Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

Rough and narrow, steep and winding--the title of this week’s blog describes our road trip up and over Cumberland Pass at 12,000-plus feet. This week you’ll see a bighorn sheep that is helping out the postal service, a dedicated marmot with a mission, a Chihuahua that bites, a bird or two and, by popular demand, more old trucks.



Sunday
Gunnison National Forest
Mid-morning we pulled out of Montrose and drove the 115 miles to One Mile Camp in the Gunnison National Forest northeast of Almont (east of Gunnison). Yes, you have heard it multiple times from me, but it was a gorgeous trek along this stretch of West Elk Scenic Byway--tall mountains, lush valleys, gurgling streams…ho-hum….

Postal Service Cutbacks
As you all probably know, the U.S. Postal Service is in financial trouble. Here at Almont they are taking an innovative approach. They have sold all their mail trucks and are using bighorn sheep to pack the mail along the routes. Here is one guy who got his days mixed up and came to work on a Sunday.



Monday
Guardian of the Valley
Brrr…22 degrees when I awoke. I am all into this hiking thing, but that is a tad chilly. Hence, we all loaded into the car at 6:30 a.m. for a wildlife-spotting drive. We took the back roads leading to the Spring Creek Reservoir admiring the scenery as we drove. Several miles up the road we pulled off to let the Pups stretch their legs in a valley. I heard a shrill whistle, and then spotted a marmot on guard duty across the valley. After our walk on our drive out, I spotted this same fellow perched atop a boulder. He was attentively watching our every move, sounding his warning call at regular intervals and showed no intimidation as I photographed him. In fact, by the look on his face, I think he would have attacked if I got out of the car. Here he is sounding the alarm.



Crested Butte
That afternoon I needed to make a business call (no AT&T at the camp or nearby areas), so we drove back to Almont and then east to Crested Butte. This area is known for its beautiful wildflowers, and that is one of the reasons why we chose to stay in this area. Alas, lack of rainfall had a big negative impact on the flowers. After my call and a nice lunch, we both walked and then drove the streets of this attractive burg. Here is a shot of a home on a side street.



Gothic
From here we continued north, first through nearby Mt. Crested Butte, then along a dirt road to Gothic. On our return home, we took a ranching country shortcut where I shot these cowboys and their dogs having lunch along the river, and later I captured this bird of prey in flight.





Tuesday
Big-Time Road Trip
At 5:30 a.m. we were out of camp, heading up to the Taylor Reservoir. I shot a bighorn on the dam, but aside for chipmunks and a few birds, that was all the critters we saw for the first hour of our journey. We spent some time at the charming town of Tin Cup, first viewing its cemetery (complete with Protestant Ridge, Catholic Ridge, Jewish Ridge, and Boot Hill), and then back to town for a hardy breakfast at Frenchy’s. In town this handsome Violet-green Swallow posed for me. Also, here is a shot of a canoe at Frenchy’s.







From town we drove up the two rugged miles to Mirror Lake. We hiked around the lake, drove down the mountain, and continued on. As we ascended, our road gradually narrowed down to about a lane-and-a-third, the rocks enlarged from golf ball-sized to baseball-sized, and the switchback became more severe until we could see the back of our car trying to pass us around corners. However, the view from the more than 12,000-foot Cumberland Pass made it all worth it. Jan took this shot at an old mining camp on our return.



At Pitkin we stopped for snacks, and I took this shot of a boy and his beloved Chihuaha (he bites).



Here we picked up the road, continued on to Gunnison, then back to Almont, and then returned to camp completing our all-day, 100-mile journey.

Wednesday
Nathrop



After a nice hike along Taylor River, we broke camp and drove the 99 miles to Chalk Creek Campground in Nathrop, Colorado.

Thursday
Camping Grandkids
Our Grandkids (along with their parents and our Grandpup) arrived in the early afternoon for a mini-camping holiday. The highlight of the day (along with a campfire and S’mores) was a visit to the local hot springs.





Friday
Horseback Riding
Our big event on Friday was horseback riding. Here is another pic.



Saturday
We packed up and moved about 15 miles to the Snowy Peaks RV Park just north of Buena Vista. I kept my head down at the computer while Jan did her work.

Old Trucks
I’ve gotten several positive comments on my old truck shots, so I will make a regular blog entry.













Trivia Update on the Million Dollar Highway
Last week I mentioned the Million Dollar Highway south of Ouray. My friend Gene is a successful gold prospector and responded back to me with the real story of how the Million Dollar Highway was named: After the road was built, they discovered gold in the gravel, and someone estimated there was a million-dollar’s worth! Thanks, Gene.

Wonderful week.

Headlights

June 17: Snowy Peak RV Park, Buena Vista, CO
June 18-22: Chatfield State Park, Littleton, CO
June 24-27: Cheyenne Mt. State Park, Colorado Springs, CO
June 28-29: Colorado Campground, Pike National Forest
June 30-July 4: Mary’s Campground, Estes Park
July 5-7: St. Vrain State Park
July 8-12: Travel East
July 13-14: McHenry, IL
July 15: Homer Glen, IL
July 16-17: Travel
July 18-?: Traverse City, MI
???...

RV Park Review
Check out www.rvparkreviews.com for my reviews and those of other travelers of recent campgrounds we have stayed at.

See you next week.

Tags: Nature Photography, Wildlife photography, Bird photography, Colorado, Gunnison National Park, Cumberland Pass, Old Trucks

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

Hikes and Day Trips
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Durango. Along with business, each day was filled with hikes and road trips (short and long). Here are a few shots from the first part of the week.



















Shooting Trains
The famous Durango-Silverton narrow-gauge train runs parallel to highway 550, just the other side of the road from our park. Twice in the morning we heard the train whistle as the 8:30 and 9:30 trains chugged and puffed their way to Durango. Twice each day in the afternoon we heard them return. Thursday morning Jan and I walked the five minutes from BERT to the train tracks and set up our photo gear (on the tracks) awaiting the train. At 8:50 a.m. as planned, this old steam engine chugged north and I took a few head-on shots while Jan shot me shooting the train.

Note: We thought of tying Jan on the tracks (just like in the movies), and I would take shots as the train approached. However, since I had no rope, we decided against it. :’>







On to Vallacito Lake
After shooting the train, we broke camp and were out of Alpen Rose by 10:15 taking the short trip to Vallacito Lake and Blue Spruce RV Park. We stayed here three years ago and just love the place--trees, mountains, water--it has it all.

After setting up, we drove the half-mile to the San Juan Forest Vallacito Creek Trail trailhead and headed out into the Weminuche Wilderness for an hour-and-half hike.

Friday: The Challenging Hike
By 6:17 a.m., the four of us were at the Lake Eileen trailhead. The air was heavy with the sweet smell of pines, and the temperature was holding the line between light and medium jacket attire. The literature said it was a “challenging” two-mile trek up the mountain, but well worth the effort to make it to Lake Eileen. The literature was right on both counts. Our four-mile round trip took a full four hours. We walked up and up the rocky path full of switchback turns, going over/under/around fallen trees that blocked our path. With the constant bubbling of Vallecito Creek in the background, we stopped several times straining to locate the source of the sounds of buzzing hummers, singing mountain bluebirds, and tapping three-toed woodpeckers.

Twice we had to cross the speedy creek--one time the only option for the Pups was to walk over the racing water about 20 feet on the top of a fallen pine. Mountain Mitzy and Jerry the Wild were up to the task, fearlessly walking the dead trunk in the same fashion of the Great Farini high-wire crossing Niagara Falls.



Here are a few more shots from this gorgeous, yet trying, hike.















Saturday: Even More Challenging Hike



After breakfast, we took a 20-mile driving tour to Lemon Reservoir to see the sights, scope out possible future campgrounds, and hike the Burnt Timber Trail. All we knew about the trail is that it eventually hooked up to the Colorado Trail. Well, if we thought the trip the day before was challenging, then this baby was grueling! After 50 minutes of what seemed like straight up, we turned around and found some meadow trails that were more to our liking.

Wonderful week.

Headlights

May 27-30: Blue Spruce Campground Vallacito, CO
May 31-June 2: Sundance RV Park, Cortez, CO
June 3-7: Ridgway State Park, Ridgway, CO
June 8-9: Cedar Creek RV Park, Montrose, CO
June 10-13: One Mile Camp, Gunnison, CO
June 14-17: ???
June 18-22: Chatfield State Park, Littleton, CO
June 24-27: Cheyenne Mt. State Park, Colorado Springs, CO
June 28 on: ???

See you next week.

Tags: Colorado, Durango, Colorado State Parks, Bird photography, Vallacito Lake, Lake Eileen

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

Baby Owls
Within 20 yards of our campsite at Chatfield State Park was an owl nest occupied by a momma Great Horned Owl and her two owlets. We could hear her hoots most early mornings.



Canada Work
On Sunday we traveled back to the Colorado Horse Park and set up camp. Early Monday morning, Jan and the Kids drove me to the Denver airport where I flew to Canada for work. My engagement went very well and I got back to Denver late Wednesday night.




San Luis Lake State Park
Thursday, after I conducted a webinar from BERT, Jan drove us to San Luis State Park in the San Luis Valley, just ten miles west of the Great Sand Dunes National Park. It was like we had the campground to ourselves--the busiest night of our stay had only four other campsites filled! From our site, 7,500 feet of elevation in the high desert, we had awesome views of both the Sangre de Christo Mountains to the east and San Juan Mountains in the west.



Friday: Dunes and Birds
Great Sand Dune National Park
We started the day by scoping things out, first stopping at the first-class visitor center at the Park to help us plan our priorities. We had visited here three years ago and this is one of our favorite places.





Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge
We drove to the town of Alamaso, and after stopping at their visitor center and having a very nice Mexican lunch at Ninos, we drove to the Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge. Here we had a great time enjoying the marshes and lakes full of a variety of birds with the handsome mountains serving as a background. The evening brought the much-wanted sounds of a constant rain that soaked into the parched desert.









Saturday: Snowy Hike and Stormy Birds
Mosca Trail
Leaving the Kids to guard the coach, Jan and I headed out early driving back to the Dunes and up to the Mosca Pass Trailhead. We were the first ones at the trail and almost the first ones into the park. (Lots of slackers sleeping in, I guess. :,>)

Within a quarter mile, our topography changed, and a soft, white, and wet visitor joined us and stayed along as a companion throughout our upward journey. The snow added a strong visual contrast to the greens and blues of the surroundings and highlighted the occasional reds of a blooming prickly pear cactus. The senses were further heightened audibly with the constant gurgling of the creek that bordered the trail, spiked with a birdcall every now and then. In addition, the intense fresh smell of the forest after rain and snow added a feeling of newness as we ascended above 9,500 feet. Wonderful hike.







Medano Creek
From the trailhead, we drove down to Medano Creek to try and get a few pics while the light was still soft. We walked along and through the rushing water (only ankle deep) admiring the landscape and enjoying the families with kids and pups playing in the water or hiking up the dunes.







Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge
Next, we drove back to Alamosa and had breakfast-lunch at a local diner. From here we took the back roads to the Monte Vista area, spending time exploring the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge (associated with the Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge we visited the day before). What a perfect day for finding/watching/photographing birds--a big storm was brewing in the mountains so all the birds were out in the air, swimming, flitting, and flying around, all alert to the possible dangers of the weather.













Wow, what a week!

Headlights

May 13: San Luis State Park, Alamosa, CO
May 14: Navajo State Park
May 15-24: Alpen Rose RV Park, Durango, CO
May 25-31: Blue Spruce Campground Vallacito, CO
June 1-17: Ridgway? Montrose? Gunnison? Crested Butte?
June 18-22: Chatfield State Park, Littleton, CO
June 24-27: Cheyenne Mt. State Park, Colorado Springs
June 28 on: ???

See you next week.

Tags: Colorado, Colorado State Parks, Bird photography, San Luis Valley

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

We continued to camp at Chatfield State Park close to the grandkids, with Austin spending most of the time with us.

Netting Birds
One morning we drove to a nearby Audubon property to watch them net, examine, measure, weigh, tag, and release birds caught in their special nets. Austie got a big kick out of the whole procedure. Here are a few shots.











Early Birthday Present
Before the whole hullabaloo surrounding Austie’s upcoming birthday erupted, we decided to give Austin his present early. Here is a shot of him opening up his present--a waterproof, dust-proof, shockproof camera (we shall see). There’s also a shot of me shooting the box-opening action.





Afternoon at the Zoo
We took Austie to the Denver Zoo to let him try out his new camera. Here is a carousel shot of Austie and a couple of birds from the afternoon.







This and That
Here are a few odds-and-ends photos of this past week.













Baby Natalie
The little sweetie is getting cuter each day! Here is a shot of her alone and one with proud grandma. If you want to see more, click here.

Headlights

May 6-10: Colorado Horse Park
May 11-14: Great Sand Dunes National Monument?
May 15-24: Alpen Rose RV Park, Durango, CO
May 25-31: Blue Spruce Campground Vallacito, CO
June 1-17: Ridgway? Montrose? Gunnison? Crested Butte?
June 18-22: Chatfield State Park, Littleton, CO
June 24-27: Cheyenne Mt. State Park, Colorado Springs
June 28 on ???

See you next week.

Tags: Bird photography, Colorado, Chatfield State Park, Denver Zoo

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

Late Sunday morning we broke camp and drove for about an hour to Chatfield State Park, our home for two weeks.

Baby Natalie
Here are two pics of three-day-old Baby Natalie—she’s almost grown up already.





In case you missed them and have an interest, last week’s shots of just-born Natalie (all downloadable) are available by clicking here.

Austie Camping
For most days this week, Jan has picked up Austie from pre-school in the afternoon returning him back the next morning. During our time together, we walked the Pups several times a day, built superhero Legos every night, played at the park at all hours, and discussed world issues continually--good thing I’m in shape for an old guy.

Morning Hikes
I had the luxury of taking long morning hikes every day with a few photo ops.







Birding Walk
On Saturday morning, Jan and I joined a group of about ten for a birding walk inside the park. Joey, our leader, was a library of both avian and park knowledge, and he shared his favorite places for finding migratory birds. Also had the chance for a close-up with a mature bull snake.













Bath Night
Here is a picture of the always-feminine Mitzy on bath night.



Culinary Shot
All that hiking and fresh air takes a lot of energy. Here is a shot of Jan’s Thrasher Beef and Veggie Soup.

Headlights

April 29-May 5: Chatfield State Park
May 6-10: Colorado Horse Park
May 11-14: Travel south and west
May 15-24: Durango, CO (near Denver) to visit family
May 25-31: Blue Spruce Campground Vallacito, CO
June 1 On: ???

See you next week.

Tags: travel photography, Bird photography, Colorado

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

Sunrises
Fog, clouds, and light combined this past week to give rise to some very pretty dawn and pre-dawn skies. Here are fours shots that I like.









Odds and Ends







Island Birds
Here is an image of a young eagle making one of his first flights. I wouldn’t call him (or her) cute or cuddly, but a good-looking youngster, don’t you think? Also, here are some cedar waxwings frolicking as they rest during migration, a young family of osprey, and a young pelican.









Moku Hanga
Moku Hanga is Japanese woodblock printing, and this Macintosh app gives pictures this unique look. I applied it to the osprey and pelican shot above, plus the tree face below and a couple of previous posts from past blogs. What do you think?







Winn Dixie Cats
This is an Island Issue--sorry to bother you if you are not a resident, but here is the scoop: Three neutered, good-natured cats live by the Winn Dixie up at the Island Center. They don’t cause anyone any problems, and local people take care of them--they are a part of the Island culture.

However, it seems that a mean-spirited, cat-hating, part-timer is trying to run the Island and has complained to Winn Dixie corporate about the cats and demanded their removal. Corporate’s knee-jerk reaction (without any investigation) was to tell the local Winn Dixie manager to get rid of the cats--end of story. This is a perfect example of how one sick moron can ruin things for the rest of us. It is also a sad example of lousy management. If you’d like to help save these cats before it is too late, or you just want to stop mean meddlers, go to www.winndixie.com, click on “contact us,” and tell them what you think, and then pass this link on to others. By the way, I did, and found it quite enjoyable to sound off!

Headlights

April 11: Depart Pine Island
April 12 - 13: Heading North on I-75 then West on I-10
April 14 - 15: Guadalupe Mountains National Park
April 16 - 20: White Sands National Park
April 22 - 22: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
April 23 - May 5: Chatfield State Park, CO (near Denver) to visit family
May 6 - ??: As of now, our plans are to head to Durango and the Four Corners area for a few weeks.

If you have recommendations regarding the above itinerary, I’d love to hear from you.

See you next week.

Tags: Bird photography, Pine Island, Moku Hanga

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

Baseball
I had the chance to watch a Red Sox vs. Rays game with friends at the new JetBlue Stadium. Here are a few pics. Note the excitement of the fans…







Birds
It was kind of quiet bird-wise on the Island, but here are a few pics.













Brainstorming
My home office is strewn with atlases and maps, brochures and guides. Destinations are being designated, locations are being located, and routes are being routed. Finally our initial phase of Motoring Across America is laid out.

Headlights

April 13: Depart Pine Island
April 14 - 15: Heading north on I-75 then west on I-10
April 16 - 17: Guadalupe Mountains National Park
April 18 - 19: White Sands National Park
April 20 - 21: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
April 23 - May 5: Chatfield State Park, CO (near Denver) to visit family
May 6 on: We will probably stay in Colorado at least for a month, maybe more, then ???

If you have recommendations regarding the above itinerary, I’d love to hear from you.

See you next week.

Tags: Bird photography, JetBlue Stadium

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

Here are a few pups and bird shots from the Island and a few pics from a Saturday trip to the Venice Rookery.

Headlights

MAA ’12 is cranking up! BERT (our motorhome--Big Expensive Road Traveler) is getting serviced, stuff is being sorted and plans are being prepped.

April 13: Depart Pine Island
April 14 - 22: Heading North and West
April 23 - May 5: Chatfield State Park (near Denver) to visit family
May 6 - ?: We will probably stay in Colorado at least for a month, maybe more.

See you next week.

Tags: Bird photography, pet photography, Venice Rookery

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

Boat Club
I took my camera to our monthly Boat Club meeting and took a few action shots.







Check out the website for more pics: http://www.pineislandboatclub.com/

Walk-Arounds
Here are a variety of shots taken from my daily strolls.





















Venice Rookery
Jan, the Pups, and I headed out at 5:15 Saturday morning to drive the 70 miles to the Venice Rookery. Here we spent two-and-a-half hours shooting birds and enjoying their nest building. If you like watching birds in action, this is a great place to go this time of year.
http://www.veniceaudubon.org/rookery.html











Myakka River State Park
Next we drove to visit Myakka River State Park in search of spoonbills. We found some, but they were too far away to shoot. Great park, though--we will be back. http://www.myakkariver.org/index.php



Raptor Center
From there we drove to Auntie’s in Apopka, dropped off our bags and the Pups, loaded up Auntie, and headed to the Raptor Center. Along with seeing some of the other birds of prey, we got to see a master falconer fly a pair of Harris Hawks. Great fun!

Headlights

MAA ’12 tentative departure date is set! We are pleased to announce that Motoring Across America 2012 is already in the planning stages and our tentative date of departure is April 13. More to come…

See you next week after a few days at “The Mouse.”

Tags: Pine Island, Bird photography, Myakka River State Park, Venice Rookery, Raptor Center

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

Oregonians
A couple of RV friends from Oregon spent the weekend with us, and we had the chance to do a couple of boat and car rides around the Island.











NYC Pilgrimage



I had a quick trip to New York, where I had an engagement with a long-time client that went very well. Luckily, I had a free half-day, so I walked the few block from my mid-town hotel to the B&H Photo/Video Superstore. What a store! Anyone into photography, video, or anything to do with electronics will walk around in awe at the hundreds of displays and thousands of pieces of equipment. Besides that, the people behind the counter know what they are talking about! What a great time. Yes, in case you are wondering, I did make a small purchase. ☺

Walk Around Photography
Here are a few shots taken walking around the Island. You’ll note that Ozzie and Harriet, the osprey pair, are still at it.





























Racing Ducks
Saturday was the annual Duck Race--a fun, fundraising event for the nonprofit Calusa Land Trust. Here are a few photos from this event.

Headlights

MAA ’12 tentative departure date is set! We are pleased to announce that Motoring Across America 2012 is already in the planning and our tentative date of departure is April 13. More to come…

See you next week after a week at home on the Island.

Tags: Bird photography, Pine Island

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

(Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

Walking and Biking, Boating and Hiking
I spent the entire week on the Island, enjoying its great people and wonderful weather. When not doing business work, I took several opportunities for walking and biking, boating and hiking. Here are a few photos…











Baby Eagles
Yes, the youngsters are hatched at the Palm eagle nest. Here are the two tikes peaking out for a fresh view of the world.



The Ozzie Osprey Opera
As mentioned in last week’s blog, a pair of ospreys has a nest of sorts three houses down from us. There is always a commotion going on with the piercing osprey calls starting around dawn and continuing sporadically throughout the day. Ozzie and Harriet “own” the nest but have a feud going on with another pair of ospreys, Bud and Jean. The result is that several times a day, Bud or Jean (I get them mixed up) strafes the nest like a fighter jet, causing feathers to fly and cries to crescendo. Pity the late sleeper on Date Street…

I had taken a few nice photos from our house deck and walking along the street, however, neighbors Steve and Barb opened a whole new picture-taking dimension for me when they brought me up to their spare bedroom and opened up the window. Now I had an almost eye-level, sun-behind-me, reach-out-and-touch view of the nest. For three mornings in a row, they welcomed me in and gave me coffee to boot! Now that is good neighbors ☺.

Headlights

MAA ’12 tentative departure date is set! We are pleased to announce that Motoring Across America 2012 is already in the planning and our tentative date of departure is April 13. More to come…

See you next week after a week at home on the Island.

Tags: Bird photography, Pine Island

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

(Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

Sunday Morning Boat Ride
We started the week off nicely with a sunrise boat ride. The seas were as calm as a therapists’ dialogue and the waterways were as vacant as a Detroit neighborhood as we relentlessly but casually powered ahead at a steady 8 knots.







As long as there is a lap to sit on, MItzy enjoys the boat. However, Jerry gets as excited as a youngster on Christmas morning. He knows it is his responsibility to hunt for dolphins and bring them to the boat, and he takes his role seriously. About 10 minutes into the cruise, there they were--four large, mature dolphins in the mood for play. Coaxed by Jerry’s persistent barks and striking presence, these mammals of the sea rose in our wake, frolicked back and forth, enjoying their play. They stayed with us for over 20 minutes, and Jerry dutifully tracked their movement, beckoning them to stay close as he stood like a meerkat willing them into position. Jerry was in all his glory.







Trip to Bokeelia
Since we were on a roll, after breakfast we took a family drive to the north end of the Island. We stopped at Frits Park for a nice walk, cruised through Pineland, then strolled along the boardwalk reaching out into the waters of the Sound by Captain Cons Restaurant.













Chicago and Cupertino
The rest of the week I had business in Chicago and Cupertino. Great clients and things went well, but it was great getting back on Friday night.

Headlights

MAA ’12 tentative departure date is set! We are pleased to announce that Motoring Across America 2012 is already in the planning stages and our tentative date of departure is April 13. More to come…

See you next week after a trip to San Francisco and San Antonio.

Tags: Bird photography, Pine Island

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

(Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

Except for a Sarasota business trip, I stayed home, working on business projects and preparing for next week. However, I did have some time for some early morning and late afternoon walks. Here are a couple pics from the week.

Headlights

MAA ’12 tentative departure date is set! We are pleased to announce that Motoring Across America 2012 is already in the planning stages and our tentative date of departure is April 13. More to come…

See you next week after a trip to Chicago and Cupertino.

Tags: Pine Island, Bird photography

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

(Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

Dash to Denver
Business took me first to Denver (Ft. Collins, actually) were I spent a few days working with some smart services folks--really good group. Here is a shot of one enlightened student that “gets it.”



Thursday evening, I guided my rental car down and around Denver to Parker, ending up at Grandson Austie’s place. I took him and his Mom and Dad out for an Italian dinner (I had the stuffed sole special) and got caught up over all that had happened since we were last face-to-face. While having a bathtub conversation with Austie, I continued my education, learning such things as it was OK for boys to take their shirts off but not girls, and that if you cough too loud you will probably throw up. These are valuable lessons that I will try to remember.

Birds and Pups
After a week on the road it was nice to spend Friday night and Saturday just hanging at home. We had time for a few golf cart rides, a few pics, and watching old British TV shows such as “The Grand”--a simple life we lead on the Island!

Headlights

MAA ’12 tentative departure date is set! We are pleased to announce that Motoring Across America 2012 is already in the planning stages and our tentative date of departure is April 13. More to come…

See you next week!

Tags: Pine Island, pet photography, Bird photography

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

(Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

Saturday: Off to the U.S. Virgin Islands!
Janny and I flew out on New Year’s Eve to spend a holiday with good friends. After an uneventful trip (meaning a really good one) we landed in St. Thomas to be greeted by our hosts, Phil and Kim, along with our buddies, Patrick, Frizz, and the Mers. Phil and Kim have a spacious home atop the mountains with an easterly view of the British Virgin Islands and the Caribbean green waters.



Boring Weather
While a large part of the U.S. mainland was “enjoying” cold temperatures and snow (including a freeze-threatening, very chilly Southwest Florida), we were “stuck” with ongoing temperatures in the mid 80s, sunny skies, and soft breezes. Fortunately, we were able to endure this temperature torture for the entire week.

Sunday: New Year’s Day on Megan’s Beach
Just five minutes from Phil and Kim’s home is Megan’s Beach, a world-class beach with white sand and gorgeous waters. After a leisurely morning start, the seven of us hung there most of the day, sunbathing and walking the beach. Surprisingly (at least to me), it was not crowded at all, making our stay all the more pleasant. I waded out waist to chest high and was able to catch a few brown pelican pics along with a brown boobie and spotted ray. Lots of fun.













Monday: Virgin Islands National Park
By 8:30 our group was dressed, fed, packed, and out the door. Phil took us down to the ferry station where he drove us aboard, and we took the car ferry to St. John, enjoying the scenery and a bonus rainbow on our short voyage.







Once on St. John, we drove into the Virgin Islands National Park. After a few minutes at headquarters, our group, now expanded to 14, took an open taxi through the park to the Reef Bay trailhead. Here, Ranger Don explained a little about our hike, and soon we were in line heading down the trail. Although only steep in a few areas, the 2.8 mile trail was uneven, quite so in some areas, rocky, and slick from the morning rain. Hence, good footgear, patience, and a watchful eye were mandatory to prevent slips and slides. Don has been employed by the Park Service on St. John for 27 years, and thus was a wealth of information. We learned the interesting history of the island, its shameful period of often-cruel slavery, and a lot about the flora and fauna of the park.

If interested in learning more about this hike or the National Park, check out this link: www.nps.gov/viis/





After snacking by a rocky pool carved with hieroglyphs, we visited the remains of an old sugar mill, then went down to the beach, boarded a dinghy, and then climbed aboard a trawler to return us to the park headquarters. Soon we were back on the ferry, into Phil’s van, and back to the homestead.

Tuesday: OMG!
As you probably know, St. Thomas is a popular place. For example, on this day, six cruise ships were docked in the harbors spewing out 20,000 folks or so for a daylong exploration of the island, filling the downtown and the most popular beaches. Hence, savvy locals stay home, go off-island, or take the road less traveled, which was our approach. After a morning and early afternoon lounging by the pool, we went down to the St. John Yacht Club* for both libation and a wonderful view of the water.

A Very Unexpected Connection
A mature gentlemen at a nearby table asked us where we were from. When he heard someone from our group say “Michigan,” he appeared to take interest. He said that he had an old girlfriend from Fremont. Jan said that that was where she was from. He said his old girlfriend’s name was Nancy Mullet. Jan replied, “That’s my mother!” OH, WOW! Sixty-three years ago they met at Camp Echo, and it appears that both had a crush on each other. He gave us his card and asked if Nancy would call. (Later she did--is the old flame being re-lit?)



*Most yacht clubs around the U.S. and many around the world “reciprocate,” meaning that if you are a member of one yacht club, you can show your credentials and be allowed in to enjoy the amenities of another yacht club. Of course, you are expected to do the same when your comrades visit your club. Since both Patrick and Phil are yacht club members in Michigan, we were welcomed with open arms.

Wednesday: Clouds and Biting Fish
Wednesday saw clouds and rain darkening the sunny sky every now and then. We did a few excursions by van and enjoyed the change of pace. Later in the day we headed back to Megan’s Bay, and I once again got into the water to try my luck photographing fast-diving, low-flying pelicans and boobies. It was hard to concentrate, though, as schools of fish seemed to take pleasure nibbling on my toes and legs.















We did some serious nibbling ourselves, as our day ended with an absolute feast at Phil and Kim’s. No one starved this trip.

Thursday: BVI Boating
The morning greeted us with a beautiful sunrise, an omen for a beautiful day.



By 8:30 we were on the dock, boarding the powerboat we had hired (along with a captain) for the day to explore the nearby British Virgin Islands. Our first stop was Tortola where we cleared customs, and then we cruised through a hard chilly rain on our way to Virgin Gorda. Soon the skies cleared and our wet clothes dried as we continued our journey south. Docking at Virgin Gorda, we walked, sloshed, climbed, and shimmied our way through The Bathes, a rock conglomeration formed at water’s edge. Fun experience, but a tad more challenging than we all had expected. From here we visited Jost Van Dyke before re-tracing our trip back through customs, and then back to St. Thomas.















Friday: Birds and Rain
Phil was kind enough to drive Jan and me to meet the 6:30 ferry to St. John.





We arrived a little before 7:00, had a bite to eat, and then took a taxi to the Francis Bay trailhead. Here we met seven other people for our guided birding hike. Our NPS guide was a very knowledgeable birder, as were many in our group. However, “Young Audubon” had the best ears, the best eyes, and maybe the most birding knowledge. Only 12 years old, his goal is to go to Cornell and become an ornithologist. The birders had a great day, identifying 27 different species. We had a good time, but the best moment for me was photographing a young brown boobie by the water’s edge. This handsome young fellow (or gal) was not afraid at all and seemed to pose for us as we admired his beauty.



After the walk, we took a taxi back to the ferry station and did a little browsing/shopping before ferrying back to St. Thomas. Here we took a taxi back to meet our group for lunch. The rest of the afternoon we did a little exploring--jumping into stores, restaurants, and bars to avoid the sudden downpours.

Old Stone Farm House
That evening we had a special treat--we had reservations at one of the nicest restaurants in the USVIs.

Our personalized menus displayed a dozen appetizers ranging from escargot to Maine lobster to ceviche to beef carpaccio. Jan had the Grapefruit Salad and I had the Fire and Ice Chilled Soup. The main courses included kangaroo, wild boar, West Indian Pumpkin Thaibbean Curry, Pad Thai noodles, sea scallops, Mediterranean Sea Bass, local wahoo, Angus filet, and shrimp. We all went back to the kitchen where the chef showed us our choices. The nice thing was that you could combine things into any combination you wanted. Jan had the sea bass and scallops, while I had the wahoo atop the Pad Thai noodles--very, very good. For desert we shared a couple Banana’s Foster flambes. Wonderful evening.

Saturday: Back Home
For our last morning, we went up to Mountain Top to enjoy the view from the highest point on St. Thomas. From there we started our journey home, arriving back home greeted by a pair of tail-wagging, wide-grinning pups.

Headlights

See you next week.

Tags: Wildlife photography, Bird photography, U.S. Virgin Islands

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

(Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

Schnauzer Shoot
One morning I took some photos for Jan S., our good friend and Schnauzer breeder. Her Teacup Schnauzers had just opened their eyes and were getting mobile! With Jan and my Jan’s help, I took scores of images of these adorable youngsters that weighed just two ounces at birth. Interested in a cute addition to your family? Call Jan S. at 239-980-2564.













Boating Sunsets
One evening I took out a boatload of family for a cruise on Pine Island Sound. Here are a couple of sunset pics.





More Birds
Lot’s of birds on the Island, here are shots of hawks, ospreys, pelicans, a vulture, a woodpecker, an anhinga, a frigate bird, and a mockingbird.





























Haiku Fran
Here is a candid shot I took of our neighbor and friend, Fran, as she was bicycling home. As you can tell, I added a little modification!

Headlights

See you next week.

Tags: Wildlife photography, Bird photography, Pine Island, pet photography

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Pups Across America! - Jerry in the prairie
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

(Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

Island Walks
Early morning St. James City walks produced a few interesting pictures. Here are a couple of reflections taken from the pond behind the post office and two Wood Storks--one perched and one in flight. Also, here is a hawk that hangs around an eagle nest, a neighborhood orchid, a soaring osprey, a standing ibis, a really handsome vulture, plus the resting pose of Chico, the last of our Mexican gatos.

























The Pot Roast Caper
Our long-time friend Patrick has an interesting description of his ideal camping experience--he envisions traveling along the scenic highways of America, taking in the great vistas of our land while inhaling the all-American smells of a bubbling, cooking pot roast that will be his evening meal. So when Jamers brought up the idea of a Pot Roast Caper, Jan and I were all for it. Several false starts and changes in plans jeopardized the escapade, but it finally came together. Here is the scenario: Unbeknownst to Patrick and Friz, Jamers was down visiting us on the Island. Jamers told us when Friz and Patrick would be flying into Punta Gorda, so Jan phoned them saying that she had to go to Bonita Springs (where they have a home) anyway to shop for a rug, so why don’t they let us pick them up at the airport and drive them to Bonita? They readily agreed. Our plan was quickly formulated: Jamers, Jan, and I (along with the Pups) would drive BERT (our motor home) to the Punta Gorda rest stop, a mile from the Punta Gorda airport. While driving, the pot roast would be cooking in the slow cooker, accumulating the appropriate degree of doneness. At the rest stop we would unhook the car, Jan and I would drive to the airport to pick them up, tell them we needed to go to the bathroom, drive up to our coach, tell them to go in and be surprised by seeing Jamers sitting in the coach and smelling the cooking meats and veggies. Next we would hook the car back up and drive to our campground a little past Naples. Sounds like a great plan don’t you think?



However, we had a couple potholes on the path to pot roast progress: (1) We left the house early to prepare the coach for our trip (we keep the coach a few blocks away). When Jan pushed the button to raise the leveling jacks, one would not go all the way up--the coach would move but made a consistent, obnoxious, irritating alarm--not tolerable. We spent about an hour working on this problem (including lots of me laying under the coach urging it to act in the way I wanted it to). Finally, with Barry’s help, we used his jack to raise the coach jack enough to cancel the alarm. OK, we are running a little late, but all was still fine. (2) As we got ready to pull out, Jan smelled not the delectable odor of cooking pot roast but the metallic smell of burning wires--somehow the pot roast cooker got fried in the fix-the-jack melee. We stopped along the way to try and buy another cooker, but no luck. So Jamers and Jan modified the cooking methodology and polished the process to make things work. We arrived at the rest stop later than planned but luckily Patrick and Friz’s plane was late, so all worked out. We were there when their plane arrived, we loaded the car, lied about needing a potty break, and both of them were very surprised upon entering the coach. After a social break, we hooked up the car, drove to the Collier-Seminole State Park, set up camp in the dark, but by 9 p.m. we were enjoying the delicious, long-anticipated meal--MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.







Note that the planning for the original caper was much more complex and sophisticated. For example, it also included flying in PK Tours from the Caribbean.

Pups Across America

Here is a shot of Jerry, enjoying a romp in a meadow in the early morning light.

Headlights

See you next week.

Tags: Bird photography

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Pups Across America! - The Kids go boating

(Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Note that this blog is a continuation of last week’s Alaska photo trip. If you missed it and like photos of eagles, check out Blog 69: North to Alaska from October 30, 2011.

Rearview Mirror

Homer, Alaska, is one beautiful place. Known for its fishing (primarily halibut and salmon), commercial and recreational fishermen are abundant in season. Gorgeous scenery everywhere including mountains and glaciers. Nature lovers have lots to see with wilderness parks and wildlife refuges taking up much of the land of the Kenai Peninsula. Along with the large eagle population there are numerous birds of other breeds, lots of brown bears, whales, dolphins, otters, seals, and on and on. Anyone who enjoys nature and beauty will marvel at this place. http://www.homeralaska.org/



Friday: Picture Perfect
Just a gorgeous day with warm light and warm temperatures. Lots of fun shooting birds in flight and a few perched, majestic avian specimens.

Tides: For those of us from Florida and others on the sea, we are used to the rising and ebbing of tides and plan our boating accordingly. However, we ain’t seen nothing like Alaska tides! (Tides range from minus five feet for a low tide to 23-plus feet for a high tide.) We experienced a 23-foot tide, high enough to shut down the road. The good news is that it allowed us access by boat to almost anywhere.



















Saturday: Rain and Snow
The weather went from light clouds and dry, medium clouds and rain, and then dark clouds and heavy snow. Regardless, it was a great day for photography. I also took advantage of the changing weather to practice making blurs. See what you think.

Eagle-Seeking Voyages
The Homer Harbor (home to one of the vessels from the “Deadliest Catch”) is two-thirds down the Homer Spit, right inside Kachemak Bay. Each day the boat captains would take into consideration the tides, winds, and weather and concur with our photo leader as to where to hunt the eagles. Several times, for example, we were in China Poot Bay. Another way to think of it is that China Poot Bay connects to Kachemak Bay, which connects to Cook Inlet, which connects to the Gulf of Alaska, which connects to the Pacific Ocean.































Sunday: Drive to Anchorage



At 9:00 a.m. I met Aussie Mark in the windy dark morning. We drove slowly up the Spit* because the front desk clerk had told me that the combination of high tides (over 20 feet) and high winds was causing waves to toss rocks upon the road. As the skies lightened up and the wind went down, we enjoyed nice weather the first 75 miles or so of our trip west, north, east, and back west. However, from there we shifted from dry, easy-driving pavement to slick, snow-covered highway. We had plenty of time, however, so we just slowed down and enjoyed the view. The trip along the Alaska Scenic Byway took us through Anchor Point, Ninilchik, Soldotna, Sterling, Coopers Landing, and Hope before arriving at Anchorage. We detoured a little taking the Seward Highway and stopped along the way past Moose Pass to enjoy the pristine solitude made up of the black-and-white landscapes











At Anchorage I took the red-eye to Minneapolis, and then returned to Ft. Myers arriving at 1:30 Monday afternoon.

*If you are not familiar with the term, a spit is a deposit of sand that connects to land and extends into the sea--a big sandbar. Our motel, the Lands End, was at the end of the spit.

Monday through Saturday: Back on Pine Island



Fortunately I had no travel planned this week, and after unpacking from Alaska, I was able to “regroup” from our five-month motorhome trip. The weather was wonderful (high 70s to low 80s). While walking, biking, and driving around the island it was great to see the eagles in or around their nests (we have 16 active nests). Friday morning I took this pic of an eagle perched just west of the post office.

Pups Across America

Here are a couple shots of The Kids on a recent boat ride.

Tags: Homer, Alaska, photography, Bird photography

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

(Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

Sunday: Preparation
Sunday was a day of preparation, catching up on work, and getting ready for my trip.

Monday: The Big Trip
Monday morning, the Pine Island Taxi picked me up at 4:00 a.m. and the big trip began.



Basically it was all day on planes, but things went smoothly, and I was in my hotel (the Lands Inn) in Homer by 8:00 p.m. Alaska time (midnight Eastern) after a sixteen-hour journey.

Tuesday
I awoke in the pre-dawn to the sound of wind and rain (sunrise was not until 9:07 a.m.). At 7:00 a.m. our group got together for breakfast. Nice group of people--six of the ten participants had been on past photo workshops with our leader, Artie Morris, a world-famous bird photographer. We had an Aussie, a Brit, and a Russian, with the rest being Americans coming from various states.

We then spent the remainder of the morning looking at past Homer eagle slides, discussing what to expect, and recommendations as to what to shoot. We had a group lunch, and then mid-afternoon headed for the boats. In just a few minutes we were in eight-foot seas and 30-knot winds. No worries, though, as there was room for the six of us and our gear to fit inside the cabin, and the ship and its captain were well-made for these waters. After about 20 minutes the waves calmed. It was chilly on deck but tolerable, as everyone was appropriately dressed. For about three hours we shot eagles in flight along with the always-present gulls. Great fun.











Late afternoon we motored home in much calmer waters, docked, unloaded, and returned to the Lands Inn. Three of us met for dinner (I had the halibut, which was excellent, complimented by a local ale) and talked photography. Back in my room, I edited shots for an hour or so and then went to bed. Great day.

Wednesday
Yikes! The weather was still a “challenge” with high winds and big waves, but no rain. My room was 20 yards from Kachemak Bay, and you could hear the sound (often “roar”) of the waves most all the time. Here is a morning view. At 9:30 a.m. we headed for the boats, stopping to shoot eagles and the occasional otter and other bird species. We returned at noon and then did the same routine in the late afternoon. Here are a few pics from the day.



















Thursday
Following a similar pattern, we made a morning and an afternoon boat cruise.

Headlights

I’m writing this at 6:15 a.m. on Sunday morning, and I need to pack to take the “adventurous” drive back to Anchorage. I’m riding along with Aussie Mark, and we hope to get some good photos along the way. Hence, I don’t have time to finish all the shots from the entire week as I usually do, but next week I will publish the pics from Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Should be fun....

Tags: Homer, Alaska, Bird photography

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Pups Across America! - Jerry, Mitzy and Friends
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

(Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

After a wonderful stay, we finally left Michigan, taking the last of the Indian Summer weather with us. We headed south and east on back roads until hooking up to I-69. Normally we avoid interstates, but to save time we took them the entire trip back, going through Louisville, Nashville, Chatanooga, Atlanta, near Tampa then over to Auntie’s place.















Raptor Center
On Saturday, Auntie, Jan, and I went to the Avian Raptor Center to view the birds of prey and watch the Harris Hawks during the falconry session. Just a great place.

Pups Across America

Headlights

October 16-19: Visit Auntie in Apopka (Orlando area)
October 20: Arrive back on Pine Island
October 24-31: Alaska

Have questions or comments--send them in.

See you next week.

Tags: Pups Across America, photography, Bird photography

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Pups Across America! - Sunrise Pups
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

(Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

Sunday: Chasing the Sunrise





Upon rising, and while the water is heating for coffee, it is my normal habit to check the weather and forecast online. Although the temperature has risen each day to the low 90s the last week, each morning started in the very pleasant, light-jacket mid to high 50s. This morning, however, it was already 72 degrees at 4:30 a.m. with the promise of quickly heating up. Thus, I decided to walk the Pups quite early, when it was still an enjoyable task and not a bothersome toil. Thus, we were on the Highline Lake Bluffs trail about a half hour before sunrise, my favorite time to be outdoors. With clouds in the East, the colors started to roll in; pastels at first, transitioning to different orange hues, to bold reds and various combinations. Within 30 seconds the pre-sunrise scene you just viewed may have morphed into an entirely different composition.

The Kids seemed to have as much fun as I did on our walk, including a rabbit chase that I was able to at least catch a glimpse of with my camera. You’ll notice that “fast-as-the-wind” Mitzy is the lead chase Pup, hot on the trail--and the tail--of the bunny, with Jerry bolting from the back.



After breakfast I helped Jan pinch-hit for our camp host colleagues, and then I finalized my preparation for my Boston client and tackled some other lingering chores.

Monday: Quick Trip to Boston



Being it was to be a short trip, I left Jan carless and drove to the Grand Junction airport. I took the 6:35 a.m. flight to Dallas, and after a short layover hopped another flight to Boston. I detest driving in Boston, but the cab fare to my hotel and to my client would have been ridiculous, so I rented a car. Had a quiet evening including a nice soaker tub.

Tuesday: Boston
My “what it takes to build a services business” session went very well, and by noon I was back in my rental car arriving at Logan airport in time for lunch. Here I treated myself to a lobster roll and a glass of Sam Adams--there are some benefits of being in Boston! After a couple a flights and a short drive, I arrived back at camp by 9:30 that night.

Wednesday: Rainbows and Computer Screens
Today my hike around Highline was gorgeous. I couldn’t decide which of these two rainbow shots I liked best, so I included both. Which one do you like best?





I spent the rest of the day behind the computer screen, qualifying a new piece of business, giving feedback on a new online course I’m developing, and making and returning calls.

Thursday: Good-bye to Highline
Busy morning! I took the Pups on one last hike around the lake, and after 40-some days of looking, we finally saw the deer herd.



(Note that none of the shots I took this week at Highline had any saturation added--that’s just how awesome the light was those mornings.)

Upon returning I helped Jan get our motor home, BERT, ready to roll, and then headed down to the visitor center to put on a selling webinar (over the phone and Internet) for a couple hundred people in cooperation with my friend Hank from the Professional Services Journal. As soon as the session was over, I walked back and Jan and I finished up preparation for leaving. We said good-bye to friends David and Marjorie and wished them good luck with camp hosting (the new camp hosts replacing us appear to be quite the Butt Heads!).



By noon, Jan was driving, BERT was purring, and the Pups were alternating sitting on my lap, standing on the dash, or sleeping on the sofa. We had a gorgeous 70-mile drive, taking our time through Loma, onto I-75 east past Grand Junction and Palisade, turning east on 85 then east again onto 330. We meandered through Molina, puttered through Plateau City, climbed through Colilbran continuing our upward voyage into Vega Lake State Park.



Golden Eagle
About three miles from the Vega Park entrance, as we turned a corner, Jan and I both saw a large animal of some sort on the side of the road. Within seconds we made the ID—Golden Eagle! As we approached, this very big guy gave us a dismissing look, and then slowly beat his huge wings a couple of times and was gone. I had my camera on my lap, but there was no time for an attempted picture, but the experience was exhilarating. After checking in we got set up and sat outside overlooking the lake and watched the day come to an end.

Friday: Deer Galore
The first thing after coffee, we all piled into our Element and drove back from the park the way we came in hopes of finding the Golden Eagle. No luck this time, but we saw dozens of deer on our way down and back. Instead of returning to BERT we slowly drove around the lake looking for critters. Just before turning into our campground, Jan spotted a young buck on the edge of the forest chomping on leaves. He was not afraid of cars and he let me take several pictures of him less than 30 feet away.



Back at our campsite we had another cup of coffee, then leaving the Kids to finish their breakfast, Jan and I took off in the car once again. Our plan was to take an access road, Forest Road #262 (also called Park Creek Road) for the mile and a half into the Grand Mesa National Forest for some hiking. We slowly crept along the rough dirt road, but the heavy rains from the night before created a fast-running current across our path. After studying the possibility of proceeding, prudence stepped in and we retraced our tracks. Here is a chipmunk munching the top of a tree.



However, our backup plan was a good one, for we hiked the two-mile Vega Trail through an Aspen forest. We saw lots of pretty foliage, flowers, and mushrooms. The pretty but poisonous baneberry was everywhere along with a number of other plants that I couldn’t identify. This is bear country, so Jan carried our bear spray as we headed up and down the narrow overgrown trail that was covered by a thick, dark canopy. We saw no critters, but heard the noise of one very large animal along our way.

As an aside, Vega State Park is at 8,000 feet--it takes a little while getting use to the altitude.







After lunch, I spent time doing business. While I was working I asked Janny to go and find a spot where there was both a good AT&T and a Verizon signal. She came back a couple hours later having explored a large portion of real estate. Taking the Kids, we retraced her steps, driving the 11 miles back toward Collbran, stopping at Gandhi Park. Here I rejoined civilization (I guess), checking for voice messages, downloading e-mails, and responding to those messages requiring immediate action.

In the evening, Jan built a fire, and we sat around watching the activities of the lake and the campsite, smelling the pleasant odors of campfire cooking, and hearing the sound of thunder in the distance.

Saturday: Hungry Hummers, Marmot, and Another Eagle Sighting
I stood outside at dawn, watching the sky colors and the reflections on the lake. I took the Pups out early, down to the boat launch where they could run loose and stretch their little legs.

Hungry Hummers
As soon as we had set up camp the day before, Jan filled our hummingbird feeder and set it on our picnic table. Within five minutes (no kidding) we had a flock of hummers lining up to eat--reminded me of the opening of a new restaurant on the Island at 5:00 p.m. Blue Hair Special time!

By Saturday morning these petite, glutinous avians had devoured the entire contents of the feeder, a concoction of one cup sugar and four cups of water. Jan quickly went into action and filled up the feeder again. These live missiles were so ravenous that one was trying to feed out of the bowl that Jan was using to fill the feeder. Once refilled, we counted 15 hummers either eating or awaiting their turn. Here is not a great shot, but it sure shows the excitement at our picnic table.



A little later the four of us hopped into our car and made the circle of the lake, seeing the occasional deer and admiring the fields of summer flowers. I also took a shot of our campground from the other side of the lake.





At 8:00 a.m. we pulled into the Vega Lodge where we had breakfast overlooking the lake. From there we finished our circumnavigation, stopping to shoot yellow-bellied marmot at their digs. Cute little fellows.







Once back in the coach it was time to work. I’m fortunate in having lots to do, but it was really hard to get motivated to sit at the computer with a setting such as we have! Anyway, after stalling for a while downloading pics, I got to work on my Sarasota project.

Later in the afternoon we decided to go back and look for the Golden Eagle. Jan was driving, I had my camera set up for action on my lap and WHAM! There was the big guy surveying his territory, sailing on the wind over the valley. Jan let me out of the car and went to turn around while I followed this lord of the sky with my viewfinder. I probably got 50 shots off before he vanished from view. The first shot (18 megapixels) was what I saw in my camera, the 35mm equivalent of 640mm (or about 13X if you were looking through binoculars or a spotting scope). I severely cropped the second shot (2.5 MP) just to show a little more of what he looked like. Yes, the light was not the best and he/she was a long way away, but I got my first Golden Eagle photos! I was (and am) one happy camper.





Cowboy Poetry
By sheer luck, we chose to camp at Vega State Park during their annual Cowboy Poetry event. Attendees brought finger food to pass around (Jan made hot wings), and we all sat around on picnic tables and camping chairs listening to local artists playing cowboy songs, followed by readings by cowboy poets. It was really an enjoyable time. Here are a few pics from this event.











If you want to see more cowboy poetry pics, click here.

Pups Across America

Headlights

August 7: Vega State Park
August 8-11: Rifle Gap State Park
August 11-31: Exploring Colorado
September 1-15: Heading north and east
September 23-October 7: Markin Glen County Park, Kalamazoo, MI
October 8-15: ???
October 16-31: Visit Kentucky friends
November 1: Head back to Pine Island

Have questions or comments--send them in.

See you next week.

Tags: Highline Lake Park, Vega State Park, Colorado, Bird photography

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Pups Across America! - Sandy pup and new scarves
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

(Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

Sunday: Peace and Quiet
I awoke to the soothing sound of rain on the roof. I was prepared to take the Kids on our usual hike, but the sound of distant thunder changed Jerry’s mind. Therefore, I took both of them back to the coach and went back out to look for birds. Basically a quiet day made up of work, camp hosting, and hanging out.





Just for fun, here is a shot of Janny’s breakfast the other day.



Monday: Gateway Getaway



Leaving Janny to run the camp host show, Mers and I left Highline State Park, drove through Fruita and Grand Junction on I-70, took 50 east, then took 141 south for the 42 miles to Gateway (you may have guessed by now—another scenic byway!). We passed through a dozen miles of road construction, but the following scenery was worth the wait, as once again we were surrounded by red rock structures that looked as though they had been carefully sculpted by hand--a really big hand. The town of Gateway is similar to many others in Western Colorado, however, after passing through this rustic village we came upon a large, pristine, very modern compound--a conference center complete with lodging, restaurants, and our main destination, a world-class auto museum. We arrived a few minutes after 10:00 a.m., their first visitors of the day. There were only about 50 cars, but each and every one was fully restored to its original glory. Just a pleasure to walk through the Cords, Dusenburgs, early Cadillacs, and on and on. The paint jobs and detail were phenomenal.

After a highly enjoyable walk through, we talked for a few minutes with the manager. He was a local, and took great pride in the area. He shared some facts and folklore, such as how the Sundance Kid went from being an enforcer for the land barons, to how he robbed his first bank at Telluride riding a thoroughbred horse that he “exchanged” for another after the robbery. After listening to his story we decided to take the big loop back home instead of retracing our steps as originally planned.

So around noon we continued south on 141, driving through some very tall, very impressive canyons. We stopped and viewed the remnants of a flume built inside many miles of canyon walls to haul large quantities of water for the gold mines. It seems that to attach the flume to the canyon walls they lowered Chinese workers over the side and down the wall in rope baskets. Yikes!







We passed the sign showing where the uranium town of Uraven existed before the government completely unassembled everything and covered it up (both figuratively and literally). At Natursa we turned east on 145, passed through Redvale and stopped for lunch at Norwood. Then back on the scenic byway to Placerville where we turned east on 62. At Ridgeway we picked up 550 north, then at Montrose we turned on to 50 taking us back home. Big trip but a very nice trip.

Tuesday: Viva Las Vega



Mers departed early for her return to Michigan. After a hike around the lake, I worked the rest of the morning. Right before noon it was time for another road trip. Loading up the Kids, we took off heading the same way we had gone to Grand Mesa a few days earlier, exiting I-70 at exit 49 and heading east on 65. Instead of continuing on to Mesa, however, we took 330 through Molina, Collbran, eventually ending up at Vega State Park. A beautiful drive up a couple of thousand feet from where we started.

We oohed and aahed the whole trip with the intensity increasing as we drove around the park. Mountain bluebirds everywhere and the wildflowers out in mass and in full bloom.











I was unable to get a decent shot of a mature bluebird with its vibrant blue coloring, but got a shot of a young one.



Immediately upon returning back to camp, I got online and booked the first four nights after our planned departure from Highline.

Wednesday: Rifle Shot



After hiking and working in the morning, it was time to check out another possible camping location. We took I-70 east through DeBuque and Parachute, exiting at Rifle. Here we made our way north on 325 with our first stop being Rifle Gap State Park. The reservoir here holds back an enticing body of crystal blue water, and within minutes of our arrival we knew we wanted to camp at this modern park as well. We took our time driving around, checking out the campsites, and exploring the swim beach, boat launch, and visitor center.



Four miles north and 2,000 feet higher, is Rifle Gap’s sister state park, Rifle Falls. Named after the falls it contains, this older park is made up of a more primitive campground, caves, and trails. We decided that when we camped at Rifle Gap we would do some day-trips here for trail hikes. Should be fun.





Big Load
As everyone who has traveled the interstate has seen, there are plenty of really big trucks hauling really big loads on the road. Therefore, it was interesting to see this 18-wheeler and its Tonka Toy load!



As we made our trip home, the skies got darker and darker and the lightning strikes increased. Seven miles from home we pulled off the road with a southern view looking over the Colorado Monument. The dark skies darkened further, the lighting bolts increased in number and size, the rain started coming down, and the wind increased—up to sixty-mile-per-hour gusts. Jerry sat shaking in my lap as the rest of us enjoyed the show.

Thursday: Kestrels, Hawks, and Owls
Young Hawks
I was up quite early working, but a little after dawn I was standing on the road looking up at the Cooper Hawk nest. I was not disappointed, as soon I saw three bird outlines hopping and jumping from branch to branch. One stayed still for a while, and I enjoyed watching this youngster.



Young Owl
Next I walked around to owl country, and the youngster did not disappoint, sitting on a low branch and looking toward the sweet east light.



Kestrel Pair
Walking through the campground, I spotted this pair of Kestrels--cute and little, but fast and deadly, these two appear to be permanent residents.



New Hike



Jan suggested a new hiking route and I concurred. We checked out a new trail, enjoying the views, watching the Pups sniff and romp, and getting some nice exercise besides. Out on a barren tree we spotted a Red-Tailed Hawk, apparently looking for breakfast. Apparently he was not a welcome visitor to this territory as several smaller birds attacked him on his perch.



I spent most of the rest of the day working on the computer doing projects.

Friday
Colorado Monument Hike
Since the Pups couldn’t go on our hike, I took them out early in the chilly air. I also checked on the baby hawks and the young owl. Soon Jan and I were in the Colorado Monument once again, heading out on the Alcove Nature Trail. After completing this easy one-mile jaunt, we toured the rest of the monument before heading back to camp.

Horsethief Canyon
I worked till mid-afternoon, and then it was time for another road trip. Back close to the Fruita entrance to the Colorado Monument we turned west into Horsethief Canyon, a wilderness area run by the Bureau of Land Management. We traveled this gravel round for about ten miles, checking out the trails and vowing to return early in the morning to avoid the heat.

Saturday
I was out at 5:00 a.m. trying to capture a good shot of the full moon from our campsite. Nothing worth publishing so I took the Pups out for a quick walk.

6:00 a.m. Skype call with Kevin to start to wrap up our assignment with the Swedish company. Always a lot to do at the last moment.

Soon Jan was up and we took the Kids out on the Great Blue Heron Marsh Loop for a short hike. Very pretty, but a dozen or so very busy spiders (the kind that jump and bite) had cast webs across the trail, so we kept a close eye as we walked along.

The rest of the day was devoted to working on projects, and camp hosting.

Pups Across America

Here are pics of David and Sandy along with Jerry and Mitzy sporting their new Cabella scarves that Mers bought them.

Headlights

July 17 - 19: Camp hosting at Highline Lake State Park
July 20 - 23: Visiting our grandson Austie in Parker, CO
July 24 - August 3: Camp hosting at Highline State Park with a side trip or two
August 4 - 8: Vega State Park
August 8: Exploring Colorado
September 4 - 10: Camp with Scott and Deb in Northern Michigan?
September 11- 25: Visit Kalamazoo, MI friends and participate in Ribarama
October 16 - 31: Visit Kentucky friends
November 1: Head back to Pine Island

Have questions or comments--send them in.

See you next week.

Tags: Colorado, Bird photography

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Pups Across America! - A new pup joins the family
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

(Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

Sunday: Parked in Paducah
Nice in the morning, but whew, it turned into a hot one! Mid 90s by midday. We headed north out of Clanton on I-6 stopping to fuel up at Birmingham. Back on I-65 North to Nashville picking up 24 West to Paducah. Nice, uneventful trip. After taking five minutes to set up camp at Fern Lake Campground, we took a drive down to “old” Paducah. Lots of old store fronts and homes (at least by American standards), and a drive right along the river, where we viewed an old yellow Lab walking in the water, folks strolling along enjoying the view, and a tugboat pushing along some commerce up to the dock. Worth spending some time there in the future.



Monday: Best-Laid Plans
After thinking through our travel options, I decided to get a little off the beaten bath and take a leisurely ride across beautiful south Missouri—driving through the Ozarks, passing through Mark Twain National Forest, and setting up camp at Branson for a couple of days in this popular resort area. I had work to do and phone calls to make on Tuesday, and although doable on the road, it is easier sitting at my desk inside of BERT. I scoped out potential camping spots and went on both the AT&T and Verizon websites to confirm good mobile signals. We set this plan in motion by heading on 60 West, a flat, straight, four-lane road that soon turned into a still flat, more-curvy, two-lane road. Jan had to slow BERT down a tad and pay a little more attention to the terrain, but it was worthwhile, as we drove through some interesting and colorful farmland. However, within an hour from our start, Jan was confronted with passing over a very tall, very old, very narrow, and very scary two-lane bridge over the very high, very wide, and very muddy Mississippi River. As expected, Jan did a fine job of sharing the bridge with oncoming 18-wheelers and we crossed safely. This was a dramatic view of the results of the heavy rains that had inundated much of the country.

Immediately after crossing the bridge we came to a stop sign. The arrow for 60 West pointed to our left, but luckily we looked ahead on our intended route and about a quarter mile ahead was a sign stating “road closed.” Bummer. With no other option available, we turned right instead, heading to Cairo on route 62, and as the GPS voices like to say, we started “recalculating.” From there we took bumpy I-57 North into Illinois and at Mt. Vernon, we picked up I-64 West. At St. Louis we finally made our entry into Missouri and traveled all the way to Columbia on I-70. Here we set up camp at Cottonwoods RV Park in the hot late afternoon.



Tuesday: Option Two is a No-Go
As I mentioned, I wanted to stay at a campground for a couple days since I had five phone calls scheduled, and it looked like this park in Columbia would work fine…I could work in peace while Jan could take the car and check out this college town of 100,000 people.

Alas, the Verizon signal was poor (I need Verizon so that my MiFi provides Internet access) and AT&T for my phone was spotty as well. Reluctantly, we got back in the bus, Jan driving and me in the navigator chair. My first business call was a no show, so no problem. My second went well as the AT&T signal was strong and consistent. However, as we started heading west on I-70, further and further away from Kansas City, the AT&T signal waned in and out—not at all what their signal map showed! My third call with long-time (and tolerant) friend Bruce was a little embarrassing, as the connection was dropped twice and there were several missed phrases that had to be repeated. With that I decided to reschedule my next call. Bummer.

Most of the drive all day was with 20 to 30 mile-per-hour winds with the occasional gust of 40, and the day was hot, but the traffic was light and the road was good for the most part. Mid-afternoon I started looking for places to camp, and after many studious minutes I decided to hunt for a state park. At I-70 marker 135 (Ogallah) we turned south on 147 for the 20 miles to Cedar Bluff State Park at Ellis, Kansas, adjoining the Cedar Bluff Reservoir. After checking in at park headquarters, we were told to go to the Wagon Rut Campground and select the spot of our desires. The place looked about 15 percent full and had several gorgeous pull-through lots to choose from, all with water and 50-amp service. After setting up and taking the Pups for a short walk in the windy, 95-degree weather, we spent the rest of the time inside.







Wednesday: Out on the Prairie
About 5:45 a.m. we all headed out for a pre-dawn hike. I had my camera and bear spray (didn’t anticipate any bears, but coyotes and other critters were around), and Jan had the two Little Ones on leashes. We saw deer, rabbits, lots of birds, and a cute toad as we walked along the prairie grasses and down by the shore of the water. The weather was a perfect 70 degrees with no wind. The Pups had a blast running in the sand among the foliage and chasing a rabbit or two along the way. As we ended our trek we met a man and his twin sons who had recently moved to the area from Texas. After our hour-and-a-half walk, we came back in for breakfast. Jan cleaned up while I had a business call. Late morning we back-tracked, heading north on 147 then back west on I-70. It was still windy, but partly pushing instead of pulling us, and it was warm, not simmering hot. Pleasant drive with light traffic.





Sticking to our “off the beaten path” routine, we decided to try another state park, this time in Colorado. Hence, we took I-70 all the way through Kansas and turned right in Colorado onto 385 for 22 miles. We turned right at the Papa’s Bait and Tackle store and drove for four miles on a washboard dirt road until checking in and setting up camp at Bonny Lake State Park. Interestingly, this state park will cease to exist in October. Based upon some old Colorado/Kansas water agreement, they will “pull the plug” on the reservoir and that will end the state park. Kind of sad. However, I bought the last T-shirt.



Mid-afternoon we took a walk around the campground and the park and down to the reservoir. We sat outside in the warm but pleasant weather and I took a few shots of some nesting swallows. Great day.





Thursday: Birds Galore
For the first time on this trip, we had the luxury of staying in the same place more than one night. My morning started with a 6 a.m. business call, but by 7:30 all of us were out in the chilly (can you believe it?) 55-degree weather. We took a long walk across the park spotting a variety of birds from wild turkeys, cedar waxwings, finches, robins, swallows, bluebirds, blackbirds, crows, doves, yellow-headed blackbirds, red-headed woodpeckers, and so on. As we walked and the Pups prowled, we were serenaded by a stereoscopic cacophony of bird songs of all varieties. Jan started a fire and we sat around it drinking coffee and enjoying nature’s music.





I got my work done during the middle of the day, and by late afternoon we were ready to explore again taking a slow drive throughout the park. With both Pups on my lap sticking their heads out the window, it was a little difficult to photograph, but one must make personal concessions when on a family outing.



The good news is that we brought along our bird field guide; the bad news is that it is for the Eastern U.S. Anyone know the name of this mystery bird? If so, please let us know.



Friday: The New “Car House”
I got up early in the noiseless campground (except for the endless melody of our avian friends) to prepare for a morning coaching call with a client. Later after coffee at 5:30 a.m., the whole family went for our morning stroll down to the water and across the prairie. After my 7 a.m. call, we broke camp and were back on the road, this time turning right at Papa’s joint, north on 385, then east on 36 through farm and ranch country for about 150 miles until merging onto I-70 West, then south on I-225 to our campground at Cherry Creek State Park right in Denver.





Soon after setting up camp and preparing for the evening festivities, our grandson, Austin, and his mom and dad, Kelly and AJ, pulled into our campsite. We had a camping birthday party for Austie (he turned four in May), complete with campfire hot dogs and s’mores. Now that is living large. I was quite pleased that Austin said he liked our new “car house.” He has his own man cave (or bat cave depending on what is his latest wardrobe attire) complete with DVD player and headphones.







Saturday
Another busy day. After doing walks and work, we took Austie for his T-ball practice. What a hoot! The Little Man hits the ball well, but doesn’t have much interest in the field! Sorry to have to miss his first game next Saturday.









Back at camp, Jan, the Pups, Batman, and I drove around the park, getting out here and there and checking things out. More walks, a campfire, and all went to bed early after a busy day.

Pups Across America

Check out Austie’s new pug, Hanna, and take a look at a pic of Jerry and Mitzy.

Headlights

June 12: Cherry Creek State Park, Denver
June 13-August 7: We will be camp hosts at Highline Lake State Park near Loma, CO
September 4-10: Camp with Scott and Deb in Northern Michigan?
September 23-25: Visit Kalamazoo, Michigan friends and participate in Ribarama
October 16-31: Visit Kentucky friends
November 1: Head back to Pine Island

Have questions or comments? Send them in.

See ya next week!

Tags: Bird photography

Sunday River Church
About 30 family and friends attended a tree-planting dedication for Uncle Brad at a replica river church being build by friends of the family. Here are a couple pics. If anyone wants to see more, click here.







Ding Darling
Wednesday I went to Ding Darling with some family and friends. Here are a few pics from this excursion.























Baby Eagle
Here is a close-up pic of a few-weeks-old eagle behind the St. James City post office.



Onward to Vegas.

Tags: Pine Island, Bird photography

View Larger Map
St. James City, FL > San Jose, CA

San Jose
Most of my week was spent going/being/returning from the San Jose area where I taught a class on services account management. I took my camera but took no pics. :(

Sunrise Cruise
Scott and Deb, Jan’s brother and sister-in-law, came down to Pine Island for their annual visit. Saturday morning we left at dawn for a sunrise cruise of Pine Island Sound. Perfect weather and calm seas surrounded us. Although we saw a couple of dolphins, none were in the mood to follow the boat. Here are pics of Jan and Deb.











Super Moon
Saturday afternoon I drove to Auntie’s house in Apopka. Since I fly out of Orlando Sunday, it made sense to spend the night at her house. We drove off to a new development where we walk our Pups and watched the “once-in-twenty years” big golden moon rise in the East. Quite impressive.



Balloon Caper
While we were waiting for the moon to launch, Auntie and I observed that a big balloon appeared to have been “relocated” from its original place of promotion to hanging on a sign in the development. Although I was totally against doing anything that might shy from being squeaky clean, Auntie was set on swiping the before-swiped balloon. Reluctantly I agreed to assist her and we cut the balloon and about 30 feet of cord free and tied it to the back of our car (it was too big to fit inside). I’ve sworn not to divulge the fate of the balloon, but someone came home to a surprise. Here is a shot of Auntie and the swiped balloon.



Pups Across America
Here is a pic of Sailor Jerry and First Mate Mitzy from the Saturday morning cruise--and a shot of Gato Danny too.







Next week it is back to Sweden—see you then.

Tags: Bird photography, Pine Island