek at 10-miles-an-hour to Panther Junction, and then another 21 miles back to camp.

View from Old Maverick Road

Ocotilla

A very interesting, pleasant, and peaceful four days.

Old Trucks
Finally found some old Texas trucks! Here is a good-looking toy truck and four others.

Old Toy Truck

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

Old Truck 4

See you next time.

Blog 303: Ocelot Mascot and Nilgai Rumble

We continue to enjoy the beautiful weather, greening landscape, and our interesting “jobs” here at the refuge.

Jan’s Painting
When not leading tours or working in the Visitor Center, Jan put her artistic talents to work. Here are two of her efforts in dressing up the refuge.

Jan's Donation Box

Jan's Mobile Mural

Ocelot Soirée
We attended as guests the annual Laguna Atascosa fundraiser held at the new Sea Turtle Center on South Padre Island. Beautiful location, well-organized event, with lots of money raised. Very happy to contribute to this meaningful event.

Ocelot Conservation Day
Most all of the Laguna Madre staff, interns, and volunteers worked to put on this one-day event at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville. Sihil, the 17-year-old female ocelot visiting from the Cincinnati Zoo was the main attraction.

The day started with a 5K Ocelot Race, and then visitors could learn lots and lots about ocelots at the numerous exhibits and information tables. The emphasis of the event was on getting little tykes excited about nature, so there was ocelot face painting, and ocelot mask-making, and four shows a day put on by Sihil and her trainers. Jan was one of the two face painters, working non-stop all day, doing over 100 faces. Jan’s mobile mural (pictured above) was a big hit with the little tykes. I had the fun job of being the roving photographer.

Ocelot

Ocelot II

Ocelot Mascots

Face Painting

Face Painting Results

Cats
Here are three cats from our refuge RV neighbors.

Cathouse Cat

Talbott Cat

Smudge

Nilgai Rumble
It is mating season, and we have been seeing a lot of the exotic Nilgai, the antelope from India. Quite impressive creatures that are a pleasure to view as they lope across the Texas Serengeti. I’d read about how males face-off when in a courtship mood—they stand crazy close staring at each other, and then drop down to their knees and bang away. One day on a tram tour I was lucky enough to view it. The first pic shows these two tough guys ready to rumble and the second pic shows them going at it. Note the “coach” watching the action. Just amazing.

Nilgai Ready to Rumble

Nilgai Bump Coach II

Nilgai

Tarantula

arnatula

More Birds
Here is a hodgepodge of bird pics.

Altamira Oriole

Cedar Waxwing

Clyde and Carma Cara Cara

Golden-Fronted Woodpecker

Great Horned Owl

Green Heron

Harris's Hawk

Kingfisher

Loggerhead Shrike

Orange-Crowned Warbler

Reddish Egret White Morph

Reddish Egret

Tough Guy Great-Tailed Grackle

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next time.

Blog 302: Home on the Range

All continues to go well at our winter home in far southeast Texas.

Quito Mazatlan
My friend John and I took a half-day trip to Quito Mazatlan over on the outskrits of McAllen. Here I took a 3-shot series of Kiscadees that was kind of fun.

Kiskadee I

Kiskadee II

Kiskadee III

The Tram Crew
Here is a shot of Jan and me with Dick, who drives us and up to 65 other passengers in the 90-foot tram along our 15-mile nature tour route.

Jan and Dick and Alex

Bobcats
Out on a tour we found Bobby, a young bobcat sitting in the middle of the road. He watched us for a good five minutes before walking away when his Mom (I guess) strolled by after him.

Bobbie Bobcat

Roberta Bobcat

Blooming Yuccas
The yuccas have been in full bloom. Just gorgeous.

Flowering Yucca I

Flowering Yucca II

Caracara on Yucca

White-Tailed Hawk in Flowering Yucca

Nilgai
We have been seeing a lot of the exotic Nilgai, the antelope from India. Quite impressive creatures.

Nilgai Grazers

Nilgai Bull II

Other Pics
Here is an osprey, a white-tipped dove, and a white-tailed buck.

Osprey

White-Tipped Dove

White-Tailed Buck

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next time.

Blog 301: Return to the Sea

Turtle Release
In my last blog I shared the details of the turtle rescue. Five days later, 50 surviving turtles were returned to the sea. Jan and I and several friends drove over to Padre Island to see this spectacle. We were especially anxious to see if "Barney," one of the four turtles we dipped from the deep, had survived the ordeal. We arrived a half hour before the scheduled event and had the chance to talk with several of the dedicated folks from Sea Turtle Inc.

Sea Turtlers

After chatting about our roles in the rescue, they invited me to participate in the release. This unexpected honor was a blast. Two of us chosen ones grabbed the big guys and walked them into waist-high water (human level), and then let go as our captured reptiles flipped their way back home. Yes! Barney made it! (His unique barnacle square on top of his head was a dead giveaway.)

Alex and Turtle

Barney

Santa Ana NWR
Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge is a sister refuge, west and south of us right on the Mexican border. Jan and I planned to be "mystery shoppers," checking out their refuge and comparing and contrasting it to Laguna Atascosa. We were especially interested in taking their tram tour so as to pick up a pointer or two. Alas, when we arrived, we learned that the tram driver was sick, and the tram was cancelled. So, we checked out their Visitor Center and walked a couple of their trails. Also got a nice picture of a chacalaca.

Plain Chachalaca

South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center
On another day a group of us drove over to the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center. Great place to view birds, as a series of boardwalks gets you right up into the action.

Green Heron

Texas River Cooter Turtle

Around the Refuge
We continue to see lots of birds and critters on the tours and around the refuge. Here are some pics, including the rare aplomado falcon, a caracara, an armadillo, feral pigs, a green jay, a herd of nilgai, a stilt, and a rattlesnake that slithered across our yard, went under out Jeep, the headed over to rest by our neighbors.

Aplomado Falcon

Armadillo

Caracara 3

Feral Pigs

Green Jay

Nilgai Herd

Rattler II

Stilt

The yuccas are blooming all over, adding a nice touch of color to the browns and greens. Here is a photo of a white-tailed hawk atop a yucca flower.

White-Tailed Hawk on Flowering Yucca

Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

See you next time.

Blog 300: Fire, Turtles, and Village Intrigue

Like an aplomado falcon rocketing toward a meadowlark lunch, time does fly fast. It is hard to fathom that this is my 300th travel blog…onward!

Tour Update
We have worked into a rhythm doing our wildlife open tram tours. Unless days are miserable, we come close to filling the 62 seats with passengers. On one of our tours we had a reporter from the Brownsville Herald along—sharp guy, excellent writer, and a wonderful judge of character. This link goes to his write up:

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/premium/laguna-atascosa-refuge-opens-up-on-its-secrets/article_b63bc2bc-eb7d-11e7-b32f-9beace848926.html

Here are a few pics I have taken from our tours:

View from Redhead Ridge

Handsome Nilgai

Black Vulture

Harris's Hawk II

Bambi

Old Coyote Warrior

Undercover Thief Hits the Refuge!
Along with several other volunteers, we hang at "The Village" (not to be associated or compared in any way to the notorious and infamous "Villages" of Florida fame), where we relax and congregate after our hectic work schedules. Most are like family, and a strong level of trust is embedded in the fabric of our tribe. You can then imagine the shock and outrage that occurred when our women folk's "upper-body, strategic elastic underwear" started to disappear. False alarm—the culprit had just let things hang.

Support Center

Winter Texan Appreciation Day
Jan and I drew the short straw (actually we volunteered) to man the Refuge booth at the annual Winter Texan Appreciation Day in Harlingen. "Winter Texan" is the Texas term for "Snow Bird." It doesn't take much time in Texas to learn that anywhere else on the planet an indigo snake is called an indigo snake. Down here it is a "Texas indigo snake" and tortoises are "Texas tortoises," and so on. They seem to have this big thing about branding.

As "boothers" it was our duty to spread the gospel of the refuge, talking about all the cool nature stuff we have to offer. It really went well—in two short hours we had conversations with 214 people! Here is a shot of Jan before the action commenced.

Jan at Winter Texan Expo

Fire!
The refuge uses controlled burns as a tool to (1) add nutrients to the soil, (2 ) slow down the takeover of invasive grasses, and, most importantly (3) greatly minimize out-of-control wild fires. Here are a few pics taken from the tram during a recent controlled burn.

Fire Danger High

Fire Dude

The Fire Man

Longtime readers know that I occasionally "paint" photos with software in an attempt to make them a tad more artsy. I mention this because the last fire photo above "The Fire Man" is untouched except for a slight crop. The painterly appearance is just a result of the heat, smoke, and wind.

Turtle Rescue
The crazy cold weather we have been having is crazy hard on the sea turtles. Some (too many) become stunned from the frigid waters and end up floating with the current, becoming more lethargic with each passing wave.

I joined Captain Katrina and our friend Nikki, the versatile intern, aboard the good ship Thornscrub Princess, a flats boat powered by a 115 Evinrude outboard on a quest to rescue some of these beautiful creatures before death overtook their weary souls. Wearing long underwear, heavy socks, blue jeans, hiking boots, four shirts, one vest, three coats, a ski band, a wool beanie, two face masks, and a life preserver, I sat up front as we gently launched into a 33-degree temperature, with 20-mph winds, and three-foot seas to the Laguna Madre. I was tasked as the starboard lookout, looking for anything floating in the sea shaped like the round wooden shields of the 13th-century barbarian hordes.

After about 30 minutes, I felt like a half-slab of beef left in the locker freezer over the weekend. I have never been this cold, and the rest of the crew admitted the same. Yet, when a turtle was spotted, Captain K. got us close, I netted the turtle, and then Nikki helped me deposit our catch gently into the boat. We operated as smoothly as the Jamaican bobsled team—position, net, release, repeat. Oh, I wish you could have seen this poetic performance…it would have brought tears to your eyes and elicited "bravos" from your lips.

Finally, we headed back, alerting our people (Dick and Jan) of our expected return, and they met us with the rescue van when we pulled out of the water. We quickly relocated the really cold turtles into the van and Dick drove Nikki, Jan, me, and our four guests to Turtle Inc., on South Padre Island, the turtle rescue folks. Here they checked-in the new patients and started them on their path the recovery. Wonderful experience.

Alex and Turtle in Van

Barny Checking In

Four Saved Green Turtles

Turtles Awaiting Admittance

More Pics
Here are a few more shots taken at the Refuge.

Roadrunner

Female Great-Tailed Grackle

Yellow-Rumped Warbler (Male Myrtle)

Javalina

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next time with Blog 301.

Blog 299: Christmas on the Island

Laguna to South Padre Island KOA

Hard to believe, but we had been at the Refuge for almost two months—time for a break! We cranked up the coach and took the easy 40-minute trek over to the KOA on South Padre Island.

KOA
The KOA is right over the causeway from the mainland, right on Laguna Madre, with views of the Gulf and South Bay. We watched out our front windows to see white ibis and roseate spoonbills feeding on the mud flats.

Pier 19
Another benefit of our location is that Pier 19, the over-the-water restaurant, adjoins the KOA property and is a three-minute walk from our coach. Good, reasonably priced food and drinks that you can enjoy while watching pelicans, shorebirds, and tourists heading out to fish, watch dolphins, or play pirate.

Runs on the Beach
If you head north on Highway 100, you soon reach the end of the road. With sand all around, one is bordered by Laguna Madre on the west and the Gulf of Mexico on the east. Here I let Mitzy loose and let Jack run wild on the light-brown sand. While we were playing, Jan picked up trash.

Running Jack on Sand

Sea Turtle Rescue
Just down the road is the Sea Turtle Rescue. As the name implies, they rescue sea turtles in need, nurture them back to health, and then release them or provide permanent homes for those unable to return to the wild.

Best-Laid Plans
We had plans to go to the beach another time or two, visit the birding center, and do more general exploring. Alas, the temperature dropped like cash at a casino (all the way down to 49 degrees), the mist/light rain gained momentum like a lead dog at the Iditarod, and the winds picked up like politicians at a rally. So, we buttoned up, settled down like bears entering hibernation, and headed back to Pier 19.

More Bird Pics from the Refuge
Here are an American avocet, a black-necked stilt, a ladderback woodpecker, a red-tailed hawk, a mourning dove, and a royal tern.

American Avocet

Black-Necked Stilt

Ladder-Back Woodpecker

Red-Tailed Hawk

Mourning Dove

Royal Tern

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next time.

Blog 298: Let it Snow

Oh, Christmas Tree
With lots of help from our young neighbor, John Harvey, we got our Christmas tree up, trimmed, and lighted. In South Texas, snow is something youngsters only see on TV—except for this year! Only the third snow in 125 years fell and, combined with the famous Texas wind, blew down our Monument to the Seasons. Oh well, it quickly warmed and the tree was restored (and bolstered by the addition of more bricks).

Christmas Tree

John Harvey and Christmas Tree

Snow

BRRRRRRRRR!
I took a short trip to the north country—visiting the Detroit area for work. Great client, but the weather was dreary, cold, and snowy—had an unexpected weather stayover in Dallas, but made it back to Brownsville eventually. Great to be back.

Stray Dogs
We like this area a lot—beautiful area populated with lots of good people. However, on a sad note, too many people discard their pets like trash into a bin—dropping them off in the country to fend for themselves. Often they link up with other strays for comraderie and protection. Our friends here at the Refuge have taken the lead in supporting the dogs’ survival: daily feeding the strays and also paying the vet bills on one pup and making it adoptable. The county constable also feeds this crew and we carry a 50-pound bag of whatever-is-on-sale dog food in the back of our Jeep. Guess it does take a village.

One worn down, tail-dragging, blind-in-one-eye pup wandered into the Refuge. Nikki quickly provided food, water, and comfort. On a strong note, John Harvey’s family adopted this pup. He is in good hands.

Nikki and Talbott Pup

Speaking of pups, here is a shot of a brown dog (well taken care of) that daily guards the entrance to its master’s ranch.

Neighborhood Pup

Birds and Critters
Here are more animal pics taken at the Refuge—Jan’s favorite is the close up of the Caracara—she says he looks like the Shah of Iran!

Coyote

Golden-Fronted Woodpecker

Great-Tailed Grackle

Mockingbird on Yucca Flower

Sandhill Cranes with Moon

Caracara Close-Up

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next time.

Blog 297: Hot Then Cold, Short But Sweet

We are enjoying our stay at the wildlife refuge--nice to be experiencing an area we had never explored. Our tours have started, and so far, so good.

Birds
Here are a few shots of birds we have seen. In order, great kiscadee, kestrel, great blue heron, and roadrunner:

Great Kiskadee

Kestrel

Great Blue Heron

Roadrunner 3

Horse Crippler
Here is a photo of a rare cactus, the Horse Crippler--any guesses why it has this name?

Horse Crippler Cactus

Texas Tortoise
Here is a Texas tortoise, related to the gopher tortoises found in Florida. Kind of boxy, but cute.

Texas Tortoise

Nilgai
Last time I posted a male Nilgai. This week it is a female chowing down.

Nilgai Cow

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next time.

Blog 296: On to the Lower Rio Grande Valley

Waynesville to Los Fresnos

The Journey
From Pride RV in Waynesville, we headed south and west staying at the Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park near McCalla, Alabama, the Pavilion RV Park in West Monroe, Louisiana, the New Adventure RV Park and Horse Hotel outside of Coldspring Texas, and the Gateway to the Gulf RV Park in Coldspring, Texas, before reaching our winter destination at the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, about 30 miles north of Brownsville and near Los Fresnos, Texas.

Another LANWR Sign

Laguna Atascosa NWR
An informal greeting committee met us as we passed the entrance sign and drove into the refuge—five roadrunners strutted across the road in front of us (one at a time) in what appeared to be a welcoming procession. Native Americans consider the Greater Roadrunner sacred, so we took their presence as a powerful omen and a sign of good luck—it’s gonna be a great stay!

Roadrunner

The Refuge
Laguna Atascosa is roughly 100,000 acres consisting of four parcels of land. It is a world-class birding location with over 400 avian species either staying there year ‘round, wintering, or stopping off their migratory path for a few days of rest and fueling up for the next leg of
their journey. It is also the home of several endangered and threatened species—check out https://www.fws.gov/refuge/laguna_atascosa/.

Here is a recent article on the ocelot and the refuge:
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2017/11/21/ocelots-try-survive-world-barely-knows-they-exist/824032001/.

Here are a few bird pics I have taken since we arrived. In order is the green jay, mockingbird, Harris’s hawk, and a long-billed thrasher. Quite good looking, don’t you think?

Green Jay

Mockingbird

Harris's Hawk

Long-Billed Thrasher

Our Gig
Jan and I are the “interpreters” for the wildlife tours. We will be hosting three-hour tram tours that go through four different habitats of the refuge along a 15-mile route. All kinds of cool critters live along the way. Below is a shot of the majestic caracara I shot on a practice run. Also, the refuge is home of nilgai (pronounced “nil’ guy”), an antelope on steroids (they weigh up to 600+ pounds)—an exotic species native to Pakistan and India. Below is a photo of a male.

Caracara 2

Male Nilgai

View from Our Campsite
We live in the Volunteer Village on the refuge, a very nice RV campground with 11 sites for the volunteers. We have a wonderful view in which to check out nature in action. Jack and Mitzy also love to just sit and scope out the carousel of critters that come through our backyard from time to time. Here is a shot of Jack in critter-watching mode, an armadillo, Stretch the Texas indigo snake (he’s a good one), a Mexican ground squirrel, and Angelina the javelina.

Batman Jack

Armadillo

Texas Indigo Snake

Mexican Ground Squirrel

Javelina

Eight-Legged Friend
It is our habit, when time allows, to take a family drive in the late afternoon to look for sights to see and critters to capture with the camera. Jan usually drives, Jack has the backseat, and I sit shotgun with Mitzy on my lap with my camera on a bean bag pointing out the window.

One day as we were driving down the road, Jan cranks the wheel and does a 180-degree turn. She jumps out the door to rescue a tarantula that was trying to cross a busy road (his odds of not being splat were quite poor). She pulls her sweatshirt sleeve down over her right hand, lowers it to the ground, and the tarantula clings on. Jan walks over to the opposite shoulder of the road and shakes her arm to free her rescued friend. The tarantula is not easily released and slowly starts to trek up Jan’s arm. I yell at her to stop so that I can take a picture, but when the big guy reaches her shoulder and her attempts to loosen her eight-legged buddy are unsuccessful, she whips off her sweatshirt, throws it to the ground, and runs back to the car wearing just her sports bra on top. Of course, I got the shot, loosened the grip of our new friend, and returned the sweatshirt to Jan to put on before traffic overtook us.

Tarantula 2

Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

See you next time.

Blog 295: Smoky and Blue

Elkhart to Waynesville

Columbus, Indiana
From Goshen, we headed south to Columbus, Indiana, to stay a couple of nights at Columbus Woods-N-Water Campground. Nice and quiet, and guess what?—it is surrounded by woods and water—nice to experience truth in advertising.

Glasgow, Kentucky
From Columbus, we headed south in the rain (hurricane aftermath) down I-65 to Bailey’s Point Campground, another Corps of Engineer campground at Barren River Lake (about an hour south of Mammoth Cave National Park). It is a heavily wooded campground beside a huge lake—solitude abounds. They have an interesting tradition at the campgrounds that we just missed out on. The second weekend of October every year they have a “Boo Fest,” where most all campers decorate their campground sites for Halloween and many of them go all out. To many folks, this is a tradition—a chance to get together with friends and outdo each other on decorations. All kinds of activities are planned. The local kids have a break, so the place is exciting as well as quite scary! We left on Friday morning missing out on the main excitement.

Kentucky is the home of narrow winding roads, tasty bourbon, and fields of tobacco. Here is a shot of one of the cool tobacco barns.

Tobacco Barn

Chinese Buffet
The little town of Glasgow is kinda quaint, but limited in what it has to offer to sophisticated travelers like us. :’) With really low expectations on my part, we stopped for lunch at the China King and had their buffet for $7 a person. Just amazing! Really, really, good. There were close to 40 pans of really tasty Schezuan-style food. From zippy hot-and-sour soup to crab and shrimp and dozens of noodle dishes—wonderful stop.

Waynesville, NC
From Glasgow, I let the Google Maps take us the shortest route to Waynesville, NC—my bad. We poked along very narrow, very curvy blacktops for a couple hours. Beautiful country, but poor Jan was driving the bus and had to be on full alert as she guided us along the way at 15 miles an hour tops.

We chose Waynesville because of its close proximity to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and access to the Blue Ridge Parkway. We had talked about seeing the colors here for years and had planned on it the year the government and the national park system were shut down. This time we made it. Our Pride RV Resort campground was just seven minutes from Maggie Valley decorated to the hilt for the fall season and Halloween—you couldn’t go ten feet without seeing pumpkins, witches, and other scary decorations. There were lots of antiques—here is a sign I found intriguing. The old trucks you will see later all came from Maggie Valley.

Flying Gas Man

Dog Park
Waynesville has a nice dog park within a manicured city park that we took the pups to several times. Here is a shot of a resting Golden.

Resting Golden

Great Smoky Mountains National Park
We had allotted one specific day to do a full-court press on shooting the fall colors. Alas, just as we had the car loaded, the rain came—first a soft mist, then a sprinkle, and the occasional downpour. However, we were out of the campground before sunrise (which never came), drove through Maggie Valley, and turned west on the Blue Ridge Parkway winding our way to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center inside the Great Smoky Mountain NP.* The ranger was helpful but not hopeful as we discussed possible destinations. He said it was not the best year for fall colors because the very warm temperatures a few months back had a big impact. He also said that because of the rain, rising winds, and lousy visibility, we may not be able to absorb the usual experience of the park. Hey, we were there, so we headed north driving adjacent the Oconaluftee River. We first stopped at the Mingus Mill, once the only grist mill for miles around. It was pouring rain, but we all got out of the car to check things out. After five minutes, both pups were doing their impression of drowned rats, and with gloomy looks led us back to the car. We drove for another hour, seeing a few colors along the river, but saw nothing but bright gray as we passed by the scenic pullouts. We accepted defeat, but decide to try again the next day.

Mingus Mill

Smoky View

*Depending upon your perspective, this where the Blue Ridge Parkway ends at Milepost 469. The Blue Ridge Parkway is its own National Park that for 469 miles links the Shenandoah National Park with the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in the south, starting in the northern part of Virginia and ending at the southern part of North Carolina.

Blue Ridge Parkway
Fortunately, we had another day to explore. This time we drove through Maggie Valley but turned left instead of right on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was a chilly 40 degrees but the sky was clear to partly cloudy—great day for a road trip. We took the Parkway for over 40 miles. We have heard horror stories about the horrendous crowds in both the Smoky Mt. Park and the Parkway during prime season. Being there on a weekday just off season had its perks—traffic was light making things much more enjoyable.

We stopped at Waterrock Knob where Jack and I hiked the trail to the top to admire the views. Truth in advertising again—the literature stated steep and rocky and it was spot on! Nice views from the summit.

From there we stopped at several turnouts and gushed out an “ooh” or an “ahh” when appropriate. At the Pisgah Mountain, we turned around taking the back way to Waynesville and then on to our camp. Beautiful trip—I can only imagine what it must look like in a prime year! We hope to find out.

Blue Ridge Scenic

Blue Ridge Scenic 2

Funky Blue Ridge Wall

Top of Watterock Knob

Old Trucks
Here are five old trucks from Maggie Valley.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

Old Truck 4

Old Truck 5

Blog 294: Casino Royale

From Cherry Creek State Park to Elkhart County Fairgounds

Loveland, CO
From Cherry Creek State Park, we took the short trip north to Boyd Lake State Park. As the name implies, the main attraction at this state park is the lake. We had a nice lake view from our site and enjoyed the many paths on which we walked the pups.

Day Trip: RMNP
Being this close, we couldn’t resist the opportunity of visiting Rocky Mountain National Park. We have been there many times, but every time is worthwhile. We took the one-way, dirt road up to the Alpine Visitor Center, and then circled back on the main drag. On the way up, we stopped by a stream and Jan built (I helped) a cairn in memory of her cousin Harlan.

Marmot

Harlan Cairn

Ft. Collins, CO
Another short drive north put us into the Ft. Collins KOA on the northwest part of the town by a major reservoir. On Labor Day, we hooked up with old Pine Island friends who have a house in Ft. Collins for a nice lunch.

Day Trip: State Forest State Park
We took scenic Highway 14 north and west bordering the Cache la Poudre along the way to State Forest State Park. North and west of Rocky Mountain National Park this isolated area is one of the prettiest places in one of the prettiest states. As we approached the park we saw three really big moose in the exact spot we viewed them several years earlier (hey, they might have been the same ones!). After a nice lunch at Walden, we worked our way back to camp.

Massive Moose

McCook, NE
From Ft. Collins, we took 14 east to 6 east and found a “city” park in McCook. The small park has sites big enough for big rigs and 50-amp power. They do this as a public service—camping is free except for tips. You certainly could tell you were in the Midwest, because about every fourth vehicle you meet is a tractor, combine, or other motorized farm implement.

Fairbury, NE
Continuing east across the plains, we camped overnight at the Rock Creek Station Recreation Area. Another isolated but very pretty setting.

Osceola Iowa: Casino #1
Continuing east and north we spent a night south of Des Moines, at the Waterside Casino campground. Clean and easy to navigate—good one-nighter.

Coralville, Iowa
Our next stop in eastern Iowa was the Coralville Dam, another Corp of Engineer campground built along Coralville Lake. Huge sites, great views—very relaxing…we spent several days there and will come back again.

Coralville Campsite

Coralville Campsite View

Day Trip: Casino #2
We drove south for an easy half hour to meet my two sisters for lunch outside of the town of Riverside at the Riverside Casino. Great catching up on families and a pretty good buffet!

Joliet Illinois: Casino #3
There are relatively few RV parks or campgrounds in this area, and the Hollywood Casino is probably the best.

Kalamazoo, Michigan
From Joliet, we headed east and dropped the coach off at the Thor factory service center in Wakarusa, Indiana, on a Friday mid-day. With our two pups and a loaded jeep, we drove an hour-and-a-half mainly north to spend time with a longtime friend. We had the chance to enjoy beautiful weather and reconnect with many old friends.

Trip to South Haven
Other good friends had recently built a house in South Haven, a two-minute walk to Lake Michigan. We timed dinner right so that we took in a beautiful sunset from their private beach.

Lake Michigan Sunset

Lake Michigan Sunset II

Beach Walkers

Dog Park
As always, we enjoy a dog park whenever we get the chance.

Mitzy and Buddy

Run, Jack, Run

Goshen, Indiana
We drove back down to Wakarusa, picked up the coach, and drove the 30 minutes into Elkhart for the yearly chassis service. After checking out this town for three hours during the servicing, we picked up the coach and headed south and east to Goshen. Here we set up camp at the Elkhart County Fairgrounds to attend a five-day Thor Diesel Rally of 135 coaches similar to ours. Lots of seminars, get-togethers, and group meals. They had a dog parade in which Jan made costumes for both Mitzy and Jack. I think the judging was rigged, as it was apparent to anyone with class that Mitzy should have won the best costume, with Jack a close second. Oh, well, we didn’t like the prizes anyway.

Butterfly and Bat

Old Trucks
Here is an old truck shot in Michigan.

Old KL Truck

See you next time.

Blog 293: Eclipse Chasers

From Cheyenne Mountain State Park we took the short drive up to Cherry Creek State Park on the eastern side of Denver. Bigger than Central Park in NYC, it shares the status of being right in the city of Denver, so one is close to just about everything. Nice, spacious campsites, trails everywhere, water to swim in or fish—just a wonderful place to stay.

Dog Park
Regular readers know how impressed I am with the quality (and size) of the off-leash dog parks in Colorado, and the Cherry Creek State Park dog park is right at the top of the list. Below are a few pics taken over several visits.

Big Stick Jack

Fluffy Pup

Reflecting Ernie

Run, Jack, Run

Run, Jack, Run II

Shoeless Mitzy

Football
Austie’s flag football team was undefeated for the season, and we got the chance to see the championship game.

Championship Opening Ceremony

Grab it, Austie!

Hut-Hut

Fishing
Jan and I (mostly Jan) watched the G-kids a few times over our stay in Denver. During an overnight stay at our campground, we took Austie and Nattie out fishing. Everybody had a great time.

Fishing Austi

Fishing Nattie

Total Solar Eclipse

Cherry Creek State Park to Scottsbluff

Early Preparation
I knew total solar eclipses were cool, but I hadn’t considered them at a “bucket list” level. Then over lunch one day (about three weeks before the eclipse), I saw a TED video of a scientist who made the case that viewing a total eclipse should be one of life’s top priorities. As he described the visual treats he saw, the totally unexpected sounds, and the intense feeling he experienced, I changed my mind. Doing a little research, I found that Denver was not far from the path of totality (200+ miles or so), so I vowed to make the journey, if at all possible. There were three main challenges:

1. Total Eclipse Glasses: Now this seemed easy, at first. Should be able to pick up a couple pair for a couple of bucks each…not! These special glasses were sold out everywhere. However, getting close to giving up (down to eight days), I found that the Grease Monkey chain (quick oil changes) was giving them away as a special promotion. I called and found that the last two pair within Colorado were at a location 20 minutes away. We jumped in the Jeep, and when we arrived I put Mitzy in my arms (hey, she is quite persuasive) and went in. The person I met hemmed and hawed a little (he said people were lined up before store opening to get their glasses), and I just kept saying how much we appreciated it and petting Mitzy. Finally, after smiling at the cute pup in my arms, he miraculously found two pair tucked away in the back of a cabinet. I thought about hugging him, but a grease joint is a macho place. Challenge Number 1 handled.

2. Lodging: As you probably guessed, hotels, motels, B&Bs, RV parks, and campgrounds were all jacking up prices (e.g., they were asking $1,200 for one night at a Motel 6!) and most all were sold out. We had decided upon going to Scottsbluff, Nebraska (all the people I had talked to said they were going to Wyoming), and I called the tourism center, the visitor bureau, the Scottsbluff National Monument, the Chamber of Commerce, and even with local knowledge could find nothing available that cost less than a first-class ticket to London. However, checking back three days before the event, a private rancher was advertising dry camping spots for $75—sold! Challenge Number 2 handled.

3. Photographing the Eclipse. Ideally you use a special solar eclipse filter, or the poor man’s version is solar eclipse film that you use to cobble together a homemade filter. I did not anticipate an issue until going to the B&H website and finding all options were out of stock, and all were backordered and not anticipated to arrive soon. Well, of course, I checked out Adorama, Amazon, and a dozen other places. Next, I called camera stores. Finally, I decided, “Oh, well, I can document the spectacle. Furthermore, I could shoot filterless during the one-minute-and-forty-two seconds of the total eclipse—good enough. Challenge Number 3 partially mediated.

Getting There
There were lots of horror stories about 600,000 people leaving Colorado and heading north to Wyoming or northeast to Nebraska for the total solar eclipse. So, we had some mixed emotions and a little angst and prepared ourselves mentally for possible traffic gridlock. In an attempt to at least minimize the potential pain, on Sunday we got the coach ready, and by 6:40 a.m. we were heading out of the park on our 214-mile trek to Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Traffic on I-225 was light, modest on 70 East, and almost nothing on East I-76. Highway 52 was wide open, and although a little rough at times, we kept a good pace as we passed through the gentle fields of the Pawnee National Grassland. 71 East was quiet and smooth—almost lonely! We stopped at the Kimball Diner for breakfast (50% locals after church with the remainder Eclipse Hunters). 71 north of Kimball was a just-paved, four-lane road, smooth…easy-peasy.

We kept seeing signs along the road saying, “Expect Heavy Traffic,” but even stopping off at the diner, our journey was only four hours.

Once set up in our grassy field, we decided to check out the Scottsbluff National Monument, where Jan got her passport stamped, and then went on to adjoining Legacy of the Plains. We then drove around looking for the best place to view the eclipse and decided that where we were staying was just fine.

Scottsbluff NM 1

Scottsbluff NM 2

Preparation
I decided I would set up two cameras and attempt to get photos and video footage during the one-minute-and-forty-two seconds of the total eclipse. I was a little nervous, as it didn’t seem wise, as I had only seconds to adjust the tripod, frame the sun, manually focus, and shoot the eclipse.

At 10:25 the partial eclipse started, and Jan and I watched the changing shadows every few minutes for over an hour—very cool. Our only regret was that our Grease Monkey shades weren’t very sexy, and there were very few people that were envious.

At about 11:47, I started the video. At 11:48, the full eclipse started, and with both cameras I quickly took off the lens caps, adjusted the tripods to frame the sun, and then manually focused for the one-minute-and-forty-two-second duration.

At least I wasn’t skunked! Here are two photos I took of the total eclipse.

Total Eclipse Diamond Ring

Total Eclipse

If you’d like to see the 3:22 second video featuring Janny’s play-by-play commentary, click here. Note that there is only audio for the first one minute or so.

The Trip Back
After lunch (our host kindly fed us hot dogs, hamburgers, and the trimmings), and then we were off. Yes, there was some going-so-slow-you-could-shine-your-shoes moments, but we still made it home in slightly over five hours.

Unbelievable experience! We are ready for Total Eclipse 2024. How about you?

See you next time.

Blog 292: Dogs and Rabbits, Turkeys and Bear

We took the easy but slow hour-and-a-half journey from the Chatfield State Park campground in SW Denver to the Cheyenne Mountain State Park campground in SW Colorado Springs, about 10 miles south of the Air Force Academy and close to the Cheyenne Mountain of NORAD fame.

The last time we camped here was when the big fire burned a few years ago, with soaring temperatures, darkened skies, and the ever-present smell of heavy smoke. We could clearly see the fires that threatened the Air Force Academy and much of the Colorado Springs area. This year was much different. Heavy winter snows and lots of spring rain kept everything a bright green color. It rained almost every day, and hail touched the ground twice during our stay. The park has a heavy population of rabbits, deer, prairie dogs, and wild turkeys for the pups to watch and try to chase. In addition, a juvenile bear was sited directly behind our site, but we never saw him.

Here is a view from our campsite.

Cheyenne Mt. Campsite View

Dog Parks
Like so many places in Colorado, the area has several very nice off-leash dog parks. Here are a few dog pics from our stay (including one bluebird that lives in one of the parks).

Bluebird

Black and Grey in Sunflowers

Black and White in Field

Black and White with Ball

Black Dog in Field

Bounding Brownie

Happy Gunner

Jack and Gunner

Running Brindle

Running Loki

Three-Legged Pup in Field

Pretty Girl

Wolfish Smile

It's my ball, Bucko

Where is Jack?


Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next time.

Blog 291: Big Horns and Yellow Bellies

Ouray KOA to Chatfield State Park

From the Ouray KOA we went north on 550 past Ridgway to Montrose, where we fueled up and headed east on 50 through the Curecanti National Recreation Area, past Gunnison and turning north on 285 just a few miles west of Salida. We then went up north a few miles to spend one night at our Chalk Creek Campground in Nathrop. The next morning, we took 285 north until turning east on 24 through Hartsel, Florissant, Woodland Park, and over to Colorado Springs. It had been a few years since we took 24, and I had forgotten what a wonderful trip it was. We headed north on I-25, then took 85 north, Titan Road, and finally, Roxborough Road.

Mt. Evans Day Trip

Mt. Evans Road Trip

This is a Colorado Scenic Byway that we had never been on before. My buddy, Mers, and I took the back roads that were, well—scenic! It is the highest paved highway in the US, is the home of the highest observatory in the US, and bighorn sheep and mountain goats may have the highest level of people comfort of any herds in the US. Just another gorgeous Colorado destination.

Mt. Evans Climbers

Summit Lake Park II

View from Mt. Evans

Mt. Evans Goats

RMNP Double-Dip
One day, Mers accompanied us on the road less traveled—up the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park. We were especially hunting moose, and we were not disappointed.

Momma Moose

On another day, Mers, John, and I took a trip up the east side of RMNP through Estes Park. We did a big circle taking the Old Fall River Road, a one-way dirt road up to the Alpine Visitor Center and came back on the paved, but spectacular, Trail Ridge Road. I never get tired of this place. Here is a shot of a mountain view, the almost-always present elk, and a yellow-bellied marmot.

RMNP Elk

RMNP Mountain View

Yellow-Bellied Marmot

G-Kid Sports
Camping close to the G-kids, we had a chance to see Nattie’s soccer and Austie’s football.

Run, Nattie, Run

Go, Girl

Austie Football

Austie Football II

Chatfield Dog Park
Of course, we visited this amazing dog park.

Black and White Pup

Pretty Mitzy

Run, Jack, Run

White and Speckled Pup

Old Trucks
Here are a couple of trucks from the trips to RMNP.

Flowery Old Truck

Old Lyons Fire Truck

See you soon.

Blog 290: Last Dollar and Red Mountain

Priest Gulch to Ouray KOA

From our Priest Gulch campground, we headed north on 145 through Rico and upon reaching Placerville we headed east on 62 to Ridgway and then south on 550 to our Ouray KOA just north of Ouray. Curvy and steep, but another beautiful drive.

This is another very nice campground in an even nicer location. Ouray is a classy old mining town with a lot of tourist appeal, and just seven miles away is the old cowboy town of Ridgway. Scores of trails to hike and forest roads to explore.

Red Mountain Road Trip
We headed south on Highway 550 (The Million Dollar Highway), and then turned south onto Red Mountain Road, another beautiful scenic byway. As we climbed higher and higher on this hairpin-loving road, the spring flowers appeared, providing a palette of color on the mountainside. Close to the top we had to pull over as a rushing stream cut the road in two.

Trail Blazing

Red Mountain Rushing

Here is a view from the mountain.

View from Red Mountain

Last Dollar Road Trip

Lost Dollar Day Trip

We took another fun road trip on the Last Dollar Road to Telluride. There was a hard rain the night before, so we were going through “puddles,” with some large enough to dunk a Holstein (well, it seemed that way when we drove through them). Wonderful time!

Cows and Mountain

Last Dollar Road Aspens

Last Dollar Road Vista

Ouray from Trail Head

Old Trucks
Here is an old Ridgway fire truck and an old rescue truck from Ouray.

Old Ridgway Fire Truck

Old Rescue Truck

See you next time!

Blog 289: Priest Gulch

Blue Spruce to Priest Gulch

From Blue Spruce, we dropped down and around through Durango, up to Mancos, sliding through Dolores, and out into the boonies to our Priest Gulch Campground.

Priest Gulch
This is one gorgeous campground with the rushing Dolores River sloshing and spilling right through the middle.

Priest Gulch Sign

Trails
Great trails all around.

Bear Creek Trail Sign

Calico Trail

Priest Gulch Trail Sign

Of course, the Pups love the hikes.

Thundering Pups III

Towering Aspen

Priest Gulch Trail

4th of July Parade
Over Independence Day we ventured up to Rico for an old-fashioned parade.

Rico Parade

Rico Parade II

Parade Watching Jack

Parade Watching Mitzy

Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

See you soon.

Blog 288: Old Trains and Blue Spruce

Chalk Creek to Blue Spruce

On to Vallecito
From our Nathrop campground we headed south on 285 for 80 miles, west on 112 for 31 miles, took 160 west for 99 miles, then 501 for 18 miles, and finally took 500 for 1.8 miles. Lots of up and downs, around and overs, as we herded the coach over some of the most gorgeous terrain in the country. We ended up about 30 miles northeast of Durango, adjoining the San Juan National Forest and the banks of Blue Spruce Lake.

Blue Spruce RV Park
Previously, we had stayed five times in the general area and twice at this RV Park. Yes, we love the area and this park is one of our favorites. Once again, we were at 8,000 feet in this beautifully shaded campground with enough hummingbirds to sound like a drone convention. Along with the hummers there were hundreds of chippers and squirrels, deer galore, and many, many yellow-bellied marmots. Both Vallecitio Lake and nearby Lemon Lake are great places to picnic, stroll, and let the Pups run down by the water.

Flying Hummer

Lake Vallecito

Vallecito Lake View

Wood in the Water

Storm A-Coming

Old Train
One of the most famous attractions in this area is the Durango-Silverton train. The Pups and I dropped Jan and visiting friend, Bert, at the Durango Train Station, and then we drove up to Silverton. Three hours later we picked them up, had a nice lunch, and then drove back to Blue Spruce. The scenery is magnificent and the train ride a must-do.

Train Pulling Out

Train Coming In

Happy Passengers

While touring Silverton, we found some nice views, including this old door.

Silverton View

Old Door in Silverton

Trails
One of the very nice things about this area is the abundance of trails within the San Juan National Forest. Just one mile from the campground is the Vallecito Trail, located in the Weminuche inside the San Juan National Forest. Also, several trails are located along Middle Mountain Road that eventually leads to the ghost town of Tuckerville. One day Jack and Mitzy and I drove to the barricade and hiked our way back into the setting where this town once existed.

Wilderness Sign

Tuckerville Road Closed

Old Pot
While picnicking at Lake Lemon, Jan found this treasure of an old pot, which quickly became a flower repository.

Jan's Old Pot

Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks taken in Silverton.


Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

See you soon.

Blog 287: Slow Ducks and High Peaks

Cochiti Lake to Chalk Creek

North to Colorado
Leaving Cochiti Lake we backtracked south, got on I-25 North, took the 599 bypass, and continued north on 285. Our plan was to take 285 north all the way to Highway 17 just a few miles into Colorado and continue the 12 miles to our campground. Good plan…good roads…only 158 miles. However…driving a few miles past Espanola, I noticed that the highway sign I spotted did not declare Highway 285 as expected. It said Highway 68. Oops! A ways back we turned slightly right instead of slightly left. No big deal, I thought, thinking that there had to be several east-west highways that could get us quickly back on track. Not bothering to check my maps, Jan plugged in the phone Google Map and we followed their plan.

It told us to take 570 North, then 115 North to 567 West, where we would then link back up to 285 at Taos Junction. Sounded straightforward. However, a few alarm bells started to chime in the back of my head immediately upon getting on to 570, as the road was very narrow, very steep, and very curvy. One had to hug the middle of the road, look way ahead for oncoming traffic, and use both lanes in certain areas. So, it was a slow and a little tense driving. However, the views were spectacular.

In many places the road was less than twenty yards from the waters of the Rio Grande and almost at eye level. We were in the Rio Grande Norte National Monument and on the Taos Indian Reservation—beautiful country. We passed several campgrounds, and one of them (Pilar) looked big enough to camp in—we will consider in the future.

Back to our journey: We slowly wound our way around and were within a mile-and-a-half of linking up to our next road when we spotted a tall, very skinny bridge crossing the Rio Grande. Jack and I got out to explore. The good news was that the one-lane bridge was tall enough to pass under, and there was no sign stating a weight limit (that was probably a good sign). We walked over the bridge and saw that the narrow dirt road on the other side appeared to go straight up into the mountain—a 12%, or more, grade.

After staring at this scenario for 30 seconds, I waved down a local. He said the road was passable for many vehicles, except that the first curve was a doosey, and no way we could take the coach. So, on to Plan B. We backtracked down to Highway 68, turned east instead of west and took it all the way through Taos. From there we took 64 West, passed the Taos Brewing Company, over the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, and on to Tres Piedras, where we picked up 285, entered Colorado, and went on to our campground. Another small adventure.

Antonito, Colorado
Conejos River Campground is one of our favorites. It sits along the Conejos River and adjacent to the San Juan Mountains and the Rio Grande National Forest. At 8,500 feet there are views of mountains from all sides. I really like walking the pups down to the river and letting them run off leash. We had a nice time visiting with Pam and Gary, the owners, and told them we look forward to our next visit.

From here we turned east back to Antonito, and then north on 285. There were snow-capped mountains all along the way of this scenic drive.

Nathrop, Colorado

Chalk Creek Sign

We have been to the Chalk Creek Campground many times over Memorial Day, and it has turned into a family tradition with the G-kids and their mom and dad driving down from Parker (SE side of Denver) spending the long weekend with us. We handpicked our site a year in advance finding a large one directly on the river, close to the playground, with a big fire ring for roasting ‘smores and telling tales. Here is a pic I shot from our galley window.

View from Galley

There are lots of things to do in this area: hot springing, horseback riding, rafting, water sliding, paddling, ghost-towning, mountain viewing, duck racing, candy bar bingo-ing, playgrounding, scenic driving, hot-dog roasting, and ‘smors-ing, to name a few. This year both Natalie and Austie won at the big Candy Bar Bingo event.

A Winner!

Another Winner!

Carry a Big Stick

Alas, none of our ducks took the top prize in the Annual Duck Race. (We are all past winners :’), but it was fun nonetheless.

The Ducks Are Off!

White-Faced Pup

Happy Campers

Resting Jack

The campground is in the heart of the Collegiate Mountains, the range with the largest number of 14teeners in Colorado. If you like mountains, you have a 270-degree view from most anywhere. The large amount of snow that Colorado has received really emphasizes both the size and the majesty. For a few hours when Mom and Dad gave us a break, we took a drive up in the mountains in the Pike San Isabel National Forest.

Silos and Mountains

Collegiate Peaks

On another day, we took the backroads south of Poncha Springs and up to O’Haver Lake. We hope to be back next year.

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next time.

Blog 286: White Sands and Green Chili Cheeseburgers

Brantley Lake State Park to Cochiti Lake

From Brantley Lake State Park we took 285 North to Artesia, and then went west on Highway 82. At Mayhill we entered the Sacramento Mountains and traveled several 6 percent grades and reached over 9,500 feet at Cloudcroft. Really pretty. Entering Almogordo, we headed north a few miles on Highway 54 to our campground.

Boot Hill RV Sign

Boot Hill RV Park, Alamagordo, NM
We have stayed at this park before. A good place for a night or two, sites are level and long and the place is quite clean.

White Sands National Monument
At 6:30 the next morning we took the 35-minute drive to White Sands National Monument. Jack had been pestering me all spring as to when we would go back there, and I was glad to get him off my case. We were the second car entering the monument at 7:03, and we drove about two-thirds through the park until we found the spot we wanted. I took Jack and Mitzy off their leashes and the fun began. Jack bolted through the white gypsum sand running at full speed in big circles like an asteroid going hot. I spent about an hour shooting this black blast blur with the wide grin up and down the dunes.

White Sands National Monument Sign

Jack at White Sands

Jack at White Sands II

Jack at White Sands III

Jack at White Sands IV

Mitzy, though, tired of the excitement and wandered back to the car. She had had enough fun.

Mitzy at White Sands

We then took our time driving back slowly, stopping several times to shoot the yucca. Also, I found a fun photo opportunity of some guys having breakfast.

Happy Campers

Yucca II

Yucca III

Here is a yucca that Janny shot.

Jan's Yucca

After stopping by the visitor center for Jan to get her passport stamped, we bought a tee shirt and a burrito to share on the drive back to Boot Hill.

We hooked up the car and took 54 north then west on NM 3. We then took 285 north to I-25 south where we hung a right. At exit 264 we took NM 16 and followed the signs past the Cochiti Lake Dam.

Cochiti Lake COE

Cochiti Lake Campground Sign

Cochiti Lake Campground is another Corps of Engineers project. This secluded area west of Santa Fe featured very big sites with private areas. We were up on top of a hill with a view of the lake and the mountains.

Coach at Cochiti Lake

Galardia

Cochiti is within the boundaries of the Cochiti Reservation, which borders other reservations on all sides. Each has their own Pueblo, a Governor, and a ruling council.

Day Trip to Bandelier National Monument

Bandelier National Monument Sign

We decided to take a side trip to Bandelier National Monument. As the crow flies, it is only 12 miles from Cochiti Lake to Bandelier. However, as Google Maps points out, the best route is a 75-mile jaunt, south, east, north, and then west. Yet, when I studied my New Mexico Road and Recreation Atlas, the trip would be only 32 miles if one was willing to take 14 miles of non-paved road. Confident in our off-road ability, we set out on National Forest Road 268 planning on taking Bland Canyon through the Jemez Mountains, connecting with Highway 4 east to the monument.

Cochiti Lake to Bandelier National Monument

We quickly learned that road 268 was basically a riverbed covered with rocks and rutted tire tracks with a stream running through the middle. The rough going was really slow for about three miles and continued to get more challenging. As things continued to worsen Jack and I got out of the Jeep to scout ahead by foot. Turning a corner, our “road” was blocked off by a farmer’s fence, making further progress nonnegotiable. Sadly, we backtracked, but started developing a plan B.

Alex on No Road

Plan B

Cochiti Lake to Bandelier National Monument - Long Route

We drove south on 22, went south on I-25 for a few miles exiting at San Felipe Pueblo onto historic Route 66. At Bernalillo we turned northwest on 550 all the way to San Ysidro where we headed north then east. Here we found three nice old trucks (see below).

View Past Bernalillo

Each mile the scenery became more beautiful as we slowly went upward climbing the Jemez Mountains through the Santa Fe National Forest peaking at over 9,000 feet. Jemez Springs is gorgeous, and as we continued we had the Valles Caldera National Reserve on our left, a huge region of ancient volcanic activity--some of the prettiest scenery we have seen. After a short stop at Bandelier, we continued on the White Rock, then took 502 east, and then 285 south.

Valles Caldera Sign

Green Chili Cheeseburgers
By then it was early afternoon and we were quite hungry, but decided it was worth a few more miles and a few more minutes to drive to one of our favorite towns in New Mexico, Madrid. So instead of getting back on I-25 south to return to our campground, we took NM 14 (the Turquoise Trail) south to this old hippy, artsy town. We parked and took the steps up to the deck of the dog-friendly Mineshaft Cantina. They specialize in craft draft beers and homemade margaritas, and green chili cheeseburgers.

Jan and I are green chili cheeseburger fanciers, having tasted several versions all over New Mexico, including those from the much-touted Buckhorn Tavern and the Owl Bar and Grill in San Antonio. However, we both agreed that our favorite is the version served at the Mineshaft Cantina—a huge burger of beef cooked exactly how you order it with cheese, salsa, deep-fried hatch chilies on the bun, and a mound of French fries on the side. Enough spice to add a little zing to the already mouth-drooling taste. Here is Jan’s pic of her plate. Great place to hang…then back to camp. All in all, a 214-mile road trip—a little longer than intended, but much better than expected. Wow!

Green Chili Cheeseburger

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from San Ysidro.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next time.

Blog 285: Hot and Windy, Dry and Dusty

Cranes Mill to Carlsbad

Heading north and east for 30 miles, we then hooked up again with I-10 West on our journey into West Texas. I-10 is like a friend that you enjoy for a couple-day visit, but then you start to yearn to move on—we were reaching the yearning point.

When you hear the words “West Texas” what thoughts come to mind? What feelings? What images? For me it is simple: “hot and windy, dry and dusty.” We traveled for 317 miles in mid- to high-90s temperature before stopping in Fort Stockton for the evening

Hilltop RV Park Sign

Hilltop RV Park, Fort Stockton
For one night, this was a good choice (I can’t imagine spending more than one night in Ft. Stockton, though). The place was well run and adorned with metal art throughout the park.

Metal Burro

3 Musicians

There was also a cool sign on a hill across from the campground.

Ft. Stockton Sign

Brantley Lake State Park, Carlsbad, NM
From Stockton, we headed west on 285 all the way to the New Mexico border. The entire way through Texas the west wind whirled, sending streams of orange-ish red dust across a highway worn out by thousands of trucks, mostly hauling oil pipeline equipment and supplies. It seemed like every fifth truck was adorned with an “oversized load” sign on its grill with hunks of machines or metals or materials hanging over the side and out the rear. The trash on the side of the road reminded one of the littered streets in bad Detroit neighborhoods. Not pleasant. However, once we hit the state line, the road improved, the traffic lightened, and the roadside looked as New Mexico had a little more pride in appearances. We continued on 285 North through Carlsbad and up to our campsite in Brantley Lake State Park north of town.

Brantley Lake State Park Sign

Brantley Lake View

We thoroughly enjoyed this isolated area out in the desert of New Mexico. There were lots of bunnies and hundreds of those long-eared, long-legged Texas jack rabbits. Of course, Jack and Mitzy loved them.

Along with other critters there were lots of scaled quail, mockingbirds, grackles, roadrunners, and lizards.

Twin Peaks

Mourning Dove

Roadrunner

Carlsbad Caverns
Of course the most famous attraction in the Carlsbad area is the Carlsbad Caverns. Several years ago we wanted to tour them but arrived too late in the day. Last year I had put a plan together for Jan to drop me off for two hours while she and the Pups took the drive through the park (Jan is not crazy about caves). When I went to get my ticket, I was informed the elevators were broken. Yes, I could walk, but that would extend my visit to five hours. Hence, we put it off another year.

There was one upside though, Al Roker and an NBC camera crew was at the visitor center when we arrived. They were shooting sessions for their 100 Years of National Park series. Jan greeted Al, and he responded with a big smile, and I spent some time talking to the crew.

Carlsbad Caverns Sign

This year, however, I learned from my past mistake—like a senior checking out final exam results, I monitored the NPS Carlsbad Caverns website daily to make sure that all was a go. I learned that elevator maintenance was planned for the days prior to my trip, so no worries. However, the night before, I found that the maintenance had been extended one day! Oh, brother—I thought I was jinxed.

Luckily, we had a little flexibility in our schedule so I set back my trip one day.

I arrive 8:26 a.m., got my ticket, and at 8:29 I was in line for the first elevator (8:30) to take me to the Big Room, 850 feet below. A cool thing for me was, unlike most caves, they did not require being chaperoned in a tour group, and you could not only take pictures but also use a tripod. I spent two hours walking and photographing this immense cave, only seeing a few people along the way. Crazy impressive. Here a few shots.

Caverns I

Caverns II

Caverns III

Caverns IV

Caverns V

Caverns VI

Caverns VII

Caverns VIII

Note to future visitors of the caverns: Go early. When I exited the caves, people where in long lines to get in. There were six buses parked with hundreds of school kids streaming, screaming, and scampering to take the tours.

Can’t Pass a Food Truck
Jan and I love food truck cuisine, especially Southwest food truck cuisine. We stop as much as we can. On my return to camp, I stopped at the La Patrona food truck to bring home their special burrito and a torta for our lunch. We sat outside, alert pups at our feet, desert before us, and tasting some of the best food in the world. It just doesn’t get any better.

Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 46

Old Truck 47

See you soon.

Blog 284: Deep in the Heart of Texas

Davis Bayou Campground to Cranes Mill Park

From our Ocean Springs campground, we once again strode on to I-10 West and traveled across Mississippi and most all of Louisiana, stopping close to the Texas border at Vinton RV in Vinton, LA. This was just an easy-on, easy-off location for the night—just a place to rest up, and then go.

Vinton RV Sign

The next morning, we again pointed the coach west on I-10, scooting through the very light traffic of Houston, and then to exit 604 in Segun, Texas. After about an hour of taking Texas 46 to 2722 East to 2673 North, we arrived at our campground on Canyon Lake, Texas. Canyon Lake is strategically located, about 35 miles NE of San Antonio and 45 miles SW of Austin. It is a big, manmade lake created and managed by the Army Corp of Engineers.

Cranes Mill Park Sign

This place is our kind of park…small (just 30 sites), big sites, covered picnic tables, scrub country behind us, and lake views up front. Deer everywhere and lots of birds.

Corn Flowers

Bull Thistle

Oh Deer 2

Western Kingbird

For many hours over our stay, we stalked the scissor-tailed flycatcher (also known as the Texas bird-of-paradise or the swallow-tailed flycatcher) and were fortunate to get a photo or two (in reality, I probably shot 400 or more).

Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher

Our RV-really-good-friends from Oregon were in the area visiting family, and we spent time with this crew doing a little sightseeing, and then they took us out boating on the Caribbean-hued waters of the lake. Here are a couple of hot chicks on the boat.

Boating Babes

Old Trucks
Here is one old well-digging truck from the Texas heartland.

Old Well-Digging Truck

See you next time.

Blog 283: Tarzan, Moonshine, and Shrimp Boil Buddies

Punta Gorda to Ocean Springs

Adios, South Florida
As South Florida temperatures kept nudging upward and starting to set new highs, we departed Punta Gorda a couple of days earlier than originally planned.

After fueling up at the nearby Pilot, we headed north on I-75N, took I-275 around St. Pete, and crossed over the Skybridge, taking in the great Gulf views that tall structure provides. From there we took FL589 north until it merged into FL98N. Although the weather was in the mid-90s, cloud cover much of the trip helped keep the edge off the heat. Traffic was light (for Florida) and most of the roads were in decent to good condition—great traveling conditions.

We ended our travels four miles east of Perry, Florida, at Rocky’s Convenience Store and Campground…right off the highway, large sites, nice setting—good overnighter.

Rocky's Sign

While walking Jack on a backroad the next morning, I came across a sign designating the site of a past hotel. We walked back to camp, got Mitzy and Jan, and came back to explore.

Hampton Springs Hotel Sign

The Hampton Springs Hotel was the “must go to” Florida Panhandle destination of the rich and infamous. The hotel was visited by Theodore Roosevelt, and even royalty from the Far East. The sulphur springs and baths at the resort became known for their healing powers. The luxury hotel resort eventually included elaborate fountains and gardens, a covered pool, golf and tennis courts, stables, a casino, ballroom, an outdoor dance pavilion, and a railroad depot. The hotel also had a bottling plant, which bottled and shipped water from the springs to customers around the nation, and a private hunting and fishing lodge. The hotel burned down in 1954 and the area was largely abandoned.

River by Hotel

Johnny Weissmuller
While exploring the ruins of the hotel grounds, we came across a local walking his good-looking dog.

Hotel Dog and Master

He was kind enough to share some insights about the hotel and the grounds, along with some information not readily found in the historical files. Much of the underwater filming of several Tarzan movies took place at Wakulla Springs, located about 14 miles south of Tallahassee, and some of the filming took place on the grounds of the hotel. According to the local word-of-mouth journal, Johnny Weissmuller stayed at the hotel several times, always accompanied by an entourage of several young ladies, all known for their bold and bawdy ways. Interesting stop.

Georgia on My Mind
We headed west on US98 with almost zero traffic. Five miles past Newport we headed north on FL363, then at the outskirts of Tallahassee we took the Capital Circle bypass that connected us to I-10 West. After heading northwest for close to 30 miles, we went north on 269 to the town of Chattahoochee. We then continued north three mile into Georgia to our next destination along the shores of Lake Seminole.

Eastbank Sign

We stayed five nights at the East Bank Campground, a Corps of Engineers campground on Lake Seminole, bordering Georgia and Florida. Great big campsites, grounds as neat as a pin, and all sites with views of the water.

Lake Seminole from Eastbank

Campfire

Tuscany at Lake Seminole

Mississippi Meet Up
We got an early start leaving the campground, headed west on 90, south on FL286, then west on I-10 across the Florida panhandle, a stretch of Alabama, then into SE Mississippi, where we took MS 57 south to Ocean Springs Road. That took us to our Davis Bayou COE campground, just east of Ocean Springs. After several warm days, the light-jacket weather was welcomed like an old friend you haven’t seen in ages.

Davis Bayou Sign

Davis Bayou Campground is another COE campground and part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. The campground is on the east edge of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, and Ocean Springs is just a few miles east of Biloxi. Our campground was home to hoards of squirrels and vast numbers of birds. We spent a lot of time sitting outside watching the action, and Jack had the Squirrel Channel on from dawn to dusk.

Red Bellied Woodpecker

Brown Thrasher

Squirrel Close Up

Turtles and Gators

One of the campers towed a travel trailer with his classic car. Here is a shot of his rig and one of him standing proudly by his car with his chauffeur smiling at the camera.

Classic Car and R Pod

Classic Car Pose

Beach Walks
Another great benefit of our campground location was the short time it took to get to the beach. Most mornings we took the Pups for early morning walks alongside the Gulf.

Shrimp Boil Buddies
The campground was awash with friendly people from Alabama and Mississippi. Within a few hours of our stay we had a squadron of new friends. Before long we were all telling stories and passing life histories like we’d known each other for years. Jimmy, our neighbor, is a talented fellow and one of his capabilities is making moonshine. Not wanting to offend, Jan agreed to sample his surprisingly excellent wares (of course I was polite as well :’). The kind soul gave us a sample to go to stave off the stress of traveling!

Jan and Jimmy

Later in our stay, Jimmy and several of his lifelong friends invited us over to a shrimp boil. Jimmy cooked and everyone ate the traditional boiled shrimp with sides of sausage, sweet corn, bread, deep fried gator, and blueberry cobbler. Just wonderful. Here is a pic of that interesting crew.

Shrimp Boil Buddies

Shrimp Boil Sides

Old Trucks
Here are two old fire trucks taken in Biloxi.

Old Fire Trucks

A really fun few days! See you next time.

Travel Blog 282: The Pig Hunters

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from my Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

Lake Apopka Loop
It is getting late in the season, and the youngsters are growing up! Here is a pic of an immature Little Blue Heron and Flying Tri-Color Heron taken on the Lake Apopka Loop.

Immature Little Blue Heron  II

Flying Tri-Color Heron

Campsite Bow-Tailed Grackles
Those who know me understand that I am easily entertained. Sitting outside in the afternoon the Bow-Tailed Grackles flitter here and there looking for old chips, stale crackers, or chunks of anything edible. Here are a couple pics of these avian comics.

Bow-Tail Grackle

Bow-Tail Grackle II

Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center (CHEP)
The CHEP is a state park just one mile from our campground. It has five trails, ranging from a mile and a half to two miles. All trails are interconnected so you can go for a short stroll or a several-mile hike.

Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center

I have mentioned it before in earlier blogs, but until very recently I was unable to take photos, as I had dog leashes in both hands. Now that Jan, my hiking buddy is back in action, she takes Mitzy and I take Jack’s leash in my left hand while holding my camera in my right hand. We have seen lots of wildlife and were rewarded by seeing a couple of immature eagles on a recent visit. And as always, vultures are everywhere, eyeing all living things with lustful looks.

Immature Bald Eagle

Vultures

The Pig Hunters
The big excitement at the state park, though, is wild pig hunting. Our schnauzer, Mitzy, is a Sweet Polly Purebred, a gentle little princess that loves laps and lives for pets (and chunks of cheese).

Sweet Mitzy

However, take her on the trail amidst the scent of wild pigs and a magical transformation occurs--her feminine curls thicken, her dainty muscles tighten, and her angelic face hardens as she turns into Thunder Dog, Huntress of Hogs. Her mild feminine bark turns into a wild savage howl as her eyes burn into the woods seeking her prey. Every fiber of this Hell Hound lusts for her porcine pleasure.

Thunder Dog

Urged on by Mitzy, Jack joins the frenzied attack, leaping, yipping, and straining on his leash like the lead dog at the Iditarod. Dragged forward, it is all I can do to keep him under control.

Pig-Hunting Jack

I think you can imagine the challenge of trying to photograph fast-moving pigs through dense woods with one hand on a shaking camera--crazy difficult you say? For sure. Almost impossible? You bet. Hah! Here are some pigs I caught in action.

Running Wild Boar

Wild Piglets

Wild Pig

What other family do you know that hunts wild pigs before breakfast?...ham and eggs of course!

Travel Blog 281: Loop de Loop

We had a chance to escape SW Florida paradise and head for Central Florida paradise.

Apopka Wildlife Loop
Back to one of our favorite places on the planet, we (Jan, Mitzy, Jack, and Alex) had the chance to twice take the 11-mile pilgrimage. We were rewarded by lot of birds and several alligators.

Anhinga

Barn Swallow

Bow Tail Grackle

Female Cardinal

Male Cardinal

Hunting Osprey

King Rail

Limpkin

Red-Winged Black Bird

Savannah Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from my Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next time.

Travel Blog 280: On to Venice (Florida, That Is)

Except for business trips to Atlanta, Orlando, and Boston, we have been hanging out in the beautiful Florida weather.

Venice Rookery
One morning with cloudy skies good for photography, we loaded up the Jeep and headed to the Venice Rookery. We had been there several weeks back, but the eggs and small chicks have been replaced by big babies with really big appetites. Take a look at the great blue heron family and the big baby cormorant challenging for a snack. Also, here is a shot of a great egret bringing in nesting material and another great egret fanning.

Feeding Time

Feeding Big Baby

Cormorant

Nesting Time

Fanning Great Egret

We added to this very nice day by having a picnic in the Myakka State Forest. Life is good.

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from my Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next time.

Travel Blog 279: Beach Boys (and Girls)

The weather continues to be awesome-plus in Punta Gorda…sunny and low 80s except for a couple days of rain and high winds.

We are very fortunate to have the Charlotte Environment Park just one mile from our campground. Most mornings we head over to take a hike on one of the many trails. So far we have seen eagles, hawks, osprey, owls, vultures, woodpeckers, cardinals, robins, alligators, wild pigs, and a river otter. Just gorgeous.

Venice Dog Beach
One of our favorite things to do is take an early morning trip to Venice to hang out on the Dog Beach. Lots of good pups and nice people—both Mitzy and Jack really like it. Jan found a bottle with a message in it. I rubbed it several times, but no genie appeared. Kind of cool. The high winds had kicked up the seabed—lots of interesting shells. Below is a shot of Janny holding “sea jewels.”

Sea Jewels

Message in a Bottle

Happy Sochi

Rowdy Lab

Run, Jack, Run

Run, Jack, Run II

Surfing Pup

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from Jim’s Salvage.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next time.

Travel Blog 278: Down to Punta Gorda

Back at the Loop
One last time this season we had the chance to do the Loop.

Blue-Winged Teal

Don't Talk Back

Little Bird

Little Blue on Branch

Mystery Bird

Tri

Yawning Night Heron

Lake Apopka

After our six-week stay, we packed up and headed southwest to our campground in Punta Gorda.

Orlando NW Orange Blossom KOA to Gulf View RV Resort

Venice Dog Beach
Less than an hour away is a dog beach in Venice. The pups just loved it. We will be going back.

Beach Pup

Do Not Mess with Mitz

Dog Beach

Hoss

Little Beach Pup

Run, Jack, Run

Run, Jack, Run II

Structure

Venice Rookery
We stopped by the Venice Rookery. A little early in the season, but we saw one great Blue with a couple young ones.

Mom and Babies

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from Jim’s Salvage.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next time.

Travel Blog 277: Back on the Loop

Florida Sunshine
Back in Florida we have been enjoying the nice weather, friends, and relatives. It is nice to be in one place for a few weeks.

Apopka Wildlife Loop
At least a couple times a week we drive the 7 minutes to the gate of the Loop and spend a couple hours or so slowly driving, stopping, and shooting wildlife. Primarily birds of all feathers, but also a gator now and then and the occasional otter. Jack and Mitzy are dutifully at their stations with heads out and sounding alerts when appropriate. Here are a few pics including a close-up of Mitzy.

Anhinga Reflection

Baby Duck

Eastern Phoebe

Gallinule

Gator

Glossy Ibis

Hunting Great Egret

Kingfisher

Least Bittern

Lesser Yellow Legs

Little Blue

Night Heron II

Tri Close-Up

Tri II

Mitzy Close-Up

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from Jim’s Salvage.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next time.

Travel Blog 276: Quick Trip to Rome

Orlando to JFK

JFK to Rome

Roman Holiday

The day after Thanksgiving we flew from Orlando to New York’s JFK, and then on to Rome, arriving mid-morning Saturday. Everything went smoothly, and we arrived relatively well rested after our 8-hour-and-16-minute flight.

We zipped through passport control and customs, and after a 20-minute cab ride, we arrived at the Hotel Artimedes, strategically located within walking distance of most of the major sites of the city. We checked in and took a stroll in the sunlight to reset our biological clocks, start to take in the sites, and absorb a little of the culture of the 2,300 years of this historic city.

Borghese Gallery
The crazy rich art lovers of the Borghese family decorated their villa (really a palace) with the finest art produced in Italy and beyond to entertain their guests. Among the thousands of pieces of art were sculptures and paintings by Bernini, Canova, Caravaggio, Correggio, Rafael, and Titian. Just an amazing two-hour visual treat. Sadly, photos were not allowed.

The Vatican
Bright and early one morning we took a small-group guided tour of the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica.

Vatican Museum
This lavish papal palace displays some of the finest art from a 5,000-year period. During this eight-mile walk, we viewed rare (mostly priceless) statues, urns, marble floors, friezes, stuccoed ceilings, tapestries, paintings, and maps.

Vatican Museum

St. Peters Basillica from Vatican Museum

Entering the Vatican Museum

Vatican Museum II

Vatican Museum Ceiling Shot

Raphaels School of Athens

Sistine Chapel
Next, we viewed the Sistine Chapel. Small by Vatican standards, this chapel shows off Michelangelo’s ceiling and his famous painting, The Last Judgment. Wow! Sadly, no photos allowed—check out this website if interested: www.italian-renaissance-art.com/Last-Judgement.html

St. Peters Basilica
Wow, again.

Bernini Bronze Canopy

Michelangelo Dome

Dome Close Up

Michelangelo, The Pieta

Ancient Rome
Another day, we took another small-group, private tour that started with Palatine Hill, followed by the Forum, and ending with the Colosseum.

Palatine Hill
Palatine Hill overlooks the Forum. It is the area where emperors and other wealthy important people preferred to live. Mainly ruins, but one is able to get a feel for the place. Here are a couple of shots from Palatine Hill overlooking the Forum.

Forum Ruins

Forum Pigeon

The Forum
For almost 1,000 years, the Forum was the heart of Rome--the seat of government and the center of trade.

Forum Arch of Titus

Just Another Temple

Temple of Antoninus Pius and Faustina

Colosseum
Up to 80,000 spectators at a time, lured by free wine and the promise of grand spectacles, were entertained by to-the-death gladiator fights, the roars of exotic animals from far parts of the empire, and executions (by beheading, crucifixion, or being devoured by wild beasts). Below the surface, over 1,000 slaves and their master worked in the underground in dark, dank, smelly, and crowded tunnels guiding participants into “elevators” of trap doors that allowed them to surface above ground. Unbelievable place.

Colosseum

Colosseum Main Level

Colosseum View of Underground

Colosseum Watchers

Pantheon
The Pantheon is Rome’s best preserved monument and a wonder of engineering.

Pantheon

Pantheon Entrance

Pantheon Oculus

Pantheon Alter

Ostia Antica
We took a day trip via train to Ostia Antica, the ancient Roman port.

Ostia Antica Arch

Ostia Antica Cat

Cooking Class
My friends love to cook with wine…sometimes they even put some in the food. I had a very fun evening watching Jan and friends participate in an Italian cooking class. My job was to watch the activities, drink wine, make idle comments, take a few photos, and eat the results. Very nice event.

Another Cooking Class

Jan in Cooking Class

Cooking Class

Odds and Ends
Driving in Rome
Personal experience confirms that the blood of the ancient chariot drivers still flows through the veins of present day Rome taxi drivers. A personal example was a ride where a steely-eyed Antonio used his mind-reading skills to anticipate the movement of buses, autos, scooters, and pedestrians to spurt to the left, jag to the right, and bolt down the middle of the road while strategically using his horn and occasionally communicating his thoughts with his hands. In his care, his stoic Mercedes transformed itself into a high-performance Maserati, screaming around turns, cutting off the competition, thus making a half-hour journey in 15 minutes. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE IN ROME…RIDE CAUTIOUSLY…WALK WHEN YOU CAN.

Random Photos

Street Shot

Trevi Fountain Trio

Cathedral View

Pigeons in Ruins

Old Trucks
Sorry…I found no old trucks in Rome.

See you next time!

Travel Blog 275: Old Friends and New Places

Wakarusa, IN to Fort McAllister Historic Park

Finger Lakes
From Northern Indiana we enjoyed the fall colors as we worked our way east all the way to upstate New York. There we spent time visiting good RV-ing friends in Elmira and doing a little exploration of this area.

Quick Trip to Phoenix
During that time I presented at a conference in Phoenix where I met old friends and new ones.

Winchester
From Elmira we headed south down to Winchester, Virginia, where we had a marvelous time visiting relatives. At Candy Hill Campground we had fires most nights and enjoyed the quiet of a campground past season.

Shenandoah Valley National Park
We made the short trip down to Luray, Virginia, to act as our base as we explored this national park. Although the colors were past their prime, it was nice to travel the famous Skyline Drive. Our campground, Outlanders River Camp, was perfect for us—large property with lots of trails along the river…great place to run the pups.

Big Blue in Swamp

Window Peeper

Monticello
Being so close, we decided to visit Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s home. This was a good move, as it was a pleasure to visit this icon of this famous American.

Monticello 2

Monticello 3

Janny and Alex at Monticello

Wilmington
We camped 10 miles south of Wilmington, North Carolina, at Carolina Beach State Park. Beautiful park adjoining the Atlantic River. During our short visit we had the chance to see old friends going back decades.

Murrell’s Inlet
Here we camped near Charleston at Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina, just a short walk to the Atlantic Ocean. Each morning at dawn I’d take Jack out to run in the sand and the waves.

Jack on the Beach

Jack on the Beach 2

Richmond Hill
From Murrells Inlet we travelled south into Georgia camping at McAllister State Park near Savannah. The park had just opened after some major hurricane clean-up—they lost 70% of their trees. Still, a beautiful setting, again adjacent to the water.

Dog Park
Here are a couple shots of Jack and his new friend at an off-leash dog park, and Mitzy watching the action.

Run, Jack, Run

Run, Jack, Run 2

Mitzy Keeping Watch

Old Trucks
Here are three more old trucks from Jim’s Salvage.

Jim's Old Truck 10


Jim's Old Truck 11

Jim's Old Truck 12

See you next time.

Travel Blog 274: Fall Colors

From South Dakota we worked our way across Iowa, Illinois, and then on to Indiana where we dropped off our coach to have some work done. Then we spent time visiting friends in our old stomping grounds of SW Michigan.

Fall Colors
During strolls in the woods we enjoyed the colors becoming more vibrant each day.

AZO Color 1

AZO Color 2

Mitzy in the Woods

Dog Park
There was a great off-leash dog park a few miles away, and we visited it several mornings.

Ferocious

Ferocious 2

Poodle

Run, Jack, Run 2

Run,Jack, Run 3

Running Golden

Great trip with great friends.

Ziad House

Old Trucks
Here are three more old trucks from Jim’s Salvage.

Jim's Old Truck 7

Jim's Old Truck 8

Jim's Old Truck 9

See you next time.

Travel Blog 273: Badlands and Bark Park

Badlands National Park
From the Black Hills we headed east, stopping at Wall, South Dakota. We took the scenic drive through Badlands National Park.

Badlands 3

Corn Palace
We spent a night at Mitchell, South Dakota, home of the one and only Corn Palace.

Corn Palace

Mitzy on Indian Lap

From there we continued east and south, cutting across Iowa and Illinois into Indiana, where we dropped the coach off at Wakarusa for some service and repairs at the Thor plant. From there we took the hour drive north and a little east to stay with a good friend in Kalamazoo (we had lived in that area for many years, a couple decades ago).

Jamer's Flowers 5

Dog Park
We found a great dog park to run the pups. Here are some shots.

Posing Pup

Resting Jack

Run, Jack, Run

St. Bernard

Brown Dog with Footbal

Old Trucks
Here are three more old trucks from Jim’s Salvage.

Jim's Old Truck 4

Jim's Old Truck 5

Jim's Old Truck 6

Alex and Mitzy

See you next time.

Travel Blog 272: Black Hills and Bold Bunnies

Mountain View RV Park to Beaver Lake Campground

On to South Dakota
From Sundance we took I-90 east across the border into South Dakota. We exited on to US 85 South, and then took US 385 six miles south of Deadwood to Creekside Campground.

Just a couple miles from our campground in the Black Hills National Forest, we found a great picnic area to walk the dogs.

Jack in the Woods

Female Hairy Woodpecker

Bluebird on a Branch

Spearfish Canyon Road Trip
This is a scenic byway worth taking.

Bear Butte State Park
Just a few miles north of the notorious Sturgis, we visited Bear Butte State Park, a sacred Indian site. The main attraction is a hike up the butte, however, no dogs allowed. Since there is no drive around, we stayed just a few minutes.

Town Tours
During our time in the northern part of the Black Hills region, we had the chance to tour Deadwood, Lead, and Sturgis. Sturgis is just a waiting place for the annual motorcycle events, but Deadwood and Lead where interesting to tour around.

On to Custer
From our campground south of Deadwood we headed south on 385 to Custer, and then east 3.5 miles to Beaverlake Campground, a short 55-mile trip. This is a wonderful all-around campground, but what makes it unique is that it is home to over 150 (and counting) cute, tame, bunny rabbits. Jack and Mitzy were in total awe when six hare youngsters not only did not run when they approached, but they came up to greet the unnerved canines—how dare they?

Campground Bunny

Custer National Forest is everywhere, so every morning we took the pups out on an old road or trail seeing deer, elk, and lots of chippers.

Chip in Tree

Bull Elk

Custer State Park
Think mini-Yellowstone as you drive through this 71,000-acre park viewing the wildlife. We saw massive bison, pronghorn, lots of prairie dogs, and burros who solicited from cars on the loop.

Pushy Burro

PD Family Alert

We took a road up to Mt. Coolidge Lookout and were rewarded with a great view. We saw the Crazy Horse Carving eleven miles away, and Mount Rushmore 13 miles distant.

Mt. Coolidge Lookout

Crazy Horse

Rushmore from Afar

Later during our stay, I photographed Rushmore through a tunnel, and then up close.

Rushmore Up Close

Rushmore from Tunnel

Scenic Byways
Along with the 18-mile Wildlife Loop in Custer State Park, we drove the 18-mile Iron Mountain Road and the 14-mile Needles Highway. Here is a shot of from the narrowest part of the Needles Highway, the Needles Eye.

The Needles Eye

Mitzy in the Mirror

Wind Cave National Park
Adjoining Custer State Park is the 34,000-acre Wind Cave National Park. Like Custer, it is home to lots of wildlife. The cave is known for boxwork, with over 95% of all the boxwork in the world located in the 145 miles of underground maze. I took the Natural Entrance tour, and here is a photo of Ranger Justin standing at the natural entrance to the cave and a photo showing boxwork.

Ranger Justin and the Natural Entrance

Boxwork

Jewel Cave National Monument
Just twelve miles from our campground is the Jewel Cave National Monument. This cave was more picturesque.

Jewel Cave 1

Jewel Cave 3

Jewel Cave 4

Jewel Cave 6

Jewel Cave 7

Old Trucks
Just east of Sturgis is the town/village/tiny spot call Chip. And adjacent to Chip is Jim’s Salvage—heaven for old truck shooters.

Chip

Here are five old trucks from Jim’s.

Jim's Old Truck 1

Jim's Old Truck 2

Jim's Old Truck 3

Another Old Truck

Old Boar's Nest Truck

We really enjoyed the Black Hills and will come back again.

See you next time.

Travel Blog 271: Prairie Dogs and Black Hills

Deer Haven RV Park to Mountain View RV Park

On to East Central Wyoming
From Saratoga we took 130 north to 30 east to 487 north to 220 east to 258 north to I-25 south to Wyoming 95 north, where we settled in at the Platte River RV Park just outside of Glenrock. The 172-mile trip was pretty in its sparse sort of way, but most of the time I puzzled if we were in the center of nowhere or near the edge. Great day for driving, with fair skies, very little traffic, and lots of pronghorns for the pups to view.

Road Trip
We took a road trip out in the boonies south and east of Glenrock and saw lots of birds and some interesting terrain.

Western King Bird

Three Old Mailboxes

On to Sundance
From Glenrock we made an easy 200-mile journey east on I-25 south, north on Wyoming 59, then east on I-90 to Mountain View RV Park in Sundance. Once again very light traffic, and the only significant population was that of the herds of pronghorn.

Much of the soil around Sundance is the bright red associated with Sedona. An interesting eye-catcher just east of the town is a yellow, twin-engine plane placed between and above the going and coming lanes of I-90. I call it the Wyoming Hood Ornament.

Sundance Scenic II

Wyoming Hood Ornament

Devil’s Tower
We had been to the Devil’s Tower in the past, but thoroughly enjoyed seeing it again. Jan took a few shots of the tower, but my photo efforts were geared toward the Prairie Dog Town.

Munching Prairie Dog

Mr. Squirrel

Black Hills National Forest
Our RV park was just two miles from the Sundance trailhead in Black Hills National Forest. Several mornings I took Jack up the trail. Luckily, as the photo shows, I had a detailed map so as not to run astray. Another interesting stop in the forest was the Warren Peak Lookout Tower, still manned everyday by rangers spotting and reporting fires. Here is a shot from the lookout.

Trailhead Info

Hiking Jack

View From Lookout

Another time we took another family hike on the Reuter Trail in Black Hills National Forest. Once again, we saw no one else. However, hollies and the turning leaves acted as colorful boundaries along the trail.

Holly and Friends

Day Trip
From Sundance to 116 south to Upton, then 16 northwest to Moorcroft, up 24 then east on 113 to Pine Haven, adjacent to both Keyhole Reservoir and Mule Creek Bay. From Pine Haven we took McKean Road north into the countryside. We turned south on Lower Kara Creek Road, connecting to Inyan Kara Creek Road that led to I-90 and our return to Sundance.

Cindy B’s in Alladin
With Alladin’s population of 15, Cindy B’s restaurant doesn't have a huge population base from which to draw its diners. However, regulars help to fill the seats, and the word-of-mouth of great home cookin’ brings in some tourists like us. Here is a pic of Cindy’s place, plus a shot of some local ranchers talking about tracking down missing cattle, the high price of hay ($150/ton), and the rain that drops everywhere but on their ranches.

Cindy B's

Cindy B's Boys

Old Trucks
Here are five old trucks all from eastern Wyoming.

Old Truck 1

Laramie Old Truck

Old Moorcroft Fire Truck

Old Platte River Truck

Old Sundance Truck

Trip to Eastern Wyoming
Most all our time spent in Wyoming in the past was in the western part of the state, primarily in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park. We love both these parks and will frequent them again.

This year, though, we thought we’d explore the eastern portion of the state. As blog followers know, we started west of Laramie, camping in Saratoga. We explored the Medicine Bow National Forest, and took in the Wyoming Annual Beerfest. From there we headed to Glenrock, east of Casper at the north end of the forest. Next we spent several days in Sundance, east of Gillette in the Black Hills of Wyoming. The scenery was wonderful, the pronghorns and deer were plentiful, and the traffic was sparse. Very enjoyable stay in this wonderful state.

See you next time from another state of mind.

Travel Blog 270: Young Brews and Fast Critters

Chatfield State Park to Deer Haven RV Park

Up to Wyoming
From our campground in Chatfield State Park, we decided to take the scenic route up to southern Wyoming instead of taking major roads and interstates. We took 121 north to I-70 west, US 40 west, CO 125 north, and as we passed into Wyoming, we continued onto 230 west and 130 west to the Deer Haven RV Park just north of Saratoga. It was only 216 miles, but much of the trip was steep and winding, affording wonderful views by requiring Jan’s full attention driving the bus.

Saratoga
The literature says that Saratoga is an interesting place, and it is correct. Although only 1,600 inhabitants, it has a lot to offer. It attracts hunters and fisherman (mainly fishing for trout) from all over the country and the world. They have an airport with a runway that can handle B-52s, and in the fall they say there may be a dozen or more big corporate jets transporting the rich (don’t know about the famous part.)

In sharp contrast to the high-density, heavy-traffic, go-go of the Denver area, this sparse, lightly populated area was a nice, slow change of pace. Deer wandered everywhere, and hundreds and hundreds of pronghorns populate the surrounding countryside. Our pup, Jack, feels that there is nothing more fun to watch than running pronghorn.

Oh, Deer

Running Pronghorn II

Dog Park
I was quite surprised that this small town had an off-leash dog park, and very pleased at how nice it was. It quickly became the cornerstone of our morning.

Microbrew Fest
Saratoga hosts the Steinley Cup (pronounced “Stanley” like the hockey version), Wyoming’s microbrew fest in which most all the microbreweries in Wyoming compete for honors. The 21st annual happened the Saturday we were staying in Saratoga, so we felt obliged to participate. Pleasant day, friendly people, good beer.

Brewfest Pup

Brewfest Vendor

T-Shirt Girls

Young Howard Stern

Battle Pass Scenic Byway
One afternoon we drove south to Encampment, then took Highway 70 up into the Medicine Bow National Forest, up over Battle Pass, and west on toward Baggs. Scarce traffic and great scenery. By the way, the name came from the numerous battles fought between the Indians and the trappers.

Road Block

Rock Ptarmigan

Yellow-Headed Blackbird

Snowy Range Scenic Byway
Another time we headed south for about ten miles, and then went east on highway 130 once again into the Medicine Bow National Forest, stopping at Centennial for a nice lunch, and then on to Laramie. Once again, beautiful scenery and light traffic.

More Colorado Pups
Here are more pup pics from Colorado that I didn’t have ready for my last blog.

Black Pup

Run, Jack, Run

Where Is the Baby?

Wild Child

Old Trucks
Since an individual from Pine Island complained about my lack of truck shots, here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next time.

Travel Blog 269: Wild Weekend with Yogi

Riverview RV Park to Chatfield State Park

Larkspur
From our campground west of Loveland, we took 34 east, and then I-25 south down to our campground near Larkspur.

Jellystone Park
This campground and “resort” is the perfect place for kids. Since we volunteered to take our grandkids plus one friend, we wanted a place with lots of activities. We found the right place. Here are just a few of the activities: morning flag raising with Yogi and Boo Boo, goat grazing, bounce pillow, pancake breakfast (with sausage), swimming pool, afternoon ice cream with Yogi, movies, candy bar bingo, waterslide at the Old Swimming Hole, hayrides, and so on, and so on. However, the biggest hit was that we rented a golf cart for the weekend and Austie became the chauffeur. Great weekend—we packed a week into 48 hours.

Cute Swinger

Fishing Hole Slide

I Love Yogi

Nattie and Austie on Jump Pillow

Silent Specatator

Chatfield State Park
From Jellystone, we took the short drive north and west to Chatfield State Park. We have stayed many times at this wonderful park…full hook-ups, roomy sites, lots of privacy, rabbits everywhere, and one of the best dog parks on the planet.

Ala Carte

Axle

Ball Retriever

Black and White

Jumping Jack

.Run, Jack, Run

Tank

Wet and Wild

See you soon!

Travel Blog 268: Beautiful Colorado

Ridgway State Park to Riverview RV Park, Loveland, CO

Buena Vista
The trip from Ridgway State Park to the Buena Vista KOA was gorgeous. However, whoever was driving had to concentrate on the steep inclines and declines and pay close attention to curves and drop offs. Gladly the weather at our destination was wonderful—in the low to mid-80s instead of the high 90s. Although a dusty park, the views were beautiful. A nice feature was that there was a trail that started in the campground and continued up into the forest. Perfect place to let Jack off-leash and let the crazy canine run wild.

Fort Collins
We had intended camping in the Denver area, but every campground within 60 miles of Denver was booked! Never seen anything like this before. So we had to drive all the way to Fort Collins, and then we could only stay five nights instead of the ten we wanted. I guess cheap fuel and a slightly improved economy is having its impact! However, our campground (Fort Collins KOA) was a gem—great place for dogs and for grandkids. We will remember it for future family ventures.

Quick Trip to Southern California
I didn’t get a chance to experience much of the campground or the area, though, as I had a business trip to Southern California. Good client, great food, and just awesome weather made the trip a success.
 
Loveland
Our next campground was off of Highway 34 in Loveland, only 30 minutes away from Fort Collins. Highway 34 is one of the main drives into Estes Park and on to Rocky Mountain National Park. 
 
Rocky Mountain National Park
One day we violated all our rules about visiting national parks, as we visited in the middle of the day on a weekend in the summer. Telling ourselves to be patient with all the traffic, we drove into RMNP, and finding it was re-opened after washing out many months ago, we took the Old River Road, the 14-mile, one-way dirt road up to the backside of the Alpine Visitor Center. There were wildflowers all along the way, and we saw a herd of elk and a brute of a marmot at exactly the same place I saw one last year.

RMNP Elk Herd

RMNP Marmot

On our way home outside of the park we saw some bighorn sheep overlooking the highway. Here is a pic of Momma and Baby.

Big Horn Mom and Baby

Afternoon Trip

Loveland Road Trip

One afternoon we decided to check out the Poudre River area. We headed back up and past the Fort Collins KOA, picking up the Scenic Byway Highway 14. Just a gorgeous trip along the Poudre River. At Road 27 we angled back south and east around curvy roads and 12 percent grades.

Pup Strolls
Close to our campground was an off-leash dog park and a big nature area complete with miles of paths and several  ponds. Each morning we started the day off enjoying this wonderful area.

Old Trucks

Old Community Fire Truck

Old Orange Truck

See you soon.

Travel Blog 267: Mountain Bluebirds and High Meadow Wildflowers

Paria Guest Ranch to Gouldings to Sundance RV to United Campground to Ridgway SP
 
Monument Valley
From the hot desert of the Paria Guest Ranch we traveled to Goulding Campground in the hot desert of Monument Valley that straddles Northern Arizona and Southern Utah. The location of some famous John Ford Western movies, the dramatic landscape is awe-inspiring in the right light and weather.

Monument Valley Sunrise

Monument Valley
 
Mesa Verde
After a couple days in Monument Valley, we headed north and east to Sundance RV in Cortez, Colorado. We took some short trips, including a tour of Mesa Verde, a wonderful national park that we had not visited in several years. Here is a shot from the Park plus one of Hunting Jack from a morning stroll.
 
Hunting Jack

Mesa Verde
 
Durango
From Cortez, we took the short trip east to United Campground in Durango. What makes this campground special is that the famous narrow rail Durango-Silverton train runs right through the center of the place! So every morning and every evening campers walked down to the train track to hear the whistle, smell the smoke, and view the trains chugging along…actually, it is quite addictive!

Durango-Silverton Train
 
Ridgway
From Durango we made our scenic way to Ridgway State Park, just north of the town of Ridgway and close to the great towns of Ouray and Telluride. This is one of our favorite areas in all of Colorado, and that says a lot.
 
Our large, wooded campsite was full of birds, and we spent much time viewing their antics. Especially fun to watch was the large number of bluebirds.

Male Mountain Bluebird

Female Mountain Bluebird

Pine Sisken

What Does It Take to Get a Drink Around Here?

White Breasted Nuthatch
 
Owl Creek Pass Day Trip
We took a wonderful trip up into the mountains to Owl Creek Pass. From there we headed north and east on to Silver Jack Reservoir, especially enjoying the wildflowers--Indian paints, cow parsnip, bull thistle, larkspur, daisies, scarlet gilia, penstemon, goldenweed, elk thistle, hawksbeard, fireweed, and on and on. This is the same trip we took a few years ago where we spotted our first mountain lion.

Owl Creek Pass Wildflowers

Morning Walks
Every morning we took the Pups down to the Ridgway Day Use area along the reservoir. Since there were only a few fishermen up at that hour, we let the Pups run loose. Jack chased everything that moved, including chippers, birds, and grasshoppers. Mitzy strolled along sniffing and peeing as the mood fit her. When she got tired we put her in her buggy and gave her a ride. One morning we saw a red fox, and the next morning we saw two of them together. We watched them jump, box, and chase each other as they played in the morning sun. I did not have a long lens, but I did at least capture the solo fox the first day.

Jumping Jack

Mountain Jack

Racing Jack

Run Jack Run

Brindle Pup

Jogging Mitzy

Smiling Madeline

Ridgway Fox
 
In the town of Ridgway there was a really cool mural and a really neat old truck at the train museum. Just a wonderful area.

Ridgway Mural

Old US Mail Train Truck
  
See you soon.

Travel Blog 266: Bryce, Capital Reef, Grand Staircase, and Vermilion Cliffs

Springville KOA to Paria Adventure Ranch

On to Torrey
From Springville we ventured off south to Torrey, Utah, staying at Wonderland RV Park. After settling in, we took an afternoon scenic drive into Capital Reef National Monument.

Capital Reef Country Scenic Byway

Wonderland RV Park Scenic Loop

We took a 155-mile loop of a day trip that was one of the best I’ve ever taken. We headed east on the Capital Reef Country Scenic Byway, past the entrance to Capital Reef National Park to our first stop to visit the petroglyphs.

Petroglyphs

After a few miles east, we turned south on the Notom Road Scenic Backway which followed the once underwater reef. We passed ranches and washes, creeks and mesas as we wandered through this dynamic, rugged, magnificent landscape full of reds, yellows, creams, whites, oranges, and greens. Amazing.

Jack and Skeleton

The paved road quickly turned to dirt which in many ways was good--we only saw six vehicles the first four hours of our jaunt. We moved along the Oyster Shelf Reef, named after all the oyster shells left there from several thousand years ago. At the Burr Trail Switchbacks, we headed west on the Burr Trail Scenic Backway, once again through fascinating scenery. Pictures don’t do it justice, but here is my attempt to capture some of the grandeur.

Capital Reef

Capital Reef 2

Capital Reef 3

We stopped for lunch at a marvelous restaurant in Boulder, and then headed home on the Journey through Time Scenic Byway, complete with more glorious vistas and several climbs on 10% grades.

Lower Bowns Reservoir

Capital Reef National Monument and the surrounding area are not household names and the lack of traffic proves this. However, in terms of impressiveness, they are right up there with all the big-name parks.

Fish Lake
The next afternoon we drove around Fish Lake, north and east of Torrey. After the bold, rugged trip of the day before, we enjoyed the soft browns and greens of the hills and blue of the lake. Looks like a wonderful place to hang for a few weeks or a few months. Here is a shot from Torrey of an old cabin.

Old Torrey Cabin

Bryce Canyon
We drove the 122-mile journey to Ruby’s Inn and Campground at Bryce Canyon City via 24 West, 62 West, and 22 South. Again, pleasant scenery, and except for some narrow stretches of road, an easy trip.

Bryce Canyon National Park
Leaving early morning to avoid the traffic we took the roughly 20-mile road that is the only driveable portion of this special place. Starting at the very end at the last stop, we took in all the main lookouts. The hoodoos are something, with great vistas everywhere.

Bryce 4

Bryce 7

Bryce 8

Bryce 9

Bryce Fisheye 2

However, the special place for me was Inspiration Point…I found it, well, inspirational. Staring down on the landscape your imagination takes off…sunlight glinting off a castle guarded by a giant, the broken walls of a city under siege, a majestic cathedral overlooking a valley, legions of warriors in battle formation, and so on and so on. I had a wonderful time taking photos and a few turned out decent.

Bryce Inspiration Point

Bryce Inspiration Point 2

Escalante Grand Staircase National Monument
We journeyed east on Highway 12, that splendid scenic byway, through the town of Tropic, stopping a few times at overlooks to enjoy the views. My original plan was to travel the Devil’s Backbone (great name, don’t you think), however, talking to rangers at the visitor center just outside Escalante, they recommended another option. Heeding their advice, we took Highway 12 east again, traveling the highway to Boulder. Our first stop was the Anastazi Musuem at Anastazi State Park where they had an interesting display of ancient Indians. Right outside the museum was a food truck parked by a grassy area complete with picnic tables. On the advice of locals, we dined with them, splitting a burrito and a cup of coffee…delicious.

From there we backtracked to Escalante and took a 50-mile gravel/dirt road through the Dixie National Forest, ending up close to our campground.

Paria Guest Ranch
We packed up at our campground in Bryce Canyon City and headed 12 miles west on Highway 12. In bits and pieces, we have now traveled the entire length of the scenic byway that the Utah tourism department calls the most beautiful highway in Utah. Now that is saying something! Fourteen percent grades on skinny summits at 11,000 feet, gorgeous rock formations of every shape and color, just magnificent. At the end of Highway 12 we turned left on Highway 89 that took us south and a little west, then northeast, and then southeast to out next destination, Paria Guest Ranch, roughly midway between Kanab and Page, about a quarter mile from the edge of nowhere. Every morning I took Jack off leash to run and explore among the sage, rocks, and red soil.

Sagebrush Lizard

Sagebrush Jack

Escalante Grand Staircase National Monument
Just a few miles north and a tad west of the Ranch was yet another national monument. Again, magnificent scenery.

Escalante Pano

Escalante

Mitzy and Jack at Escalante

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument
As you go south from the ranch on unpaved roads you head into Arizona, into the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, ho, hum…

Vermilion Cliffs

Old Signs

Old Sign 1

Old Sign 2

Old Sign 3

Old Trucks
Hey! I am finally back shooting old trucks! Here are three beauties.

Old Utah Lake Truck 1

Old Utah Lake Truck 2

Old Torrey Fire Truck

Hot and dusty, but a wonderful journey. See you next time.

Travel Blog 265: Waterfalls, Dairy Cows, and a Small-Town Parade

Stanley to Ketchum
We begrudgingly left Stanley. Our 68-mile trip followed Idaho 75 South with hairpin turns and some gorgeous vistas, especially around Galena.

Elk Mountain RV Resort to Meadows

Ketchum
Ketchum borders Sun Valley, full of the vacation homes of the rich and famous. Mountain views, running streams, fabulous houses, paved paths everywhere, with beds of flowers (some the size of fields) blooming their colors everywhere. Here is a 59-second movie clip of a section of lupines bordering about a quarter mile of streets in a very upscale neighborhood.




It is also a wonderful place for dogs, as there were off-leash areas everywhere. Here is a pic from Trail Creek Road, one of Jackson’s and Mitzy’s favorite places.

Jackson at Trail Creek

Ketchum to Eden

Meadows to Anderson Camp

After four days in Ketchum, we took the 84-mile trek south on Idaho 75, then south on Idaho 93, and then east on I-84 to Anderson Camp. Here we met up with our RV buddies--a couple we have been RVing with for a month or more each year for the last several years. Here is a shot from our campsite.

Campsite View

Small-Town Parade
A small town just a few miles away was holding its yearly summer celebration, starting with a parade. The people of the community went all out, with scores of floats and the biggest number of trucks I have ever seen in any parade.

Parade 1

Parade 2

Parade 3

Parade 4

Parade 5

Shoshone Waterfall
We took a short road trip (to us) to a nearby natural wonder, Shoshone Falls. Even with the harsh, midday lighting I was very pleased with the photos.

Shoshone Falls 1

Shoshone Falls 2

Eden to Declo

Anderson Camp to Village of Trees

Jersey Girl Dairy Farm
A longtime friend of our traveling buddy arranged to have us visit a dairy farm close by--it was just amazing. They milk 11,800 Jersey and Holstein cows twice a day, every day. High-tech technology with high-touch care for the cows.

'Round We Go

Time for Milking

Good-Looking Jersey

Declo to Springville
After a couple of days at Anderson Camp, we left Idaho and drove down to Springville, Utah, past Salt Lake City and bordering Provo.

Village of Trees to Springville KOA

Day Trip: Mount Timanogos Wilderness Loop
We took highway 92 to the Timpanogos Cave National Monument were we hiked a nature trail along the water. From there we took the curvy, steep, and narrow trip up by Mount Timanogos, by Sundance, around to Bridal Falls, and back to our camp.

Timpanogos Day Trip

Nebo Scenic Byway
From our campground we headed south to Payson and picked up the Nebo Loop Scenic Byway. It took us around Payson Lake, up over Bald Mountain, above the Santaquin Canyon, up to Santaquin, and back to camp.

Nebo Scenic Byway

Devils Kitchen

View from Devils Kitchen

Nice visit around the Salt Lake area, but really warm.

See you next week.

Travel Blog 264: Sawtooth

Challis to Stanley

From Challis we headed west on Idaho 75, the pretty but winding road that parallels the Salmon River, passing by Sunbeam all the way through Lower Stanley, and then turning north on Idaho 21 at Stanley for six miles to our campground, Elk Mountain RV Resort. Another gorgeous setting with the jutting and dramatic Sawtooth Mountain Range dominating the view. Our campground was full of chipmunks and whistlepigs (that’s what folks call groundhogs or woodchucks in this area).

Chipper

Whistlepig

Morning Trip to Lowman

Elk Mountain to Lowman, ID

Just after sunrise we headed north on 21 for a mile, and then turned onto Stanley Lake Road. There we took a loop tour on Forest Road 455 that took us through a dense portion of the Sawtooth National Forest. After spotting a young buck deer and a large, well-fed coyote, we exited the lake area and again went north on 21 for about five miles before exiting on Forest Road 203 that took us through the Cape Horn Wetland—moose country. Alas, we saw no moose, but did see a pronghorn, more deer, some whistlepigs, a variety of birds, and many wildflowers that Jan enjoyed identifying.

Killdeer Family

Sleeping Lab

After about a dozen miles, our dirt road reconnected with 21 that took us up and around, down over Banner Summit, and south, all the way down the mountains into the little burg of Lowman, where we stopped for a late breakfast at a roadside restaurant. For about 15 miles the highway was side-by-side the South Fork of the Payette River, whose rushing emerald green waters produced dozens of oohs , lots of ahs, and a continuous stream of wows.

Redfish Lake
Late afternoon we gassed up at Stanley, and then drove south to check out the very popular Redfish Lake. With paved roads and lots of amenities it reminded us a little of Estes Park. After our initial exploration, we decide to get off the beaten path, turning southeast on Forest Road 210. I envisioned in my mind that this rocky path would take us above the congestion of the lake, providing a quiet location with magnificent vistas that we alone would share…well, good luck on that! The rocky road got really rocky, and my planned mountaintop view never materialized. After investing a half hour of bumpy travel, we decided to just keep going, as this path eventually connected with the highway. Just as I figured we were close, a fallen tree across our path brought us to a halt. After confirming that the tree could not be easily moved nor could we drive around it, we blew the bugle of retreat, completed a 26-point turn of the Jeep, and limped back to camp.

Trip Over

Pettit Lake
Early one morning we again headed south on ID 75 stopping by the side of the road to shoot the Sawtooth Range with cattle and fog in the foreground. We then turned west on Forest Road 208 due to Pettit Lake. Without a soul in sight we took a few pics in the brisk morning air. From there we headed south again to check out Alturas Lake. South of the lake we went off-road again taking Forest Road 204 south and west past the (very little) remains of the original Sawtooth City and on down to the end of the road at the Pilgrim Mine.

Sawtooth Range and Cattle

Pettit Lake Pano

Pilgrim Mine

A Day at the Beach (sort of)
After exploring both Stanley and Lower Stanley, touring the local museum, and taking a short drive on the highway (where Jan spotted a couple river otters playing in the Salmon River), we decided to hang out by the water. There are many, many choices within a few miles of our campground that fit that criteria, but we decided to find some solitude and headed down a gravel road to a spot along Kelly Creek. Here we pulled out our picnic supplies, set up our gear, and sat by the edge of the running creek with dozens of varieties of wildflowers all around us and the mountains in the background.

Jan Along Meadows Creek

Jan and Mitzy Along Meadows Creek

Sunrise Shoot at Stanley Lake
We left the coach at 5:15 a.m. leaving in plenty of time for pre-dawn set up on the east side of Stanley Lake just 10 minutes from camp. The moon was full, the air was calm, and as we waited we saw the gradual transitions of sky colors from grays to pinks to golds. Just beautiful.

Stanley Lake Pre-Dawn

Stanley Lake Pre-Dawn 2

Stanley Sunrise

This Sawtooth area is magnificent.

See you next week.

Travel Blog 263: Off We Go to Idaho

Cherry Creek SP to Challis Hot Springs
 
Vamos Colorado
From Cherry Creek State Park on the outskirts of Denver, we headed north on CO 83, took I-225 North, I-40 West, and then I-E 270 North to I-25 North, all the way to Cheyenne. Here we picked up I-80 West and made our way to Rawlins, WY, and spent the night at Western Hills Campground. 

RV Couple
 
The next morning we again headed west on I-80 and then US 30, marveling at how green Wyoming was this time of year. We made a short stop at Fossil Butte National Monument and were awed by the size, detail, and quantity of fossils, especially of fish. Just a few miles west of Kemmerer, it is off the beaten path but worthy of visitation. We travelled west into Idaho and stopped for a couple of nights at the Montpelier Creek KOA.
 
The first mid-afternoon we took a short road trip east on 89, and then on Wood Canyon Road to Bauman Lane, and up to the Montpelier Reservoir.

Montpelier Creek KOA to Paris Ice Cave
 
After working the next morning, we took a road trip west to Ovid and then south to Paris on 89 South. Our first stop was the Paris Tabernacle.

Paris Tabernacle 
 
Next we toured the Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge and shot a few birds. 
 
Eastern Kingbird

Juvenile Rock Wren 2

Long-Billed Dowager

Yellow-Headed Blackbird

Mountain Bluebird

Mystery Chick
 
From there we headed up into the Cache National Forest taking Paris Canyon Road. Jan had a blast identifying wildflowers as we slowly worked our way to the Paris Ice Cave, noted for having ice all year round. We circled our way back on Canyon Road.

Jack and Alex in Paris Ice Cave

Curious Sheep

After two nights at Montpelier, we drove 168 miles west on US 30, and then west on US 26 to the Craters of the Moon KOA located in Arco, Idaho. Pretty trip but not ideal, as the wind gusted more than 40 miles per hour much of the journey.

Montpelier Creek KOA to Craters of the Moon

Craters of the Moon
We visited this National Monument several years ago when it was hot and there was very little vegetation. Quite a difference this time, with cool weather, overcast skies, and bright flowers everywhere against and among the unique “off-worldly” scenery of this place.
 
Craters of the Moon Landscape

Craters of the Moon 2

Challis Hot Springs

Cherry Creek SP to Challis Hot Springs

The next morning we had a wonderful 82-mile trip north on US 93. The road was smooth, the traffic light, pleasant overcast skies driving through lush green valleys, by rivers and creeks, and surrounded by mountains.
 
Our campground was situated on the hot springs property with our site adjacent to the Salmon River. Each evening we walked over to the Springs and soaked in the 105-degree waters.
 
Little Road Trip to Bayhorse Lake

Challis Hot Springs to Bayhorse Lake

Our first afternoon we took a backroad trip to Bayhorse Lake. Old mines, ghost town.
 
Big Road Trip to Sunbeam and Back

Challis Big Trip

Our second day at the Hot Springs we took a big backroad trip. Our path took us west of Challis, up and over the Mill Creek Summit, with occasional ruins from mining or the old toll road route, where stagecoach travelers could shave days off their trip by spending $5 per person back in the late 1800s.
 
See you next week.

Travel Blog 262: Very Sweet at Cherry Creek

We said farewell to Nathrop and headed north again on 285 through the mountains. Near Denver we picked up I-70 East via I-470 West and stopped at a truck stop for a fuel-up and a wash. A short jag east, and then a few miles south on I-225 to Parker Road and our next camping location, Cherry Creek State Park.

Chalk Creek Campground to Cherry Creek State Park

Denver’s Central Park
We’ve stayed here many times and always enjoyed the nature. As it was Black Jack’s first time, he quickly learned to appreciate the vast quantities of rabbits, squirrels, chippers, prairie dogs, coyotes, deer, and birds of all variety.

Wily Coyote

Western King Bird

Bark Park
Another really nice thing about Cherry Creek State Park is their marvelous dog park. Many trails, lots of creek access, and over a four-mile jaunt around the perimeter. We were out there by 6:15 most mornings, but were never the first ones there.

Bark Park Pup

Your Move

Jack just loves to play, especially in the water--nothing more fun than chasing a big canine or a big canine chasing him.

Did You See That?

Run Jack Run

Wet and Wild

He has also learned to play fetch and brings the ball back…most of the time :’>>

Jack and Ball

Mitzy and Jack Tail

Mitzy thinks she is hot spit as she now has new wheels--whenever she gets tired of walking she has a chauffeured buggy from where she can direct the action of both dogs and people from a higher altitude.

New Wheels for Mitzy

Jan’s Art
Interested in seeing Jan’s latest painting? Go to www.janalexanderart.com/portfolio.html and check out “Skyward” under “Acrylic Paintings and Murals” (the last painting).

See you soon.

Travel Blog 261: Chalk One Up

After our morning expedition to the Great Sand Dunes, we headed north on 285 the 86 miles to Chalk Creek Canyon Campground near Nathrop, Colorado. Once again, a beautiful drive.

San Luis SP to Chalk Creek

Camping at Nathrop
Located north of Salida and just south of Buena Vista, this is one of the prettiest areas in all of Colorado. With 14ers all over the place (mountains taller than 14,000 feet), there were snow-covered peaks in every direction. At over 8,000 feet of altitude, our campground mornings started in the 30s and reached the high 60s early afternoon.

View From Chalk Creek Campground II

Memorial Day with the Grandies
As we had done two times before, our grandkids (and their mom) drove 120 miles to spend a couple of nights with us over the Memorial Day weekend at Chalk Creek. We soaked in the hot springs, swam and slid at the water park, paddled at the Paddlefest in Buena Vista, and quacked at the annual duck race held at the campground. Several kids quickly became friends with our clan, and together they devoured large quantities of s’mores over the campfire and other assorted candies before and after.

Another Crazy Sliding Austin

Chilly Grandma

Guardian Pup

Paddling Fun

Yikes!

Sliding Kelly and Natalie

Sweet Natty

One afternoon after the Grandies had departed, we took a drive up over the Cottonwood Pass down to Taylor Park Reservoir. As we headed up to the 12,000-foot pass, the air thinned, the temperature dropped, and the big piles of snow deepened. Can’t beat it!

Chalk Creek Campground to Taylor Park Reservoir, Gunnison County, CO

No-Name Bird

Red-Shafted Flicker

Resting Bluebird

Sassy Sheep

Pickup Pup

Wonderful holiday weekend.

See you soon.

Travel Blog 260: Great Sand Dunes

Conejos River Campground RV Park to San Luis State Park, Alamosa County, CO

San Luis State Park
We left our Conejos campground late morning, heading east to Antonito, and then north on 285 past La Jara. At Alamosa, we picked up 17 North, and then turned east at Mosca on the county road that led us to San Luis State Park. The views here are incredible, with mountains on three sides and the huge light brown sand dunes of Great Sand Dune National Park adding texture and contrast to the dark browns, greens, and whites of the snow-capped peaks.

View From San Luis Campsite

After settling in, we drove the 12 miles into the park and were soon on the Medano Pass Primitive Road. This single lane, four-wheel-drive road is flanked by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the east, paralleled by the Medano Creek on the west, with dunes immediately behind the creek. Narrow at parts, often quite rough, and usually steep, and always a fairly high pace required to avoid getting stuck in the thick sand. Behind the wheel, Jan’s persona transformed from the friendly, easygoing gal we all know, to the focused, determined air of the race professional. Jaw tight, hands firm on the steering wheel, and right foot cemented to the floor, she drove the course like a virtuoso violinist on speed. I calmly gave her encouragement, occasionally gasped, and grabbed hold of my schnauzer.

Jan and Jeep

Sandy Webcast
Since the phone reception at our campground was spotty, I drove to a hill overlooking the dunes the next morning to do a webcast from our Jeep. With charged MiFi and MacBook, I spoke to a group of 100-plus people who probably thought I was sitting in a cubicle somewhere. The only challenge was that every time I looked up at the mountains or the dunes, I momentarily lost my train of thought. Nice way to do business, however!

Great Sand Dunes

Medano Creek
The morning before we left the area, we got up early and drove the Pups down to a very popular section of Medano Creek in the national park. Every midday there are hundreds of people climbing up or sledding down the dunes, and many leashed pups playing in the water. At 6:45 a.m., however, we had the place to ourselves and let Jack and Mitzy off leash to follow the tracks and the sniffs in and around the creek. Great fun.

Pronghorn

Green-Tailed Towee

Great Sand Dunes II

Jack at Great Sand Dunes

Mitzy at Great Sand Dunes

See you soon.

Travel Blog 259: Day Trips and Early Morning Jaunts

Leaving Elephant Butte State Park, we travelled 148 miles north on I-25 to our American RV Park destination just east of Albuquerque. Nice, easy trip.

Elephant Butte  to Albuquerque

Side Trip to Sandia Peaks
After settling in we left the 5,000-or-so-foot altitude of Albuquerque and wound our way up to 8,500 feet at Sandia Peaks in the Cibola Forest. As the altitude rose, the temperature dropped, changing our mind about doing a hike at the top. Comfortable drive with great scenery.

Dog Park
In our continued attempt to socialize our new pup Jackson (aka Captain Jack Black) we took him to the dog park where he quickly learned the rules of multiple canine behavior. Here is a pic of Jack (lower left) learning it is sometimes better to observe than to be actually engaged.

Watching Jack

Thirsty Pup

Quick Trip to Chicago
I made a quick trip to Chicago to facilitate a workshop, lead a panel, and give a keynote speech at a symposium. Great group of people and lots of fun. Chance to talk and catch up with folks I’ve known for decades. Hope to do it again next year.

Day Trip
After returning from my work trip, we had one full day before heading out. We loaded up and did a three-mile, high-desert hike at Petroglyphs National Monument. During our trek we saw a brightly colored roadrunner pass and numerous, really big jackrabbits. In fact, one looked about the size of a Great Dane--before I fully recognized that the creature coming at us wasn’t a big coyote, I was chastising myself for not bringing pepper spray!

National Monument Day Trip

From there we decided to take the Abo Pass Trail that followed the Salt Missions Trail Scenic Byway for around seventy miles. It follows old trade routes and rail beds through the center of New Mexico. So from I-40 East we took 387 South through Escabosa and Chilili. We picked up 55 South and went through Tajique and Manzano to our first stop--the Quarai Mission Ruins just outside Mountain.

With the pups we walked around and through what was left of the old Spanish mission from the 1600s. From there we continued southwest on 60, going through the spot on the map marked Abo to the Abo Ruins Salinas National Monument Historical Marker, another interesting site along the mission trail. From there we picked up 47 headed north, diagonaled over at Los Lunas to I-25 and then I-40, ending our 150-mile loop.

Jan and Pups at Quarai Mission Ruins

On to Antonitos
After our good stay at Albuquerque, we took I-40 West to I-25 North. About 20 miles from Santa Fe, Jan said, “Today is the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market!” This is no ordinary farmer’s market--the chili selection is celestial, the baked bread is off the planet, and the cheeses are made just south of Heaven. After a two-minute conversation, we decided to make this detour. Salivary glands had already engaged, and I could taste the bread and cheese for our mobile lunch. We got off US 285, no problem as we knew where to go…however, finding a place to park our 62 feet of motor-home-plus-car turned out to be challenging. We found a space within a couple of blocks of the market, but it took up six parking spaces, and I quickly calculated the possible fine this might bring and suggested we postpone our visit. Reluctantly, we pulled out, got back on 285, and continued north through New Mexico.

American RV Park to Conejos

About 50 miles from the Colorado border with a perfect high-60s temperature, sunny skies, and light traffic, the hills and snow-topped mountains surrounded us, taking in 270 degrees of our view. Absolutely inspiring vistas.

New Mexico Vista

New Mexico Vista II

Conejos River RV Park
Six miles after crossing into Colorado, we turned west on Colorado 17 at the village of Antonito for the 12 miles to our Conejos River RV Park. At 8,500 feet of elevation, the air was naturally thinner, but so was the fly and mosquito population. This park had just opened May 1, and very few souls were in the camp that bordered the Conejos River and was within six miles from two national forests.

Over our three days at this campground we saw scores of birds of many shapes and variety: bluebirds, several kinds of finches, Western Tanagers. Great people, great vistas, and wonderful solitude when you wanted it.

Mitzy Cart Ride

Say's Phoebe

Evening Grosbeak

Crazy Antonito Structure

View from Road Trip

Early Morning Jaunt
Before sunrise on day one of our stay, we drove up Forest Road 101 into the Rio Grande National Forest. Alone on the dirt road we saw deer and a nice size herd of good-looking elk.

Another Early Morning Jaunt
With the temperature just over 30 degrees on day two, we headed west on Colorado 17, then headed northwest at the town of Horca, and were again moving into the Rio Grande National Forest on Forest Road 250. This dirt road paralleled the Conejo River high in its banks. We again saw deer and elk, prairie dogs, yellow-bellied marmots, desert bighorn sheep, chipmunks on every rock (well, almost every rock), a coyote, and scores of hummingbirds feeding on the bushes by the road.

Chipmunk

And Another Early Morning Jaunt
On our last morning, we were again up and out at 6:00 a.m. into the chilly but calm 30-degree morning. This time we headed east on 17, and then quickly turned south on Road D.5, which led us into the Rio Grande Forest of Forest Road 103 that paralleled Big Horn Creek southwest into New Mexico and the Carson National Forest. We wound through forests of Ponderosa Pine laced with trees just starting to bud. In the distance we saw several herds of elk, obviously skittish of hunters. We saw pronghorn along the way and deer, and of course, more chippers. After passing Sublette, Toltec, and Osier Mountains, we came to the end of the road, Osier, at 9,624 feet. It is the watering station for the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad. At this wayside along the mountain we ran across a marmot sentinel, who was not happy about our arrival. Standing erect as a Queen’s guard on his rock pile, he loudly told me that I did not belong there.

Yellow-Bellied Marmot Sentinel

The railroad water tank was continually dripping and the whole locale was thick with swallows. In hopes it might connect with Highway 17, we took a narrow, steep, muddy path but it ended at the Rio de Los Pinos, much too deep to cross (six feet of fast-moving water). So we retraced our journey with mountain, valley, stream, and forest views along the way. During our three-hour trip, we saw only one vehicle and one person. Here are a few pics from the early morning jaunts.

Conejo Pano

Audubon's Warbler

Brewer's Blackbird

Dusky Grouse

Yellow-Bellied Marmot

Roadside Waterfall

Water Tower Drips

Travel Blog 258: White Dunes, Brown Sand, Black Jack

Carlsbad, NM to Elephant Butte

We left the Carlsbad KOA and headed out on 285 North to Artesia, took US 82 West through Mayville and Cloudcroft, and then headed on to Boot Hill RV Resort in Alamogordo. The last 26 miles of the 129-mile journey was traveling up, over, and down on a 6% slope through the Lincoln National Forest--beautiful drive. The temperature went from hot to mild to warm all in a three-hour span. We set up camp at Boot Hill RV Resort on the outskirts of Alamogordo.

White Sands National Monument
We timed our 25-minute drive from Boot Hill to arrive precisely at 7:00 a.m. when the gate to the park drive opened. We drove about two-thirds of the way into the dunes finding just the right spot. We all got out of the car, walked around a series of dunes, then let dogs do what they love to do—run like maniacs in the sand.

Mitzy enjoyed it but Jackson totally loved it, sprinting like a possessed thoroughbred, he leapt, raced, cornered, turned up, and ran down the white dunes for at least 15 minutes full out. Eyes bugging, tongue dragging, his legs pumped like the pistons of a drag racer in high gear…just a pleasure to watch.

Dune Dog

Dunes and Andrews Mountains

Jackson IV

Running Mitzy

Alex, MItzy, and Jack

It was interesting, though, at this early hour we heard loud voices and laughter not far away--we assumed it was a large family gathering or a big group get together. However, we were wrong…atop some large dunes was a video set-up complete with satellite uplinks, big camera crews, and thirty or more people standing around. Al Roker, Matt Lauer, and their support team had just completed another video shoot on the National Parks! Maybe we will see them again soon.

Today Show Dune Set-Up

Elephant Butte
We took 70 West to I-25 North to camp at Elephant Butte Lakes State Park. Elephant Butte boasts the largest lake in New Mexico and they have beautiful campgrounds that overlook the water.

Critters
The campground supports lots of critters with many rabbits (including the big, long-eared jackrabbits), a few squirrels, lots of doves, wrens, Bullock orioles and numerous coveys of Gambel’s quail--a beautiful bird. I was fortunate to capture one calling a few minutes after dawn.

Calling Gambel's Quail

House Finch

The Beach
However, everyone’s favorite campground activity was our morning walk on the beach. Every day we arrived before dawn and walked along the water. The brown sand between Jack’s toes acted like a volt of electricity, turning the mild-mannered pup into a wild-eyed canine. Here is a shot of Black Jack in full action.

Beach Jack

Great stay…we will come back here again.

Travel Blog 257: Wildflowers, Steep Caves, and Crazy Aliens

Since my last blog, I had a week-long client engagement that took me from Orlando to San Jose and Chicago, and then back to Orlando. Early morning before my departure flight, we loaded up and did the Apopka Loop one last time. As always, lots of beautiful birds. Here is the first least bittern we have seen while exploring the loop.

Least Bittern

The day after my return back to Apopka, we loaded the bus and started our trek west: I-429, Florida Turnpike North, I-75 North, and then the long slog across I-10. The weather was clear, and with just a few exceptions, the roads were in good condition and the traffic light to moderate. In the Florida panhandle we stayed by Holt at the Eagles Landing RV Park. In Louisiana we spent a night at Sulphur at the A+ Motel and RV Park. All across Louisiana underwater trees and overflowing banks showed the results of weeks of continuous rain and the flooding that ensued. After circling around the north part of Houston we picked up 290 West heading to Austin.

Leander Meander
We spent a couple of nights in the northwest corner of the Austin metro area at the Leander KOA in Leander, one of the fastest growing towns in Texas. Here we took a day trip with old friends, driving by the LBJ ranch, a marvelous wildflower farm, and then on to the destination town of Fredricksburg, home of Admiral Nimitz. Although the bluebonnets were in retreat, the roadside wildflowers were at their height in one of the best years on record. I took multiple photos, but none did justice. For over two hundred miles we visually feasted upon vibrant reds and yellows, speckled with blues, and a background of various greens…enough to make retina overload.

Ft. Stockton
After lots of miles, we camped at the Ft. Stockton RV Park just off of I-10…easy on and easy off. Here is a shot of the Mexican paradise plant right by our campsite.

Mexican Paradise Plant

Carlsbad
At Fort Stockton we took 285 North into Carlsbad, and just a few miles north we set up camp at the Carlsbad KOA for three days. Each morning was chilly and calm, but by afternoon it was hot and windy. At this campground, Jack was introduced to a bunny plantation, and soon he suffered from a severe rabbit habit, spending hours on the coach dash, staring at the hundreds of rabbits. The birds were plentiful and loud with boattail starlings everywhere, lots of doves, and scaled quails. We also saw a scarlet tananger, a Bullock’s oriole, and a few hummers. Jan also took a great pic of a flowering cactus.

Scaled Quail

Hummer at Flowering Cactus

Flowering Cactus

Roswell Side Trip
A short hour north of our campground is the famous Roswell, home of alien landings, mystic happenings, and conspiracy theories.

Alien Jump Start

Alien RV

Just north of Roswell, we toured the loop of the Bitter Lake National Wildlife Preserve. We saw some stilts, gallinule, and a variety of ducks--not bad for a hot, windy, midday in the off-season.

Carlsbad Caverns NP
We had another early morning plan: We would all load up and be at the Carlsbad Caverns at 8 a.m. opening, and I would take the elevator down to the main caves and spend an hour shooting photos, and then return to our car and resume our day trip (Jan doesn’t like caves).

Surprise #1: The 7-mile entrance road to the caverns brought a nice surprise, as I was focused on the caverns, not wildlife…right in front of us 14 momma and baby bighorn sheep crossed the road, went up a short hill, and then turned and stared at us--great photo opp! A short time later we saw another herd, and later a couple rams. Great way to start the day.

Baby Sheep

Bighorn Sheep Herd

Surprise #2: As we pulled into the Visitor Center, there was Al Roker and a camera crew preparing to do a shoot for the Today Show’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of the National Park system. Jan hollered a greeting to Al and he smiled and waved back. I had a nice conversation with the lead cameraman.

Surprise #3: While showing my park pass to a ranger, he informed me that the elevators were broken and that it was a very steep and strenuous mile down just to reach the bottom and a very steep and more strenuous mile back up…my planned one-hour trip would take 3.5 to 4.5 hours…yikes! So I went to plan B, and we drove the 45-minute Walnut Canyon Desert Drive, and then we drove to another section of the park (Rattlesnake Springs) were we saw a flycatcher and a roadrunner resting in a tree.

Flycatcher

Resting Roadrunner

Guadalupe NP
Since we were no less than a half hour away, we drove into Texas, stopped at Guadalupe NP, and then returned back to Carlsbad to the patio of a wonderful restaurant where all four of us feasted on green chili cheeseburgers, carne tacos, and frijole charros. Great way to celebrate Mother’s Day!

Century Plant in Bloom

Finally, a public service announcement.

Public Service Announcement

See ya’ll soon.

Blog 256: Gatorland

Gatorland is a classic tourist destination…zip line over alligator infested waters…walk-in aviary full of Amazon-colored avians…petting farm with cute goats, alligator wrestling lessons, bugs and snakes on display, albino gators, and all the hoopla of a night at the Big Top.

But what sets Gatorland apart is its rookery. For a fee, on Thursdays through Sundays during season, photographers can come in at 7:30 a.m., two-and-a-half hours before the family cars and school buses roll in. With nests of eggs and youngsters so close you can almost touch them, bellowing alligators patrolling the waters and puffing up like pro cage fighters, and constant flights of birds coming and going like planes at O’Hare on a holiday, the sights and sounds almost overwhelm.

In other words, if you like to shoot birds (photograph, that is) this is the place to be. Pics include a cattle egret, cow bird, cormorant, flamingo, great egret (and children), snowy egret, tricolored heron, and a wood stork. Jan shot the two gator photos.

Cattle Egret

Cow Bird

Cormorant

Flamingo Eye

Great Egret Feeding

Snowy Egret

Time to Eat

Squawking Great Egret

Tricolor Heron

Wood Stork

Gator

Gators

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See ya’ soon!

Blog 255: Another Quick Trip to New Jersey

This week I flew back to Jersey to work again with my client. This week was much better--flights on time...sunny skies (mostly)…and temperatures in the 50s and 60s.

Apopka Lake Wildlife Trail
We can’t seem to get enough of this loop, and we drive it most mornings when it is open (Friday-Saturday-Sunday) and I am around. The most exciting event this week was watching an alligator chomp down on an unsuspecting anhinga. Pleased to get a picture off in time before the big guy submerged to drown the surprised bird.

American Bittern

Anhinga

Belted Kingfisher

Black-Bellied Whistling Duck

Black-Necked Stilt

Cruising Gator

Eating Little Blue Heron

Fish Crow

Glossy Ibis

Great Egret

Little Green Heron

Red-Winged Blackbird

Soaring Bald Eagle

Hot Dang!

Anhinga-Chomping Gator

Tastes Like Chicken!

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from my Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you soon!

Blog 254: Quick Trip to New Jersey

The week did not start out the best--fire at the Newark airport…cancelled flight...dark skies and light snow…26 degrees.

However, my sessions with a new client went extremely well--big need and smart people, and at the end of the week I was safe and sound back in Florida.

Apopka Lake Wildlife Trail
Once again we loaded into the Jeep before dawn with Jan driving, me riding shotgun with my lens on a bean bag on top of the open passenger door, and Mitzy and Jackson alternating between windows, seats, and laps. Saw some beautiful birds in full breeding plumage. (Note that if you click on the photo, you will see a larger version plus the title of the pic.) We were blown away to sight and watch the Purple Gallinule--as boldly colored as anything from the Amazon.

Anhinga

Baby Sandhill Crane

Belted Kingfisher

Blue-Winged Teal

Flying Blue

Fulvous Whistling Ducks and Friend

Glossy Ibis

Green Heron

Limpkin

Male Common Gallinule

Purple Gallinule

Red-Winged Blackbird

Sora

Bird Hunters
Just like Jan and me, our Pups are easily entertained, with heads out the windows, sharp eyes scanning the water and brush, and distinguished ears listening to the cacophony of the wild. Here is a pic of Jackson and one of Mitzy.

Bird-Hunting Jackson

Bird-Hunting Mitzy

See you soon.

Travel Blog 253: Marvelous Marble Music Machine

Marvelous Marble Music Machine
You gotta check out this short video—amazing: http://www.wintergatan.net/# m.m.machine

Lake Apopka Loop Wildlife Trail
We are camping five miles away from this amazing preserve. The drive is eight miles of critters everywhere. With birds in full breeding plumage, it is a trek of bright colors and loud calls.

American Bittern

Anhinga

Black-Necked Stilt

Cattle Egret

Immature Great Blue Heron

Little Blue Heron

Snapping Turtle

Tri-Colored Heron

Alligator

Come Here, Little Schnauzer

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you soon.

Mitzy on the Move

Travel Blog 252: Pup Park Pics and Jackson!

New Family Addition

Jackson

We are quite pleased to introduce you to Jackson, our latest family member, a 1-year-and-4-month-old, 25.2-pound Australian Kelpie. Extremely intelligent, sophisticated in his bearing, worldly in his views, and quite good-looking!

Pup Park Pics
Kelpies need lots of exercise so we have been taking Jackson to the off-leash dog park to both socialize and burn some energy. Here are a few of Jackson’s new friends.

100-Pounder

Brown Dog

Daisy

Dark Brown Dog

Tan Dog

White and Brown
 
Faces in the Crowd
Here are a few random shots of friends.

Mike

Sandy

Time to Dance

Judy

Daisy and Clyde
  
Wedding
Here are a few pics of Edianne and Richard’s wedding. Beautiful event!

Edianne

Wedding Procession

Dog Poop

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.
 
Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3
 
See you soon.

Travel Blog 251: Short Trip to Korea

Tokyo to Seoul

After an easy two-hour-and-forty-minute flight from Narita, I landed at Incheon airport and then took an hour-long trek via taxi to my hotel.

I had a nice room (good bed, deep bathtub, nice view), but it was about one-quarter the size of my Tokyo room, so a tad tight. Also known for their technology, the toilet in my room had the same vast capabilities as the one I had in Japan. (It’s going to be hard to return to a single lever unit!)

Korean Toilet

I really enjoyed the mural above my bed, as Marilyn Monroe was my roommate for my five-day stay.

Marilyn

Here is a view from my room…I may have doctored it up a little. ;)

View from My Room

Korean View

Work
Similar to the previous week, I spent the next day working in my hotel room. This was followed with two intensive days facilitating a training workshop for the Korean division of the same client I was working for in Japan. Along with the Koreans, Thais, Taiwanese, Chinese, and one Indian participated. Very sharp group…I was pleased to get to know a couple of the Koreans, and we passed along stories related to differences in our cultures.

Cold!
The weather was consistent: gray skies, brisk winds, and low temperatures--getting down to the low teens (Farenheit) at night. Hence, I completed my 10-minute walks to the office in less than five minutes--really glad I took my gloves and headband. Because of the cold, I spent zero time exploring the streets, keeping inside all that I could.

DMZ Trip
The only thing I was excited about seeing was the DMZ, the Korean demilitarized zone. It is the buffer zone between North and South Korea, running across the peninsula roughly following the 38th parallel. It was created by agreement between North Korea, China, and the United Nations in 1953. The DMZ is 250 kilometres (160 miles) long, and about 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) wide.

I had signed up for a full-day tour, my last day prior to coming back to the States. The Koreans I had talked to said it was a really interesting place to visit.

Alas, at around 7:00 p.m. the evening before my scheduled tour, I got an email from the tour people…the tour had been canceled because of rising tensions between the North and the South. Not having anything else I wanted to see, I hung out one more day in my room. Hence, all the photos I envisioned taking never materialized.

Back to Florida

Incheon to Atlanta

After a two-hour delay, I had a pleasant flight back to Atlanta, and then an easy return back to Ft. Myers. Long trip, but a good trip.

Old Trucks
Here are four old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

Old Truck 4

See you soon.

Travel Blog 250: Quick Trip to Tokyo

Atlanta to Tokyo

After a short trip to Atlanta and an hour-and-a-half mechanical delay, I took the 14-hour-plus flight to Tokyo. I watched “The Martian” (I really enjoyed it), and then listened to books and napped when I could. After an hour-and-a-half taxi ride (heavy traffic) I was at my hotel--about a 6 on The Exhaustion Meter.

View from My Room

Work, Work, Work
I spent the next day working in my hotel room with a nap every now and then. This was followed with two intensive days facilitating a training workshop for the Japan division of a good client.

Students at Work

The windows from their 45th floor offered a commanding view of Tokyo and the surrounding area. The morning of the first day was crystal-clear by Tokyo standards, and famous Mt. Fuji was a great background to the cityscape.

Early Morning Mt. Fuji

Mt. Fuji at Sunset

Tokyo Toilet
Many years ago on my first trip to Tokyo, my biggest enjoyment was the awesome bathroom in my hotel room. Although the bathtub appeared to be designed for skinny Hobbits, the super deep tub was perfecting for soaking. It was also the first time I’d seen a high-tech toilet--I was fascinated by the numerous functions. Here is a photo of my toilet and a closeup of the controls.

Tokyo Toilet

Toilet Control Center

Toilets are a big deal in Japan. In fact, they are a source of national pride. The National Toilet Museum opened a few months ago, and their tourism department plans to hype visits to foreigners. I am not kidding. Check it out for yourself: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/asia/japan/11836488/Toilet-museum-opens-in-Japan.html.

It will be interesting to see how China responds.

To save my client a few yen, I took the bus from my hotel back to the airport. Here is a shot of a sleeping momma and child.

Momma and Child

A Few Reflections
  • Clean and Tidy: Everything is in as good a shape as an army recruit’s locker in boot camp.
  • Smog: Yes there is some, but the air is crystal-clear compared to Chinese cities--especially impressive for a city of 38 million people (includes Yokohama).
  • Efficiency: Everything works...and on time! The 7:35 train leaves at 7:35.
  • Masks: Masks are very common. About one in five people wear them outside (and some inside--a mild paranoia?).
  • Healthy Appearances: Not many people smoke and very few are obese.
  • Politeness: Pedestrians don’t butt in, drivers don’t honk, and the service people are not only polite, they are committed to your satisfaction. What a concept!

On to Korea.

Blog 249: Christmas Cruising the Caribbean

Leaving our schnauzer Mitzy with good friends, we headed east across Alligator Alley, Florida’s version of the Autobahn. In Miami, we parked at a remote lot, took their shuttle bus to the dock, and waited our turn to board among 3,700 potential new friends. As we headed for the end of the queue, we saw our grandkids (and their parents) and joined them skipping a few hundred folks in the registration line.

I don’t mean to demean or de-emphasize the fate of the hundreds of thousand of displaced people in the Middle East and the struggles they endure, however, boarding the boat made me feel akin to the refugees…masses of people, line after line, faces full of frustration, confusion, and weariness. Persistence finally won out, however, and after a few hours we were in our stateroom watching the cityscape as the Carnival Breeze headed out of the Port of Miami, lumbering east into the gray skies and rolling seas of the Atlantic.

Carnival Breeze

Bye-Bye Miami

Over the course of our eight-day holiday we stopped at the colorful Caribbean Islands of Grand Turk, La Romana in the Dominican Republic, Curacao, and Aruba.

Map of the Caribbean

Rookie Cruisers
Neither Jan nor I had been on a big cruise ship for many years, so Sunday was spent learning the ship and getting up to speed on how things worked, such as going the correct direction to our room, where to eat and when, etc. All kinds of people were on board, short and tall, skinny and not so skinny, young and old, with as many nationalities represented as a full session at the UN. Great people-watching! Here is one individual we found interesting.

Illustrated Woman

The weather was warm, the waters vibrant shades of blue, but the constant white caps atop the waves were a reminder of heavy winds that accompanied us most of the trip. For example, a couple of times when Janny and I walked the exercise path on the 11th deck, she had to hold on to me to keep her feet—kind of like trying to roller skate on a hiking trail. Professional cruisers that we quizzed confirmed that our rocky ride was unusual, especially for a ship over 1,000 feet in length. Luckily no one in our party took ill.

Lots of amenities onboard, but by far the most used and enjoyed by the grandkids were the three swimming pools and the water park.

Austie Dive

Donkeys of Grand Turk
At Grand Turk we took a taxi tour of this seven-mile-long island. We stopped at the old town, but our highlight was the wild donkeys that hang out at the north end of the island by the lighthouse. When they hear the sound of taxis, shuttles, or various people haulers, they come out of the woods looking for handouts from tourists. Knock-kneed, hunch-backed, scarred from donkey fights, they scarfed down the apples and bananas that grandson Austie had brought along.

Nattie and Donkey

Island Pics
Here are a few other pics and, of course, the Christmas Day family photo.

Aruba

La Ramona

Curacao

Fisheye Cruise Ship

Frigate from Balconey

Oh No!

Shirley Temple

Family Cruise Shot

See you soon.

Blog 248: Wet and Wild

Lake Apopka Wildlife Loop Trail
While staying in the Apopka, Florida, area we came across a wonderful surprise--less than 10 minutes from our campground is an eight-mile wildlife drive full of bald eagles, red-shouldered hawks, ospreys, great blue herons, blue herons, green herons, tri-colored herons, night herons, great egrets, snowy egrets, cattle egrets, anhingas, cormorants, gallinules, phoebes, Wlson’s snipes, and on and on…also lots of gators.

Here are some pics from our wildlife tours.

Red-Shouldered Hawk

Great Blue Heron with Snake

Green Heron

Immature Black-Crowned Night Heron

Great Egret

Anhinga

Belted Kingfisher

Black-Bellied Whistling Duck

Common Gallinule

Eastern Phoebe

Red-Winged Blackbird

Christmas Gator

If you like nature, this is an awesome tour. Can’t wait to come back in late March when the birds are in full plumage.

We also stopped at the dog park in Mt. Dora and saw this pair of troublemakers.

New Buddies

Recent Old Trucks

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

Old Signs

Little Pig Sign

Old Texaco Signs

See you soon.

Buddy

Blog 247: Dash to Denmark and Bosque Birds

Amsterdam to Billund

Jan and Mitzy drove me the hour trip from our Santa Fe campground to the Albuquerque airport. From there I flew to Minneapolis, then on to Amsterdam, then on to Billund, Denmark. Another hour drive brought me to my hotel in Aarhus, the second largest city in the country. A long, but uneventful trip.

After a shower and a couple-hour nap, I met my client for a six-course, four-hour meal. The conversation was fun and the food was outstanding. The next day I presented to and facilitated a group represented by folks from Denmark, Sweden, USA, Singapore, UAE, China, Brazil, France, and Germany. Things went great.

I was looking forward to the photo ops of the evening itinerary, as it was to start with a walking tour of a village created by bringing in actual structures from the 15th and 16th century. What I didn’t count on was that it was pitch black as we walked the unlit streets, and the houses and shops we entered barely glowed by the light of a few candles. My camera never left my bag, but it was an interesting tour followed by another outstanding meal.

Up at 4 a.m., I was in a car by 5:15 heading back to Billund to take a flight to Paris, then one to Salt Lake City, and then Albuqurque, where Jan and Mitzy picked me up and drove me back to Santa Fe, arriving around 7:30 p.m.

Chilly Santa Fe
It was cold in Santa Fe, getting down into the 20s. Mid-morning one day after my return we took a beautiful drive up into the mountains into the Santa Fe National Forest and Pecos Wilderness. We took a wonderful hike through the snow and mud up the mountain with a tributary of the Pecos River flowing alongside our trek.

Santa Fe Forest

Pecos Wilderness

Trailblazer Mitzy

Festival of the Cranes

Santa Fe Skies RV Park to Bosque Bird Watchers RV Park

After a three-week stay (at least for Jan and Mitzy) we departed Santa Fe traveling the 140 miles south on I-25, skirting over to the little town of San Antonio, and then south six miles to Bosque Bird Watchers RV Park. After settling in and after “world famous” green chili cheeseburgers at The Owl Bar and Grill, we drove into the Bosque Del Apache Refuge. Our arrival was in the heart of their annual Festival of the Cranes. As you might have guessed, Bosque is famous for its cranes (and snow geese), as tens of thousand of each species fly south from the North country to eat the corn and hay and rest and relax at this protected sanctuary. If you like birds, this place is heaven. We drove the circuit, scoping out locations worthy of sunrise shots.

We were lucky enough to spot two roadrunners up close and very fortunate that one of the usually skittish birds allowed me to take some pics (my first).

Roadrunner

Roadrunner Profile

As sunset approached we stopped just south of the Coyote Viewing Platform, listened to the commotion, and viewed the interesting behavior of lots of birds in really close proximity.

Next morning we left in the dark, with me carrying coffee in one hand and a flashlight in the other. About 40 minutes before sunrise I was in position on the Coyote Viewing Platform. After setting up my tripod, most of my actions consisted of walking in place, rubbing my hands together trying to keep warm--I later found out it was only 19 degrees! As the light finally fell, first on the mountains, then on the hills, and finally on the birds on the water, I shot for a solid hour as birds squawked and blasted off into the skies as the morning colors shifted from grays to pinks, and then oranges and reds.

Early Reflections

Incoming Snow Geese

Golden Moment

Getting Ready

3 Flying Cranes

Blurry Cranes, Cub Scouts
We drove through the refuge one last time, spotting a couple of Big Blues out hunting for breakfast. Here is one a little perturbed that a fellow photographer moved a little too close.

Testy Heron

Blurry Cranes in Flight

Cub Scouts at Bosque

Just a Pup

See you soon.

Blog 246: Rutting Bulls and Vortex Clouds

To my readers: Please note that this blog entry was intended to go before the last one but got out of order.

Chatfield to RMNP

Chatfield State Park is a wonderful place to stay, with miles of trails, lots of water, and a great dog park. The campground is loaded with rabbits, and our Mitzy took it upon herself to help the management get rid of the bunnies (or at least make them move a few feet).

Campsite Bunny

RMNP
From Chatfield State Park we drove north and a little west to Estes Park, and then on to Rocky Mountain National Park. We had been in the Park in late spring and it was beautiful as always. However, lots of snow on the mountains provided a graphic contrast to the blue of the sky, the granite color of the mountains, and the brilliant yellow of the remaining aspen. We drove up Trail Ridge Road as high as we could go (ended at Many Parks Curves) because the large snowfall closed the pass.

Cloud Cap

Cloudy Mountains

Family at Look Out

In a Rut
We were quite fortunate that the elk rut was still taking place. We spent hours watching the big bulls round up their herd, fend off challengers, and listening to the Big Guys bugling--no sound like it!

Herding Bull Elk

Bull Elk Close-Up

Hikes
During our stay at the park, we took several hikes. Here is a sunrise that started our day, some aspens along the way, a chipper chomping on the side of the trail, and a pine marten sticking his head out of his retreat (this was the first one of these cute fellows I’d ever seen).

RMNP Sunrise

Aspens

Chipper

Pine Marten

The Vortex
On our return trip to Chatfield, we came across a strange cloud that reminded me of a vortex. Take a look.

The Vortex

Great to be back in Colorado.

Pups
Here are a couple of pup pics.

Pup

Dog Park Pup

Old Signs
Here is an old sign

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you soon.

Blog 245: Quick Trip to India and Saudi

Albuquerque to Atlanta

Atlanta to Frankfurt

Frankfurt to Mumbai

At 4:00 a.m. I received a text alert from my friends at Delta saying that my 8:05 a.m. flight from Albuquerque to Atlanta was delayed a couple hours or so--not good news, as it made me making my Atlanta to Paris connection very improbable. So I called Delta to explore options and found that there were not many choices and most were not desirable. However, the good news is that the agent found that if I re-routed to Frankfurt I could get to Mumbai just an hour later than originally scheduled. The bad news was that instead of the choice seating I had on the Paris flight, there was only one seat left on the Frankfurt plane…oh, well.

The three-hour Albuquerque to Atlanta flight went fine, and after a three-hour layover, the eight-hour Atlanta to Frankfurt leg also went well--I got a good five hours sleep, arriving feeling well rested.

Another three-hour layover started quietly…and then the excitement began. About an hour before flight time at the first sighting of a gate agent, almost all of the 300-plus people at the waiting area stood up, gathered their belongings, and moved toward the boarding area like politicians at a fundraiser: Mothers and fathers trying to corral their screaming children, with 100 loud conversations going on in scores of languages.

The area was a sea of colors in the mostly Indian crowd--women wore traditional, brightly colored saris and scarves, while the men wore sherwanis and kufis, accented by the grays of the occasional flowing beard that spotted the landscape of people. The noise level rose at least 30 decibels as passengers bombarded the Lufthansa staff with thousands of questions (some related to the flights) while others tried to convince them that they needed to bring on all the bags (and sacks and boxes) that they carried, or hauled, or pushed along.

When the agent announced, “We will now board those in wheelchairs and all those needing extra time,” the crowd surged ahead like kids jostling for position at the ice cream truck. I later asked an agent if it was always like this, and she replied, “Only on flights to India.” Just amazing.

About 40 minutes after the boarding process of our Boeing 747-400 was completed, an announcement sounded stating that the delay was caused because they had to escort a drunken passenger off the plane, and regulations required that the drunk’s checked luggage had to be found, taken off the plane, and then inspected. All in all, the flight was delayed an hour and a half.

My seat, 57J, was not designed for comfort, so I decided to catch up on action movies. I watched “Mad Max Fury Road,” and then my video system froze up. Luckily I had a good back-up of audible books and listened my way to landing.

After de-boarding the full plane, going through passport control and immigration, exchanging some money, and taking a taxi to my hotel, it was 2:30 in the morning. At the perimeter of the hotel my taxi was stopped at a large iron gate where men in uniforms carrying automatic weapons came out and searched the cab before opening up the gate. Stepping out, both my luggage and I went through security. I felt like I was visiting Uncle Joe at the Big House. By then, all I wanted was a hot bath and to go to bed.

The six people at the reception desk (yes, six young men just for me, the only person in the lobby) very politely found my reservation. When the young person behind the computer looked up at me then over at his colleague, the “oh, boy!” alarm went off in my head. Soon the night manager came over and started to apologize…my room was “broken” but being “fixed” and was not quite ready. The dialogue went like this:

Night Manager: I am very sorry, Sir, there was a problem with your room…it is being fixed and will be ready for you soon.

Alex: You are kidding me, right?

Night Manager (looking at the floor): No, Sir.

Alex: You have no other rooms?

Night Manager (hesitating): No, all other rooms are occupied.

Alex: (No words…I just gave him “the look.”)

Night Manager (starting to blush and perspire): I am very, very sorry. Please come with me to the dining area and have something to eat…anything you want…on me, of course. Whatever you want. Here is the Internet passcode so you can go online while you wait for your food. I am inviting you to our lounge as my personal guest later today. I will personally come and let you know when the room is ready. I am sure it will not be long.

Taking advantage of his chance to get away, he then sprinted over to the closed kitchen where they were preparing the breakfast buffet and told the guy in charge to give me a menu.

The good news is that I was hungry, the chicken-something was filling, and what the heck…no one was hurt. I was in my room by 4:00 a.m. and slept until 2:00 p.m. the next afternoon.

Taj Mahal Hotel

Down to Business
I had two, very full days of business with a longtime client. Very smart group, very interested in the topics, but very, very talkative--they liked to challenge concepts, explore other options, give opinions, share life stories, expound on theories. They loved the session. It was a lot of fun, but a lot of energy was invested in the effort.

Exploring Mumbai
I had one day to explore Mumbai, a task that would take at least a month to give it justice. So I targeted a personal tour with a few things that I felt would help give me a feel for this city of 19 million.

Washing Men
Steven, my driver, picked me up at my hotel at 6:00 a.m. and drove the 45 minutes in the dark to the south part of Mumbai. My tour guide, Neelima, met me at the first stop, Dhobi Ghat, near the Hahalaxmi railway station. An intelligent, gentle soul, she was a delight to talk to.

Guide

Here I watched as hundreds of men called dhobis (only men) soaked, scrubbed, flogged, rubbed, twisted, and hung up clothes from Mumbai’s hotels and hospitals in this huge, open-air laundry. Twelve hours a day, six or seven days a week, they toiled…wow.

Outdoor Laundry 1

Outdoor Laundry 2

A Sea of Flowers
The next stop was the Dadar wholesale flower market. Indians love fresh flowers to wear, to decorate their homes, and to use in offerings to their gods. The Festival of Lights was coming soon so the normal hustle and bustle was ramped up another notch as the buying and selling came to full bloom. The bright colors and sweet fragrance of the flowers, compounded by the sounds and smells of the moving mass of people made for quite the experience--just walking through the market required dexterity, fortitude, and lots of apologies as one had to be “aggressive” to make one’s way.

Flower Market 1

Flower Market 2

Flower Market 3

Fishing Folks
Next came the fish market at Sassoon Docks where men brought in their catch at dawn, and women sorted, graded, and then left to sell the fish and other seafood to restaurants throughout the city. Also, hundreds of trucks were in the nearby parking areas, most of them painted in bright colors.

Fish Market

Fancy Truck

Gateway of India
The most visited location in all Mumbai was our next stop. The Gateway to India overlooks the Arabian Sea and was erected to commemorate the landing of King George V and Queen Mary at Apollo Bunder when they visited India in 1911. Nearby are the yacht club, the navy yards, and the Taj Mahal Palace.

Door of India

Gandhi
My last visit before Steven took me back to my hotel was Mani Bhavan, the house where Gandhi initiated his civil disobedience that eventually led to India (and Pakistan) gaining independence in 1947. The museum was filled with photographs and detailed with items from his life, including the sparse room where he lived. The original letters that he wrote to both Roosevelt, to ask for support of India’s independence, and to Hitler, asking him stop aggression, are two of the powerful documents on display.

Gandhi

Side Note: In order to get his parents’ approval for the young Gandhi to go to England for college, he vowed to give up wine, women, and meat. No wonder most of the people I know were not educated in England!

How to Drive in India
Based upon my observation of driving behaviors, the marked lanes and street signs appear not to be rules to be followed, but suggestions left up to drivers to interpret and obey, or not, depending upon their mood. Three lanes often turned into six, the distance between vehicles often shrank from yards to inches, and the reaction time needed to avoid contact with other cars appeared to require NASCAR capabilities. The constant beeps of horns warned other vehicles of upcoming actions, showed irritation of slow drivers, but mostly demonstrated the joy of being able to make noise. My guesstimate is that the beeps per vehicle per unit of time surpassed that of Mexico City, Bogata, and New York City.

Neelima shared with me the three things you must have to drive in India:
1. Good horn
2. Good brakes
3. Good luck

I am sure that she is correct.

My tiny experience with India was extremely positive. Long trip, a few hassles, but definitely worth exploring more.

On to Riyadh
Next, I flew to Riyadh to continue working with my client at their Middle East office. I had thought that central Nevada was bleak, but miles and miles of sand with no vegetation made Nevada look like a plush oasis.

My sessions went great with my participants from Saudi, Jordan, Algeria, India, Pakistan, Lebanon, Eqypt, and the United Arab Emirates. It was quite interesting talking during breaks and lunch with people with very different backgrounds from mine as we politely discussed the weather, our families, and a little bit about politics. I was told the weather in the low 80s was extremely mild during my trip (it gets up to 130 degrees in summer)…I was also advised to watch out for the sandstorms that roll through the area without warning.

I can sum up my activities this way: airport to hotel, hotel to client, client to hotel, REPEAT. I had no desire to explore or take pictures--Saudi Arabia does not make my list of 10 best places to vacation.

I had no drive to explore--just do my job and no more.
I am glad for the learning, yet no desire for returning.
Glad to have completed this chore.

A long journey home, but I am very happy to be back.

Riyadh to Paris

Paris to Salt Lake City

Note: I was fortunate to get out of Paris before the terrorist attacks.

Pups
Here are a couple of pup pics from the Pup Reserve.

Pups 1

Pups 2

Old Signs
Here is an old sign for the Old Sign Reserve.

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you soon, after I rest up.

Blog 244: Back to the Old West


Zion to  Monument Valley

Leaving Zion we toured through Hurricane, skirted around the Kaibab Tribal Lands, went by beautiful Lake Powell close to Page Arizon, and then through Kayenta to our campground at Gouldings Campground Monument Valley.

Monument Valley
We took an afternoon trip to scope out our planned trip to the Monument Valley Navajo Tribe Park. As we were heading home, Jan spotted a wild goat eating weeds along the road. Here is a picture of the handsome critter.

Monument Valley Goat

The next morning we were up super early, hoping to watch the stars. However, clouds stopped that plan, but those same clouds helped shape the colors of a gorgeous sunrise.

Monument Valley is the location of many John Ford westerns, including John Wayne’s breakthrough role in the 1939 movie “Stagecoach.” As a youngster I recall many a-time watching this and other westerns in black-and-white on a little TV in the living room with my dad. Monument Valley was often the background for the action. As one gazes out at the horizon you can almost see the dust rising from the rumbling wagons, smell the sweat from the galloping horses, sense the pilgrim fear that Apaches were right around the next rock with knives in hand, greedy for scalps. This is how the Old West is supposed to be! Wonderful place.

Monument Valley

Almost Monument Valley Sunrise

Monument Moment

Monument Pup

Snarly Monument View

Vibrant Monument

Stagecoach Movie Poster

Natural Bridges

Monument Valley to Natural Bridges

The same day of our visit to Monument Valley, we drove up 163 through Mexican Hat and Bluff into Blue Mountain RV Park in Blanding. After settling in, we took an hour trip to visit Natural Bridges National Monument. On an uncrowded road, we took the scenic tour stopping to walk and view the three natural bridges (formed by water erosion, not arches, which are formed by wind erosion). Here is a photo of one of the bridges.

Natural Bridge

Natural Bridge 2

Back to Colorado

Blue Mountain to Chatfield

We continued north on 163 to 191 and headed past Canyon Lands National Park and Arches National Park near Moab. We hooked up to I-70, spent the night near Breckingridge at Tiger Run RV Resort, and then continued east the next day to our destination at Chatfield State Park.

Busy, but fun!

Pups
Here are a couple of pup pics.

Pup 1

Pup 2

Old Signs
Here is an old sign

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are four old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

Old Truck 4

See you soon.

Blog 243: Sunrise in Zion

Merrill Campground to Zion River Resort

Whiskey Flats
We left our California campground at Eagle Lake and headed down the curvy forest road. At Susanville we headed east and south on 395 crossing into Nevada. At Reno we hopped on I-80 for a few miles, and then took 95 south. As planned, we stopped at Whiskey Flats RV Park in Hawthorne, Nevada. Hawthorne is just south of Walker Lake and the home of the Hawthorne Army Depot, covering 147,000 acres.

Alamo
The next morning we headed east on 95 to Tonopah. We had been told that there is not much to see in Central Nevada, and I can confirm the correctness of that statement. However, the roads were flat and straight and the traffic was light. The landscape was beautiful in its stark, simple form.

Nevada Mountain from Road

At Warm Springs, not a town but a junction, we took a right on 375, dubbed the Extraterrestrial Highway. As we got past the point on the map labeled “Rachel,” we started seeing Joshua Trees.

After fueling up, we set up camp at Pickett’s RV in Alamo, Nevada. Next morning we were on the road before 8 a.m., heading south on 93, picking up I-15 north to St. George. From there we took State Road 9 east to our campground at Zion River RV Resort near Zion National Park.

Zion National Park
Zion National Park is an icon of the national park system, drawing millions of visitors from all over the world. I took an early morning shuttle into Zion Canyon (no other vehicles are allowed) past the Court of the Patriarchs, the Zion Lodge, Weeping Rock, and finally got off at the Temple of Sinawava. From there I took the trail down to the Narrows and went until the trail turned to a riverbed, requiring walking, wading, and sometimes swimming to continue. The 45-degree water held limited appeal so I hiked back and took the shuttle to several other spots where I took short hikes.

Zion the Narrows

Janny, Mitzy, and I drove through the east part of the park on the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway passing around the mountains, over the river, and through the tunnels. Early one morning we revisited part of the trip and stopped short of the tunnel to take some shots around dawn.

Zion Canyon Fisheye

Zion Hike

Zion Sunrise

Wonderful place.

Pups
Here are a couple of pup pics.

Pup 1

Pup 2
 
Old Sign
Here is an old sign.

Old Sign
 
Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3
 
See you soon.

Blog 242: Hangin’ in the Hood (Mt. Hood, That Is)

Baker City to Government Camp

We crossed from Baker City east on 26 from the mountains and fossil-filled hills of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument to the prairies of central Oregon, stopping for a short while at Bend, and then north and west to Government Camp in the Mt. Hood neighborhood. The mornings were in the 30s, climbing up to the pleasant mid- to high 60s during the day. This was a great time to be in this area, as it is the lull between summer vacations and winter snow trips.

Mt. Hood
Everywhere you look, the icon of Mt. Hood overlooks. Here are three shots of the Big Guy (the reflection was taken at Trillium Lake).

Mt. Hood

Mt. Hood Reflection

Colored Leaves at Mt. Hood

Hikes
Over several days we had the chance to hike Little Zigzag Falls Trail, Trillium Lake Loop Trail, Mirror Lake Trail, Salmon Bridle Trail, and the Old Salmon River Trail. Around lakes, up to waterfalls, paralleling streams, through woods--great scenery.

Fruit Loop
This part of the world is the home of many orchards and vineyards. We made the loop heading east, north, west, and back south, stopping at the Wy’East Vineyard for a little tasting.

Sisters Garden RV Resort

Government Camp to Sister's Garden RV Resort

After a pleasant drive south, we set up camp at Sisters Garden RV Resort. A garden it was--flowers everywhere, and as well cared for as the best botanical gardens. During our stay I had a quick trip to New Jersey to do business with a long-time client.

Eagle Lake

Sisters to Merrill Campground

After Sisters, we headed down 97 and filled up at Gordy’s Truck Stop at LaPine--can’t beat diesel at $2.49! We took 31 south--beautiful drive. At Lakeview we picked up 395 south, and then down into California. My original plan was to continue down to Likely, but at Alturas I navigated incorrectly, taking us west on 299. We continued on through Canby, and at Adin picked up 139 south, planning on going down to Susanville.

As we headed south I remembered some excellent reviews of a Lassen National Forest campground at Eagle Lake, so we took Forest Road AI on a gorgeous drive through the woods. At the south end of the lake we found Merrill Lake Campground, part of the Eagle Lake Recreation Area. Huge, flat paved sites in the woods, full hook-ups, fire rings, and an easy walk to the lake. Hardly anyone there. Wonderful place.

I got up early one morning and headed for the lake in 30-something degree weather hoping for a nice sunrise. The nice sunrise didn’t materialize, but I had a great time shooting this little bird. He had no fear of me at all, in fact, I found myself having to back up to focus.

Eagle Lake Beach Bird

Lassen Volcanic National Park

Lassen Volcanic National Park

We took a half-day trip to Lassen Volcanic Park, taking two roads of a scenic byway there and back. Only moderate traffic on a holiday, so it was a pleasant 30-plus-mile drive through the park. Not a well-known park, but very worth visiting. Here is a shot of Lake Helen and Lassen Peak.

Lake Helen, Lassen Volcanic National Park

On the way to the park we saw a very large, very healthy black bear run across the road directly in front of us.

Pups
Here are a couple of pup pics.

Pup

Madeline

Old Sign
Here is an old sign.

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next time.

Blog 241: To Hell and Back

Canyon Pines RV to Mountain View RV

We took 95 South to Weiser, Idaho, then took the 201 shortcut into Oregon, then on to I-84 West. The day was clear and the traffic was light as we rolled along the eastern side of the home of the Ducks. At Baker City we set up camp at Mountain View RV Park and settled in for a few days.

Baker City to Hells Canyon Trip

Mountain View RV to Hells Canyon

We had visited Hells Canyon from the Oregon side a few years back, but were thwarted from getting the full impact of the region as Highway 39, the Wallowa Mountain Loop, had been washed out by flooding.

Our intent was to take Highway 86 east to Oxbow, on to the dam at the end of Hells Canyon Road, then backtrack and go up Wallowa Mountain Loop to Joseph, then back north, west, and south to our campground.

However, less than three miles eastbound into our journey in our Jeep was a sign stating that 86 was closed ahead due to a new fire. Therefore, we backtracked a little before heading north to La Grande, then north and east on Highway 82, the first leg of the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway. We passed through Elgin, then Wallowa, stopped for a latte at the Blue Banana Coffee Shop in Lostine, then on to Enterprise, then Joseph. The further east we got, the prettier the scenery, as the prairies and rivers turned to mountains and streams.

We headed south at Joseph, down and around Wallowa Lake, then stopped at Wallowa State Park for a hike then a stroll. At the Park we saw a Pileated Woodpecker hunting for lunch and spawning Kokanee Salmons in the stream, the landlocked version of the Sockeye Salmon.

Spawning Salmon

Pilieated Woodpecker

Driving back to Joseph, we headed east on the Wallowa Mountain Loop through forests and along streams past Salt Lick Summit, ending up at Hells Canyon Overlook. Alas, the supposed-to-be-magnificent view was shrouded in a blanket of smoke. Oh, well, it was a magnificent ride.

Joseph
Because of the size of our excursion, we spent the night at a delightful motel and RV park (no we did not drive the rig--we stayed at the motel) less than a mile north of town. The next morning the smoke had cleared, the snow had fallen, and the view of Ruby Peak sparkled among the snow and clouds and fog. Joseph also has a half dozen or so bronze statues lining the main drag. Really cool place.

Ruby Peak

Ruby Peak 2

Bronze Cowboy

Return Home
For a little variety, instead of exactly backtracking, we headed north and west at Elgin on Highway 204 up into the Umatilla Wilderness. We turned southwest, but instead of passing through Pendleton, we took the back roads to Mission, and then on to the Old Emigrant Trail that eventually lead back to I-84 that we took back to our campground in Baker City.

Ruffed Grouse

Lip-Lickng Coyote

To Hell and Back

Hells Canyon Trip

What a difference a few days make! We awoke to a cold but clear day with not a trace of smoke in the air. We headed out east in the early morning chill on Highway 86 determined to complete our travel goals of a few mornings earlier. At Mile Marker 44 we found the reason the road had been closed--the earth on both sides of the road for several miles was scorched like land along the path of Sherman’s March to the Sea. We passed through Richland and drove by Halfway on to the Oxbow Dam, where we had stayed at an RV park several years ago.

Our original intent was to continue on the east side of the Canyon and go to the end of the road at Hells Canyon Dam. Instead, we took the dirt road on the west side of the water, 13 miles until the road ended at Copper Creek. Since we had decided we wanted to go see what the Hells Canyon Overlook had to offer in clear light, we were faced with retracing our steps to Oxbow Dam, heading back west on 86, and then going north and east on Forest Road 39. I estimated that this 42-mile trip would take us at least an hour and a half. However, my handy Oregon atlas of back roads showed another option: Hess Road was an 8.3-mile shortcut that would take us within five miles of the Overlook--a no brainer. Yet, there was a price to pay for this “convenience” of shorter distance.

Unsuitable Sign

True to the sign’s warning, this national forest road was not for the faint of heart--narrow, rocky, curvy, and steep, it rose over 3,800 feet in the short trip. We were rewarded with wonderful views (many straight down), especially along the hairpin curves that held us over the canyon. Actually, it was a lot of fun, especially since we met no other vehicles.

Here is a photo from our Hess Road journey, and one from the Overlook. After lunch we took a hike then returned back to camp. Great trip.

View from Hess Road

Hells Canyon Overlook

Pups
Here are two pups from the reserve.

Pup 1

Pup 2

Old Sign
Here is an old sign.

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you soon.

Blog 240: 7 Devils to Heavens Gate

Missoula to Grangeville

Heading south from Missoula on 93, we turned west on 12 at Lolo, crossed over Lolo Pass, across the border into Idaho, over to Kooskia, and took 13 down south to Grangeville. The trip was only 179 miles, but with the very curvy roads it took us over five hours. Beautiful journey, but it felt good to set up camp just outside of Grangeville, Idaho.

Grangeville Day Trip
From Grangeville, we headed south on 95. It was a cloudy and rainy day, and we were rewarded with dramatic, cloudy skies. Here is a pic that Janny shot right outside of Grangeville, and one I took a little further down, just before the burg of White Bird.

Janny Grangeville Scenic

White Bird Scenic

Exiting at White Bird, we turned right after the bridge to take the White Bird Grade (Old Highway 95). The seven-mile stretch averages over a 7 percent gradient. Along with being a lot of up and down, the road constantly zigged and zagged like a Labrador pup unleashed in a meat market.

The Battle of White Bird Canyon occurred in the valley that the drive overlooks. The Indians easily won that opening battle of the Nez Perce War but were later decimated by the vastly superior numbers of the U.S. Cavalry. As was too common the practice, the war was started after the U.S. government reneged on its treaties, lied on its intentions, and stole from the tribe.

Returning to White Bird, this time we turned left after crossing the bridge, taking Road 493 in the Nez Perce Forest for the 17-mile scenic drive to Pittsburgh Landing along the Snake River in Hells Canyon. Wet and chilly, misty and gray, the colors in the landscape sparkled like the eyes of youngsters on Christmas morning.

High Tailing It

On to Riggins

To Canyon Pines

The trip from our Grangeville location to our campground south of Riggins was short but pleasant. Our Canyon Pines campsite was right on the Salmon River backed by the White Bird Ridge. We quickly fell into a pleasant routine: work in the morning, trips into the national forests in the afternoon, early evening sitting outside and enjoying the river and the busy Kingfishers. Here is a shot of our campsite view plus some fishermen across the way.

Campsite View

Fishing

Ponderosa State Park
On a day trip, we took 95 South to 55 East past McCall. We entered Ponderosa State Park and took the loop around the park, searching for red fox among the towering Ponderosa Pine. We found no fox, but found several deer along the way. We took a hike before we picnicked overlooking the water. Very nice park.

Forest Trips
Our trips into the Nez Perce and Payette National Forests included taking the Smoky Boulder Road and Mud Creek Road loop down to Rubicon and New Meadows, taking Rapid River Road to the fish hatchery and beyond, taking the rough and rocky Race Creek Road up past Cold Springs and Cow Camp, and taking the 7 Devils Drive, up past 8,100 feet and on to the Heavens Gate Lookout, where we walked a trail among the remains of an older fire and saw new fires staring in the east. Beautiful scenery with horses and cattle running wild, a deer here and there, and flocks of quail scurrying among the brush. One sign summed up our forest travels: “Caution! Steep, Narrow Winding Road.”

Steep Narrow Winding

Distant Fires

Fires Past

Grazing Horses

Pups
Here are two pups from the reserve.

Pups 1

Pup 2

Old Sign
Here is an old sign.

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are five old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

Old Truck 4

Old Truck 5

See you next time!

Blog 239: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

Columbia Falls RV Park to Jim and Mary's RV Park

After a great month in the Glacier area, we headed south trying to project regions where there might be little or no smoke from the surrounding fires. We took 206 South, connected to 35 South, which took us around big Flathead Lake. At Polson we jumped on 93 South, which took us all the way down to Missoula, MT. Pleasant and pretty journey.

Bitterroot Road Trip

Trip to Conner, MT

With the Bitterroot Mountains on the west paralleling our journey, we headed south avoiding Highway 93, taking back country roads most of the way, down past Lolo, Stevensville, Hamilton, and Darby, to the little town of Conner. Along the way we took valley roads and mountain trails to check out places like Lake Como and Lost Horse Creek.

Barn and Mountain

Barn and Mountain and Horse

White Horse Reflection

Garnet Ghost Town

Garnet Ghost Town

One afternoon we took a gorgeous drive heading east on Highway 200 for about 30 minutes. There we turned onto the Garnet Forest Road (also known as the Garnet Backcountry Byway) heading up and around on gravel for 11 miles. Here we viewed the well-kept Garnet ghost town before heading southish on another path. Bear Gulch Road was a one-way, seriously winding trail of sorts, composed mostly of rocks, holes, and bumps. After an hour-and-a-half or so we covered the 16 miles to civilization and returned back to camp via the Interstate.

National Bison Range

National Bison Range

We drove north on 93, and then west on 200 to the National Bison Range. I was a little hesitant to go there, as the hard copy and online publicity about this destination was secondary or tertiary to other NW Montana “must do’s” and usually verbiage was limited to one or two lines. Boy, was I happily surprised to find this awesome 19,000-acre national wildlife refuge.

Misty Morning Mountains

As a light rain drizzled, we drove the 21-mile loop up along the mountains and through the valleys, constantly being serenaded by meadowlarks. We saw only a half dozen cars over our two-and-a-half-hour journey, allowing ample time for photos and gawking. Along with bison of course, we saw several pronghorn, a coyote, a flock of ruffed grouse, small herds of mule deer, and a black bear devouring berries.

Meadow Lark

Pronghorn

Coyote

Mule Deer

Black Bear

I’d highly recommend this place to all nature lovers. It made our last day in Montana a memorable one.

St. Regis Paradise Scenic Byway
After the National Bison Range we continued west on scenic 200 West, until just south of Paradise the highway turned into an “official” scenic byway, the St. Regis Paradise Scenic Byway--tall, treelined mountains, rolling rivers…you know the schtick. Hard to describe, but worth trying.

Pups
Here is a Dog Fight shot and a Happy Boston from Columbia Falls Bark Park, a brown dog from the Missoula Pup Park, and a Truck Pup from a parking lot.

Dog Fight

Boston Pup

Brown Dog

Truck Pup

Old Sign
Here is an old sign from the Old Sign Reserve.

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old Montana trucks.

Old Rusty Truck

Old Tank Truck

Old Yellow Truck

See you next time.

Blog 238: Fire on the Mountain

Map of Glacier

Since my last blog, we have been exploring the million-acre Glacier National Park and the surrounding northwest Montana area with friends. Small fires in the eastern part of the park initially burning 1,500 acres have expanded into larger fires burning over tens of thousands of acres. Firefighters from all over the country armed with explosives, water-dumping helicopters, and lots of guts have worked round the clock trying to control damage. With over 100 fires burning now in the west, depending on wind direction, the air quality ranges from slightly irritating to difficult to breath.

On the negative side, the fires stress the wildlife, put people and man-made structures at danger, and are a bummer for sightseeing tourists. On the positive side, the fires (at least in the park) are removing old, often diseased trees and planting the seeds (literally) for new, healthy growth. It will be a few years, but the change continues.

Going to the Sun Road
In spite of the fires and smoke, we had several nice drives on the spectacular 50-mile Going to the Sun Road that crosses the park east to west.

Right before Logan Pass, we watched a family of mountain goats forage and play.

Baby Goats

Goats

Later, in the same location, we saw a herd of Bighorn sheep troop down the slope in single file.

Grazing Sheep

Sheep Herd

Hidden Lake Trail
Right at Logan Pass we took a gorgeous hike on Hidden Lake Trail, which coincidentally ends at Hidden Lake. With Clements Mountain imposing upward, we walked through the wildflowers of the alpine meadows (named the Hanging Gardens), stopping often for the photo opps that kept getting better.

Hidden Lake Trail Wildflowers

Hidden Lake

Ground Squirrel

Past Logan Pass we drove through the blackened tree trunks and charred earth of recent fires on down to St. Mary’s. From there we drove north and then west into Many Glacier, where we hiked the Swiftcurrent Trail around the lake and by the lodge.

Also Within the Park
Also within the park, we took drives on Camas Road up toward Polebridge, once taking a National Forest road up the mountain. On another drive, we saw this young bear outside of Fish Creek Campground.

Young Black Bear

We hiked along the shore of Lake MacDonald and also took a cruise of the lake. Another time we took the Trail of the Cedars as a break from hunting for critters.

We took several short full-day trips outside the park.

Hungry Horse Dam
We drove past Hungry Horse Dam and saw this impressive cloud from the eastern fire in the park.

Smoke Viewed from Hungry Horse Dam

Big Loop
Another time, instead of returning to our camp from St. Mary via the Going to the Sun road, we looped around the park first on 89, then 49, and then on Highway 2, following the hairpin curves into East Glacier Park and back around through Walton into the small town of West Glacier, and then back to Columbia Falls.

Flathead Lake

Twin Lakes Map

Our hike to Twin Lakes in the Jewel Basin was cut short about two-thirds of the way up the mountain by a sizable streak of lightning followed immediately by an attention-getting boom of thunder. Being fast learners, we quickly turned around eyeing the boisterous skies while we steadily moved through the rain. (Mitzy chose to make the journey in my arms instead of walking.)

Flathead Lake Map

We moved to Plan B, driving to and then exploring the town of Bigfork at the northeast corner of Flathead Lake. From there we circled this very big lake, heading south to Polson, and then back up the western side.

Kootenai Falls
On yet another day, we took a big day trip, first heading west on Highway 2, taking our time enjoying the scenery of this sparsely traveled road. Right outside of Libby we stopped at a museum and wandered among the old cars, trucks, railroad equipment, etc. Stopping from their restorative work, three volunteers gave us the past history and the future plans of this old locomotive.

Old Locomotive

Traveling past Libby we stopped at the Kootenai Falls trailhead for a picnic in the woods. From there we took the short but pretty hike to both the Kootenai Walking Bridge and then the Kootenai Falls. We are fortunate to have visited many waterfalls in the West, but this one ranks right toward the top.

Kootenai Falls Map

Kootenai Falls

From there we backtracked to Libby, and then picked up highway 37, a scenic byway that hugged the eastern coast of the Lake Koocanusa all the way to Rexford then to Eureka. Just southeast of Eureka we spotted more fires.

Eureka Fires

Pups
Here are two pups from the reserve.

Pup 1

Pup 2

Old Sign
Here is an old sign.

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are four old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

Old Truck 4

Closing Comments
Glacier National Park is an awesome hunk of the United States. If you are interested in visiting, I suggest you come soon--all the glaciers are predicted to be gone within 20 years.

Blog 237: Big Bop to Beijing

Seattle to Beijing, China

Big Bop to Beijing
After a quick hop from Kalispell to Seattle and a brief layover, I took the big bop 11-hour flight to Beijing. After passport control, immigration, and a quick change of currency, I hailed a taxi. Knowing the cabbie would probably be quite limited on English proficiency, I handed him a map to the hotel with streets labeled in Chinese. He nodded his head, pointed to the fare on a laminated sheet, and when I nodded acceptance we shot out of the taxi line like the lead Huskie in a dogsled race.

Bobbing and weaving through the heavy traffic in the rain we made the hour-long trip in 40 minutes. Thankful to have arrived safely, I checked in asking the person at the front desk if it was possible to get a room on a high floor with a view for photography. He nodded, studied his screen, and gave me my key card.

Accessing my room, I had to squint to see the far wall…my new best friend at the front desk had given me a suite the size that a high-roller in Vegas would approve of. After taking a half hour to fill a round bathtub the size of a large cattle trough, I soaked in the tub letting any stress, kinks, and jet lag float away. I was asleep before midnight. (BTW, the window view was lousy, but no complaints.)

Forbidden Tour
On my day of rest before work, I took an all-day tour. We started at Tiananmen Square, the world’s largest public square and the historic and culturally significant location of important Chinese events over centuries. Thousands were there (mainly Chinese) with hundreds of tour-group leaders waving colored flags and barking through bullhorns attempting to keep their herd of followers in line. From there we walked to The Forbidden City, the largest imperial palace in the world.

Leaving the city, we drove an hour and a half north for lunch in a small café in a small village. The food was great, but don’t ask me to pronounce what we ate. Twenty more minutes and we were at the Mutianyu location on the Great Wall. Foggy, smoggy, and rainy in the morning gradually transformed into sunny, hot, and steamy as the day progressed…kind of a summer-in-Florida day.

We took a ski lift up to the Wall, and then walked along the stones of a mile-long section of the 6,000-kilometer fortification built over three dynasties and several centuries. Scanning to the north, I visualized the Chinese sentries patrolling their section, forever watching for an army of fierce Mongols to come riding upon their war ponies ready to attack.

T Square

Happy Students

Door to Forbidden City

Forbidden City

To The Wall

Happy Wallers

Great Wall 2

Work, Work, Work
For most of the week I worked with the China teams of a long-term U.S.-based client. Great young professionals eager to learn--a pleasure to work with.

Big Bop Back
By Friday I was ready to head home. After an uneventful taxi ride, I showed my passport, put my bags through the detector (all bags must be scanned, except backpacks of any size [some large enough to contain a small nuclear device], walked over to the Delta check-in, scanned my passport, and printed out my boarding passes at the kiosk. A long walk down the hall and I entered passport control, getting my passport and boarding pass stamped and my departure card taken. In fifteen feet I was at the security station, passport and boarding pass reviewed, once again, and back into the queue. Through their scanner I placed a ziplock bag containing liquids, my laptop, iPad, camera, extra lens, electrical connectors, and, of course, my dangerous travel umbrella.

After a fast frisking by a frenzied female security agent, I felt a tinge of relief--almost done. Another long walk and I was at the “VIP” lounge for a stale beer and stale peanuts, and then on to the boarding area for another line, a review of passport and boarding pass, and another quick frisk as I walked through the line of about 15 young security folks--some trying to look tough, a few smiling, and most paying no attention at all.

Sitting in my seat I finally started to relax and scanned the movie selection as I settled in (I usually select action shoot-‘em-ups because Jan doesn’t like them). Soon, our captain announced a two-and-a-half-hour delay due to major congestion and troubling weather. Resigned to the situation, I watched one of the Avenger movies as the skies darkened and the crew talked to each other in low voices. By now you know how this goes: At four hours of delay they cancelled the flight due to flight crew work limits.

It took 40 minutes for the gate crew to come out to unload the full plane (later we found out it was not because of lack of manpower, but passport control didn’t know what to do. One by one, we “re-entered” China, and then were told to wait in a group. Finally, we went back to the check-in area where we individually had to go up and get a stamp indicating the hotel they were putting us up in. From there we waited in more groups, and then waited outside. Then we walked about a quarter mile in the rain among traffic, through puddles, and the smell of diesel exhaust. Loading buses, everyone had to wait until all three busses were full before we trekked to the Crowne Plaza about five miles away.

At the hotel, the tired group moved en masse to the front desk, with many raised voices. Soon, we were told that all of us “orphans” were to head to another area dominated by an ancient Xerox copier. It was translated that they would photocopy each passport and then give out room keys. However, the power outlet did not work, so after several minutes of frenzied problem solving, the copier was moved to another area and people started to queue up, with people jostling for spots up front.

I thought I might witness a murder or at least an act of physical harm as someone, who must have been a tour guide, held up his hands with at least 50 passports. He was booed and pushed out of the line where he sulked back and developed a subversive strategy of having members of his group hold on to four or five passports. Four hours after de-boarding the plane, I was on my way to my hotel room and in bed by midnight.

The next morning after Skyping Delta and having breakfast, I was back on a bus to the airport to repeat the process of the day before. The Delta gate agents were 20 minutes late manning their posts as their big boss huddled them together explaining what to do and apparently encouraging them to do their best.

Reflections on Beijing
In many ways it is not fair to share reactions about a location one has had only a snapshot of time viewing, but here are a few personal reflections anyway:

The drivers of the eight million cars in this city of 25 million drive like they walk--pulling alongside to overtake each other, zipping in front of other vehicles for any advantage. They honk, not accompanied with a middle-finger gesture out of rage, but they honk as a warning that they are coming through, so get over, speed up, or back down. Buckle up, grab your bag, and close your eyes is solid advice when riding.

Put your head down, don’t look around, and move with determination is my advice when advancing through a line or moving ahead in pedestrian traffic…be polite and you’ll arrive for lunch at dinner time. Another aside is that most of the automobiles are full-size and many are SUVs. Gasoline is a little over the equivalent of $4 per gallon.

Pups
Here are a couple of pup pics.

Chinese Pup

U.S. Pup

Old Signs
Here are two old signs.

Old Sign 1

Old Sign 2

Old Trucks
Here are four old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

Old Truck 4

See you soon.

Blog 236: Wide Eye on the Big Sky

Red Lodge, MT to Columbia Falls, MT

With very wide eyes we have been awed by the big skies of Montana. From Red Lodge we journeyed to the northwest entrance village of Gardiner. Searching for bears up Jardine Mountain we found bull elks playing in the tall grasses surrounding a lily pond.

Staring Elk

Toward the peak of the mountain on a very narrow trail amidst thousands of wildflowers, but not much else, our journey came to an abrupt end as we heard the unmistakable sound of a sidewall blow out. Out of cell-phone range and the AAA’s of the world, I cautiously unloaded the back of the Jeep with fingers crossed, raised the spare tire compartment lid and was pleased (no delighted) to find a full-size spare full of air, along with what looked like adequate tire-changing gear. Relieved not to be trekking eight miles or so down the mountain, Jan and I took our time and changed the tire successfully.

We had several more off-road excursions and day trips, e.g., a hike to Palisade Falls and a drive on the Bridger Range scenic tour as we moseyed on to Bozeman, visited Dillon and its ghost towns, meandered over to Basin, the home of the radon-oozing old mines, promoted as cures for whatever ails one. We viewed the silver and gold and copper mines of Butte and Anaconda, and ventured up to Columbia Falls, the gateway to Glacier National Park. Everywhere were mountains and valleys and lakes and rivers and wildflowers and critters…what more could you ask for?

Big Sky Pano

Ghost Town

Palisade Falls

Pica

Pups
Here are a couple of pup picks.

Pup 1

Pups 2

Old Signs
Here are two old signs.

Old Sign 1

Old Sign 2

Old Trucks
Here are six old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

Old Truck 4

Old Truck 5

Old Truck 6

See you soon.

Blog 235: Wild Week in the Wild West

Cherry Creek SP to Cody

Buffalo Bill Rides Again
From our (almost) cosmopolitan park in Denver, we traveled among very light traffic north and west to Cody, Wyoming, with an overnight stop in Casper. Along the way, between Shoshoni and Thermopolis, we passed through the Wind River Canyon, a spectacular trek through a steep, colorful canyon adjoining roaring waters. It definitely deserves its “scenic” designation.

Our campground was within the city limits of Cody. Its claim to fame is Wild Bill Cody, and the town celebrates its Wild West heritage with daily shootouts and a nightly rodeo. Cowboy boots, hats, and smart bandanas are the appropriate attire for this gateway to yesteryears.

Yellowstone Loop

Yellowstone Loop

One early morning we traveled west from Cody the 50-plus miles to the eastern entrance into Yellowstone. We made our way to Lake Yellowstone, north through the Hayden Valley to Tower Junction, west through the Lamar Valley, and out through the Silver gate close to Cooke City. Within Yellowstone we saw (from a distance) a momma black bear and her two cubs, and (very up-front and personal) hundreds of bison in the Lamar Valley crossing the road within spitting distance.

Ponderosa Campground to Red Lodge KOA, US 212, Red Lodge, MT

Medicine Wheel

Medicine Wheel Loop

We took a road trip into the Bighorn Mountains, sighting a male moose in a flower-laden meadow having his lunch. We stopped for a hike up to the Medicine Wheel, a culturally important site to many Native American tribes, and a religiously significant location for some. Below is a nice pick of the wheel that Janny took. Throughout the year, hundreds of ceremonies of all kinds take place there. Along the path upward to the Wheel, we saw a really large harem of marmots standing up like meerkats sounding their alarm to warn of our coming, scurrying to their holes seeking cover, or just laying on rocks studying our behavior.

Janny Medicine Wheel

Path to Medicine Wheel

Mr. Marmot

Moose in Meadow

We stopped at a lodge in the woods for a tasty lunch (we were the only guests). On our return we took a road less traveled, passing by a dinosaur dig, moving by ourselves up and around on gravel, dirt, and rocks. About a quarter mile from the end of the earth, we spotted a group of pronghorn with the painted mountains in the background. They were kind enough to pose for me. Finding our way back to paved roads, we returned to Cody. Gorgeous trip.

Pronghorn

Beartooth Highway
After packing up our gear we drove the short 70-mile trip north to our campground seven miles north of Red Lodge, Montana.

Just outside of Red Lodge is yet another scenic byway, the Beartooth Highway, that leads to the Northeast entrance to Yellowstone. Five minutes into our early morning journey west, we spotted a slow-moving procession…cattle? No too small…sheep? Could be, but wait…a herd of goats. We slowed to a crawl with Mitzy at full alert as we passed four goat herders and their four, proud-looking, goat-herding dogs, as they guided their four-legged cargo along the way. Check out Janny’s short video clip.



Yes, the scenic highway was scenic with mountains and valleys, meadows and wildflowers, streams and lakes.

Bear Tooth Scenic 1

Bear Tooth Scenic 2

Off the Beaten Path

The Good Shepard

Our final stop was a fire tower that commanded vistas from all four directions. The blues and reds and yellows of wild flowers were magnificent, the finest display I have ever seen. However, the harsh light and strong breeze didn’t make my photos worthy of publishing. Yet, I did catch a decent pic of this Clarks Nutcracker.

Clarks Nutcracker

We returned the same way, admiring the sights from a different point of view.

Pups
Here is a marmot-sniffing Madeline, plus one other pup from the Pup Reserve.

Marmot Sniffer

Pup 1

Old Signs
Here is an old sign from Wyoming and one from Montana.

Old Sign 1

Old Sign 2

Old Trucks
Here are six old trucks from Wyoming and Montana.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

Old Truck 4

Old Truck 5

Old Truck 6

Slightly exhausting, but wonderful week.

See you soon.

Blog 234: Days in Denver and Stanley Sneak-Away

Estes Park to Cherry Creek

Days in Denver
From Estes Park we curved east on Highway 36, connected on 66, then took I-25 South, east on 470, and south on I-225 South to Cherry Creek State Park, an oasis of green tucked away within the Denver metro area.

Dog Park
Within Cherry Creek State Park (along with a lake, model airplane field, miles of trails for biking and hiking, a campground, and so on) is an off-leash dog park that we took Mitzy to a couple of times. Large and small, handsome and not-so-handsome, happy dogs from all over walked/ran/romped the park. Check out these pups.

Pup 1

Pup 2

Pup 3

Pup 4

Pup 5

Critters of Cherry Creek
The campground had critters of all kinds. Luckily for us, Mitzy made it her duty to rid our site and the campground of all bunnies, squirrels, and other two- and four-legged critters.

Robin

Magpie

Northern Flicker

Prairie Dog

Grandkids
For us, Denver is synonymous with grandkids. Here is a pic of Austie batting a double in the playoffs, Nattie taking the water challenge, and the Backyard Soup they both made with grandma’s encouragement.

At the Bat

Nattie in Hose

Backyard Soup

The Stanley Hotel
Just a little variety from our rustic camping regime :’), we drove back up to Estes Park taking Austie and Mitzy along with us. We spent two-nights at the Manor in the pup-friendly, kid-tolerant, historically designated hotel. Here is an early morning shot from the verandah and a shot of a marmot from RMNP.

Stanley Foggy Morning

Marmot

Old Signs

Old Sign 1

Old Sign 2

Old Trucks

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

Old Truck 4

Fun week! See you soon.

Blog 233: Mountain Mitzy: Elk Hunter

Cheyenne  to Estes Park

On to RMNP
From Cheyenne we strolled south and west making the transition from the plains to the mountains. For the last 30 miles our constant companion was the roar of rushing water from the Big Thompson River that paralleled our trek up around curves as we climbed up to 7,500 feet. Our campground adjoined Rocky Mountain National Park with the appropriate snowcapped mountain vistas.

Mountain Mitzy: Elk Hunter
Interestingly, a metamorphisis occurred as the air got thinner and the mountains got closer. Mitzy, our sweet, refined, laid-back lap-pup transformed into an intense canine, a focused tracker of wild beasts. Maybe it was the change in the air, maybe it was the haunt of ancient ancestors, maybe it was the odor of primitive beasts. Whatever the genesis, you could feel the concentration ooze from her pores as her heightened sense of smell and eyesight sought out the majestic elk. Every nerve cell was on alert, every muscle was attuned--even her eyebrows were set to full readiness. It was all I could do to constrain her from leaping from our vehicle and ripping her prey to shreds.

The Elk Hunter

Not a Step Closer!

Grazing Elk

Touring and Hiking
Over our week stay, we toured most all the main roads and a few of the non-main paths north and south, east and west. Along with a multitude of elk, from our car and the side of the road we were fortunate to see moose and bighorn sheep. In early morning we started most days on the trails. Working to gain our stamina at altitude, we started with short, level strolls building up to medium-intensity hikes. Over the week we hiked Bear Lake, Sprague Lake, Cub Lake, Lily Lake, Fern Lake, and Coyote Valley. Sometimes we saw critters, almost always we were in the presence of spring flowers of multiple shapes and colors. Here is a shot of Morraine Valley and a panorama that Jan shot.

Morraine Valley

Jan's Morraine Valley

Critters

Running Momma Moose

Momma Meets Baby

Kissing Mama and Baby

Bighorn Environmental

Bighorn Close-Up

Bunny

Chipper

Green-Tailed Towee

Posing Squirrel

Pups

Guido

Pup 1

Pup 2

Old Signs

Old Sign 1

Old Sign 2

Old Trucks

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

Old Truck 4

Magnificent week--just hard to beat our national parks.

See you soon.

Blog 232: 20 Old Trucks - Ain’t They Beauties!

Elkhart, IN to Cheyenne KOA

We motored across America’s heartland heading west through sunshine/cloudy, clear/raining, chilly/warm weather taking a combination of Interstate freeways and tollways, state highways, and county blacktops. When we hit western Nebraska and eastern Wyoming, old trucks started appearing everywhere and we got smiles wider than politician promises.

Hence, this blog contains 20 of the fine old truck specimens we captured along the way…feel the rust, experience the history, sense the power.

20 Old Trucks

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

Old Truck 4

Old Truck 5

Old Truck 6

Old Truck 7

Old Truck 8

Old Truck 9

Old Truck 10

Old Truck 11

Old Truck 12

Old Truck 13

Old Truck 14

Old Truck 15

Old Truck 16

Old Truck 17

Old Truck 18

Old Truck 19

Old Truck 20

Note: Next blog will follow my more traditional format.

See ya then.

Blog 230: Quick Trip to Sydney & KL

LA to Sydney

Sunday: Trip to Sydney
After a four-and-a-half-hour flight from Detroit to LA and a three-hour layover, I voyaged across the Pacific on a 15-hour flight to Sydney on the long-haul standard, the Boeing 747. The food and drink were good, the movie selection robust, and sleeping arrangements tolerable. Arriving in Sydney relatively rested and on time at 6:30 a.m., I breezed through passport control and customs, flagged a cab, and was in my hotel room by 7:35. After a hot shower and a short nap, I headed to Hyde Park for a three-hour walking tour. Always best to take advantage at the opportunity at hand, as they say.

Our Russian-born guide was knowledgeable and passionate about Sydney and made the tour both educational and fun. We visited the Botanical Gardens, Circular Quay, the Rocks with views of the iconic Opera House, and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The Rocks were full of musicians and entertainers vying for tips from the scores of tourists. Here is a pic of one young visitor taking a break.

Resting on the Rocks

After a pub lunch, I walked across the bridge and up the hill to my North Sydney hotel where I rested for a couple hours before walking back to the harbour to take photos. By luck my stay in Sydney corresponded with the annual 10-day “Vivid Sydney,” a marvelous light show of the harbor and the city it encircles. Here are a few pics. Here is a photo of the view from my hotel plus three taken from Milson’s Point looking south in the direction of the Opera House and other structures along the harbor.

View From Hotel

Harbor View

Harbour View Long Shot

Monday: Harbour Sunrise
Before sunrise I walked a half mile or so and set up mid-way on the Harbour Bridge to take a few pics.

Sydney Sunrise

Sydney at Dawn

The rest of the day was spent working with the Australian-New Zealand team of a long-time US client. After work they hosted a nice dinner at a waterside hotel in Darling Harbour where we were entertained by the constant light shows.

Tuesday: Luna Park
Another work day, but when the sun went down I walked down to Luna Park by the ferry launch to take more Vivid photos. What a show!

Luna Park

Luna Park View 2

Luna Park View 3

Before heading back I stopped at a local cafe for a dinner of pork cutlet, French fries, and applesauce accompanied by Australian Shiraz-Cabernet. Nice ending of a nice day.

Wednesday: On to KL
This was a travel day, as I left Sydney on an eight-and-a-half-hour flight to Kuala Lumpur. An uneventful flight, and I was in my hotel room by 10:30 p.m.

Sydney to KL

Thursday: Mountain Hike
Waiting on my Wednesday flight, I browsed TripAdvisor, researching something to do in KL on my day off. A jungle/mountain nature hike caught my attention as I was tiring of walking city streets, so I signed up online for Thursday morning. If I would have studied the description (below) in more detail I might have been more cautious before committing.

DragonBack Scenic Trek: 3 to 4 Hours
The trek starts off with a relatively steep section through dense jungle for about 30 minutes, and then follows by a short section where we need to scramble up steeper terrain using all four limbs. The trek then levels off to flatter terrain as you will be on top of the ridge and you will get a panoramic view of pristine virgin jungle on one side, and KL city on the other. Towards the last part of the trek, there is a longer steep section where scrambling with all four limbs are required. Please do not eat a heavy breakfast in the morning before the trek as it might make you feel uncomfortable during the trek. Please bring a spare t-shirt to change at the end of the trek, as you will be drench in sweat.

Everything stated was true. Our guide, Amos, was a native Malaysian who was an avid hiker, rock scaler, and mountain climber. My colleagues were a young guy from Egypt, a younger guy from Saudi, and a youngster from Louisiana. It was already warm when we hit the trailhead at 7:15 a.m. and it continued to heat up as the morning progressed. The jungle was thick, the mountain was rugged, the rocks and roots were slick from a heavy rain the night before, the sand and soil were loose, and the trail was steep and narrow…perfect for a hike! Challenging at times (many times) but a really great experience. Survival can be invigorating!

Amos

City View

Long Way Down

Top of the World

Back at the trailhead, we stomped the jungle out of our shoes, swizzled the last of our water supply, peeled off our shirts (yes, they were drenched), toweled off the promised sweat, and put on clean shirts.

Our guide then treated us to a late lunch at a neighborhood restaurant where we sampled a variety of great food that I don’t remember the name of. Here are a couple photos of the help.

This Ain't Pizza

Happy Waiter

Friday: Work Day
Here I worked with the Malaysian team of my client. Very nice group of smart, motivated people.

Saturday was another work day.

Sunday: A Walk in the Park
By Sunday I was ready to again trade steel and concrete for grass and trees. My plan was to taxi over to the botanical gardens, stroll for a few hours taking pictures, and then walk back to the hotel, stopping by a few other sites along the way.

However, when I got to the botanical gardens (more like a really big park with some flowers) I was in for a surprise. The peace I had expected was replaced by the sound of a carnival-trained MC shouting into a really loud sound system. When he was not making announcements, disco-like music stomped through the grounds like a nervous herd of cattle (I kept looking up for a big silver ball). The Chicken Rice Shop was having a Chick-A-Thon in honor of their 50th anniversary of doing business in Malaysia.

Chick-A-Thon

Hundreds of red and yellow signs of chickens were put up everywhere, with scores of red and yellow clad persons manning booths playing chicken games. I altered my plans and headed back to the hotel to work, blog, and rest up for my return home.

See you soon.

Blog 229: Just Another Cathedral

Photo Tour

Portree

Heading north from Portree, we stopped by a small herd of sheep (mainly rams) standing by the side of the road. Only mildly curious, these handsome ruminants stared and occasionally posed for our lenses.

Handsome Ram

Our first planned stop was Dunvegan Castle and Gardens, a place for intrigue and several murders over the centuries. We toured inside the castle and strolled outside among the vibrant flowers cast upon the grays and browns of the setting. From there, another stop at St. Mary’s Church Graveyard, a place so old you couldn’t read the writing on many of the gravestones and markers.

After dinner we back-tracked our trail from a couple days earlier to revisit Eilean Dornan Castle at evening to see this castle lit up.

Eilean Dornan Twilight

Our small group met at 3:35 a.m. for a hoped-for morning sunrise hike up to see the Old Man of the Storr. However, we postponed this trek until later because of the rain and probable slick conditions. However, mid-morning the rain stopped and the skies lightened, so we headed off to this local nature-made iconic structure. An hour up and an hour back changing 3,500 feet in elevation on a sometimes steep, sometimes slick, almost always windy path we trekked along watching our steps and bracing our backs from the wind-tunnel-like gusts of air. Here a couple shots.

Driving up to the Old Man

View of Old Man

Inverlochy Castle
Tuesday we had a marvelous lunch at Inverlochy Castle.

Chess Anyone

Glasgow Cathedral
I titled this blog entry “Just Another Cathedral” in jest. Check out the Glasgow Cathedral.

Just Another Cathedral

Just Another Cathedral 2

Photog at Work

Fisheye View

Conwy
We stayed at beautiful Conwy in Wales.

Conwy

Tywyn

Blue Door

Smallest House

Dolgoth Falls
At the train station we met this handsome pup named Milo. Next we shot the narrow gauge train.

Milo

Narrow Gauge Train

London
Jan and I split from the group and spent a fun day in London hitting many of the tourist spots, including a ride on the Eye.

Eye Shot

Distant Eye

Pups
Here are some pups from my Pup Reserve.

Pup 1

Pup 2

Old Sign
Here is one shot from the Old Sign Reserve.

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Not many old trucks in Scotland! Here are three from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you soon.

Blog 228: Cathedrals, Castles, and Critters

Orlando to Gatwick

UK Train Trip

Across the Pond
After a night flight on Virgin Atlantic from Orlando, we arrived Monday morning into London Gatwick airport. From Gatwick we took the train to hectic Victoria Station, snaked through the jostling crowds of business commuters, and took the tube to Kings Cross. After a proper English breakfast of sausage, ham, eggs, potatoes, baked beans, tomato, and toast, we boarded our train headed for Edinburgh.

Under skies the color of steel barrels, our train whizzed (sometimes chugged) north through England with stops at York and Darlington. Passing our window, laundry hung, laborers worked, children played, sheep bleated, and churches steepled.

Train Ride 1

Train Ride 2

Train Ride 3

About the time we stopped next at Newcastle, our right-hand window view from our coach showed the cold, blue waters of the North Sea. We stopped one more time in England at Berwick-upon-Tweed, and then passed into Scotland arriving in Edinburgh thirty minutes later. As we hauled our bags through Waverly Station, the grey clouds finally yielded their deposit of rain as we cabbed over to our hotel near the castle. Soon Mr. Jet Lag entered our room, and from there it was a very short time till lights out.

Tuesday: Edinburgh and the Royal Mile
After a good night sleep, we ate in the hotel, Jan dining on Eggs Benedict and I on smoked salmon and eggs on a muffin. Like students before an exam we crammed for our morning activities by reading up on Rick Steve’s Snapshot Scotland travel guide.

In a blustery wind strong enough to make Floridians retreat, Jan tightened up her scarf and I strapped down my hat as we walked up the hill to tour Edinburgh Castle, our first stop on the Royal Mile. Built upon volcanic rock, this fortress commands views of all four directions and protected its inhabitants for five centuries.

Jan at Castle

Castle Shot

Sneaky Woman

View from Castle 1

View from Castle 2

From there we walked the Royal Mile, entering the Old Town, soaking up bits of history and color from the writers and warriers, scientists and scholars, philosophers and politicians, academics and authors that lived in this city over the centuries.

Colorful Corner

Bus Tour Trip

Wednesday: St. Giles Cathedral and Calton Hill
At our Edinburgh hotel we met up with the five other members of our photo tour group and discussed our plans for the trip. Our first stop was a great one--St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. Here are a few shots that hopefully give you the feel of this marvelous structure.

St. Giles 1

St. Giles 2

St. Giles 3

St. Giles 4

St. Giles 5

That evening we went up to chilly Calton Hill (gloves-scarfs-and-all-the-clothes-you-have kinda weather) to shoot some shots of the city--see what you think.

Calton Hill 1

Calton Hill 2

We stayed overnight in Edinburgh.

Thursday: The Kelpies, St. Andrews, and Dunnataron Castle
The first stop on our road trip was The Kelpies: two, one-hundred-feet-high horse-head sculptures close to the town of Falkirk.

The Kelpies

Alex in Scotland

Known for more than just a famous golf course, the ruins of St. Andrews Cathedral share a glimpse of past granduer.

St. Andrews 1

St. Andrews 2

St. Andrews 3

From here we went to Arbroath Abbey, and our last stop of the day was a stunning vista of Dunnataron Castle on a bluff overlooking the sea. We stayed overnight Aberdeen.

Friday: Craigaivar Castle and Glenfiddich
Our first stop of the day was at Craigaivar Castle near Alford.

Craigaivar Castle

Next we had an enjoyable time touring and tasting at Glenfiddich Distillery. We stayed overnight in Elgin.

Saturday: Loch Ness and the Isle of Skye
We started the day shooting the Castle on Loch Ness. Note that there were no sightings of Nessie during our time there. We stopped at Eilean Dornan Castle along the way. We stayed overnight at Portree on the Isle of Skye.

Eilean Dornan Castle

Here are two shots of a very handsome, very hairy brown bull.

Brown Bull

Fisheye Bull

Pups
Here are some Scotland pups.

Brown Dog 1

Brown Dog 2

Brown Dog 3

Cooper

Old Sign
Here is an old Scottish sign.

Old Scottish Sign

Old Trucks
Maybe next week.

See you soon.

Blog 227: Mainly Critters

Pups with Purpose
Here are a couple recent Pup shots. Meet Bogey, Clyde, and Daisy.

Bogey

Clyde

Daisy

Squirrels on the Move

Squirrels

Birds
Here is a Red-Bellied Woodpecker, a Grackle, and a Cardinal.

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Grackle

Cardinal

Old Sign
Here is an old sign from out West.

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you soon.

Blog 226: Affliction and Intrigue, Bubbles and Beaches

This week covers a mysterious affliction, intrigue in the hood, a manatee moment, a girl in a bubble, and fun at the beach.

Mysterious Affliction

Have You Heard This One?

Mitzy Moment

Manatee Moment

Bubble Girl

Great Day at the Beach

More Pups
Here are a couple of pups from the Pup Reserve.

Pup 1

Pup 2

Old Sign
Here is an old sign from out West.

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you soon.

Blog 225: Big Beer Bad Boy Bud Busted!

Amazing news! This week The King of Beers was caught on camera with his pants down…literally. Fire Rescue quickly responded to this shameful case and put Big Bud in the Cooler.

King of Beers

Fire Rescue

However, the results of the balloon test determining his guilt “have been lost” and now an even bigger scandal is brewing as speculation is overflowing that the Bosses of Big Beer are keeping the Icon of the Suds on ice till things chill.

Rumor has it that the Clydesdale team is in transit to serve as a public diversion to keep things from fermenting further.

Clydesdale Team

The response from local movers and shakers ranged from room temperature to frosty to foamy.

Big Bud Was Our Friend

I Am Shocked!

There Goes the Neighborhood!

Who Cares?

This sneak photo of the Bad Boy of Beer was one of many captured at the upheaval. If interested, click the link at the bottom of the blog for more pics of this amazing event.

More Pups
Here are a couple of pups from the Pup Reserve.

Pup 1

Pup 2

Old Sign
Here is an old sign from out West.

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

VIEW ALL THE “UPHEAVAL” PHOTOS HERE >

See you soon!

Blog 224: Mitzy Play Date

This week, Mitzy our stately, elegant, sophisticated schnauzer went on a play date. Little did she know that her date, Walker, was a frisky, wild-as-an-acre-of-snakes kitten. For over an hour the traditional canine-feline encounter was played out in the jungles, tundra, and forest of Walker’s home. Here are a few pics to give you a feel for the intensity of the action.

Aargh!

Where Is That Hairball?

Here Kitty Kitty

Silly Dog

Dad It's Time to Go


You're Going Down

Walker 1

Walker 2

Walker 3

Walker 4

Walker 5


Walker 6

More Pups
Here are a couple of Pups from the Pup Reserve.

Pup 1

Pup 2

Old Sign
Here is an old sign from out West.

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you soon.

Blog 223: Lost Tribe Photographed!

Exciting news! Long thought to be extinct, I have photographic proof that at least one member of the Canadous Cupidous tribe is still alive. Even more remarkable, and just like the legend states, every February 14 male warriors of the tribe (called Valentinos) put on traditional paint, don their ceremonial dress, and streak through neighboring villages wielding strong bows in their attempt to replenish their dwindling population of females. Like a mountain lion tracking prey, I followed this legend of the past through my village, capturing behaviors previously only described via verbal narratives.

Cupidous Valentino

Photo One: Here you see the Cupidous Valentino demonstrating his fierce stature and fearsome weaponry as he prepared for his task.

Cupidous Valentino with Montycus of the Village Projectus

Photo Two: Here you see the smiling warrior with the Elder Montycus of the Village Projectus. The Elder had just agreed to accept a tribute in exchange for a village maiden.

Cupidus Valentino Capturing a Maiden

Photo Three: This photo shows Cupidus capturing the young maiden (she certainly seems to be willing โ˜บ) before he rushes her away to the far, far North.

I can’t wait till the DNA results show up…

More Pups
Here are a couple of Pups from the Pup Reserve.

Pup 1

Pup 2

Old Sign
Here is an old sign from out West.

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you soon.

Blog 222: Wailing Dan and Little Weenies

Except for a two-day gig in Orlando I’ve been hanging at our RV park enjoying the people and the weather.

Little Weenies
Jan has been cooking up a storm as usual. Here is a photo of one of my favorite appetizers and here is a shot of her always-awesome lasagna.

Little Weenies

Lasagna to Die For

Wailing Dan
Dan is a great entertainer, and every so often he graces the Hood. Here is a shot of him playing and one of Jerry and Penny sitting in the crowd.

Wailing Dan

Jerry and Penny

Flowers and Janny
Here is a pic of a flower arrangement Janny put together, along with a great pic of her (my bias).

Janny Arrangement

Pretty Janny

More Pups
Here are a couple of Pups from the Pup Reserve.

Pup 1

Pup 2

Old Sign
Here is an old sign from out West.

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you soon.

Blog 221: Jammin’ in the Projects

Since my last blog entry, I’ve had quick trips to Alameda, Herndon, and Deerfield Beach. Here are some beach pics, a neighborhood get-together, a black cat in a tree, and the usual pups, a sign, and old trucks.

Deerfield Beach
Here are a few pics from an early morning on Deerfield Beach.

Deerfield Beach Sunrise

Treasure Hunters

Deerfield Beach Cafe'

Early Morning Photog

Projects Jam
Happy Hour entertainment is a staple of the Projects, and a recent gig had over 100 participants. Here are a couple pics from the jam.

Neighborhood Jam

Neighborhood Jammers

Black Cat in a Tree
Our 16-year-old Mexican cat, Chico, loves our neighborhood. Here is a shot of one of his buddies, Jet, a feral black cat stalking prey in a tree on our site.

Black Cat in a Tree

More Pups
Here are a couple of pups from the Pup Reserve.

Pup 1

Pup 2

Old Sign
Here is an old sign from out West.

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you soon.

Blog 220: Festive Food and Cute Critters

Jan and I were fortunate to spend both the Christmas and New Year holiday with great friends. We wish you all a wonderful 2015.

Festive Food
Here are a few food pics from the holidays.

Stilton and Walnut Crackers

Beef

Brussel Sprouts with Mushrooms

Gruyere Scalloped Potatoes

Cute Critters
Here is an outdoor action shot of a displaying tom, a feeding hen, and a sneaky squirrel. Also, here is a pic of Dee in her bowl, perfectly positioned by the fire.

Tom, Hen, and Squirrel

Dee by the Fire

More Pups
Here are a couple of Christmas pups enjoying their well-deserved bones.

Pup with Bone

Another Pup with Bone

Old Signs
Here are two old signs from out West.

Old Sign 1

Old Sign 2

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next week.

Blog 219: Old Red Trucks

Jan and I had the chance to check out an Old Truck Show (well, they had some cars there as well). We also had a pleasant surprise to meet Jeff, our old neighbor, showing his Great Race truck.

Jeff and Great Race Truck
.
Jeff’s grandfather participated in the original 1908 great race across the world. Check out this amazing story at thegreatautorace.com.

Old Red Trucks
Here are some cool old red trucks from the show.

Old Red Truck 1

Old Red Truck 2

Old Red Truck 3

Old Red Truck 4

Old Red Truck 5

Old Red Truck 6

Old Red Truck 7

See you next week.

Blog 218: Thanksgiving Break and Liver Cake

Early Sunday afternoon we arrived in Apopka, Florida, and set up camp at a local KOA we have visited several times before.

Thanksgiving
We had a nice week and an especially nice Turkey Day hanging out with family and friends. Wonderful food (here are just a few of the dishes)…wonderful time. Hope you had a great holiday as well.

Harlan and Turkey

Mystery Potatoes

Green Beans

T-Day Gals

Liver Cake
Saturday was another special occasion, as it was Jerry’s (a.k.a. the 200-pounds-of-coiled-steel rat terrier) tenth birthday. As is our family’s tradition, Jan baked an always canine-pleasing liver cake.

Jerry the Birthday Boy

Light Up Mt. Dora
Saturday night was the annual “Light Up Mt. Dora.” Mt. Dora is tactful tourist town just a few miles down the road. Singing, dancing and, of course, the lighting of the town and the lighting of the tree were part of the festivities.

Cute Elf

Indian Actor

Inquisitive Pup

Lights On

Visting Santa Early

Tall Guy Cartoon

The Big Tree

More Pups
Here are three pup pics from the Denver bark park.

Pup 1

Pup 2

Pups 3

Old Signs
Here are two old signs from out West.

Old Sign 1

Old Sign 2

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next week.

Blog 217: Skunked in Louisiana

Instead of taking the GPS-suggested route via I-10 when leaving Big Bend National Park, we decided to see a little more rustic scenery and headed east on US 90. Nice road, hardly any traffic, and a 25-mile-an-hour tail wind made this desolate trek enjoyable. We spent the night in Del Rio, once again in unseasonably cold weather.

San Antonio
An easy four hours the next day found us in our campground in San Antonio. I took a quick trip to San Francisco while Jan stayed in chilly Texas. When it was time to go, we took I-10 east.

Skunked in Louisiana
Just off I-10 we pulled into the Frog City RV Park, just outside of Rayne, LA. Instead of continuing along the interstate, we took back roads south and east, connecting onto 90. We set up camp in the town of Berwick, about 80 miles southwest of New Orleans. We spent a day exploring the area, viewing many antebellum houses and thousands of acres of sugar cane being harvested. Here is a shot of sugar cane processing and a campground squirrel.

Sugar Cane Country

Squirrel

We also had a wonderful lunch in New Iberia, but something was missing…we found zero, zip, nada old trucks all across the state--this is a very disappointing area--not sure if we will ever come back :’>>>.

Moving East
After heading northeast on 90, we circled around New Orleans and headed east on I-10. We stayed at a great state park outside of Mobile, Alabama, and then journeyed into Florida, stopping a Madison, east of Tallahassee.

More Pups
Here are four more pup pics from the Denver bark park.

Pup 1

Pup 2

Pup 3

Pup 4

Old Signs
Here are two old signs.

Old Sign 1

Old Sign 2

Old Trucks
Here are four old trucks including a Thanksgiving Special.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

Old Truck 4: T-Day Special

See you next week.

Blog 216: Bosque Birds and Bad Big Bend

Bosque del Apache
We spent a very enjoyable Sunday out shooting before dawn, exploring the reserve, taking a canyon hike, and watching the birds and the sun come down. Here are a few pics and a very short video. This is a great place--we will be coming back.

Sandhill Cranes Launching

Landing Snow Geese



Big Bend National Park
From our campground just north of Bosque, we headed south on I-25 through Los Cruces, and then crossed into Texas at El Paso, taking I-10 to Van Horn for the night. The next day we arrived in Study Butte, just north of the western entrance to the Big Bend National Park.

For years, I had talked about going here; the huge park remotely located in the Southwest corner of Texas right on the Rio Grande. This year we made it! Over the next couple of days we took a 4-wheeling journey in a remote part of the park (wait a minute—the whole park is remote!), took an hour long drive in the dark so that we could take a pre-sunrise hike, and toured around this amazing place taking in the vistas. We’d planned on staying another day, but the crazy cold weather drove our decision to drive out. I hope to come back.

Big Bend Scenic 1

Big Bend Scenic 2

Yucca

The Window

More Pups
Here are four more pup pics from the Denver bark park.

Pup 1

Pup 2

Pup 3

Pup 4

Old Sign
Here are two old signs.

Old Sign 1

Old Sign 2

Old Trucks
Here are four old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

Old Truck 4

See you next week.

Blog 215: 7th Best Green Chili Cheeseburger

Our last morning in Taos found a chill in the air and snow in the mountains.

Snowy Taos Morning

From Taos we traveled south and west 30 some miles to a historic spa.

Ojo Caliente
We had learned about Ojo Caliente from some people in Taos and we are thankful for the information. This classy spa has traditional hot springs pools plus world-class massage and a lengthy menu of treatments. In addition, the spa had an RV park right on the grounds.

Ojo Caliente Sign

Strongly recommended if you are in the Taos/Santa Fe area. Here is a pic of an old structure on the property.

Ojo Caliente Structure

Santa Fe
From there we drove down to the wonderful city of Santa Fe and spent a couple of days.

Bosque del Apache
After Santa Fe we drove south through Albuquerque, past Socorro, over east to San Antonio, and then south a few miles to the Bosque Bird Watchers RV Park. Our campground was just four miles north of Bosque del Apache, a national wildlife refuge that is known for 12,000-plus Sandhill Cranes, 50,000 Snowy Geese, and over 150,000 ducks that stop there from November through January.

We were there early in the season, but the refuge already had over 2,000 Sandhill Cranes and 50,000 Snowy Geese. Every morning we would be out 30 minutes before dawn awaiting “blast off” when the birds, answering some signal from nature, launch into flight with an (almost) deafening honking and chattering. Every evening, 30 minutes before sunset, we would be waiting for their return to roost. Just amazing.

Snow Geese

Rare White Sandhill Crane and Mate

Home to Roost

Cranes at Dusk

7th Best Green Chili Cheeseburger
The tiny town of San Antonio (New Mexico) has two restaurants nationally ranked by expert foodies and the Food Channel. We had lunch at the Buckhorn Tavern and, of course, sampled, digested, and confirmed that we agreed with the verdict that the Green Chili Cheeseburger was outstanding and even better with an Isotopes beer.

Green Chili Cheeseburger

More Pups
Here are four more pup pics from the Denver bark park.

Pup 1

Pup 2

Pup 3

Pups 4

Old Signs
Here are two old signs.

Old Sign 1

Old Sign 2

Old Trucks
Here are four old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

Old Truck 4

See you next week.

Blog 214: Most Awesome-ist Old Truck Day Ever!

Sunday was our last full day in Trinidad, Colorado, and we took full advantage of this fruitful location. As we headed out in our Jeep mid-morning, you could smell the rust and peeling paint from old trucks as they waited to be discovered, and discovered them we did. We hunted, located, and shot 67 trucks in just one day! It doesn’t get much better than this for an Old Truck Photographer, his Trusted Assistant, and two Canine Colleagues.

Of course, this profession does not come without peril, as this pic demonstrates.

One Step Closer...

Furthermore, athletic prowess is sometimes required to get the shot. Here are a couple shots of a llama “guarding” a junkyard--I took these and others standing up through the sky roof of our Jeep handholding a 500mm lens while Jan drove (slowly) forward.

Llama Head Shot

Llama in Junk Yard

Note: I put most of those pics in my Old Truck Reserve to be parceled out in future blogs, as the old truck hunting is not the best in some of the places we frequent.

On to Taos
Midday Monday we packed up and headed out south on I-25 taking Highway 64 westerly across the plains and through the zig-zaggy route of the Santa Fe National Forest. Our campground was located on the west side of Taos, conveniently located about a mile from the Taos Brewing Company. We stopped by a couple of late afternoons and here are a few pics.

Two from the Band

Brewery Patron

Brewery Trio

Guitar Signs
Just a half mile away in the opposite direction of the brewery was a guitar manufacturer. Here are a couple of fun signs outside the business.

Guitar Sign 1

Guitar Sign 2

Day Trips
One afternoon we drove the “Enchanted Circle,” driving an 84-mile loop through Questa, Red River, Eagle Nest, and Angel Fire before returning to Taos. Another day we drove 79 miles down and back to the historic town of Las Vegas, New Mexico. Here is a scenic shot by the side of a road, an old mill, and a fun/sad sign hanging from a very old building in the town of Mora.

Road Trip Vista

Old Mill

Turn in Your Guns

More Pups
Here are four more pup pics from the Denver bark park.

Pup 1

Pup 2

Pup 3

Pup 4

Old Sign
Here are two old signs.

Old Sign 1

Old Sign 2

Old Trucks
Here are four old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

Old Truck 4

See you next week!

Blog 213: South to Trinidad

Quick Trip to Grand Rapids
I spent two days working with an existing client in Grand Rapids. An excellent session with great people.

Goodbye to the Grandkids
We spent our last few days with the grandkids watching baseball games and making s’mores over campfires. Here is a pic of Nattie, Austie, and a cute pic of Mitzy.

Nattie

Last BB Game

Mitzy in Field

South to Trinidad
On Friday we packed up our campsite in Denver and drove a straight shot 200 miles down I-25 to Trinidad, just north of the New Mexico border. We set up camp at Trinidad Lake State Park overlooking the lake and with a view of the mountains.

Saturday right after daybreak we took the Pups and hiked the Long’s Canyon trail in the chilly (high 30s) morning air.

Day Trip
Mid-morning we loaded into the car with the Pups, water, a picnic lunch, and some camera gear heading west on Colorado 12 on the section called the Highway of Legends. Some Aspen and Cottonwood retained their leaves and the bright yellow added nice contrast to the blues of creeks, lakes, and the vibrant sky.

Road Trip 1

Road Trip 2

Road Trip 3

Road Trip 4

With the Purgatoire River at our side, we passed through Valdez, Segundo, Weston, and Zamora. At Stonewall the highway turned north, taking us by Monument Lake and around North Lake. With the mountains of the Spanish Peaks always in view, we headed up into the San Isabel National Forest. At Cuchara Pass we turned off the pavement and took the rocky dirt road up the mountain among the trees and through the snow to Cordova Pass at 11,248 feet. The perfect 80-degree weather of Trinidad had gradually lowered and at this point it was in the low 60s. Leaving the Pups in the car, Jan and I hiked the Vista Trail further up the mountain to a viewpoint from about 12,000 feet within the Spanish Peaks Wilderness Area. With West and East Spanish Peaks to our right, their three cousins to our left, Wade Canyon before us, and Hicks Canyon behind us, it was one fabulous vista.

For a little variety we took a dirt road, North Fork Road, back half of the way. Great scenery, marvelous weather, and a few old trucks made for a spectacular road trip.

Junkyard Dog

Junkyard Horse

More Pups

Here are four more pup pics from the bark park. You’ll see Jerry with a Pup faster than he is, plus a bonus shot of Mitzy in the flowers.

Pup 1

Pup 2

Pup 3

Pup 4 Plus Jerry

Mitzy and Flowers

Old Sign

Here is one old sign.

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next week.

Blog 212: Pups and Trucks

Quick Trip to DC
I spent three days working with an existing client in DC. Great organization and wonderful folks.

More Pups
Here are four more pup pics from the bark park.

Pup 1

Pup 2

Pup 3

Pup 4

Old Sign
Here is one old sign (again from George’s place)

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next week.

Blog 211: Bark Park Bonanza

Quick Trip to San Diego
I participated in my business partner’s excellent conference in San Diego where I did a workshop and a speech. Quality event with a great bunch of people.

Bark Park Bonanza
Chatfield State Park has a magnificent dog park—250 acres of trails along ponds, by trees, and through brush. We took our Pups there three days in a row and I was lucky to get a few pics—in fact I will feature some of these pup pics over the next few months. Here are five to start with plus a fall refection from one of the ponds.

Pup 1

Pup 2

Pups 3

Pup 4

Janny's Best Friend

Fall Reflection

Play Ball
Here is a shot of Austie on the diamond, Nattie on the sidelines, and Nattie at night.

Austie at Second base

Nattie on Grass

Nattie

Old Sign
Here is one old sign (again from George’s place)

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next week.

Blog 210: The Greatest Show on Earth

Farewell to Oregon
I flew to Philly on business with a great client. Upon returning, we loaded the bus and headed east after almost two months of exploring beautiful Oregon. We parked at Salt Lake City for three days while I flew off to Houston to work once again with my friends at NASA. From there it was one night in Rifle Gap State Park outside Rifle, Colorado, then on to Chatfield State Park in the SW of Denver.

Here is a hodgepodge of different Oregon pics that I didn’t publish before.

Campground Pup

Ocean Stream

Underwater Urchin

Waterfall Stream

Hikers

The Greatest Show on Earth
The last time I went to a circus there were operators at the switchboard and tubes in televisions. However, when the chance to go with grandkids to the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey’s Greatest Show on Earth was offered, I agreed as quickly as a Florida politician accepting a free trip to Texas. Yes, there were motorcycles racing in a cage, some really funky dance routines, and some blaring techno music every now and then, but there was still the sequined ladies atop galloping steeds, lions and tigers hungrily eyeing the guy with the whip, flying trapeze artists stories above the ground and, of course, the parade of elephants. I had a great time!

Sadly, no cameras were allowed, and my old iPhone is no match for fast-moving objects in dark scenarios, so please excuse my one shot of the action that turned out acceptable only on very small screens. You can also see the results of a busy night at the circus.

Greatest Show

Sleeping Austie

Old Sign
Here is one old sign (again from George’s place--see Blog 206)

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next week.

Blog 209: Beaching, Duning, and Flying the Coast

Another week of hiking above/on/around Oregon’s beautiful beaches, driving ATVs on the sand, and flying above the coast in a pre-war biplane.

Overlooking the Bay
From Bandon we trekked north a short distance to Winchester Bay where we parked directly overlooking the bay. Here are a couple harbor seals and the marina.

Harbor Seals

Winchester Bay

Dune ATVing
We rented an ATV and cruised the dunes adjoining the ocean.

ATV Alex and Jan

After a few days we took another short trip up the coast to Florence, where we stayed for several days.

Racing Pups
The Pups got to stretch their legs many times over the week, churning sand as they ran along the ocean waves. During one walk, Jerry met a frisky young female with some terrier genes and they started to frolic.

Wanna Race?

She Is Fast

Flying Pup 1

Flying Pup 2

Flying Jerry

Biplane Rides Along the Oregon Coast
Our friends had taken biplane rides at Florence a few years ago and strongly encouraged us to do the same…we are very pleased to have agreed to go up in this open-air, two-seat Stearman biplane built before the Second World War and used as a trainer for the U.S Army Air Corps and the U.S. Navy. Sam Spayd, the pilot, sits behind you as you step back in time, feeling the wind in your face and imagining yourself nervously searching for bogeys as you admire the views of the vibrant Pacific coast.

What a hoot! Just a great experience…for those of you bucket-listers, you might want to add this one. Sam is not only a great pilot and a fun guy, he is a database full of facts on flying, the Oregon coast, and lots of other interesting information. Check it out at AeroLegends.com then give Sam a call…tell him Alex sent you.

Biplane

Janny Ready for Takeoff

Janny Takeoff

Janny in Black and White

Landing

What a Flight!

Alex Thumbs Up

Sam in Mirror

Seascape from Plane 1

Seascape from Plane 2

Lighthouse

Sam Spayd

Old Signs
Here are two old signs.

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. I am not sure that I can stand any more fun.

Blog 208: Beach Walks, Forest Hikes, and Sandy Canines

After a couple more days enjoying the Gold Beach area, we moseyed up the Pacific Coast, setting up camp two miles south of Bandon where we continued hiking the woods and walking the outstanding beaches of Oregon.

Oregon Coast
During the week we took four different beach walks. As with many scenic places, the photos don’t do them justice, but here are a few attempts.

Beach Scene

Rocky Peep Hole

Seagulls

Driftwood Pile

Beach Art

Pups and Sand
There is almost something magical in nature when pups are put in contact with sand…my hypothesis is that the small grains between their toes trigger a neurological reaction that induces a more primitive state. For example, Jerry assumes his full 200-pound warrior hound persona as he runs like a cheetah after prey. And Mitzy transforms herself into a total beach queen as she struts besides the waves tossing attitude in all directions like a Kardashian at a dinner party. Here are a few shots of them with their buddy, Madeline.

Flying Jerry

Don't Mess with the Princess

Back Off Blondie

Running Madeline

Fungi in the Forest
On the Oregon Coast Trail, which parallels the ocean, we ran across a wide assortment of fungi. Here are a few of my favorites. Also, we found a lone Indian paintbrush among the greens, browns, and yellows.

Fungi 1

Fungi 2

Fungi 3

Cool Fungi

Indian Paintbrush

Old Signs
Here are two old signs.

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 207: Big Trees, Old Boats, and Naked Ladies

We spent the entire week at a campground on the Rogue River 10 miles inland from the coastal town of Gold Beach. Chilly temps and sometimes fog greeted us at sunrise, transitioning to sunshine and light jacket warmth in the afternoon, with our evening campfires minimizing the chill. A herd of black-tailed deer also called our campground home, and they frolicked as a family most evenings for our entertainment.

Big Trees
We hiked four trails this week: Old Redwood Stand Trail, Rogue River Trail, and Myrtle Trail, all nearby, and the Redwood Nature Trail in Alfred A. Loeb State Park east of Brookings. Along with rivers and streams, each of these trails shared one commonality--lots of big trees. Here are a few shots to show you what I mean.

Alex in Big Tree

That's a Big Tree

Gary's Private Collection

Day Trips
We also took several road trips, including a trip to Agness, where the official welcome sign lists the population as “Small.” The post office was empty, the general store was closed, but the fishing lodge was open. We stopped and visited with Mary, the owner, after she had put the laundry out to dry and did the initial preparation for her evening dinner--she was expecting 6 or 7 fishermen to show up. Along with sharing her knowledge of the area, she gave us a bag full of vegetables as we departed.

Laundry Day at Agness

Old Boat Motors

Farmers Market
Our visit to the weekly farmers’ market furnished us with veggies, flowers, and I bought a quart of local beer (by the time I got around to shooting the beer, it was all gone!).

Veggies

Flower Girl

Miscellaneous
Here is a shot of an old boat, hiking Madeline, and a shot of a band at the Beer Festival.

Old Boat

Cute Madeline

Beer Fest Band

Naked Ladies
These might not be the naked ladies you anticipated, but Naked Ladies they are! These beautiful flowers are all over the area. I’ve thrown in a Canna shot as well.

Naked Ladies 1

Naked Ladies 2

Canna

Old Signs
Here are two old signs.

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 206: Eccentric George’s Hideaway

From Diamond Lake, we drove a couple hours on 230 SE to 62 south, between the Umpqua and Rogue River National Forests with big pines bordering the road and the Rogue River splashing alongside. From there we connected to 23, then 234 and 99, camping just south and a little east of Grants Pass with our campsite directly on the Rogue River.

Raines Falls Trail
Bob, the camp host, recommended this trail, as it was one of his favorites, plus the salmon had been sighted going up the falls. So at 6:00 one morning, the four of us drove the 40-plus miles north and east through the towns of Merlin and Galice arriving at this trailhead in the Siskiyou National Forest. The four-mile trek was on a bluff overlooking the Rogue River. At times it was steep and winding, rough and rocky, but gorgeous, nonetheless. The only minor disappointment was that there were no salmon attempting to climb the falls.

Raines Falls Trail

Jan & Jerry Trail Blazing

Rafter from Trail

Hiking Mitzy

On the Rogue
One morning we took a jetboat ride (often at 40-plus miles per hour) down the Rogue River, 18 miles into Hells Canyon. Another morning we braved the rapids and piloted and oared our own small raft down the Rogue on a three-hour slow float. Both were lots of fun. Here is a pic of the Five Floaters.

The Five Floaters

Eccentric George’s Hideaway
Although everything here was very enjoyable, the highlight of the week was meeting Eccentric George. Jan and I and the Pups were out one afternoon hunting old trucks and stopped by the side of the road. A fella pulls up and asked what we were doing. When told, he asked if we wanted to see a really cool truck. Of course, we agreed, and then followed him down a long gravel lane to a place that looked like the first alien invasion.

For three hours George showed us around his “acreage of wonder” talking nonstop as fast as a rapper on speed. We learned about his childhood, family, and his work history as a logger and ironworker. We were told the history of the house he moved, the barn he fixed up, the old gasoline station he bought and is restoring, the bridge he bought, his wives and girlfriends, the old trucks he owns, his personal philosophy of life, that he lost 100 pounds, and how he made an iron casket that he uses as art but eventually wants to be buried in. He proudly boasted that he and his son have started a custom casket business and solicited Ozzie Osborne as his first client (he offered a discount if Ozzie wanted each of his “freak kids,” as he called them, to have one as well). And on and on. Just amazing.

Here is a shot of George by his casket, his really cool barn, Jerry in his rocket ship, and a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang structure that George built for his daughter.

George with Casket

George's Cool Barn

Pilot Jerry in Rocket Ship

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Old Signs
Here are two old signs from George’s place.

Old Sign 1

Old Sign 2

Old Trucks
Here are four old trucks from George’s place.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

Old Truck 4

New Coach
We recently bought a new coach! I don’t want to bore folks with little interest in RVing, however, if you want to see more, click here to get some inside shots of our new digs on wheels.

Thor Tuscany

See you next week.

Blog 205: Craters and Lakes, Waterfalls, and One Big Slug

From Bend, Oregon, we drove 90 miles or so south and a little west on highways 97, 138, and 230 to Diamond Lake in the Cascade Range and within the Umpqua National Forest. We camped for five days in this isolated, tranquil, and inspiring wilderness. Days started out in the brisk high 30s, and then warmed through the day to low to mid 70s. Every time we took a trip we were greeted by Mt. Thielsen.

Mt. Thielsen

Note: If you make Diamond Lake a destination, bring plenty of provisions, as you are over 80 miles from the nearest supermarket.

Crater Lake
Crater Lake National Park is just a few minutes south of our campground, and we visited twice during our stay. Formed by volcanic implosions, its crystal-clear blue waters are the deepest of any lake in the country. Here is a pic from our morning trip and another from a later afternoon.

Crater Lake in Early Light

Crater Lake in Afternoon Light

Critters
Here is a red-tailed hawk just launching on a hunting mission at Crater Lake, and three Stellar Jays that liked the peanuts we tossed them while sitting around our campfire. Here is a puffed up papa, a female that liked to dive at Jerry, and a curious youngster.

Red-Tailed Hawk

Puffed Male Stellar Jay

Female Stellar Jay

Baby Stellar Jay

Waterfalls
Within 18 miles of our campground are six waterfalls. Short hikes of a half-mile to a mile through forests with huge trees led us to the falls. The air was so fresh and sweet with the smell of pine that it almost hurt your lungs! Here is a shot of Toketee Falls and Watson Falls.

Toketee Falls

Watson Falls

Reflection and a Slug
Along the trail to Watson Falls I shot this reflection and this very black, very slimy slug.

Reflection

Slug

Mitzy and Jerry
Here are shots of our RVing canines-a-resting, Mitzy and a sleeping Jerry. They look quite good in the afternoon light, don’t you think?

Resting Mitzy

Sleeping Jerry

Old Trucks
Here are three good-looking old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next week.

Blog 204: Old Truck Extravaganza

After our stay at Grand Teton National Park we crossed over the mountains, headed west across Idaho, and ended up in Redmond, Oregon, in the central part of the state. I had a quick three-day trip to Memphis to work with a great client, and then returned back to Redmond to participate in the FMCA rally of 1,500-plus motorhomes.

This week I skipped the landscapes, critters, and portraits and just concentrated on Old Trucks of Oregon.

Old Truck Extravaganza
Here is a selection of old Oregon trucks, including one of my new friend standing by one of his beauties.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

Old Truck 4

Old Truck 5

Old Truck 6

Old Truck 7

Old Truck 8

Old Truck 9

Old Truck 10

Old Truck 11

Old Truck 12

Mike's Old Truck

See you next week!

Blog 203: Grand Teton National Park

Quick Trip to Chicago
I started off the week flying to Chicago for a three-day engagement with a great client. Glad to have been there, but gladder to return to the West.

North from Colorado
After two-and-half months in Colorado, we packed up the bus and headed north on I-25, easing our way through the heavy Denver traffic. At Fort Collins we took Colorado 14 west, and then headed north on 287 into Wyoming, passing through Laramie, Rawlins, Riverton, and Dubois before setting up camp at the Grand Teton RV Resort, just six miles east of Moran Junction within the Grand Teton National Park.

Grand Teton is a beautiful park and one of our favorites. The Teton range appears like elite guardians, standing ramrod upright protecting Wyoming from any dangers from the west.

We spent three very full days up way before dawn sipping hot, black coffee watching sunrises with cameras atop tripods in the chilly air, and then heading out searching for critters, taking traditional routes, special photog secret headings, and off-road (are you crazy!) paths less traveled.

Many of our trips were bordered with wildflowers framing the scenes with a thousand colors. Mountains and meadows, streams and rivers, waterfalls, forests, and hills…makes my eyes sore just recounting the vistas. Just a wonderful time.

Landscapes
Here are some pics of iconic locations: a couple of sunrises at Oxbow Bend and three from Schwabacher Road. The third shot from Schwabacher is of Jan, patiently awaiting my return after I spent an hour (maybe two) following a momma moose and her baby (pics later) along the Snake River.

View from Oxbow Bend 1

View from Oxbow Bend 2

View from Schwabacher Road 1

Vew from Schwabacher Road 2

Jan at Schwabacher Road

Critters
During our time in the area, we saw lots of birds, plus bison, elk, moose, pronghorns, prairie dogs, a coyote, dusty grouse, a badger, and a very handsome yellow-bellied marmot.

Bison at Mormon Row

Baby Moose in Thistles

Coyote Along Mormon Row

Dusty Grouse on Signal Mountain

Momma and Baby Moose

Pronghorn

Yellow-Bellied Marmot

This and That
Here are a few pics from road trips, including a shot Jan took of Trapper Viewing Otter--Hint: look at the clouds.

Gros Ventre Road Hills

Gros Ventre Road Landscape

Hay on the Road to Dubois

Mitzy Teton View

Trapper Viewing Otter

Cairns
Years ago Jan started the custom of building cairns in special places to honor special individuals that have passed on. This week we continued this tradition, building three cairns along and in the Gros Ventre Creek where it cuts across historic Morman Row within the Grand Teton National Park.

Millie Cairn

Frida Cairn

Bo Cairn

Jan’s Old Signs
Here is a fish sign that Jan took a fancy to.

Jan's Old Fish Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old Wyoming trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next week (oh, I hate to leave this place).

Blog 202: Grand Canyon West

Sunday morning Austie and Auntie accompanied Jan and me as we flew from Denver to Las Vegas. Here we rented a Jeep and drove the 121 desert miles to Grand Canyon West in Arizona. Here is a pic from a scenic view stop along the way.

Scenic View

Grand Canyon West obviously is a part of the Grand Canyon, but not a part of the national park. It is owned and managed by the Hualapai (pronounced WALL-uh-pie) tribe.

Hualapai Ranch
We stayed for two nights on the property, based out of cabins directly on the Hualapai Ranch. Here is a view of the cabins at dawn (that’s my shadow), a shot of the sunrise, and a view from the cabins.

Sunrise View of Cabins

Hualapai Ranch Sunrise

Haulapai View from Cabin

The ranch is a replica of an Old West town, complete with jail, gallows, saloon, general store, and more. Cowboys direct the activities, such as fast-draw contests, roping, arrow shooting, horseback riding, chuck wagon rides, and bonfires. Short on help, with busloads of rowdy Chinese converging on the ranch, the sheriff deputized Austie to help keep things in control. Over two days he stared down would-be troublemakers, showed strangers card tricks to keep them calm, and pulled his gun more times than I can count. He helped lock up several strangers, plus Jan and me, and helped to hang Auntie. He was one busy hombre. Here are some pics of Austie in action.

Lawmen

Jan in Hoosegow

Strung Up Auntie

Here is a pic of the ranch chuck wagon plus a crusty old cowboy.

Hualapai Ranch Wagon Ride

Crusty Old Cowboy

Grand Canyon Skywalk
The four of us experienced the Grand Canyon Skywalk, strolling at 4,000 feet suspended by glass and steel with a great view below your feet of the canyon floor. No personal cameras allowed, but here is a pic taken of us by the on-duty photog, plus a stock photo to give you a better feel for the place.

Skywalk

Under Skywalk

Guano Point
Another pretty stop at Grand Canyon West is Guano Point. Here is a shot of the head bird, plus a scenic view.

Guano Point Head Bird

Guano Point View

Helicopter-Float Trip
To end our visit to Grand Canyon West, we took a helicopter ride over and through the canyon, and then landed down by the Colorado River. Here we took a float trip on the canyon floor before flying back out via chopper. My pics did not do this wonderful excursion justice.

Grand Canyon Chopper

A return drive and flight, and it was back to Denver.

Jan’s Old Signs
Here is one old sign from Colorado.

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next week.

Blog 201: Meadow Morning

Meadow Morning
Jan and I took off early Saturday morning to a nearby open space for a stroll through a woods and meadow. Colors leaped from the ground in the form of flowers and other flora.

Stacked Flowers

Flowers and Flora 1

Flowers and Flora 2

Flowers and Flora 3

Flowers and Flora 4

Flowers and Flora 5

Flowers and Flora 6

Flowers and Flora 7

Flowers and Flora 8

Flowers and Flora 9

Mini-Family Reunion
Twenty or so family with a few close friends spent the afternoon enjoying a warm Colorado day chatting and eating, running and playing.

Nattie Meets Archer

Taylor in Field

Archer, Charlie and Jerry

Jan’s Old Signs

Here is one old sign from Colorado.

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next week.

Blog 200: Tokyo-Seven-Bravo

Last week I was a slacker in taking photos, so I had some fun and found a shot that Jan took of Mitzy and me on her iPhone, plus I made a few comics out of earlier photos—see what you think.

Mitzy the Lap Dog

Nattie and Mom

Follow Me

Tokyo Seven Bravo

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

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 199: Quick Trip to Shanghai

I had business in Shanghai, a city of 22 million, combining a blend of an ancient culture overlaid by modern construction and influenced by Western thought. Here is a view from my room.

View from My Room

Going to Work
Many workers cannot afford to own automobiles and therefore rely on public transportation and motorbikes to get to work. Alas, we were in the rainy season, requiring protective water garb of all sorts for those transporting via two wheels.

Going to Work 1

Going to Work 2

Going to Work 3

Chinese Truck Drivers
I was hoping to find some old trucks to shoot (and I am sure there are many outstanding ones). However, for this trip, I settled for shots of Chinese truck drivers…all taken from the backseat of automobiles varying in speed from almost standstill to about 100 kilometers per hour.

Chinese Truck Driver 1

Chinese Truck Driver 2

Chinese Truck Driver 3

On the Waterfront
Here is one shot of the impressive Shanghai waterfront.

Shanghai Waterfront

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

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 196: Quick Trip to NASA

Quick Trip to NASA
I had a great two-day session with some professionals from NASA in Houston. As you’d expect, they were as smart as “rocket scientists” and quickly grasped the business concepts and skills and honed them to their environment.

As a youngster I was a huge fan of science fiction, devouring most of the works of Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert, and others. So I was especially delighted that my friends at NASA were kind enough to arrange a private VIP tour for me. I toured the original Apollo Mission Control, the active Space Station Mission Control Center, and two exact replicas used for astronaut training, the Space Station as well as the now retired Shuttle. They shared with me lots of stories (I shan’t share) and invigorated me to anticipate the Orion spacecraft and (hopefully) a mission to Mars in the next few years.

Alex in the Space Station

Apollo Mission Control

In the Shuttle Commander's Seat

Shuttle Control Panel

Space Station Mission Control

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
Jan and I and the Kids took a day trip out and around Florissant and Cripple Creek. At the Florissant Fossil Beds we walked a trail and learned about the fossilization of giant redwood trees and other insects, birds, and animals. Very interesting place.

Fossilized Redwood Stump

Old Homestead

From there we worked our way down to Cripple Creek, home of big-time gold mining and lots of casinos.

Cripple Creek

On the way home we decided to take a shortcut and work our way through the Pike National Forest. Lots of fun as the narrow forest roads became skinnier, rockier, and crooked-er…sure glad for clearance and 4WD.

National Forest Trail

No Shooting Sign

No Motor Vehicles Sign

More Baseball
Here are a couple of pics from the baseball tournament.

I Got It

Jan and Pups at BB Game

Bathroom Break

Jan’s Old Signs
We ran into a number of great old and newer signs at Cripple Creek and other stops along our day trip.

Blue Front Grocery Sign

Thunderbird Inn Sign

At Large Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next week.

Blog 194: Back to the Trails

Spruce Mountain Trail
Finally, Jan and I are back hiking! We worked our way around the meadow through blooming wildflowers, then up the mountain through groves of pines, and then down the switchback trails, with vistas all along the way. Here are three pics from the five-and-a-half-mile Spruce Mountain hike. We will do it again.

Spruce Mt. View 1

Spruce Mt. View 2

Spruce Mt. View 3

Nattie
Here is a shot of granddaughter, Nattie, at play.

Nattie at Play

Old Sign
Here is one old sign we ran across while shooting old trucks.

Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from this past week.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next week.

Blog 193: Memorable Memorial

Thunder, lightning, rain, and hail couldn’t put a damper on a great Memorial Day weekend at Jellystone. Here are a variety of shots, including more bubbles, pups, and grandkid action.

Bubbles 1

Bubbles 2

Basking Jerry

Go Fly a Kite

Pool Buddies

Sliding Nattie

Nattie and Charlie

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next week.

Blog 192: Big Bubbles and Greedy Goats

Big Bubbles
While in Florida, Stan the Bubble Man got us interested in big bubbles. After some Internet research, a purchase of supplies, and lots of practice, we are starting to get the hang of it. Take a look and tell me what you think of Jan’s work.

Big Bubble 1

Big Bubble 2

Greedy Goats
The Jellystone Park we are staying at does a great job with kids. Here are a couple pics of the feeding of the baby goats, plus Yogi and Booboo getting their mail accompanied by a group of fans.

Greedy Goats

Austie Feeding Baby Goat

You've Got Mail

Potpourri
Here is a shot of Sleepy Jerry plus a snap of Austie after just scoring a big run.

Sleepy Jerry

Run Scored

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next week.

Blog 191: Snowing, Blowing and Baseballing

Snowing
Yikes! Here is a pic Janny took from our coach looking out.

May Snow

Blowing and Sliding
Here’s a shot of Janny training young Natalie in the art of blowing bubbles, and one of Nat sliding.

Blowing Bubbles

Sliding Nattie

Baseballing
Here is a cartoon pic of Austie making a nice catch.

Nice Catch!

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next week.

Blog 190: Quick Trip to London

Windsor
I had a two-day client engagement outside of London. My quaint hotel was directly across the street from Windsor Castle. Sunday was a day for honoring scouts, and I stood outside with hundreds of others as various scouts from around the UK marched out accompanied by bands and color guards.

Windsor Castle 1

Windsor Castle 2

Birthday Party
Austin celebrated his seventh birthday with a gathering of friends. Here is a shot of Austin, Natalie, and Crazy Brody. Fun, but exhausting.

Spraying Austin

Natalie Eating Cake

Crazy Brody

Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

See you next week.

Blog 189: A Grasshopper, a Cat, and Three Old Trucks

Busy week, but here are some unpublished pics.

Giant Grasshopper in the Woods

Grasshopper

Steve the Cat Posing

Steve

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next week.

Blog 186: Goodbye to the Keys

Here are a few shots from our stay in the Keys, including a Grassy Key sunset and a picture of Janny and Mitzy on holiday.

Grassy Keys Sunset

Jan and Mitzy on Holiday

Painted Pups
Our good friend, Suzanne, is a talented pup painter as you will quickly see by the paintings she did of Jerry and Mitzy.

Painted Jerry

Painted Mitzy

If you are a proud pup parent, I highly recommend that you consider commissioning a painting. Your pup does not have to pose :’>, just provide her a photo. Check out her website at www.crittersandcanvas.com.

Old Signs
Here is a shot of the Keys Fisheries sign that I took for Jan’s Old Sign Collection--great place to eat, by the way.

Keys Fisheries Old Sign

Old Trucks
Here are three old but classy Florida trucks shot in the Keys.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next week.

Blog 185: Last Boat to Freedom

Note: The title of this week’s blog will become clear when you look at the section called Botanical Gardens.

This week we stayed in the Keys, enjoying the balmy weather and the laid-back atmosphere of this special part of the world. Below are another Key West sunrise, a shot of Jerry, who had just convinced me to order a burger instead of fish, and a fine specimen of the ever-present roosters.

Another Key West Sunrise

Alex and Jerry

Rooster

Dry Tortugas
The seaplane trip from Key West to Dry Tortugas National Park was a great opportunity for scenic water views, and wonderful old Ft. Jefferson is just an amazing structure and setting. Here are a few shots taken over the park and outside and inside the fort. Awesome place to visit.

John the Float Plane Pilot

Dry Tortugas

Ft. Jefferson Water Shot

Ft. Jefferson

Inside Ft. Jefferson

Botanical Gardens
We visited the Key West Botanical Gardens and enjoyed the flora and fauna of these small but nice gardens. They have one exhibit, however, that is deserving of its own special designation.

Over the years, people from Cuba have tried to escape their island and cross the 106 miles to land in America. Built in secrecy, handmade boats, called “chugs,” were crafted using whatever materials were available: lawnmower engines, planking, chunks of Styrofoam, etc. Freedom was the goal, but dehydration or being eaten by sharks was often their finish line. If caught on the water, they were deported back to Cuba and all the punishment that entailed…however, if they could land just one foot on dry land, they were allowed in to pursue the path to US citizenship, if they chose. Take a look at the collection of chugs that landed or were washed up on the shores surrounding Key West. Would you make this journey?

Chug 1

Chug 2

Chug 3

Chug 4

Chug 5

Chug 6

Chug 7

Chug 8

Chug 9

Chug 10

Chug 11

Old Trucks
Here are three old, but classy, Florida trucks shot in Key West.

Old Truck 1

Old Truck 2

Old Truck 3

See you next week.

Blog 184: Holiday in the Keys

The Keys
Skies as blue as Paul Newman’s eyes, seas as vibrant as turquoise jewels, grilled fish as fresh as a newbie at college, all accented with draft beer as chilled as a Nordic winter…must be the Florida Keys!

From Ft. Myers we ambled down I-75 to Mile Marker 99 in Key Largo. We stayed for seven days in a nicely appointed RV park on the bay side. From there we headed south picking up Highway One down to our manicured Key West RV resort and parked on our site overlooking the Atlantic. Here are pics of our site, our view from the dock, a green heron who likes to hangout on our dock, and our neighbor relaxing with his pups. Also, here is a bouquet Jan designed--you gotta travel with flowers you know.

Key West Home

Green Heron

Sunrise from Our Dock

Key West Neighbor

Bouquet

Everglades
We took a day trip entering Everglades National Park at Florida City and took our time making the 47-mile trek west and south down to Flamingo. Here are a couple of gator shots and one of an anhinga spotted on a trail.

Swimming Gator

Resting Gator

Anhinga

On the Water
We rented a boat for a day and took a cruise of local waters with good friends. The water was as smooth as a polished politician in November, making it a perfect day to explore. Along with a variety of birds, we were fortunate to spot a couple of good-looking sea turtles, lots and lots of sponges, and several flying fish. The Pups had a great day enjoying the ride and nibbling on the grilled grouper, snapper, and lobster we shared with them from our lunches at our waterside restaurant. However, their highlight was jousting with the other pups we passed along the canals on our way out and back. I took no pics, but it was gorgeous.

Jan’s Art
Jan has three new paintings. This one is called “Great Mesa Poppies.”

Great_Mesa_Poppies

To see the other two, click here. “Desert Dawn” and “Off the Tracks” are the last two on the right in the fourth row under Acrylic Paintings and Murals.

Old Trucks
Here are three old but classy Florida trucks shot in Key West.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week with more tales from the Keys.

Blog 183: Singapore

Business Trip to Singapore
Work took me to Singapore, a city/state I had not visited in many years. My sessions included lots of smart, fun people from Singapore, Australia, China, Japan, and India. (I may have forgotten a country or two.)

Singapore has lots of things going for it: safe, clean, prosperous, polite people, rain forests, easy to navigate, just about everyone speaks English, good food, and all the taxi drivers are required by law to be Singaporeans! It is a tad far, however: one-plus hour from Ft. Myers to Atlanta, 13 hours to Tokyo, and six more to Singapore. With layovers, a good 24 hours.

Flight Attendant

Just 12 More Hours

I stayed at a very nice hotel, the Marina Mandarin, very close to the water.

My Hotel

Night Photos
Interesting structures, color, lights, and water make for some fun photos at night. Here are a couple shots taken in the Supertree Grove, atop the Marina Bay Sands, and a ground-level shot at the bay.

Night Photo 1

Night Photo 2

Night Photo 3

Night Photo 4

Jurong Bird Park
I visited a really cool bird park with a variety of birds from across Asia.

Bird Park 1

Bird Park 2

Bird Park 3
Bird Park 4

Bird Park 5

Bird Park 6

Bird Park 7

Bird Park 8

Bird Park 9

Bird Park 10

Great trip, but glad to be back. See you next week!

Blog 182: Beware of Junkyard Dogs

The Junkyard Dog
You think shooting old trucks is easy? Not so much! For example, this past week we wheeled into an auto repair shop/junkyard. I found the remains of an old truck (see below under “Old Trucks”), and then headed back into the property. I focused on two good-looking trucks of vintage, but when I looked down, I was greeted by a tall, muscular, 80-plus-pound pit bull three feet away. She gazed at me with the natural confidence of an accomplished athlete.

She nonverbally communicated that she was in total control, I was not, and that I should turn around and leave…which is exactly what I did. I slowly pivoted and gingerly walked back to the car trying to minimize movement while maximizing momentum. I opened the door, sliding into the passenger seat with a sigh of accomplishment. I then took this photo of the guardian before vacating the premises.

Junkyard Dog

This and That
Here is a shot of a cat with presents on the porch of a cracker house, a Sandhill Crane from our walks, and one of Jessie, our pup cousin.

Cat and Presents

Sandhill Crane

Jessie

Old Signs
Here are two old signs shot in Florida.

Old Sign #1

Old Sign #2

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from Florida.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

2013 Alexanders Holiday Video
Got 2:01 minutes? Check out this fun video (well…I think it is fun).



See you next week.

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 180: Cuddly Cat and a Prickly Pig

Sunny Florida
The first part of the week we spent in sunny Florida. Here is a shot of good friends Jack and Dee on their souped up, fire engine golf cart, and some local crabbers cleaning up after a haul.

Jack and Dee

Crabbers

Not Sunny Michigan
We braved the elements to fly to Michigan to spend the Christmas holiday with friends and family. Clouds and fog , snow and ice, with a crisp bite in the air that made you zip your coat all the way to the top.

Here are shots of deer, Dee the Cat, Penelope the Pig, Jan posing with Tonka, Jan with Wayne and Anna, and a shot of a pot roast dinner appropriate for royalty and others with regal taste.

Deer

Dee

Penelope

Jan and Tonka

Jan, Anna and Wayne

Roast Dinner

Old Signs
Here are two old signs from Michigan.

Old Pontiac Sign

Old Tavern Sign

Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks, one from Florida and one from Michigan.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

See you next week.

Blog 179: Dean Martin Lives!

Dean Martin Party
Good friends of ours put on a 1940s-50s, Italian-themed, Dean Martin party that was just a hoot. As proof that Dean Martin is still around, I captured this shot of Dean and Jan.

Janny and Dean

Out and About
Here are a few animal pics from this last week, a cow and calf, pre-dawn eagles, and a good-looking gopher tortoise.

Cow and Calf

Pre-Dawn Eagles

Tortoise Gopher

The Shell Game

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks shot in Florida.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week.

Blog 178: Back to Ho-Hum Florida

Weather Report
While the rest of the country has been “enjoying” a great variety of weather (refreshing cold, exercise-inducing snow, agility-improving icy roads, and so on), Florida has been experiencing really boring weather--bright and sunny with daily temperatures in the low 80s. Please send your good wishes to those of us who must endure this day after day.

I Missed One!
Here is one last shot from last week in Denver of my favorite granddaughter. Not sure, but I believe she was solving calculus equations.

iPad Pro

Pup for Sale
Here is a pic of one cute pup, Gizmo. He is a well-mannered, five-month-old teacup Schnauzer who needs a good home. If interested, call our friend Jan S. at (239) 980-2564.

\Gizmo

This and That
Here are a few other shots from the past week.

Bonnie

Terrier Terror

Wood Stork Preparing for Flight

Look at the Curves on that Schnauzer!

Old Trucks
Here are a few old trucks from my Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week.

Blog 177: Quick T-Day Trip to Denver

Jan and I flew out to Denver for the Thanksgiving holiday. We spent some time babysitting our six-year-old grandson and 19-month-old granddaughter, giving our son and his wonderful bride a couple days of getaway in Vail.

Busy as serious shoppers on Black Friday, we orchestrated cookie baking, sponsored underwear style shows, hauled a little red wagon through the neighborhood, played Run from the Monster, built Legos, and wiped up juice, bananas, peanut butter, and other assorted food and drink items.

Happy Holidays!
Actually, it was great fun.

Bear Cheeks

Natalie Making Cookies

Archer

Grandma and Nattie

This Is the Place to Be...

Captain Underwear

Old Trucks
Here are a few old trucks from my Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week.

Blog 176: Quick Trip to the UK

Country Drive
Sunday, I took a few hours and drove through the French countryside. Lots of narrow roads running through fields populated with sheep, horses, and cattle. Here are a few pics including a couple of shots in the village of Thoiry.

Thoiry House #1

Thoiry House #2

Steers in Field

Moo Comic

On to England
Monday, my client colleague and I flew to Birmingham in the UK to continue our project. Our week together proved successful with more happy clients being the result. Regrettably, I had little time for picture taking.

Old Sign
After a few weeks’ absence of old signs in the blog, here is one from Thoiry.

Old French Sign

Old Trucks
Alas, once again no old trucks from Europe! Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week after another trip.

Blog 175: Quick Trip to Geneva

I spent the week working in Geneva launching a client project. Our group contained people from Switzerland, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the U.K., Sweden, Czech, Poland, China, with one guy from the U.S.--me! Quite a diverse, interesting, and fun group (most of the time!).

Hotel
My hotel was in Thoiry, France, just a few miles from my client’s Switzerland headquarters. Upon my Sunday arrival, I was greeted with this rainbow view from my room’s balcony--excellent omen. Nice room but the painting over my bed gave me pause--I felt that tingle in the back of my neck indicating that I was being watched!

Rainbow

The Watchers

Food
I was fortunate to experience some great food this week. I was in walking distance of a nice Italian restaurant that served a delightful “chef’s special” gnocchi. Another evening I was treated to a “wild game” special (it is the season, you know) of venison. These are just a couple of the fine meals that I enjoyed.

Gnocchi

Venison

Wine Tasting
After a full day of work, our host took us out for a wine tasting at a local winery (there are hundreds of acres in this area, both in France and in Switzerland). Here are a couple of my best students enjoying the tasting. My favorite wine was Gamaret, which I was told is only found in this part of Switzerland.

Wine Tasters

Gamaret

Oh, Alex...

Nyon
My client was kind enough to provide me with a car for the weekend. Saturday, I drove into Geneva, along the lake and down and through the old town. A very pretty area, yet the cloudy skies and cold wind cast a slight gloom on the area. I had intended to walk to the old town and take pictures, but decided to drive north along the lake shore. I stopped for lunch and a short walk around town at Nyon. Here are two shots taken from the castle and one of a man walking toward it.

Castle View #1

Castle View #2

Walking to the Castle

Old Vans
Try as I might, I found no old trucks this week in Switzerland or France. The best I could do were these two old vans.

Old Van #1

Old Van #2

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week after another trip.

Blog 174: Quick Trip to Atlanta and a Frozen Frog

I took a quick trip to Atlanta for most of the week for a client engagement. Great group and a fun session held at the Emory Conference Center Hotel. Here is one fellow (not in my group) who knows how to take a two-hour power nap with style!

Sleeper

During my stay, I had the pleasure of visiting with a friend and colleague that I hadn’t seen in over a decade. We caught up quickly over German beer and Weiner Schnitzel.

Frozen Frog

Frozen Frog

During one chilly morning Pup walk, Jan spotted a flat frog, frozen face-up on the concrete. As cold as the ice in Yellow Knife in January, I figured this green guy was a goner. However, Jan warmed him up in her hands throughout our walk, and eventually movement and croaks returned to this amphibian. Revitalized, Jan let him go with at least a hopping chance of a decent frog life span.

Jan’s Latest Painting
Here is the latest painting by my talented wife.

Orb

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week after a big trip.

Blog 173: Quick Trip to Boise

I took a quick trip to Boise for most to the week for a client engagement. It is starting to cool off in the North Country—should have taken a heavier jacket. :(

Halloween Pup and Witch
Trick-or-Treat night found Bumblebee Mitzy and Mo the Witch running candy quality control.

Mo the Witch and Bumblebee Mitzy

Morning Walk
Here are a few pics taken from early morning walks with Jan and the Pups.

Morning Berries

Morning Colors

Morning Fog

Morning Grasses

Smiling Jerry

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week!

Blog 172: Quick Trip to DC

I took a quick trip to DC for most of the week for an engagement with an old client. Great group and a lot of fun.

Old Car Show
Sunday, while on our way to a way cool exhibit of Louis Comfort Tiffany at the Morse Museum in Winter Park (close to Orlando), we saw an “Old Car Show” sign. We took a quick detour and saw the small but high-quality cars in this Shriner show. You’ll see three old trucks from the show below.

Time Out

Perky Pet Pics
Here are a couple of pet pics of our retired cat, Chico, and a shot of Jerry in one of his sophisticated moods (pic by Jan).

Vacation Cat

Sophisticated Jerry

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Orlando Shriner car show.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week.

Blog 171: Vámanos a Florida!

Bye Bye Winchester
Aunt Pat had taken three of Jan’s Autumn postcards and had them framed. She then paired them with one of her beautiful quilts. Now that is adding color! Take a look.

Jan's Autumn Cards

Paired Art

Heading South
We took our time heading down to Florida. Our original plan was to take the Blue Ridge Parkway, but some change of events caused us to travel the easy interstate system. Like a windmill turning in a gentle breeze, we cruised down I-81 then I-77, I-26, I-95, and finally I-4.

Windmill

We stopped at Lakeland for some motorhome maintenance and repairs (when you drive your home down the road at 60 miles an hour, you gotta expect that some things need adjustment), and then headed 60 miles back north and east to stay with Jan’s aunt in Apopka while we were out of the bus.

Halloween Ready
In preparation for Halloween, Mitzy and Jerry tried on their new holiday outfits. Can’t you just see the excitement oozing out of them?

Halloween Jerry

Halloween Mitzy

Just Try It!

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from our trip south.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week!

Blog 170: Screened Pups and a Runaway Truck

Walking Tour of Winchester
Winchester, Virginia, is the home of Jan’s aunt and uncle and, among a number of activities, they gave us a walking tour of Winchester, a very interesting place with a lot of Civil War history.

Masonic Temple

Bank with Balloons

Screened Pups

Johnsons
Jan’s uncle buys, repairs, sells, trades, exhibits, and runs old Johnson outboard motors. Here is his current, quite impressive inventory. He is a published author and quite well known in his field. If you need Johnsons, he is the go-to guy.

Johnsons

Quick Trips to Boston and Chicago
I spent a couple of days in Boston attending the well-run executive session of one of my business partners, and a couple of days in Chicago facilitating a two-day session for a great client.

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Winchester area including one that almost got away!

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3 Almost Got  Away!

See you next week as the bus moves south!

Waiting for Alex

Blog 169: Kicked Out of Camp!

Tuesday Noon: Everybody Out!
Thanks to our illustrious/notorious/ disastrous Congress, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore shut down on Tuesday, with everyone required to vacate by noon.

Words Can't Describe...

So it was one last sunrise over Lake Michigan, one last walk along the beach, and one last stroll through the woods.

Final Sunrise

Beach Mitzy

Beach Jerry

Stones on the Beach

Green Fungi

Reflective Leaf

Reluctantly, we packed up and hit the road, heading south and east across Michigan and into northern Ohio. We took our time traveling the back roads, watching as giant combines rolled relentlessly through fields of soybeans like aliens advancing in the “War of the Worlds.”

Fall Colors
One of our regrets upon leaving Sleeping Bear Dunes was that the colors were only starting to change. Remembering the color show we drank in last year, we were saddened about missing that breathtaking vista. Little did we know that a full box of Crayolas had been opened and painted across the landscape in parts of southern Michigan, Ohio, and across Pennsylvania.

Fall Colors #1

Fall Colors #2

Fall Colors #3

Harrison Lake State Park
We stopped for the night at Harrison Lake State Park at their large, well-manicured campground. The next morning we started our day with an inspection of the park--walking through the woods, down by the water, and along a path bordered by farmland.

Zenia

Foggy Farm

Eddy’s Place
On our way to Tuesday evening’s campground, we drove by a place with several old trucks. Thursday morning, we drove back and met Eddy, the owner of this facility, a picker’s nirvana. (In fact, a scout for the “American Pickers” TV show visited Eddy a few months back.)

Eddy gave Jan and me a wonderful tour, along with a dialogue explaining the background of his collection of antique autos and trucks. He was an interesting and fun character, as Jan described him, and I greatly enjoyed the couple of hours we visited. Here are a few pics of him and a few of his possessions, with three more in the “Old Truck” section, below.

Eddy at the Wheel

Class Dismissed

Bicycle

1951 Fraser Vagabond

Old Vehicle

Wednesday evening we stayed at a Lock 30 Campground near Lisbon, Ohio, 15 minutes from Pennsylvania.

Winchester
Thursday we headed east into Pennsylvania, passing along the south side of Pittsburgh, ending our trek at the Candy Hill Campground in Winchester at the northwestern tip of Virginia and the northernmost point of the Appalachian Mountains.

Old Signs
Here is an old sign attached to an old truck that I shot at Eddy’s, plus one from the Old Sign reserve.

Old Sign #1

Old Sign #2

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks, all shot at Eddy’s.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week!

Blog 168: Quick Trip to Dusseldorf and Lund

Sunday: Day Seven of the European Tour
Sunday was a travel day as I made my way from London to Dusseldorf. I was fairly well rested, and the use of the hotel laundry service meant that my bag was once again full of clean clothes.

Aerial

By late afternoon I was in my hotel. Too tired to walk the mile or so to a nice restaurant and too lazy to bother with a taxi, I walked a couple hundred yards to a huge MacDonald’s, anticipating a ten-minute round trip. Wrong, Alex! I think everyone in Germany was in line, with each person ordering at least ten meals! An hour later I was back in my room feasting on a Big Mac hybrid and a large fries.

Monday and Tuesday: Session in Dusseldorf
Working for the same client as last week, I facilitated a two-day session for the German team.

German Receptionist

View from German Training Room

It's True!

Great group, and things went very well. However, after the session things got a little more challenging. My plan was to fly from Dusseldorf to Copenhagen, and then take a taxi over the bridge to Lund, Sweden.

Bomb Threat!
I arrived at the Dusseldorf airport in plenty of time, however, the flashing red lights of police cars were the first indicator of trouble. People were queued up for hundreds of meters outside the locked doors of the airport. Later, people were let inside…later still, we were all kicked to the curb.

Bomb Threat #1

Bomb Threat #2

Bomb Threat #3

Bomb Threat #4

Uh, Oh...

Here’s a short video of the event: http://youtu.be/1Us9yDkuIL8

When traveling, stuff happens. However, I had a session planned the next morning, so remedial action was required. I walked away from the airport mob until I found a taxi that transported me to the train station. I took the train to Munich that, after an hour or so, stopped at the Frankfort airport. Here, I dashed to the Lufthansa ticket counter, catching them as they prepared to close. An hour later, I was in the air, and I landed in Copenhagen airport a little after midnight. From there, I took a 30-minute cab drive and I was in my hotel by 1:30 in the morning--plenty of time for my next morning’s session.

Wednesday and Thursday: Session in Lund
Wednesday and Thursday was my final session of this two-week trek, facilitating the Nordic team. Another great session, with a smart, fun group. Since my journey home the next day started with a 6 a.m. flight, I took a taxi to the Copenhagen airport and stayed at the Hilton on premise. Here is a pic from my room.

View from Hilton

Friday, Day 13: Trip Home
Janny and the Kids picked me up in Traverse City, where they hauled me back to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Wonderful trip, but so nice to be back. Tired and a little jet-lagged, I started my rejuvenation.

Back at Camp
Gorgeous weather back in Michigan and it was good to sit around a campfire again. Here is a shot of Angel, another volunteer pup of our fellow camp host, Ramona. Also, here is a pic taken by Jan of Chico in retirement.

Angel

Chico

Old Signs
Here are two old signs from the Old Sign reserve.

Old Sign #1

Old Sign #2

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks from the Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week as plans change!

Blog 167: Quick Trips to Madrid and London

Sunday: Day One of the European Tour
Sunday morning I arrived in Madrid after a mechanical problem and a little re-routing early in the journey. All in all, things ended up fine, just a few hours later than planned. I took a nap, enjoyed a tub, then went to an outdoor plaza to walk around and have a light evening meal. As continued the entire time in Madrid, the weather was awesome, the people were friendly. When I stopped for dinner, I had the best tuna I had ever tasted--seared, marinated in a special sauce, and the fried egg on the top added color and variety to the presentation.

Tuna in Madrid

Monday-Tuesday
I facilitated (in English) an intensive two-day session for my client’s Spanish and French teams. All smart, interested, and interesting people, all wanting to learn. Since the groups were split 50-50, everyone had a chance to better understand their colleagues from another country. Monday night we all went to Old Town for a traditional meal built upon tapas, and then I stayed out late (for me) with the crazy Frenchmen.

Upper Right

Plaza View

Plaza Ladies Table

Madrid at Night

Wednesday
Wednesday was a travel day, as I moved on to the town of Reading, 30 minutes west of central London. Once again, I was fortunate to have a deep soaking tub in my room that I took advantage of every one of the four days I stayed there. Since we don’t have a tub (at least not yet) in our motor coach, I appreciate having one all the more while traveling.

Thursday-Friday
On these days I facilitated the same type of session as I did while in Madrid for my client’s UK office. Another great group.

Saturday
After contemplating several options, I decided to take the train to Portsmouth to see the old British war ships. Here are a couple of photos taken from the train.

Train View #1

Train View #2

They had repaired/refurbished/rebuilt Admiral Nelson’s old flagship, “Victory,” to its original specifications. This is the ship he died on--they show you the spot on the deck where a French sharpshooter fatally wounded him in his victory at Trafalgar. It was just awesome! Also, I toured the first iron-hulled warship, “Warrior,” and saw it as it exactly was, as this ship never saw battle.

Warrior Gun Deck

Warrior View from Deck

Warrior Visitors

Warrior

Victory Admiral's Table

Victory Deck

Victory Guns

Victory Stern View

Later I walked to the town center and stopped by this park.

Portsmouth Park

Old Signs
Here are a couple old signs from our Old Sign Reserve.

Old Sign #1

Old Sign #2

Old Trucks
Try as I could, I saw no old trucks in Madrid or London this week. Here are three from my Old Truck Reserve.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week from Germany and Sweden.

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 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 158: Dune Fans and Dune Babes

Dune Climb Concert
I rode my bike down to the annual Dune Climb Concert, walked around and took a few pics of this fun event. Check out the attendees!

Dune Climb Concert #1

Dune Climb Concert #2

Dune Climb Concert #3

Dune Climb Concert #4

Dune Climb Concert #5

Dune Climb Concert #6

Dune Climb Concert #7

Dune Climb Concert #8

Dune Climb Concert #9

Quick Trip to Chicago
I took a quick trip to Chicago to work with a great client.

Jan’s Old Signs
Here are two old signs that Jan selected. I shot the Wayside Motel sign, but our good friend, Dee, captured the Dog n Suds.

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 157: Morsi Moment and Cool Old Boats

Quick Trip to Amsterdam
I took a quick trip to Amsterdam to run a workshop for a software client of mine. Great people and a lot of fun. My hotel and their office were both out by the airport, but I took a half-day upon my arrival to visit downtown Amsterdam. After a lousy spring, the weather had finally warmed up in The Netherlands, and it seemed like everyone within 100 miles was on bicycles or in boats or cars enjoying the weather. The light from the bright sun was quite harsh, but I took a few pics anyway (several I “enhanced” post-processing).

Morsi Moment
At Dam Square there was an interesting rally in favor of putting the recent Egyptian president, Mohamed Morsi, back in power. It drew a large crowd and some heated debates within the gathering, but after several minutes of listening to rants and chants, most of the crowd dissipated without physical conflict.

Morsi Moment

Canal Cruise
Along with a global cross-section of humanity, I took a canal cruise of the city called the “Venice of the North.” It was a nice water stroll of some interesting areas of the city and its Dutch-style architecture. Here are pics of two of my fellow travelers and some views from the water.

Sad Woman

Indian Lady

Water View #1

Water View #2

Water View #3

My favorite part of the cruise was the wonderful old boats, both anchored and under power.

Boat #1

Boat #2

Boat #3

Boat #4

Boat #5

Boat #6

Seeing Old Friends
What topped off the whole trip, though, was the chance to have a pleasant dinner with Ger and Ellie, two longtime friends who were once fellow Pine Islanders. Seated directly alongside the Amstel River, in a quiet country berg, we caught up on the past few years.

Back at the Bear
Sunrise on the Beach
Back at Sleeping Bear, I got up before sunrise to admire the dawn skies and relax in the quiet of gentle wind and gentle waves. Here is one shot just at sunrise.

Beach Sunrise

Colorful Towels
Walking back to our campsite, I ran across four sites flying the flags of a day spent on the beach.

Colorful Towels #1

Colorful Towels #2

Colorful Towels #3

Colorful Towels #4

This and That
Here is a shot of the Perfect Lap Pup, our camp host sign, and a pickup load of happy campers excited about their visit.

Camp Host Sign

Perfect Lap Pup

Happy Campers

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 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.

Blog 153: Mackinaw Morning and Return to the Bear

Goodbye, Colorado
We left Colorado for 2013 heading NE on I-76, picking up I-80 east at the Nebraska border. After spending a night in central Nebraska, we traveled across Iowa camping near Iowa City.

Denver to Iowa City

Sibling Stop
We stopped in eastern Iowa where my brother and two sisters drove down to meet us for dinner. It had been three years since our last get together, so it was great catching up.

Iowa City to McHenry to Algoma

Good Friends
Our next stop was to visit good friends who live NW of Chicago. All was fun, but the Kids especially liked the boat ride. Even though we explained the concept of fresh water to the Pups, Mitzy continued to hunt for dolphins. :’>

Jerry and Dee

McDonald's by Boat

Mitzy Dolphin Watching

Door County
We had planned on heading down to the Homer Glen area to visit some other good friends. However, the weather forecast was not favorable for us going around the bottom of Lake Michigan. Hence, we headed north, stopping for two nights in Door County--the Wisconsin peninsula between Lake Michigan and Green Bay. We had a wonderful time driving/walking around this very pretty area.

Artist

Trillium

Algoma to Green Bay to Menominee to Macinaw City

Mackinaw Morning
From Door County we headed west to the town of Green Bay, and then north into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, taking Highway 2 east along Lake Michigan. After crossing the Mackinaw Bridge, we set up camp in Mackinaw City. The next morning, the pre-dawn sky was the rusty color of old trucks. I grabbed my camera, a couple of lenses, and Gorrilapod to take some pics. Just me and the seagulls.

Here are a few shots taken in pre-dawn light and a 30-second video clip.

Mackinaw Morning #1

Mackinaw Morning #2

Mackinaw Morning #3

Mackinaw Morning #4

Mackinaw Morning #5



Back to the Sleeping Bear
From Mackinaw City we headed south on I-75, at Gaylord we took 32 east and then snaked over to 131 via County Road C42. We took 72 west to Empire, and then north to D.H. Day Campground.

Mackinaw City to Gaylord to Empire

It was great to be back! We spent two months camp hosting here last year, and have returned to assume our old role. All of our previous camp-host friends from last year are here, as well as most of the professional and fun campground staff. Looking forward to a great stay.

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 five old trucks I shot along the way.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

Old Truck #4

Old Truck #5

See you next week.

Blog 152: Old and Rusty

On to Breckinridge
From Highline Lake State Park, we rambled down to I-70 and headed east on one of the most picturesque interstates in the entire country. We arrived with snow-topped mountains surrounding us as we camped at 9,100 feet and 34 degrees.

Colorado Trail Hike
Adjoining the campground is a segment of the Colorado Trail, so at dawn one morning I hiked the steep trail for a two-hour round trip.

Return to Denver
Monday it was back to Denver, where we set up camp at Cherry Creek Park.

Quick Trip to Chicago
Tuesday morning I flew to Chicago where I spent most of the week working with a good client.

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

Old Sign #1

Old Sign #2

Slug Bug
While hunting old trucks we ran across this old VW bug.

Old VW Bug

Old Trucks
Here are five old trucks with both rust and style.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

Old Truck #4

Old Truck #5

See you next week.

Blog 151: Duck Race Double Dipping

Salida to Buena Vista
If you like the outdoors, the area in Colorado we have been staying (Salida/Buena Vista) is just about Nirvana: rafting, hiking, paddling, kayaking, hot springing, goat milking, bingoing, mountain viewing, mountain climbing, duck racing, jeep off-roading, ATVing, fly fishing, and more can all be done via the Arkansas River, National Forests, and really big mountains. The people are colorful as well. Here is a pic of a couple of locals who stopped for “breakfast” at the Coyote Cantina, a joint we frequented.

Cantina Cowboys

Duck Race Revenge
Our campground sponsors an annual Memorial Day Duck Race and it is a blast. The rubber ducks navigate a narrow, skinny creek that goes right behind our RV site.

Now, Jan and I are no stranger to duck racing, having been involved in the Calusa Pine Island Duck Race for 15 years. During that time we have bought hundreds of tickets and never won squat. Here at Chalk Creek we both bought one ticket each, and I placed third and Jan won! Yes, young man, persistence does pay off! Here is a shot of Jan the winner and a few more.

Jan the Winner

My Duck

Finish Line

Life Is Sweet

PaddleFest
While we were there, Buena Vista hosted its annual PaddleFest.

Paddling Pups
Here are some pics of pups that attended, and one shot of Austie taking his first kayak paddle.

PaddleFest Pup #1

PaddleFest Pup #2

PaddleFest Pup #3

PaddleFest Pup #4

Austie's First Paddle

Hamster Balls
As part of the Paddlefest fundraising, there was a “hamster ball” concession, where kids (or anyone) could step into a plastic bag the size of a huge ziplock, have it blown up with air to form a ball, then be pushed into a pool of water and try to run like a hamster on a treadmill. Here is grandson Austie giving it a try.

Hamster Ball #1

Hamster Ball #2

Move to Crawford
After the Memorial Day crowds had dispersed, on Tuesday we broke camp and motored our way south from Nathan on 285 South, turning west on U.S. 50 at Poncha Springs, stopping at Gunnison for subs, continuing on through the Curecanti National Recreation Area. Instead of following the most direct route, we picked up 92, going west and north along the West Elk Scenic Byway and the east side of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. The mountain roads where as crooked as a politician in an election year. Snowy mountains, gurgling creeks, greening hills, and black and deep canyons bordered our way the last 30 miles until we set up camp at Crawford State Park.

Angus

Curecanti

Campsite View

Arrowleaf Arnica #1

Arrowleaf Arnica #2

Scarlet False Mallow

Black Canyon East Side
Late afternoon we drove the dozen miles to the east side of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park where we took a short hike and then drove the park road stopping at overlooks. This is one impressive gorge. We’d been to the west side twice before, but this side is superior--great views and very little traffic.

Gunnison National Park

Black Canyon Hike
Early one morning we drove to the North Rim Ranger station to hike four miles at 7,700 feet on the North Vista Trail, going to Exclamation Point and back. On the way we saw deer and elk. The muddy trail took us through meadows and woods with several vistas overlooking the canyon. We shared the experience with bunnies, chips, meadow larks, magpies, and falcons as we wandered among lupine, larkspur, early paint, cannis, spring beauty, false lupine, and flowering cactus. There were no other humans in sight.

Bunny

Meadow View

Indian Paintbrush

North Vista Trail

Hike Vista

Hiking Tree

Foxes at Play
On the ride back to camp, we ran across six young foxes playing alongside the road. I was lucky enough to get a few shots of these playful pups as we watched them romp for a couple minutes.

Foxes

Back to Highline Lake State Park
Two years ago we camp hosted at Highline Lake State Park about 30 miles northwest of Grand Junction, close to the Utah border. While there, we made great friends with our camp host colleagues and wanted to see them again. To get there, we decided to once again take the road less traveled, taking 65 North, the Grand Mesa Skyway.

Grand Mesa #1

Grand Mesa #2

Grand Mesa #3

After setting up camp at Highline, we reminisced over dinner and s’mores over a campfire. The next morning, I hiked the trail around Highline Lake along with my small buddies, Mitzy and Jerry.

Highline Lake Weed

Blooming Catus

Milkweed

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 five old trucks from Colorado.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

Old Truck #4

Old Truck #5

See you next week.

Blog 150: Old Trucks Gone Wild

If you like to hunt and shoot old trucks, it is great to be in Colorado! Forty-eight new beauties have been added to the collection this week. See the last section of this blog post for a few of the distinguished old girls.

Over 7,700 feet in elevation, the mornings started cool in the low 40s, working up to high 60s/low 70s later in the day. We had an excellent variety of weather: calm and sunny, cold and windy, snowy and sleety, and thundering and lightning. Here is a view from our campground and a view of fishermen right behind our coach.

Campsite View

Fishermen

Sunday Truck Hunting Day
I took Sunday off, and by 8:15 a.m. Jan, the Pups, and I were out the door and in the car hunting old trucks and other good photo ops. We went west to Poncha, and then took highways, scenic byways, gravel and dirt roads north, east, west, south, and back, hard on the scent of rusted steel.

Salida to Hartsel

Scenics
Our constant guardians, the Collegiate Peaks, were always in the background, and their snowy tops combining with pillowy clouds and perfect light made for some pretty scenic photos.

Old Schoolhouse

Jan Driving

We eventually made our way up to highway 24 and took that east, stopping off at the Antero Reservoir.

Antero Reservoir
The Antero Reservoir is deep blue water surrounded by mountains. Wrapping our coats up tight, we got out to enjoy the view. Here is that handsome devil Jerry breathing in the scenery.

Jerry at Antero Reservoir

Hartsel Lunch Break
At noon we stopped for lunch at the best place in Hartsel (the only place in Hartsel) and were pleasantly surprised at the quality of our meals (Jan had the burrito and I had the house special). Here is a shot of Cindy, the bartender/waitress/hostess/busboy/cashier (however, I don’t think she cooked).

It's Going to Be a Long Day

Monday Mountain Thunder
I worked all day Monday, but late afternoon it was time for a family drive. We took the back roads and found more old trucks. In the outskirts of Salida, I took a few shots. Here is a fun one of a big smokestack from a smelting plant long closed down.

Smokestack

National Forest
After exploring the town, we took a county road that turned into a forest road--left and right, down and up, over and back in the San Isabel National Forest. We found the remnants of an old town called Turret and drove through blowing snow to view the mountains being engulfed in dark clouds lit by the occasional bolt of lightning. Every few minutes the almost-spooky quiet was interrupted by thunder that started as a moaning growl, grew to a rhythmic rumble, and then crescendoed into an angry bellow that commanded both respect and a little fear to all within earshot. Here the term “awesome” does perfectly apply.

Big Thunder

Afternoon Trips
Cottonwood Pass
One late-afternoon family excursion took us up to Cottonwood Pass. At over 12,000 feet, spring had not yet sprung, and there was enough snow to fool you into thinking it was still February. Here are a couple pics from this trip.

Snowy Top

Snowy Landscape

Critters
Here are a few shots of pups and other critters.

Squirrel

Fishing Pup

Metal Cow

I'm Not Kidding, Ethel...

Old Signs
Here are three old signs that Jan selected and I shot.

Old Sign #1

Old Sign #2

Old Sign #3

Old Trucks
Here are five old trucks (the others I shot are in the Old Truck Reserve for future weeks when the hunting is scarce).

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

Old Truck #4

Old Truck #5

See you next week.

Blog 149: Troubled Toilets and Lightning Strikes

In the Air
A busy business week started Sunday and ended Saturday with trips to Baltimore and Dallas. I had two excellent sessions with fun services personnel from a software client. Mostly my views on this trip were of flight attendants, hotel lobbies, and conference tables, but I did get to see some intriguing vistas outside my airplane windows, and the sharp crack of lightning striking the port wing widened some passengers’ eyes to the size of serving plates at an Amish restaurant.

Flights were smooth except for one glitch: A mechanical problem caused by a running toilet motor that wouldn’t stop triggered enough delay so that I could not get back until Saturday. Oh, well…

Plane Seat View

Baltimore Inner Harbor
My hotel in Baltimore was located in the Inner Harbor, so I did have a chance to enjoy a stroll or two by the water.

Harbor View

Harbor Waitress

Move the Bus
Finally back to the motorhome, we broke camp at the Colorado Horse Park Saturday around 1 p.m. and took an enjoyable trip a couple hundred miles to our next location. Jan piloted the bus south on Colorado 83 and I-25 down to Colorado Springs. On Colorado 115, we drove by the area we stayed at last year among the smoke from the huge wildfire. We continued on down to Canon City, home site of the Royal Gorge, then ambled along side the Arkansas River another 60 some miles.

Colorado Springs to Salida

Salida
We are parked at the 4 Seasons RV Park, just three miles east of Salida. This is a magnificent location, as BERT’s (Big Expensive Road Traveler) behind almost hangs over the Arkansas River, while our view from the front of the coach is the Collegiate Peaks, home of eight of Colorado’s 14ers (mountains over 14,000 feet). Here is a shot of our campsite and a picture of a couple boaters floating down the river taken from our picnic table.

BERT Over the Arkansas River

Boaters

It is going to be a great stay!

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks--two were parked at our campground.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week.

Blog 148: Baseball, Bubbles, and Prairie Dog Heaven

Baseball Game
Sunday was a “boys-only” Colorado Rockies game. They lost to the Rays, but the weather was pleasant, the hot dogs were tasty, and our third-base view was a fun location for photography.

Colorado Rockies Baseball Game #1

Colorado Rockies Baseball Game #2

Colorado Rockies Baseball Game #3

Baseball Bonding

Quick Trip to New Orleans
I had a quick trip early in the week to New Orleans were I facilitated the U.S. pilot of a new engagement. Smart, fun group--should be a great project.

Redheads and Bubbles
Of course, we had a few times during the week to enjoy the grandkids. Here are pics of Austie and friends going red, Natty in the tub, Natty ‘fessing up, and Natty hanging with Charlie the Pug. And, here is a comic pic of Aaron doing some deep reflection on his future.

Three Readheads

Tub Bubbles

Nattie 'Fessing Up #1

Nattie 'Fessing Up #2

Nattie and Charlie

Charlie and Nattie

Nattie and Daddy

Let's Think This Through...

Prairie Dog Hike
Late in the week the frost disappeared, the temperature rose, and the skies transitioned from rainy gray to vibrant blue. Jan and I took our first 2013 hike in Colorado, traipsing four miles among gentle hills with first spring flowers making their debut poking up reds, whites, and violets against the brown of the earth. Birds of all denominations sang for us and the brilliant plumage of bluebirds darted across the sky like smoke in a breeze.

Bluebird

The hike highlight, though, was a solid mile path right through the most impressive prairie dog town I have ever seen! Well-fed prairie dogs of varying sizes and hues greeted us at the rim of their dens chirping out their intruder alarm. Many times we were within 15 feet before these guardians of the plains scampered down their holes. In case you did not know, our rat terrier, Jerry, loves prairie dogs. He has leapt out of our car window to get close to these large, mobile gophers.

As Jerry tugged at his leash like a sailor weighing anchor, he sometimes drug Jan right to the top of the varmints’ dens. Standing proudly erect like a marine out of boot camp, a broad smile etched on his chiseled face as ripples of pleasure moved up and down his well-muscled physique. I don’ think life gets any better than this for a rat terrier. โ˜บ

Prairie Dog

Hunting Old Trucks
Late one afternoon we piled into the car and headed east in a search of old trucks. There were dark clouds all around us as we drove through the occasional rain shower and watched a stray bolt or two of lightning dance across the horizon--perfect weather for photography! Here are a couple of old trucks from our hunt, plus a cool old truck sign.

Old Trucks #1

Old Truck #2

Truck Sign

See you next week.

Blog 147: Fun Time, Full Time

Fun Time, Full Time
Now that the house is behind us…

Leaving Home

…we took off Sunday morning, heading out on the 2,000-mile journey north from St. James City, through Atlanta, Nashville, St. Louis, Kansas City, and on to Parker. Colorado, Friday afternoon as planned.

Our Travels

Landscape

Jerry

Mitzy and Jerry

For the most part, our first full week of full-timing was uneventful with the usual road construction and a couple detours. However, we did experience the coldest, snowiest May day for 107 years across Kansas.

Kansas Snow

Coach Cat
Our efforts to find Chico, our 15-year-old, Mexican-born cat, a new home proved unsuccessful (many thanks to those of you who attempted to find him a home), so we brought him with us. I had envisioned cat-dog fights, hours of endless meowing, and unanticipated hassles. I could not have been more wrong. Chico adapted to coach life like a goat in a landfill. He now acts like he owns the place!

Chico

Birthday Bash
We arrived in time celebrate both grandkids’ birthdays. Here is a shot of Austin playing with his buddies, and Natty and her Mom.

Opening Gifts

Natty and Her Mom

Flowers

Old Trucks
Here are a couple of old trucks for your review.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

See you next week.

Blog 146: Hour-By-Hour, From Bad to Worse

Trip to Chicago
I spent most of the week in Chicago, working with a client in helping to launch a big engagement.

Day One: Hour by hour, worse and worse
Our launch team consisted of great people, and Day One went well. However, as the day progressed in length, my voice recessed in volume. By the end of our session, my vocabulary was reduced to teenager speak--a few grunts and groans separated by chunks of silence. That evening was even worse--ordering dinner at the hotel was an ordeal for me and my waitress, as my tools of communication were limited to fingerpointing and head nodding. I went to bed pondering how I was to facilitate Day Two, and even more disturbing, I had a presentation to give on Day Three to people from around the country. A consultant without a voice is like an artist without a brush--quite difficult to do the job!

Day Two: Thank goodness for technology and high-school typing
I felt that the only way I could give a speech on Day Three was to rest my voice during all of Day Two. Yet, I still had an important assignment to complete. Luckily, the stars aligned. My client has a great set-up in their conference rooms where you can directly hook your laptop into a large HD TV on the wall. You can switch quickly to different documents much faster than with a traditional projector.

In addition, back in 1970 I took a class in high school on typing, and was able to do quite well. This combination of technology and learned skills (plus patience and understanding on the part of the others on the team) allowed Day Two to be successful. As the rest of the group talked, I was able to type out suggestions and respond to questions relatively quickly. I was happy with the outcome, but exhausted as I headed back, took an early dinner, and went to bed hoping my voice would return for the next day.

Day Three: The Great Flood
I awoke, cautiously tried my voice, and determined that it had improved to 80% intelligible and only 20% garble--I could give my talk! Feeling good, I walked through the cold pelting rain into the rental car of my Swiss colleague. As we pulled up to the frontage road, we gazed upon the flooded areas and our only road of escape that was covered by a couple feet of water racing like the rapids on a raft float. Ahead was an abandoned car in the median and a quarter mile of rushing water between us and the main road. As we drove/floated through the running water, I was picturing us barefoot and shivering, holding our bags over our head, trying to keep our balance as we trudged from our abandoned car. Not to worry, we made it safe and sound with a good story to tell.* The speech went well, and after some flying delays due to the horrific weather I made it home that evening.

*I left after my presentation, however, the other members of my team and scores of others had to be rescued from the hotel by trucks later in the day as the flooding forced the closure of the Marriott.

Weekly Photos
Alas, this week I only produced one photo worth sharing. Here is an airplane window shot at sunset somewhere over Georgia.

Georgia Sunset

However, just for fun, I pulled out some old pre-blog shots from different locations that you might find interesting. Let me know if you can guess where they were taken.

Surfer

Travelers

Wolves

Asian Man

Portrait of a Friend

Casper

Old Trucks
Here are two not-published old truck pics.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

See you next week.

P.S. Motoring Across America 2013 is getting closer!

Blog 145: Mitzy in the Meadow

Quick Trip to DC
I had a super three-day session with a great client in DC. While there, a record was set for the highest temperature in 90 years (94 degrees) and the highest pollen count (at least I think it had to be a record)--there is a downside to cherry blossoms, you know.

Around the Island
It is getting quieter on the Island as the Snowbirds fly (or drive) back up North. Here are pics of a staring osprey, a beautiful weed, and Mitzy in the meadow.

Staring Osprey

Beautiful Weed

Mitzy in the Meadow

Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

See you next week.

Blog 144: Easter Eggs and Watching Whales

Easter Eggs
Easter Sunday started with a traditional egg hunt, and our four searchers (Austin, Natalie, Mitzy, and Jerry) emerged victorious, finding all 39 of the hidden eggs. Natalie put on her new kimono in honor of the holiday.

Austin

Easter Kimono

Mitzy

Watching Whales
A family trip to SeaWorld was a delight in the deep, with all sorts of aquatic action and marine mischief. My favorite is always the Shamu Show. The grandkids and their parents liked it all.

Shamu Show #1

Shamu Show #2

Happy Family

Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

See you next week.

Blog 143: Shakedown Sortie and Doing Disney

Shakedown Sortie
In anticipation of our upcoming Motoring Across America, we took the motorhome up to Apopka (NE of Orlando). Everything seems to be running great except for the small anticipated issues of a house that goes 70 miles an hour. Our campsite was comfortable and the campground had all the basics (cable TV, WiFi, pool, playground, and so on). A big plus is that it is five minutes away from relatives.

Janny on Hammock

Sandhill Crane

Butterfly

Duck

Nattie and Aaron

Play Time

Cooling Off

Dating Ritual

Wow! Is She Hot

Doing Disney
Our son, Aaron, and our daughter-in-law, Kelly, brought almost six-year-old Austin and almost one-year-old Natalie to Disney to take in all the action at the Mouse. Grandma and Grandpa did a day at Magic Kingdom and a day at Epcot (with a day of recovery in between). I have never seen so many strollers and Big Ears in my life! Everyone had a wonderful time.

Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom Pano

Stroller Alley

Jan and Austie

Nattie and Kelly

Nattie

Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

See you next week.

Blog 142: Meadow Romp and Building Boom

Around the Island
A busy week on the Island with the Snow Birds in full swing and Island happenings as plentiful as billboards in Georgia.

New housing is finally up this year as the recovery slowly progresses. All is well.

Housing Boom

Meadow Jerry

Yellow Flower

Did You Hear the One...

Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

See you next week.

Blog 141: Chilly Chicago and a Tortoise Butt

Around the Island
Out on walks, we discovered a Muscovy duck and her brood, and the Kids were fascinated by a Gopher Tortoise ( I was able to capture her as she entered her den).

Muscovy Duck and Brood

Tortoise Butt

Quick Trip to Chicago
I flew to Chicago to give a keynote speech, however, I had a few hours to walk around the city to take a few shots. If I got bored working in my room, I just opened the curtain to watch the crane operator--he was at eye level. Now there is a guy with a fun job!

View from My Room

Pretty Chicago

Chilly Chicago

Chicago Pigeon

Chicago Duck

Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

See you next week.

Blog 140: Rosy Cheeks and Daring Doves

Around the Island
Here are a few random shots from around the Island this week.

Island Pup

Daring Doves

Chilly Friends

Footprints

Island Ride #1

Island Ride #2

Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

See you next week.

Blog 139: Pampered Princess and a Pelican on a Piling

Hot and muggy then cool and chilly…the winter weather patterns in Florida vacillated this week like a teenager contemplating a first date. I write this Sunday morning listening to the patter of raindrops on the metal roof--a soothing rhythm that offers reassurance that nature is still aligned with the universe.

On a less philosophical note, it was a busy week on the Island doing lots of writing/developing/reviewing/adjusting/enhancing work outputs while seriously planning Motoring Across America ’13. Yes, it is almost time to fire up BERT (our Big Expensive Road Traveler) and head West.

Around the Island
Here are a few random shots from around the Island this week.

Island Cat

Pink Flower

Squirrel

Lizard

Ready for Take-Off

Don't Jump!

Life Is Sweet...

Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

See you next week.

Blog 138: Take the Long Way Home

Quick Trip to Boston
I started off the week with a chilly trip to Boston to begin an engagement with a new client. As I walked from my hotel to their office in the biting wind tearing at my coat and through the crunching snow numbing my feet, it reminded me of Florida, only different. Great group, with folks from Germany, France, Spain, Holland, and Sweden.

Take the Long Way Home
We had driven from the island to Apopka (NW of Orlando) so that Jan and the Kids could visit relatives while I was gone. On our drive back, we decide to take the long way home…our wish was granted :’>>>

About 70 miles from home heading southbound on County Road 660 just north of Limestone, I watched with annoyance, then displeasure, then dismay, as the dial on the temperature gauge marched from “C” to “H” faster than Sherman took Atlanta. As the Borg from Star Trek would say, “resistance would be futile,” so I pulled over off the road around 2:40 p.m., looked under the hood, and then turned off the engine. Luckily there was a little shade, as the temperature was around 83 degrees.

Jan pulled up “auto repair, Arcadia FL” on her iPhone, and I talked with Tex, the proprietor of Tex’s Auto Repair. He said he’d do his best to get us up and moving, and he’d send a tow truck right out. Being 14.7 miles away, we hoped the wrecker would arrive in a half hour or so…a couple hours later Bobby Suggs in the Bobby Suggs wrecker pulled up, loaded our car, and the five of us pulled into Tex’s place at 5:07 p.m.

Tex did a quick but thorough analysis and determined the cause of the problem was a stuck thermostat. Since it was after five, his phone calls attempting to locate a thermostat all went to voicemail. Faced with staying another day (or two or three) in Arcadia, Bobby agreed to take us the remaining 55 miles back home. By the way, Tex would not take a penny for his help--always great to deal with people of integrity. Here is a pic of a smiling Bobby unloading our Honda at home (actually, he was a very nice, interesting guy. Plus his charge seemed quite fair for the distance of the haul).

I'm in the Money...

Around the Island
Here are a few random shots from around the Island this week.

Happy Pup

Pelican

Seascape

Handsome Couple

A Day at the Office

Watch What Happens...

Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

See you next week.

Blog 137: Chowder Champ and One Big Fish

Chowder Cook Off
This week was the second annual Pine Island Boat Club’s Cook Off. Although we had other plans, the past commodore of the Club demanded that Jan participate, as she was the winner of the Inaugural Chile Cook Off held last year (another proud day in the Alexander family).

Fifteen contestants of varying styles and demeanors had prepared their chowders with glee and gusto. Boat Club members (plus three unrecognized people who walked in from the street), ambled down the chowder table, sampling, scrutinizing, and sizing up the selection. All the while the smells of clams, shrimp, grouper, and other mysteries blended with spices, sauces, creams, and broths floating through the air like a Mozart concerto in an auditorium.

As is always the case with Pine Island contests, very strict rules were in place for the judging. No snooty culinary “experts” were to impose their personal taste standards on this group! Just like in Washington, tasters voted with their pocketbooks…if you liked the chowder, you put dough in the dish, currency in the can, bucks in the bucket. Sneaking in a few extra bucks for a spouse or a friend was not frowned upon, but admired.

Chowder Champ

Tallying the Votes

PIBC Cookoff

Isn't This Fun?

Around the Island
Here are a few random shots from around the Island this week.

Bird

Pink Flowers

Jerry

Mitzy

Seagrape Leaves

Eagle

What Are You Staring At?

Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

See you next week.

Blog 136: Attack of the Giant Tomatoes

Boat Club Meeting
Here are three “comic-tized” shots from the last Pine Island Boat Club meeting.

The Hills Are Alive...

Oh, My...

Flip-Flops

Hot Dogs and Potatoes Recipe
Last week’s blog prompted some requests for Jan’s Hot Dogs and Potatoes recipe. Here you go:
  • Oscar Meyer hot dogs, sliced lengthwise
  • Yellow onion, cut in rings
  • Montreal steak seasoning
  • Yukon gold potatoes (with skin) sliced
  • Tomato soup
  • Water (1/2-can for each can of soup you use)

Fry the dogs with onions in olive oil until both are pretty much deeply browned (maybe almost burned). After the dogs are almost burned, add the potatoes and soup. Season with Montreal seasoning, cover, and cook until the potatoes are done. The soup gravy gets thicker the longer it rests.

Around the Island
Here are a few random shots from around the Island this week.

Bird on a Wire

Pine Island Boat

Pine Island Palms

Twin Palms

Pelican

Two Tomatoes

Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

See you next week.

Blog 135: Hot Dogs and Potatoes

Hot Dogs and Potatoes
A favorite meal of Jan’s when she was a little tyke was hot dogs and potatoes. Over the years she has transformed this simple meal into a culinary experience. It is a dinner I look forward to. Jan does not make this meal for just anyone--only true foodies with a sophisticated tongue, sensitive palate, and a sense of daring. We had six such people over the other night to try this exotic dish.

Hot Dogs and Potatoes

Are You Sure This Was Served at the Whitehouse?

The Great Automobile Race of 1908
Our neighbor and friend’s great grandfather was the captain of the winning crew that first made the trip from New York City to Paris via automobile in 1908. In a solo act, our neighbor brought this phenomenal journey to life as he played his grandfather on stage, recounting this amazing journey. Just remarkable. www.TheGreatAutoRace.com

The Great Auto Race Presentation

Jeff Mahl

A Captivated Audience

Let Me See...

As a fundraiser, the Calusa Land Trust (www.calusalandtrust.org) sponsored the auto race act along with an antique car show. Here are a few shots of cool old cars.

Vintage Car #1

Vintage Car #2

Vintage Car #3

Vintage Car #4

Vintage Car #5

Happy Spectators

Around the Island
Here are a few random shots from around the Island this week.

Wine on Post

Post

I  Just Hate It When...

Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks also from the antique car show.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

See you next week.

Blog 134: Hokey Pokey

Around the Island
Here are a few random shots from around the Island this week.

Sunset #1

Sunset #2

The Pups

Hokey Pokey

Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

See you next week.

Blog 133: Irritating Eagles and Ornery Ospreys

Aerial Combat
I was walking the Pups on a windy Thursday afternoon, when a streak caught my eye. I looked up and saw a mature bald eagle flying across the sky at mach 1, with two screaming ospreys in hot pursuit. All three big birds would change direction as quickly as campaigning politicians, diving and dodging, zigging and zagging, all across the horizon. It reminded me of the WWII dogfight footage from the George Lucas movie Red Tails, except the pace I observed was much faster.

As I watched this aerial display of flying prowess and precision, I contemplated the rationale for this dramatic but dangerous behavior. Could a change of diet have caused the eagle to be aggressive? Might an exotic virus be affecting its central nervous system? Possibly global warming had raised the body temperature and heightened mood swings?

Then it struck me like an answer to a Cash Cab question, the eagle must have been bored! What could be more cheering to the Big Bird then messing with the high-strung, totally neurotic, one-level-down-on-the-avian-food-chain osprey? Fly within 50 feet of their nest and you can count on an osprey counterattack as surely as you will find cold beer in fisherman’s cooler. What a spectacle! I wasn’t fast enough to capture the eagle-osprey interaction with my camera, but I got one decent shot of an osprey launching into the sky to join the foray. Can’t wait for tomorrow.

Osprey

Around the Island
Here are a few random shots from around the Island this week.

Jerry

Mitzy

Floating Coconut

I Want Fish

Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks...well, the appropriate classification of one of them is up for consideration.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

See you next week.


Blog 132: Island Heat

Around the Island
Sunny and unusually warm (low 80 degrees) week on the Island. I enjoyed a nice pattern each day--early morning walk/bike ride, work most of the day, followed by bike ride/cart ride. Old British TV shows at night. Not bad, eh?

Here are a few shots taken on the Island this week.

Red Flower

Bird of Paradise

Foggy Morning

Morning Reflection

Pondering Eagle

Did You Hear the One...

Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

See you next week.

Blog 131: Mitzy Mystery

Around the Island
Here are a few shots taken on the Island this week: Stella and her mom going on a “walk,” Mitzy solving a mystery, and a couple variations of a Pine Island sunrise.

Stella and Her Mom

Brown Swiss

Pine Island Sunset #1

Pine Island Sunset #2

Retiring?
I have had questions regarding if I was retiring since we will be RVing full-time. The answer is no--I can work anywhere there is web access and an airport within an hour or so. I enjoy my profession and will still be researching/writing/speaking/advising/training on improving the customer experience and building effective services businesses.

Alex

New Year’s Eve Video Shoot
To emphasize the point about not retiring, while most of you were enjoying the holiday, I was busy at work on New Year’s Eve. With help from Suzanne and Jan, we shot a video for marketing my business this week--lights, boom mic, stereo recorder--the whole shebang.

Stuff for Sale
I’ve added an old butcher block and a couple of cool electric lanai heaters to my “stuff for sale” listing. If interested, check it out here.

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.

Old Truck #1

Old Truck #2

Old Truck #3

See you next week.