CONTENTS
Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week: Great Dane and a “Great” Grandson
Pups Across America! - Our latest canine encounters: Meet Jackson
RV Gourmet - Jan shares her on-the-go culinary secrets: Not this Week
Favorite Photographs - Pick pics, pointers, and ponderings: Infrared Jerry
Travel Tools & Toys - Gadgets for fun and productivity: Not this Week
Camper’s Corner - Thoughts on were we stayed and other RV topics: Not this Week
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading: Parker then Southwest

REARVIEW MIRROR
Start: Chief Hosa Lodge and Campground, Golden, CO
Stop: Austin’s Home, Parker CO

Sunday
In the morning Grandma and Austie went exploring and running errands in the car while I worked on the computer. Around 1:00 we all boarded into the car and drove the 40 minutes to Austie’s parents.

Tubbing It
We had some brunch and I drank the obligatory glass of Sunday champagne while taking a hot bath in the Helman’s tub. This is one of the very few things I miss when out roughing it in our motorhome :’>>>.

Sightseeing
After saying our goodbyes to Austie and his parents, we took the long way home, admiring the mansions and estates in old neighborhoods in old downtown Denver. We cut across on Highway 40 through old sections, new sections and those in-between. As we got close to our campground we decided to do a little more exploring so we went up Lookout Mountain stopping at an old mansion and then checking out the visitor center of a mountaintop nature preserve.

We decided to make late Sunday afternoon date night, so we drove past our exit stopping at a long-established Mexican restaurant about half way to Evergreen. Leaving the Pups in our shaded car, we entered this establishment and I enjoyed fish tacos complimented by pale ale.

Monday
Atlanta
Just like the Tuesday before, the Little Ones and Jan drove me to the Denver airport for my trip to Atlanta. A boring flight, an uneventful short public transportation trip from the airport to Peachtree via MARTA, and a short walk to the Hilton Atlanta. Wow, was it quiet! Seemed as if there was hardly anyone staying there. I stayed behind doors dining in and reading up on photographic techniques.

Tuesday
Executive Services Forum
After a workout in the fitness center, I shared a breakfast of oatmeal and berries with Ben, my friend and colleague from Service Strategies. I was there to participate in their event in which twenty-some services executives posed questions and discussed issues of mutual importance. I gave a short presentation on highlights from my book, and facilitated a discussion on selling services. It was a good day with lots of interest, open sharing, and professional collegiality. Late afternoon we retired to the restaurant at the top of the hotel for cocktail hour and a meal. It is always a pleasure to meet old friends and create new ones, as services people are good folks.

Trip Home
I departed before desert in time to retrace my walk, take the trip south on MARTA, and board my train back to the Atlanta airport. After some short delays, I arrived back at Denver International around midnight. As always, I was met by Jan and the faithful canines who both swore I’d been gone for a month as they sat on my lap and updated me on their days.

Wednesday
Red Rocks
Since we were only a few miles from Red Rocks, it would have been a shame not to visit. Hence, mid-afternoon we drove the ten minutes there and took a short hike to explore. As the name implies, the place is all about red rocks. An amphitheater was built as a work project in the 1930s by the CCC. Cool place.

Action Jackson
At 5:30 PM after our gin rummy game, Jan and I took the Pups down to the area in the campground we had designated for the evening pup shoot. We practiced action shooting with Mitzy and Jerry (well, mainly Jerry), till our subject, Jackson, the nine-month-old, 102-pound Great Dane puppy bounded toward us followed by his Pup Parent and her four-year old son. I immediately discounted the use of a tripod with this rambunctious youngster who went from one situation to the next--standing on his back legs kissing his Mom, chasing sober Mitzy, running with his stick, bounding across the field, and just enjoying the heck out of all the attention! It was just a blast.

Thursday
Across Town
I awoke with that “oh no” scratch in my throat--the inevitable outcome of riding on airplanes with recirculated air, populated by kids with colds, and the sneezes from Northerners! Oh, well.

We did our morning chores then loaded up BALY for the hour trip across town. Jan had found us a safe place (a horse ranch) to leave the coach close to Austin’s house. Here we loaded up the stuff we’d need for a week with Austie.

At 5:30 I drove the five minutes to Mrs. Z’s to pick up the Little Man. He was in a little bit of a surly mood, which is very unusual for him. Find out he was concerned about Mom and Dad being away and reacted the way most of us do when we don’t like a situation. However, he recovered at his home and we settled in for the evening. Because of my cold, I shunned myself from the rest of the tribe and camped out by myself in the guest bedroom.

Friday
Home Alone
While Jan did all the necessary things required to run our temporary household, I alternated between work on the computer and napping in the bed. Absolutely mandatory that Papa be well with three straight days of grandparenting coming up!

Swimming Pool
Mid-afternoon I broke hibernation and took the Pups out for a stroll in the 80-degree weather. I then practiced on the Pups getting used to my new lens while Jan pumped up Austin’s new swimming pool. Janny picked up the Little Man from the sitter at 5:30, then it was a quick change into trunks and Austie was testing out his new backyard water playground. It was a success. Getting a break from cooking, we ordered in pizza, watched a little TV, and kept the Little Man out of trouble.

Saturday
Busy Day
At 7:30 sharp we dropped off Mitzy to get a wash and wax; she was getting a little scruffy. Then the three of us had breakfast a half block from the dog trimmer. We then stopped off at Super Target to get Papa some cold remedies. This was followed by a half-hour-plus at the playground at the park down the road. Then back to the ranch until the phone call came for Jan to come get Mitzy--what a sleek beast!

PUPS ACROSS AMERICA!
Take a look at a few of the pics from the Jackson shoot. What a handful!

Also, we have finalized dates for our event with the city of Carslbad, California. It will run both days over Father’s Day weekend, Saturday and Sunday, June 19 and 20. More to come very soon.

Schedule Your Pup Shoots
May 30 through June 2
Durning this time we will be “camping out” at the Little Man’s home in Parker, Colorado (SE of Denver) for a babysitting gig while his mom and dad take a short vacation. We will be available for private pup shoots in the SE Denver area on May 31 (Memorial Day) through June 2.

June 2 till June 17
Heading toward Chaco Canyon then work our way down to Southern California.

June 19 and June 20 (Father’s Day Weekend)
Two day pup shot in beautiful Carlsbad, California. Details to be available soon.

Please e-mail me at alex@PupsAcrossAmerica or call me at 239-671-0740 to set up a shoot, or if you have ideas or suggestions.

Pass the Word
Know other Pup Parents who might enjoy this blog and the Pups Across America event? Please spread the word.

RV GOURMET
Nothing this Week

FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPHS
I’m most fond of “Infrared Jerry.” This was a special setting that gives the look of using an infrared camera. What do you think?

TRAVEL TOOLS & TOYS
Nothing this Week

CAMPER’S CORNER
Nothing this Week

HEADLIGHTS
May 30 through June 2
During this time we will be “camping out” at the Little Man’s home in Parker, Colorado (SE of Denver) for a babysitting gig while his mom and dad take a short vacation. We will be available for private pup shoots in the SE Denver area on May 31 (Memorial Day) through June 2.

June 3 till June 17
Heading toward Chaco Canyon then work our way down to Southern California.

June 19 and June 20 (Father’s Day Weekend)
Two day pup shot in beautiful Carlsbad, California. Details to be available soon. Please let your San Diego-area Pup Parents know about it.

Going to be near? Look us up. Have some suggestions? We are open. Know a Pup Parent in the vicinity? Pass on this Web site and have them give me a call to schedule a shooting of their best friend.

CONTENTS
Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week: Weekly highlights plus Jerry’s Snake Encounter!
Pups Across America! - Our latest canine encounters: Meet Logan and Sky
RV Gourmet - Jan shares her on-the-go culinary secrets: Sole Florentine with Almonds
Favorite Photographs - Pick pics, pointers, and ponderings: Tunnel Vision
Travel Tools & Toys - Gadgets for fun and productivity: GoogleMaps
Camper’s Corner - Thoughts on were we stayed and other RV topics: Chief Hosa Campground
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

REARVIEW MIRROR
Start: Chief Hosa Lodge and Campground, Golden, CO
Stop: Chief Hosa Lodge and Campground, Golden, CO

Sunday
Champagne Tradition
In the morning Grandma and Austie took a drive while I toiled away on the computer. Around noon we piled into the car and drove the 40 minutes to Austie’s parents. Putting the Little Man to bed (driving puts him to sleep :>>>), Jan and I took the Pups out for a couple-mile walk behind Aaron and Kelly’s house. Just a beautiful day and it was great to hang in their backyard, watch Jerry run in the grass, and sip on the mandatory Sunday champagne.

Monday
Close to the Coach
I worked in the morning, ending with my noon marketing call. While I was engaged, Jan and the Pups went exploring. They all came back excited about their morning trek, and when I finished up early afternoon, we got back in the car and re-traced their steps.

Scenic Drive
We drove past Evergreen for the day’s scenic tour. After lots of ups and downs, rights and lefts, oohs and aahs, we came to the base of Mount Evans, one of Colorado’s 14ers (mountains over 14,000 feet high). Unfortunately it was early in the season and the Evans Mountain road had not yet opened. That’s too bad, as it was the first mountain road built in the U.S., and has a reputation of being one buena vista. However, we continued on the scenic path and U-turned our way to Idaho Springs, a handsome old mining town. We drove through the town admiring the simple yet handsome architecture. Then we jumped on to I-70 returning to camp.

Tuesday
On to Mouseville
Hitting the road early, Jan and the Little Ones drove me to the Denver airport and left me to start my flying voyage to Orlando, the land of the mouse.

Fire Engines on the Tarmac
Just as we were landing in Atlanta from Denver, the lead flight attendant announced that there were two fire engines approaching us and that normally that was a cause for concern, but not today. This was the last flight for our retiring captain, Tom Hayden. A customary ritual was to occur: a water cannon salute from the fire engines. I grabbed my point and shoot and was able to get a quick window picture of one of the fire engines in full spray. Upon hearing the lead flight attendant say in dismay that she regretted not having a camera to capture the moment, I took a couple good shots of Tom coming out of the cockpit and then Tom posing with the two attendants. Just as he was about to go to his station by the door to say goodbye to the passengers, I told the lead to give him a big kiss. She responded enthusiastically and laid one on the big guy before he could move another step. I hope you are pleased with the results. (Note that I e-mailed the pilot and got his permission to use the photos in the blog.) Now that was fun.

Family Time
After a non-eventful flight to Orlando and a Nathan’s cheese-and-onion hot dog for lunch, I rented a car and drove the 40 minutes to Moreen and Brad’s (Jan’s aunt and uncle) in Apopka. After a glass of wine, lots of catching up on family news, followed by a meatloaf dinner, we settled in and watched Invictus, a very well done, feel-good movie about a truly courageous individual and his impact on South Africa and the world. I recommend it.

Wednesday
Training
After breakfast, I drove the 50 minutes to Celebration, Florida, near Kissimmee. Here I ran a public workshop at Stetson University designed to help services account managers enhance their skills. Nice group of people; we had a good day. As an aside, the new Thai restaurant a few blocks away was quite good.

Dinner and Desert
That evening I took Aunt and Unc out for dinner followed by a quick trip to some good friends of theirs, Anne and Pete. There we had a glass of wine, admired some of Anne’s photos (she is an accomplished photographer), and tasted some her homemade, gotta-love-it, peanut butter dark chocolate. Love high-quality chocolate? Then you have to check out Anne’s Web site, Chocolate Mountain of Vail www.chocolatemountain.com .

Thursday
This was the second day of the services account management training and again it went well. I took some pics of participants and a very short video clip. Then it was back in the rental car, into the airport, and into the flying routine eventually ending up at Denver International. As always, I was given the conquerer’s welcome, my own water canon salute with tails a-wagging and canine kisses as soon as I opened the car door.

Friday
Out for a Hike
While I was working in the morning, Jan and the Pups were out exploring. In the afternoon they took me back to their main sites and we hiked a trail in Mount Falcon Park in Jefferson County, about 30 minutes from our campground. The weather was about perfect for hiking (low 70s) and we had a nice time along with lots of other dogs and their pet parents.

Snake!
I was wandering around the old Walker Castle remains (it burned down 80 years ago) taking pictures, while Jan was exploring with both Pups on leashes. I came around the corner of the ruins just in time to see Jan simultaneously yank back on both leashes jump up six inches and leap back two feet. I knew immediately what had occurred. She said later that she heard “hissing” that turned out to be the warning alarm of a four-and-half-foot Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, the deadliest snake in North America. We were quite fortunate, as Jerry had moved within about a couple feet of this coiled creature before Jan reacted. Thinking of the possible outcome made me shutter...

As luck would have it, I had a 15mm fisheye lens on the camera and had brought no other lenses, so getting close enough for a nice tight shot was out of the question. Hence, I stayed a healthy dozen feet away, took a shot, and had to crop it on the computer a bunch to get anything worthwhile.

Cripes, first coyotes, and now rattlers!

Austin and Aaron
As the week before, Austin and AJ drove out to have our Friday evening meal. Jan cooked up baked chicken, scalloped potatoes, fresh asparagus, garlic bread, with smores for dessert (both traditional and Reeses Peanut Butter).

Then it was time for family movie time, and we sat down and watched the bestseller, Mickey’s Great Clubhouse Hunt. Soon the bed filled up and the five of us drifted off to sleep.

Windy Night
The wind picked up late in the evening. Since we were camped in a forest of pines, pine cones randomly fell on BALY’s roof sounding like bowling balls landing on plate glass. Like most other things, we quickly adjusted to the new sound and slept soundly.

Saturday
Early Morning Quiet
My strategy of getting up early before the rest of the household worked well, sort of. At 6:30 I saw a three-foot shadow with bright blue eyes dragging a blanket in one hand and carrying a juice bottle in the other. “Good morning, Papa,” came out of the Little Man’s mouth. Soon Toy Story was playing on the TV, applesauce with strawberries was being consumed at (and around) the table, Spiderman was flying in his plane, and a multitude of questions were being posed and responded to.

When Jan got up and had her first cup of coffee, I took the Little Ones for a walk in the gusting winds. When I returned, Jan and the rest of her support crew headed off in the car to give me a couple hours at the computer before more family activities were planned.

Late afternoon we left the Little Ones at home (they watched us depart through the front window looking like destitute waifs from a Dicken’s novel) and headed for a playground. Our strategy was to wear Austie out, then put him to sleep on the ride home. He had a fun time scooting down the slide, walking over the bridge, swinging, and playing hide-and-seek with Grandpa in the tunnel. After a stop at Baskin Robbins for a cherry ice cream cone, we made our way back to the campground, had lunch, and eventually got Little Blue Eyes to nap.

PUPS ACROSS AMERICA!
We have finalized dates for our event with the city of Carslbad, California. It will run both days over Father’s Day weekend, Saturday and Sunday, June 19 & 20. More to come very soon.

I’ve also included a couple pup shoot shots: the Yellow Lab male pup, Logan, and an old female yellow lab, Sky. Good lookers, don’t you think.

Schedule Your Pup Shoots
May 23 to May 27
We will remain in Golden, Colorado (NW of Denver) at the Chief Hosa Lodge and Campground until May 27.

May 28 through June 1
Durning this time we will be “camping out” at the Little Man’s home in Parker, Colorado (SE of Denver), for a babysitting gig while his mom and dad take a short vacation. We will be available for private pup shoots in the SE Denver area on May 28 through May 31 (Memorial Day).

June 2 till June 17
Heading toward Chaco Canyon, then work our way down to Southern California.

June 19 and June 20 (Father’s Day Weekend)
Two-day pup shoot in beautiful Carlsbad, California. Details to be available soon.

Please e-mail me at alex@PupsAcrossAmerica or call me at 239-671-0740 to set up a shoot, or if you have ideas or suggestions.

Pass the Word
Know other Pup Parents that might enjoy this blog and the Pups Across America event? Please spread the word.

RV GOURMET: Sole Florentine with Almonds
1/4 c almonds toasted
1/4 c chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 t olive oil
1 10 oz. package shopped spinach, thawed and drained (I used fresh)
1/2 c crumbled feta cheese
1 2 oz. jar sliced pimento, drained
1 t grated lemon rind
1/2 t sea salt
1/4 t oregano
1/8 t white pepper
1 lb. fresh sole fillets
2 T butter, melted
2 T Lemon Juice
Paprika

Cook onion and garlic in olive oil until tender. Combine onion mixture, spinach, pimento, cheese, lemon rind, salt, oregano and pepper. Spread spinach mixture in an 8-inch baking dish, arrange fish over spinach. Combine butter and lemon juice, brush over fish add almonds and sprinkle with paprika.

Place dish in oven at 350 degrees for 14 to 16 minutes until fish flakes easily when tested with fork.

Jan also says adding whole grain wild rice would be another good option. This recipe is just wonderful. I highly recommend it.

FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPHS
Thanks to all of you who responded positively about the larger photos and the slide show. Take a look at this week’s fare, especially “Tunnel Vision,” my favorite for the week.

TRAVEL TOOLS & TOYS: GoogleMaps
As I’ve stated before, I like to be pretty sure of things before lumbering our 30,000 pound motorhome, BALY, down the road. So along with the 2010 version of the big Rand McNally atlas, current state maps, and a GPS, the (normally) reliable GoogleMaps is great to have for quality control. If you have Internet access while you travel, you can pull it up on your iPad or smart phone and zoom in/out on your intended destination. Unlike our Garmin, you can also see the complete route to better plan ahead. Finally, it often gives you two or three options to consider, where alas, again, our Garmin does not. Finally, if you have a printer in your vehicle like we do, you can print it out--quite helpful if you lose your Internet connection and/or satellite signal. Yes, I know there are plenty of other similar services, and I doublecheck with MapQuest if I have some doubts, but all in all I prefer GoogleMaps, http://maps.google.com/.

How about you?

CAMPER’S CORNER
Chief Hosa campground is a Colorado-owned mountain campground and the oldest campground designated for motorized campers. It is 7,800 feet up, nestled among tall pines, with views of the mountains on two sides, it is restful to the eyes and peaceful to the soul. It has good AT&T and Verizon mobile services, plus the campground WiFi works well most of the time. Since the sites were designed among the trees before behemoth motor homes with multiple slides were invented, big rigs are limited and driving in and out takes a little skill. Furthermore, only two of the sites have sewer, and there are only three television stations available with roof top antennas (all educational). This is not an issue unless you are hosting young kids and you run out of videos! However, overall this is a wonderful place. I recommend it.

HEADLIGHTS
May 23 to May 27
We will remain in Golden, Colorado (NW of Denver), at the Chief Hosa Lodge and Campground until May 27.

May 28 through June 1
Durning this time we will be “camping out” at the Little Man’s home in Parker, Colorado (SE of Denver), for a babysitting gig while his mom and dad take a short vacation. We will be available for private pup shoots in the SE Denver area on May 28 through May 31 (Memorial Day).

June 2 till June 17
Heading toward Chaco Canyon then work our way down to Southern California.

June 19 and June 20 (Father’s Day Weekend)
Two day pup shoot in beautiful Carlsbad, California. Details to be available soon.

Going to be near? Look us up. Have some suggestions? We are open. Know a Pup Parent in the vicinity? Pass on this Web site and have them give me a call to schedule a shooting of their best friend.

CONTENTS
Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week: Deer, snow, and mountains
Pups Across America! - Our latest canine encounters: New marketing campaign
RV Gourmet - Jan shares her on-the-go culinary secrets: Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs
Favorite Photographs - Pick pics, pointers, and ponderings: New photo albums plus video
Travel Tools & Toys - Gadgets for fun and productivity: Skype
Camper’s Corner - Thoughts on were we stayed and other RV topics
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

REARVIEW MIRROR
Start: Cherry Creek State Park, CO
Stop: Chief Hosa Lodge and Campground, Golden, CO

Sunday
Mother’s Day Action
Just a gorgeous day, and I believe every person and every dog in Colorado was out enjoying the weather. Early afternoon we visited the Little Man and his parents, sitting outside and watching the round, shiny outputs of Austin’s three bubble machines. Later we went down to “Old Parker” for a meal we consumed outside. After this late lunch, Jan and Kelly chatted, while Aaron and I took Austin down to the park to slide, swing, and explore.

Monday
I worked in the morning culminating with my noon marketing call. Overall a good, but not too exciting day, until the wee hours of the morning that is. Our deep sleep was interrupted by a coyote chorus coming close to the coach. No kidding, the wails from this pack seemed to be coming from within a football field’s length. What they lacked in harmony they made up for in volume. Man, I wish I’d have recorded it :’<<<.

Tuesday
Spent the day in camp chained to my desk and glued to my phone. Late afternoon, as Jan and I were playing our daily game or two of gin rummy, the Little One’s Alerted us to intruders. Slowly, a herd of about a dozen mule deer grazed their way across the campground, traversing within twenty feet of our motor home, BALY. We all had fun watching them, and I got a couple decent photos out of it to boot.

Wednesday
Snow
One of our reasons for leaving Florida was to escape the heat, and I can definitely say that we have accomplished that objective. Twenty-eight degrees and snow on the ground. I took the Little Ones out for a walk in the morning, but I almost had to drag them—ten minutes and they were dog-sled pulling me back to the coach.

White Walk
After breakfast, Jan and I bundled up and went for a long walk, enjoying the white patterns created by the weather.

Molly Brown
Mid-afternoon we loaded up the Kids and drove to downtown Denver, where we took the tour of the Molly Brown house. You know, the one from the play “The Unsinkable Molly Brown.” This remarkable woman did much more than survive the sinking of the Titanic. This ditch digger’s daughter from Hannibal, Missouri, spoke five languages, traveled the globe, and spoke out for women’s causes, miner safety, and legal rights for the poor. Remarkable.

Thursday
Another workday writing proposals, preparing presentations, meetings on the phone—not good content for a travel blog!

Friday
Social Media
Spent an hour and one-half in the morning via Skype learning more about social media from Kathy, my virtual advisor from Nova Scotia. I’m trying to figure out Facebook and Twitter for both our for-fun travel/dog photography venture and my for-money consulting practice.Thank goodness for Skype! This call to Canada would have been $40 or more, yet by using Skype on the computer it was free. Gotta love the technology.

Time to Move
Late morning we left the Cherry Creek State Park campground in the SE side of metro Denver and drove to a campground outside of Golden in the NW part of the Denver area. In the mountains at 7,800 feet it is just gorgeous. Once again I spent most of the day on consulting/training stuff with a series of phone call from California, Canada, and Ireland.

More Snow
Late in the afternoon the rain started, then turned to snow. The flakes were as big as nickels floating down. Fun to watch from inside our cozy home on wheels, making us quite thankful we are not tenters.

What a Meal
About 7:00 p.m. our grandson Austie arrived along with his dad, Aaron. Grandma Jan served the perfect comfort food for this chilly night, Italian spaghetti and meatballs. Check out the RV Gourmet for the details. It was just wonderful. After dinner, Aaron and I talked about RVing, travel, history, and my hero, Winston Churchill. All the while Janny was cleaning up, making Smores on the stove top, participating in our conversation, and setting up YouTube cartoons of Mickey Mouse (some in Spanish) and Tom & Jerry. A fun, family evening.

Saturday
As expected, the morning was a chilly 35 degrees. Jan and I had made a good plan: that of taking the Little Man to a dog park and doing some dog photos, but it was just too cold for us Floridians.

We went out for breakfast and ordered Mickey Mouse pancakes for Austin. We went for a drive, and Jerry spotted two coyotes. Next stop was Blockbuster where we armed ourselves with four DVD to help keep the Little Man occupied as the weather wasn’t the best. Early evening Kelly and Aaron showed up and we had a nice dinner and a card game of Hearts. Another great week.

PUPS ACROSS AMERICA!
I am excited. We have changed our value proposition, business model, and approach in how we go about the pup shoots. People can still book a shoot for the great price of $49.95 or they can get a free color print—no other charge—just for participating. However, I’ll post several photos from the shoot on a private site where they can purchase electronic photo versions if they wish. What a deal!

Take a look at the changes on the Pups Page (www.PupsAcrossAmerica.com) to see what you think.

We will be in Golden, Colorado (NW of Denver), until May 27 and available for private pup shoots on May 17, 21, 22, 23, and 26. Either at our campsite or a nearby location.

Please e-mail me at alex@PupsAcrossAmerica or call me at 239-671-0740 to set up a shoot or to share your ideas or suggestions.

Pass the Word
Know other Pup Parents who might enjoy this blog and the Pups Across America event? Please spread the word.

RV GOURMET: Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs
Ingredients
MEATBALLS
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound turkey Italian sausage
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg, beaten

SAUCE
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup fresh mushrooms
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 (28 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 bay leaf
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup dry red wine

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder and beaten egg. Mix well and form into 12 balls. Store, covered, in refrigerator until needed.
• In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is translucent. Stir in tomatoes, salt, sugar and bay leaf. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 90 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, basil, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and meatballs and simmer 30 minutes more. Serve.

I love spaghetti and meatballs, and this recipe is one of my favorites. I think three things help to make this one special. (1) Whole wheat noodles, (2) Substituting one half of the ground beef with the Italian turkey, (3) Adding the red wine late in the sauce creation process. Remember Jan’s motto: “I like cooking with wine and sometimes I even put it in the food!”

FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPHS
Click on the new Photo Albums page and you can down see larger, higher-quality versions of the photos embedded in the blog. Plus, you can view them in slide show format as well. This has been done for all five weeks so far so check them out and let me know what you think.

Also new this week (see below) is a 35-second video of a bellowing male gator taken from some footage I took during Week Two at the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine.

TRAVEL TOOLS & TOYS: Skype
I’ve used Skype off and on for years, as I’d bet that many of you have also. However, don’t take it for granted; Skype is an amazing tool—one that allows you to talk to people all over the globe for free. Depending on the countries, this computer-based technology can save you big bucks as well. And of course there are grandmas and grandpas across the continent who not only speak to their grandkids for free but can actually see them via small, inexpensive video cameras ($30 or so). In addition there are apps for iPhones and other smart phones that make using Skype even easier. Sign up at www.skype.com.

CAMPER’S CORNER
Cherry Creek State Park campground is just wonderful. Right by Denver and all the action of this great city is a scenic park with a lake and trails and a herd of mule deer (don’t forget the coyotes) and a full-service campground complete with WiFi. Highly recommended.

HEADLIGHTS
We will be in the Denver area at the Chief Hosa Lodge and Campground near Golden till May 27. We will announce more details on future travel once plans are confirmed. However, the big picture is to start heading SW to southern California.

Going to be near? Look us up. Have some suggestions? We are open. Know a Pup Parent in the vicinity? Pass on this Web site and have them give me a call to schedule a shooting of their best friend.

CONTENTS
Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week: Denver Birthday Action!
Pups Across America! - Our latest canine encounters:
RV Gourmet - Jan shares her on-the-go culinary secrets: Not this week
Favorite Photographs - Pick pics, pointers, and ponderings: Pelé Pic from the Past
Travel Tools & Toys - Gadgets for fun and productivity: Not this week
Camper’s Corner - Thoughts on were we stayed and other RV topics
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

REARVIEW MIRROR
Start: Cherry Creek State Park, CO
Stop: Cherry Creek State Park, CO

Sunday
Wonderful Walk
After working on this blog in the pre-dawn quiet, Little Mitzy came out and told me it was time to go outside. Yikes, it was only 28 degrees! Wearing a long sleeve shirt, ball cap, windbreaker with the hood over my head, the Little Ones and I walked out into the crisp, dawn. This park has paved bike paths all over and we took one at random, winding our way northeast. A heavy cover of dark bluish-black clouds covered the sky except for a ring around the horizon allowing the new Sun to illuminate the chain of Rocky Mountains to the West. The heavy snow on the peaks shone as is every watt of power in Colorado was charging and funneling the glittering light. About 10 minutes into the walk we entered into a surreal setting: standing still, as if positioned by a movie director, was a herd of 20 or so mule deer. Ears erect, all looking at us eye-to-eye, their tannish color blended in with the brownish hues of the grass weeds, and soil around them. Although only 20 feet away, they showed no sign of fear, just a kind of mild curiosity. Furthermore, the Pups paid them no mind at all, appearing more interested in pulling on their leashes and forging ahead like the sled dogs they often mimic. Alas, it was too dark for a sharp photo with my point and shoot, so I tried to meld the scene into my mind for future personal reflection. Just a wonderful walk, one of the best I’ve ever experienced.

Monday
Work in the morning culminating with my noon marketing call where we schemed to sell more books, training, and consulting. In the afternoon we picked up Austin from the sitters and brought him back to the campground where we took short walks, made a campfire, colored, and watched TV.

Tuesday
Spent the day in camp working with a few pup walks interspersed.

Wednesday
This was a work travel day. Jan drove me the 30 minutes to the airport and the rest of the day involved my friends from Delta, Ace Cab, and Hilton as I flew from Denver International to Minneapolis.

Thursday
I spent the day with a client who was interested in taking his services organization to the next level of performance. I interviewed key players, shared best practices, and made recommendations as to opportunities for improvement. Great group of people. After a full day it was back to the airports. I was met at the Denver airport that night by Jan and two excited Little Ones who acted as if I was returning from years being away. Wagging tails, wiggling butts, and wet noses--what a way to be greeted!

Friday
We moved BALY a couple hundred feet to a different camp site and I had an hour telephone training session on the use of Facebook and Twitter--yikes! Mid-afternoon we picked up Austin and hung with him at camp.

Saturday
Road Trip
Since we’d have to leave our current campground soon (21-day limit in the Colorado State Park system), we decided to check out a private campground up past Golden. The Little Ones stayed in the car while Jan, Austie, and I walked the different sites of this wooded campgrounds. We found one with not only a good view and privacy, but an adequate cell phone signal, so we signed up for a two-week stay.

Party Prep
After a stop for ice cream and Campers World (actually we needed a few supplies but the Little Man found the Hagen Daz cooler :>>), we drove Austin home. Here I left Jan as she helped Aaron and Kelly prepare for the upcoming bash. While I was driving back to camp, I could envision what was happening in the Helman’s backyard. A vision of days past popped into my head--the carnies rolling into Titonka, Iowa, in preparation for the yearly Indian Days celebration. In my mind I saw an old rusty Ford truck backing into the driveway, with a couple of worldly/seasoned/crusty/middle-aged men getting out and shlepping cable and chains, boxes and contraptions into the short-time midway.

Show Time
I arrived back to the scene of Austin’s birthday party to see the final preparations put in place. Soon little people aged one to five came along with their Moms and Pops in tow. The Mickey Mouse Bounce House acted as a magnet as the kids ran from the back door to the attraction tearing off their shoes at the urging of their parents then scooting up the entrance. When tired, they could partake in various games including driving Austin’s new battery-powered Jeep, sand-box fun, making original paintings via the painting machine, and a ring-toss/drop kind-of-game. Grandma Jan was a whiz at making the cotton candy and it was a big hit. To refuel there was hot dogs, french fries, fruit sticks, sodas, deviled crab eggs, Mickey Mouse pizza, other stuff, and of course ice-cream birthday cake. Of course I took pictures and experimented taking some video clips which you will eventually see if you like.

Big ending to a big week.

PUPS ACROSS AMERICA!
We will be in the Denver area until May 27 and available for private pup shoots.

Please e-mail me at alex@PupsAcrossAmerica or call me at 239-671-0740 to set up a shoot, or if you have ideas or suggestions.

Pass the Word
Know other Pup Parents who might enjoy this blog and the Pups Across America event? Please spread the word.

RV GOURMET
Not this week

FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPHS
I had lots of fun this week taking shots, but I’ve included a favorite of mine of Pelé.

TRAVEL TOOLS & TOYS
Nothing this week.

CAMPER’S CORNER
If you are an RV’er, you can get a lot of good ideas from the RV Navigator. I subscribe to their monthly audio podcast through iTunes and enjoy it a lot. Check them out at www.rvnavigator.com

HEADLIGHTS
We will be in the Denver area till May 27. More specifics next week.

Going to be near? Look us up. Have some suggestions? We are open. Know a Pup Parent in the vicinity? Pass on this Web site and have them give me a call to schedule a shooting of their best friend.

CONTENTS
Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week: French Quarter to Cowboy Country
Pups Across America! - Our latest canine encounters: Meet Sugar Bear
RV Gourmet - Jan shares her on-the-go culinary secrets: Pasta E Fagioli
Favorite Photographs - Pick pics
Travel Tools & Toys - Gadgets for fun and productivity: Digital SLR
Camper’s Corner - Thoughts on were we stayed and other RV topics
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

REARVIEW MIRROR
Start: Riverboat Travel Park, New Orleans, LA
Stop: Miss Ellie’s RV Park, Waskom, TX
Stop: Wichita Falls City Park, Wichita Falls, TX
Stop: Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Canyon, TX
Stop: John Martin Reservoir State Park, CO
Stop: Cherry Creek State Park, CO

Sunday
Jan and I walked the Pups down an old New Orleans neighborhood that was still recovering from Hurricane Katrina. The houses within the block ranged from the tidy brand new to the “in recovery” being repaired to the boarded up and condemned. Mid-morning, along with the Little Ones, we drove the 10 minutes down to the French Quarter. We had contemplated going to the Jazz Festival, but opted out so that we could take Mitzy and Jerry. We had thought about taking a guided walking tour, but decided to take control and stroll on our own. Leashes in hand, we started down the street. Within two minutes, we had found Sugar Bear, a 12-year old Great Pyrenees lolling on a porch. Raised on a goat farm from a litter of 13, this big white bear of a pup found his Pet Parent and moved to the Big Easy. With permission, I took several pictures of this royal beast. He reminded me of pups past. What a great start to our stroll.

The Little Ones Are a Hit
We saw lots of other pups (including Easy Luke the Bar Dog) and lots of other tourists as we wandered the narrow streets of this famous quarter of this famous city. Of course, the Little Ones attracted lots of attention, and we were stopped often by other dog lovers needing a pup fix. The truth be known, Little Mitzy was the star, getting the highest percentages of, “Ooh, isn’t she cute?” and “I have (had) one at home that looks just like her.” Being polite, people then glanced at Jerry and made some obligatory comment; he took it all in stride.

Four hours of heavy-duty tourist stuff took its toll. When we got back, we saw the meaning of “dog tired.” Both Pups collapsed, barely rousing for dinner several hours later. Wonderful day.

Monday
Travel Day
Monday we awoke to a beautiful, sunny day. I did some work, walked the Pups, then we started getting ready to roll. West on I-10 was a little windy at times, but it was a sunny day in the low 80s. East of Baton Rouge we pulled into a rest stop for my Monday marketing meeting. While I took the call, Janny walked the Pups and fixed our lunches. At Lafayette we turned North on I-49 and made it all the way to Texas before stopping for the night at Miss Ellie’s RV Park.

Tuesday
Jan Gets a Present
I was up early completing an article on productivity while traveling by RV for my business newsletter, then Jan and I walked the Pups. It was a sunny, but chilly morning in the 40s. Traffic was light as we headed west on I-20 facing a westerly wind. All along the way, the ditches and dividers sparkled from the blues and whites, pinks, reds, and purples of the wild flowers brightening up the roadways. On the outskirts of Dallas, we picked up the I-635 loop around the city, then sped North on I-35 North. At Gainesville we turned west on Highway 82 and made a stop at Muenster were I pulled into a hardware store parking lot to buy Janny a new combination screwdriver. As she fixed a leak beneath the sink, I walked to the local bank to get some documents notarized. Muenster is quite a little hamlet, complete with three hardware stores, a winery, and a beer garden!

Right before reaching Wichita Falls we made one more stop. As I replenished supplies at the local grocery store, Jan researched and phoned a campground for the evening. We picked up Highway 287 at Henrietta and followed it into Wichita Falls. We pulled into a well-manicured, almost empty campground and park, and as I set up the outside, Jan talked to some neighboring RVers. Come to find out, we were in the wrong park! However, after talking to them, they said that luck was with us and that this was a much nicer place at half the cost.

Wednesday
Perilous Crossing!
Forty feet from BALY was a walking bridge across the stream that bordered the park. The bridge was like those you see in movies in the jungle, where the heroine tries to beat the bad guys across the huge crevice as the bridge sways and the rickety boards collapse from her weight and fall slow-motion into the abyss. Well, this bridge was in much better condition, but the Pups did not like the swaying motion one bit! Both had to be picked up to make the cross over. We took a path and walked along the water amidst the trees for a couple miles before returning. After a couple hours of work it was back motoring down Highway 287 Northwest.

Windy!
Every day of our excursion we have been faced with a westerly wind. However, crossing the Panhandle Plains of Texas was the worst wind by far—a constant 35 to 45-mile-an-hour obstacle gusting up to a 60-mile-an-hour, rock-the-bus blasts. In fact, it blew so hard that it tore the weather station anemometer right off the top of the coach!* However, this slight inconvenience was soon greatly overcome. Jan had seen an intriguing billboard talking about “the second biggest canyon in America.” Some quick Internet research on her part uncovered that we were within 70 miles to Palo Duro Canyon State Park from the rest stop by Hedley where we were having lunch. Making the necessary changes to our navigation plan, we took 287 to Claude, then 1151 South to 1541 South to 217 East.

One Cool Canyon
We pulled into this spectacular park mid-afternoon. Why had I not heard of this place before? Why is it not a National Park and not a State Park? One-hundred-twenty miles long, 800 feet deep, lots of trails, and lots to look at. Soon after leaving the ranger station, we started down a 10% grade that winds down into the canyon. Surrounded by the red canyon walls you drive past the interpretative center and museum, horse stables, and trading post. Our campground was at the very end of the park, about seven miles from the entrance.

Living Theater
Soon after set-up, we were treated to a drama. About 30 feet from where we were sitting at our picnic table, a tom turkey was courting three hens. Fluffing to show his full beauty, strength, and breeding potential, he pranced around, back and forth, showing his stuff to a trio of seemingly uninterested females. Amidst this serious display of male virility, small birds flitted in and out of the scene and bunny rabbits ran back and forth like harried cast members in a play trying to get into position. A drama? A comedy? We viewed this action for over an hour, thoroughly enjoying it.

*Actually, I’d knocked the anemometer off a couple days before when I hit a branch maneuvering into a camp site. I just thought it sounded better the way I told it above :’>>

Thursday
We started the day with a pre-sunrise hike starting right outside our door. Being careful to step around cacti and avoid any crawling reptiles, we made our way following deer paths and taking in the vistas.

Rival Arrival
After breakfast, the hero of the Wednesday night play (let’s call him Tom) was back with a vengeance. We watched as this male turkey in rut defended his territory against a “rival” male! Actually this rival was his own refection seen in the chrome bumper of the camp host’s motor home. Tom would sneak around the side of the coach, then fluffing up and rustling his feathers as loud as he could, he would charge around the front, then thrust and peck at his rival reflection. This went on for well over an hour before the intruder was vanquished. During this courageous defensive action, Tom was totally oblivious of me as I sat on the ground and snapped away pics attempting to capture the true image of his valor.

After breakfast we took the Pups for a nice long walk. We spotted a few mule deer crossing the road, saw a corn snake playing dead on the path, and viewed cardinals, woodpeckers and buzzards as we walked along.

Alex Goes All Out
Since starting our trip we had not eaten out once. Being in a magnanimous mood, I promised Jan that I’d take her out for lunch at the finest restaurant in Canyon. Drawn like a magnet to steel plate, we ignored the glitz of the Holiday Inn Express and the Buffalo Corral and drove a straight line into the parking lot of Fat Boys Barbecue. We could tell immediately by the distinctness of the exterior signage, quality of the interior décor, and the professional demeanor of the wait staff that we had accomplished the goal of finding the mecca of exquisite cuisine in Canyon. The very name of the establishment also confirmed their commitment to nutrition and health. We asked for their very best and were soon each devouring a pile of shredded beef, a mound of pork sausage smothered in barbecue sauce, a dollop of bright yellow potato salad, a small dish of cole slaw, and a pint or so of pinto beans (plus bread and peppers, and Diet Dr. Peppers).

Next we toured the city for about five minutes then returned to the park, stopping at the Interpretive Center, were we purchased a get-well card for our friend Char, and a new hat for me.

Friday
Unwanted Excitement
Early in the morning, I took the Pups out for a pre-dawn romp. No lights, no one up, we just walked at a brisk pace down to the end of the park. As we moved along, I sensed something behind me and turned quickly to see a robust looking coyote following along behind us. I stopped and stared at the critter, but his countenance showed no fear, just interest in the Little Ones. Was this wild beast contemplating a Terrier taco or a Schnauzer burrito? When we started walking again, he continued following, closing the space between us. With pepper spray in my left hand and the leashes in my right, I pivoted on my heels let out a growl, and the three of us started running right at the potential pup eater. As hoped, he loped back into the brush and caused us no further concern as we returned to the safety of camp.

Nice Hike
After breakfast, Jan and I drove down to the GLT trail and hiked for two-and-half hours or so. After seeing more wild turkeys, another coyote, and several mule deer, we meandered up and down, over and back, till the morning sun first illuminated the canyon walls to the west and the rock formation called the Lighthouse.

Soon we were back in BALY and headed west on 217 then north on I-27. Surprise, surprise, there was once again a heavy wind from the west, keeping me alert at the wheel. We drove through Amarillo, then north again on 287 leaving Texas, and continued the short 41 miles through Oklahoma and into Colorado. We continued north on 287 across the SE corner of the state, making it to Lamar. Here we turned west on Highway 50, and after 20 miles turned into the John Martin Reservoir State Park, our final stop of the day.

Saturday
We woke up to 28-degree weather, so my first job was to turn the furnaces on before making coffee. The four of us took a very nice walk around the small lake that adjoins the campground. After morning chores it was back onto Highway 50 West. At Pueblo we picked up I-25 North and took it all the way into Denver. We jagged NE on I-225, exited on Parker Road, then pulled into Cherry Creek State Park. Then things got busy! Within minutes of our arrival, up drove our son AJ, his wife, Kelly, and our almost-three-years-old grandson, Austin. AJ and Kelly left to go to a party as Jan and Austin jumped into the car and drove off in search of groceries for RV Gourmet and campfire smores. Jan did her magic cooking, AJ and Kelly returned, and we had a marvelous meal with smores around the fire for desert. His parents went home back to Parker, but the Little Man spent the night camping with us.

It is going to be a great week.

PUPS ACROSS AMERICA!
Not much was done this week to advance this project, as our main focus was just getting to Denver. This next week will be spent making some contacts and trying to firm up some dates and locations for big shoots. However, if you are in the Denver area, we are scheduling shoots by appointment at our Cherry Creek campground the week of May 2.

Please e-mail me at alex@PupsAcrossAmerica, or call me at 239-671-0740 to set up a shoot or if you have ideas or suggestions.

Pass the Word
Know other Pup Parents that might enjoy this blog and the Pups Across America event? Please spread the word.

RV GOURMET: PASTA E FAGIOLI

This cold weather made us hungry for some Italian comfort food. The pasta e fagioli fit the bill:

1/2 lb. lean ground chicken
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1 large onion chopped
1 cup carrots slivered
1 cup celery chopped
1 large can tomatoes, diced
1 can red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can navy beans (drained and rinsed)
44 oz. beef stock (I use "Better than Bouillon" brand and add water)
1-1/2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. black ground pepper
2-1/2 tsp. fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp. Tabasco sauce (I use "Cholula")
1 lg. jar of spaghetti sauce
4 ounces of whole wheat penne

PREPARATION:
Sauté meats in large pot until it starts to brown. Add onions, carrots, celery, and tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse (less sodium) beans and add to pot. Add beef stock, oregano, pepper, Tabasco, spaghetti sauce and penne. Add chopped parsley. Simmer until celery and carrots are tender, about 45 minutes.

Yummy! Enjoy!

FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPHS
From New Orleans pups to Texas Toms, here are a few of my favorites.

TRAVEL TOOLS & TOYS
Want to capture memories of your Pups? How about your kids? Better yet, your grandkids? :’>> Invest the money in a Digital SLR. Yes, today’s point-and-shoot cameras take high-quality shots of scenery and posing people. However, to get great pics of fast-moving objects, you need the speed that only a DSLR can provide. You can buy an excellent basic DSLR for $800.

CAMPER’S CORNER
When you drive through the industrial area and first pull up to the gate of the Riverboat Travel Park in New Orleans, LA, your first thought is a question: “Did you made a good choice in campgrounds?” As you drive onto the small, concrete property you see a mixture of RV’s—a travel trailer that looks as if it hasn’t moved since Space Race, a rusted fifth wheel alongside a $500,000 top-end motor coach. However, after you spend a little time, you realize that this place is alright—full hook-up, cable TV, quality Internet, easy access to the Quarter, plus one-half the price of other campgrounds in the area. For a night or two, I recommend it.

Just a couple of miles over the Louisiana line into Texas is Miss Ellie’s RV Park in Waskom.

Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Canyon, TX. www.palodurocanyon.com. Great place to camp with full 50 amp hook-ups, big lots with covered picnic tables and fire rings. Hiking right from your rig. Only downside is modest AT&T signal and nothing on Verizon. Strongly recommend.

John Martin Reservoir State Park, Hasty, CO. Big sites, several pull-throughs, 50-amp power. No water directly at the sites. Lots of birds, including white pelicans. Limited cell-phone coverage. Recommended.

HEADLIGHTS
Next week we will be in the Denver area for our grandson, Austin’s, birthday and his birthday bash. Should be a blast. Here is where we plan to be.

5-1 thru 5-3
Cherry Creek State Park: Site 16
Denver, CO

5-3 thru 5-8
Cherry Creek State Park: Site 26
Denver, CO

TBD
Boulder, CO

5-22 & 23
TBD: Pup Shoot
Denver, CO

5-27 thru 5-31
TBD
Denver, CO

Mid June
TBD: Pup Shoot
Carlsbad, CA

Going to be near? Look us up. Have some suggestions? We are open. Know a Pup Parent in the vicinity? Pass on this Web site and have them give me a call at 239-671-0740 to schedule a shooting of their best friend.