Goodbye, Colorado
We left Colorado for 2013 heading NE on I-76, picking up I-80 east at the Nebraska border. After spending a night in central Nebraska, we traveled across Iowa camping near Iowa City.



Sibling Stop
We stopped in eastern Iowa where my brother and two sisters drove down to meet us for dinner. It had been three years since our last get together, so it was great catching up.



Good Friends
Our next stop was to visit good friends who live NW of Chicago. All was fun, but the Kids especially liked the boat ride. Even though we explained the concept of fresh water to the Pups, Mitzy continued to hunt for dolphins. :’>







Door County
We had planned on heading down to the Homer Glen area to visit some other good friends. However, the weather forecast was not favorable for us going around the bottom of Lake Michigan. Hence, we headed north, stopping for two nights in Door County--the Wisconsin peninsula between Lake Michigan and Green Bay. We had a wonderful time driving/walking around this very pretty area.







Mackinaw Morning
From Door County we headed west to the town of Green Bay, and then north into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, taking Highway 2 east along Lake Michigan. After crossing the Mackinaw Bridge, we set up camp in Mackinaw City. The next morning, the pre-dawn sky was the rusty color of old trucks. I grabbed my camera, a couple of lenses, and Gorrilapod to take some pics. Just me and the seagulls.

Here are a few shots taken in pre-dawn light and a 30-second video clip.













Back to the Sleeping Bear
From Mackinaw City we headed south on I-75, at Gaylord we took 32 east and then snaked over to 131 via County Road C42. We took 72 west to Empire, and then north to D.H. Day Campground.



It was great to be back! We spent two months camp hosting here last year, and have returned to assume our old role. All of our previous camp-host friends from last year are here, as well as most of the professional and fun campground staff. Looking forward to a great stay.

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





Old Trucks
Here are five old trucks I shot along the way.











See you next week.

Tags: Colorado, Michigan, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Old Signs, Old Trucks, Nature 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

Morning Hikes
Here is a view from our buddy’s window--just another day. As we hiked the woods, the forest floor revealed the Crayola colors of the fallen leaves.





Quick Trip to Vegas
On Monday I flew to Vegas to attend the annual symposium of my top-notch business partner. I stayed at the Belagio where the session was held--what an amazing place. Here are a couple of early evening shots from my room.





Great conference, but I was glad to be picked up at the Kalamazoo airport Friday afternoon by Janny and the Kids.





The once-brilliant fall colors were gone from the trees, replaced by brown leaves covering the ground like chocolate shavings on a trece leche cake. The moderate temperatures were starting to drop, with forecasts of future snows starting to make the nightly weather reports. Time to head South.



Heading South



Late Saturday morning we hooked the car to the coach and headed south on Highway 131 taking the back roads through the small towns of southern Michigan and the tiny bergs of northern, then central Indiana. When Jan and I got tired of driving, Mitzy was willing and able to take the wheel (she does have a heavy paw, though).



Old Trucks
As usual, here are some old trucks.

Headlights

October 28: Red Bay Alabama to visit Tiffin Motorcoach factory
October 29: Apalachicola, FL
October 30: Home on the Island

Tags: travel photography, Michigan, Las Vegas

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

The fall colors were in full vibrancy in Northern Michigan, slowing traffic and cranking necks. Jan summed it up well, “It’s just like opening up a pack of Life Savers.”

Quick Trip to Southern California
I started the week on a Sunday morning airplane, taking a quick trip to Orange County. After a great session training service professionals, I returned home late Wednesday night.

Michigan in Raging Color
Here are some shots from our color-hunting day trips. Along with my attempts to capture this rainbow of flora is a shot of Jan shooting me shooting color.



































Big Waves and a Double Rainbow
Late in the week the wind started to howl, adding some six-foot-plus waves to Lake Michigan. Also, a double rainbow appeared for about three minutes Saturday morning, giving me just enough time to get in position and crank off a shot.





Campground Ambassadors
Mitzy and Jerry take their job of being campground ambassadors quite seriously. They make it their job to thoroughly check out the canines in the camp, doing background sniffs when appropriate. They also brave the harsh elements to make the rounds to build goodwill and maintain order.





Old Trucks
Here are few old trucks to gander.















Another great week.

Headlights

October 7-13: Camp Hosting at Sleeping Bear Dunes, Empire, Michigan
October 14-26: Probably at Markin Glenn in Kalamazoo, Michigan
October 27-29: Heading South
October 30-31: Red Bay, Alabama
November 2: Arrive Back in St. James City, Florida

See you next week.

Tags: Nature Photography, Michigan, 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

As the thermometer has lowered, so has the attendance at the campground. The percentage of tents to hard-sided campers has flip-flopped, with canvas and screen being replaced with fiberglass and aluminum. Obviously, staying warm has risen in importance! Fall is truly here with multicolored leaves falling from the canopy to the forest floor, opening up cracks in nature’s privacy screen.

Sunrises
Changing weather patterns bright wind and clouds.











Trail Hiking
We hiked Bass Lake Trail for the first time and were not disappointed--another beautiful trail through deer- and other critter-populated woods alongside Bass Lake. Once again we hiked Windy Moraine Trail enjoying the solitude.

Quick Trip to DC
I had an engagement in DC facilitating a trusted advisor training session for my business partner. Great group of people who seemed to really enjoy the session. It had been a month since I had traveled, and it was a mini-culture shock as I went from the beauty and serenity of remote woods and water to the city frenzy of concrete and steel. Nice to have my feet in both “camps!”

Down and Around to Kalamazoo



We purposely set a route we hadn’t traveled so that we could do some old truck hunting. Great scenery and we were not disappointed--15 old trucks posed for my lens. (See the pics at the end of this blog post.)

Mers’ Menagerie
We stayed at Mers’ place in the woods, a menagerie of nature. Here is a shot of Max the cat, a feeding wild turkey, a woodpecker, and the southern cousin of our chips up north.









Feed Store
Just for fun we stopped at the local feed and supply where we were greeted by Penelope the pig, Tonka the pup, and Violet the rabbit.







Ribarama
Every year our good friend Jamers hosts an exclusive (well…kind of exclusive) feast for about 50 lucky people. Along with having a great time, the event raised $1,000 for the Kalamazoo Animal Rescue and Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Good stuff.





(Note: Next week I’ll be posting several more Ribarama shots for those interested. Also, if you took an especially good one or two, send them to me and I’ll include them.)

Old Trucks
Here are a few of the trucks shot on our trip down and back to/from Kalamazoo…

Headlights

September 23-October 13: Camp Hosting at Sleeping Bear Dunes, Empire, Michigan
October 14-26: Probably at Markin Glenn in Kalamazoo, Michigan
October 27-29: Heading South
October 30-31: Red Bay, Alabama
November 2: Arrive Back in St. James City, Florida



See you next week.

Tags: Wildlife photography, Michigan, Hiking, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

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

Truck Hunting
The family headed SSE from Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore taking back roads that we had never traveled before. Our destination was Dimondale, just southwest of Lansing, but our purpose was to hunt for old trucks along the way. Along with lots of full-size old trucks (see the “Old Truck” section below), we ran across these two pint-sized beauties off a gravel road.



Dangerous Dog and Other Scenics
Here are a few other pics taken along the way to and from…





BD Party
We went to Dimondale to help celebrate Jan’s brother’s birthday (it ends in a zero). Here is a pic of Scott (that’s Debbie in the background) and a shot of Zeke, the low-clearance, garbage-eating, attention-howling, good-looking beagle-bassethound mix. Zeke is one awesome pup!





Trail Hiking
We hiked Otter Creek Trail for the first time, and just as we were at the end, a very large (probably female) adolescent Bald Eagle flew overhead--always a sign of good luck. We also revisited, Shauger Hill Trail and Windy Moraine Trail.





Sunrises
Here are a couple pics of pre-dawn skies over Lake Michigan.





Janny Art
Here is a pic dating back to Colorado, called Aspen Grove, it is one of my favorites. Lately Janny has been working on Autumn cards--here are a couple recent ones. For more, check out her web site at www.janalexanderart.com.





Chipper
As I mentioned last week, the chipmunks run the campground. Here is a picture that captures their audacity. While working outside, I made a snack of crackers and peanut butter. Within 18 seconds of sitting down, I had this little chipper crawling up my leg, looking for her piece of the peanut-butter action. In an attempt to gain my confidence, Chipper came up and introduced herself--hard to resist!





Old Trucks
Here are a few of the trucks shot on our trip down and back from Dimondale…

Headlights

September 16-October 13: Camp Hosting at Sleeping Bear Dunes, Empire, Michigan
October 14-26: Probably at Markin Glenn in Kalamazoo, Michigan
October 27-29: Heading South
October 30-31: Red Bay, Alabama
November 2: Arrive Back in St. James City, Florida

See you next week.

Tags: Nature Photography, Old Trucks, Michigan, Wildlife 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

Double-Dipping Hikes
We started the week off by doing two hikes Sunday morning: Windy Moraine Trail and Shauger Hill Trail. Over the course of the week we had the chance for a couple more: Old Indian Trail…



…and back to Alligator Trail.





Sunrises
Always a great way to start the day--listening in solitude to the deep roar of the waves, watching the gulls float in the air, and spotting the first shimmerings of the pinks of first morning light. All this just a two-minute walk from our campsite.





Chips
Forget about the park rangers and the campground hosts, it is the chipmunks that run the campground. After hours of detailed observation and scrutinizing analysis, I’ve deduced that somewhere within Sleeping Bear Dunes there is a Master Chip, the Head Monk, the Top Rodent that manipulates all humans to her will. At her beckoning, the chips move ahead, two assigned to each campsite. We had two very aggressive chippers from the first hour we set up, but once they found out that we would not feed them, they became aloof. Over several days I attempted to capture one photographically, and this is the best I have done so far.



This and That







Old Trucks
Here are a few to check out:

Headlights

September 9-13: Camp Hosting at Sleeping Bear Dunes, Empire, Michigan
October 14-26: Probably at Markin Glenn in Kalamazoo, MI
October 27-29: Heading South
October 30-31: Red Bay, Alabama
November 2: Arrive Back in St. James City, FL

See you next week.

Tags: Nature Photography, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan

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

Countryside Drives
When not on duty, we take late afternoon drives in the country searching for old trucks. We found some nice ones this week (See “Old Trucks” below) and also ran across some interesting structures.







Sunrise Walks
I try to walk the five minutes to the beach at pre-dawn to enjoy the serenity.





Early Morning Hikes
Almost every morning when we are not on duty, we take a different Sleeping Bear trail. This week we hiked Bay View Trail, Pyramid Point Trail, and Empire Bluff Trail--serene (as long as you are out first thing), wooded, and by Lake Michigan.











Leaves
Yes, I know it is still summer, but the leaves they are a-changing.





Campfire Cooking
Almost every evening, Jan starts a campfire and cooks our dinner over its flames. This past week we have had Camper’s Delight (hamburger, potatoes, carrots, onions, etc. cooked in tin foil), toasted garlic bread with cheese, steaks with roasted red peppers, grilled chicken with new potatoes and onions, and pizza. Below is the recipe for Perfect Campfire Pizza.

Ingredients:
Naan bread
Olive oil
Oregano
Fresh chopped garlic
Pizza sauce
Fresh mozzarella
Fresh basil
Fresh roma tomatoes
Shredded parmesan cheese

Sauté garlic in olive oil. Add fresh oregano and stir until it smells so good you can't stand it (maybe add some shallots, too) and then set aside.

Put pizza sauce, mozzarella, basil, roma tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and garlic mixture on the naan bread, and then wrap loosely In foil.

Place on grate with no fire, just burning embers, and bake until the mozzarella is melted.



South Manitou Island
I took the Pups out for an early morning hike, and then Jan and I drove to Leland. Here we took the 10 o’clock ferry for an hour-and-a-half voyage to South Manitou Island, part of Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore. On the island we took a tour that included seeing Florence Lake, an old growth of giant cedars, the wreck of the Marazon, and the lighthouse. A quiet island with a fragile ecosystem, and a very nice trip.





Wild Flowers
Here is a bouquet that Jan created from a bundle of sunflowers purchased at a roadside stand.



Old Trucks
Here are a few old trucks from this week’s searching.

Headlights

September 2-October 15: Camp Hosting at Sleeping Bear Dunes, Empire, Michigan
October 16 On: Heading South

See you next week.

Tags: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan, 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

This week we continued our stay in East Jordan, Michigan, spending time with Janny’s family, exploring the area, taking hikes, and shooting wildflowers, pups, and old trucks.

Volatile Vulture
Ten of us (six people and four pups) took a hike through Cousin Frank’s property. Great chance to run the pups, admire the flowers, and smell the sweet smell of wet grass and dewy trees. Just for fun we decided to climb a hill and check out a long-present deer blind. As I approached the structure, I heard a hissing noise that sounded like a snake. Cautiously opening the door while wondering if some creature was going to catapult/jump/run/fly/skidaddle out the opening and then attack me or flee, I was amazed to see this old vulture as I peeked in (from a distance). Obviously, this ancient buzzard had claimed this blind as his own…amazing.



Pampered Pups
Here are some pup pics taken over the week. Quite good-looking canines, wouldn’t you say?











Jan Reunion
On Saturday we drove the 250 miles back down to Kalamazoo so that Jan could participate in her high-school class reunion. You will notice no photos from me--this was a “women only” reunion!

Wildflowers
A few more flowers (plus a butterfly on a thistle) to gander.















Old Trucks
Jan and I took several trips hunting for old trucks. Here are a few shots from this week.

Headlights

August 5: East Jordan Tourist Park, East Jordan, MI
August 6-20: Waterways Campground, Cheboygan, MO
August 21-On: Exploring Northern Michigan







See you next week.

Tags: Nature Photography, pet photography, Michigan, 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

Strolls Around Markin Glen
We very much enjoyed our stay at Markin Glen Park on the north section of Kalamazoo. Morning and evening strolls gave numerous photo ops along the water and through the wild flowers.









I was walking the pups early evening when I spotted a baby raccoon. While holding the Pup leashes in one hand, I took pics with my right. All of a sudden a grey streak entered the frame—Mitzy couldn’t stand it—she jumped across the path into the black oozing muck in pursuit of the masked bandit. Jan was kind enough to give her a “mud bath” upon our return—what a mess (however, Mitzy had no regrets).

Cool Cats
Here is a shot of Gus followed by Max. Both are distinguished felines that are not only handsome, but sophisticated in their tastes.





Wednesday
After a very nice stay, we closed up camp and moved on up to Traverse City to the Holiday Park Campground on the south end of Silver Lake.





Pine Island Friends
That afternoon we met up with good friends, Jack and Dee, from Pine Island and had a very nice time catching up.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park



This section of Michigan is beautiful, but one of the highlights is Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. One cloudy afternoon we took a leisurely ride through the park enjoying the scenery. Here are a few pics.











Camp Hosting
Jan and I are pursuing camp hosting again this next year, and took the opportunity while we were in the area to check out the Sleeping Bear Dunes campgrounds. We were impressed with both the campgrounds themselves, the volunteers that supported them, and the management responsible for them. We put in our applications—wish us luck!

Point Betsy Lighthouse
There are many great places to see outside the park as well. Here is a shot of the Point Betsy Lighthouse.



More Friends
The timing worked out and we were able to meet Jan’s longtime friend since childhood, Eileen, and her husband, Bob, at local landmark restaurant, Boones.

Flowers
Beautiful flowers everywhere! Here is a small selection including a bouquet that Jan created for a friend.















Old Trucks
Here are some old Michigan truck shots from this week.

Headlights

July 22: Holiday Park Campground, Traverse City MI
July 23-29: East Jordan Tourist Park, East Jordan, MI
July 30: ??
August 6-20: Waterways Campground, Cheyboygan, MO
August 21-On: Exploring Northern Michigan

See you next week.

Tags: Nature Photography, Michigan

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

Hot! Hot! Hot!
Markin Glen Park was hot, hot, hot, much like most of Michigan and most of the U.S., with temps in the 100s. How hot was it, you ask? Locals were asking the direction to Hell in an attempt to find a cooler location…now that’s hot! :’>

Morning Walks
This park has nice trails that loop around ponds with swimming swans and are bordered by vivid wildflowers and flitting birds. Here are a few pics from my early morning strolls with the Pups.









One Less Rose in the Garden



On Wednesday night, Janny’s mom, Nancy Nicolen, passed away at her home in Kalamazoo. She will be missed.

Deserved Tribute
On Saturday, our friend, Ronnie Kiracofe, was honored for his decades of work leading the Kalmazoo Amateur Athletic Federation, a nonprofit organization that supports local athletics and has contributed tens of thousands of dollars to college scholarships for local high-schoolers. Here is Ron in front of the quilt he was presented at the Annual Kiracofe Softball Tournament (the longest running softball tournament in the United States).



Old Trucks
Here are some old truck shots from this week.

Headlights

July 15-17: Markin Glen Park in Kalamazoo, MI
July 18-22: Holiday Park Campground, Traverse City MI
July 23-29: East Jordan Tourist Park, East Jordan, MI
July 30-August: Exploring Michigan

See you next week.

Tags: Michigan, Old Trucks

Contents

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

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

Rearview Mirror

Alas, our coach repairs are taking much, much longer than hoped or anticipated, and we have been “forced” to stay in Kalamazoo. However, if one must be sequestered somewhere, this is it! Great host, wonderful home, beautiful setting, close to many friends, and near-perfect weather.

Quick Trip to Vegas
Early in the week I took a quick trip to Vegas to participate in my business partner’s, Service Strategies, executive summit. I ran a pre-conference workshop on leading a services account management organization then co-presented a keynote with a client. Excellent conference with a great bunch of people. We stayed at the brand-new, state-of-the-art Aria resort. You gotta love Vegas--as I opened my room door, the multi-, multi-sound system cranks up, a personal welcome greets me on the widescreen TV, and the drapes automatically open to a view of the city and the mountains.



Road Trip
Late Saturday morning, we took off in Jamers’ convertible with Mers at the wheel, neighbor Dave riding shotgun, with the Alexander’s in the back.



We headed north and west, taking back roads and moseying through downtown Kalamazoo, enjoying the near-perfect weather and the vibrant fall colors.







We stopped at The Pub in Richland to fuel up on homemade deviled eggs (they were awesome) and classic pub grub.



Gilmore Car Museum
From there we took more country roads to the Gilmore Car Museum, one of the top five car museums in the country. Here we viewed hundreds of classic cars on hundreds of manicured acres. If you are into cars, this is a must-visit kind of place (allow four hours). www.gilmorecarmuseum.org

























After a hugely enjoyable tour, we stopped for ice cream (Jan had a cone and Dave and I had malts) at the diner on the property. Mers spotted this frog attached to the diner door.



We then returned back to Mers’ home enjoying the warm wind and the pleasant scenery. Back at Jamers’ place we enjoyed a bonfire and another simple meal. Marvelous day.

Pups Across America

I really like these shots of Jerry and Mitzy. Out on the trail, a large branch had fallen across the path. As is their personality, Jerry leaped over it and Mitzy ran under it.

Headlights

We still are not 100% certain when BERT will be ready to travel, but we are hoping to leave Michigan by Wednesday morning. Because I have to fly to Seattle out of Orlando, we will have to beeline to Apopka, Florida once back on the road.

October 9-11: Kalamazoo, Michigan
October 12-15: Travel south
October 15-19: Visit Auntie in Apopka (Orlando area)
October 20: Arrive back on Pine Island

Note that since we will be back on the Island (hopefully) on October 20 and Motoring Across America will be officially completed for 2011, I will be in Alaska the following week and will be posting pictures of eagles at that time.

Have questions or comments--send them in.

See you next week.

Tags: Michigan, Gilmore Car Museum

Contents

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

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

Rearview Mirror

Turkey Attack
The lower level of Jamers’ house is completely glass, and sitting in the office provides an eye-level view of numerous critter activities. One morning Jamers and I were alerted to a noise that sounded like someone taking a rubber hammer to a car hood--Whap! Whap! Whap! Looking out of the office window we saw a savage-looking giant tom turkey in full battle regalia attacking his window reflection. Studiously he scouted out his enemy, and then timed his lightning peck with precision, ferociously jabbing his rival. I’m amazed we didn’t see chips flying--quite a spectacle.

Quick Trip to Silicon Valley
I took a quick trip to Sunnyvale to do a services workshop for a Service Strategies client. The session went very well and the travel was non-eventful--excellent trip!

Neighbor House
Early one morning in the brisk dawn (38 degrees) I took this shot of the Johnson house, Jamers’ neighbor.



Pictures in the Attic
I’d be willing to wager that at least half of all those reading this blog have a shoe box or two of old prints, slides, or negatives shoved onto the shelf in a closet, buried in a box in the basement, or trapped in a trunk in the attic; memories of the past just sitting there--what a waste. Here is a fun assignment for you:

1. Find the boxes (this could be a challenge).
2. Sit down and leisurely go through them--memories will come flowing back as you view yourself at the county fair sitting on a pony at age nine, walking on water in Cancun with your old buddies, or seeing old classmates you haven’t thought about for twenty years wearing funny clothes.
3. Digitize them. No sense leaving them in the box! Get them scanned so you can enjoy them on your digital devices. I sent all our old pics to ScanCafe and was very pleased with the results. Not expensive and easy to do. http://www.scancafe.com/

Art Prize
Saturday, Janny, Jamers, our good friend, Donna, and I drove to Grand Rapids to view the works of the third annual Art Prize. We had a great time walking through the various exhibits. Here are a few pics from the day.

Pups Across America

Here is a pic of Miitzy in Jamers’ garden, plus a couple of “blurs” I took of the Kids on the trail that I then painted.

Headlights

We still are not 100 percent certain when BERT will be ready to travel, but here is what things look like as of now:

October 2-October 7: Kalamazoo, MIchigan
October 8-9: Travel south
October 9-11: Visit Friends in Kentucky
October 12-14: Travel south
October 15-19: Visit Auntie in Orlando area
October 20: Arrive back on Pine Island

Note that since we will be back on the Island (hopefully) on October 20 and Motoring Across America will be officially completed for 2011, I will be in Alaska the following week and will be posting pictures of eagles at that time.

Have questions or comments--send them in.

See you next week.

Tags: Michigan

Contents

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

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

Rearview Mirror

Work with a View
Since BERT, our coach, is in for work 30 miles to the north, we spent the week staying with our good friend, Jamers. I took over her office and worked in style with a picture-window view of her woods that had wild turkeys, deer, a large assortment of birds, and squirrels and chipmunks. At various times of day they would walk by the window on their way to nourishment at her feeders and water troughs. Here is a picture of Jamers’ gorgeous place in the woods.



Feast In South Haven
One night we drove over to South Haven for a feast prepared by Kim with help from Phil. We ate at Patrick and Jan’s place. Here is an evening shot of their beautiful home.



Cats Across America?
Here is a shot of Jamers’ cat, Max, along with neighborhood casts, Lily and Morey (painted version).







Trail Hikes
Jamers’ neighbor, Tom, showed us the wooded trail that goes through their neighborhood and beyond. Every day since he took us on it we walked the Kids letting them run free and enjoy the scents and the scenes. Really nice, peaceful trail.





Ribarama
Every year Jamers hosts a banquet for 50 or so of her friends that includes intricately prepared grilled pork ribs and chicken (special sauces), baked beans (to die for), a bar full of libations (the good stuff), and catered appetizers and side dishes--all just wonderful food. It was a delightful affair and afforded us the opportunity to re-connect with longtime friends--some I had not seen in a decade or more. It was especially nice as, our daughter-in-law, Kelly, and our grandson, Austin, flew in from Denver to attend, bringing her mom and dad, who live in the area, to “Ribarama.” Jamers pays for the whole thing but accepts donations for local non-profits. This year the event raised well over $700 to support the ASPCA and Loaves and Fishes. If the stars align, we hope to attend next year. Here is a shot of Jamers along with her trusted sous chef, Patrick, one of Patrick taking a “smoking” break (smoking ribs that is), Jamers and Cody, and Kim.

Pups Across America

Headlights

Because of our coach taking so long to be fixed up and my business schedule, we have had to make some modifications to our plans. Here is what things look like as of now:

September 25 - October 7: Kalamazoo, MIchigan
October 8 - 9: Travel south
October 9-11: Visit Friends in Kentucky
October 12-14: Travel south
October 15-19: Visit Auntie in Orlando area
October 20: Arrive back on Pine Island

Have questions or comments--send them in.

See you next week.

Tags: Michigan

Contents

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

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

Rearview Mirror

Sunday: Perfect Porkies



Wow! The weather here in the Porcupine Mountains of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula was magnificent--cool in the morning gradually warming to a blue-sky, soft-breeze low 80s.

Just at sunrise we took the Pups on a hike starting close to our campground, a two-plus mile trek that went on both sides of the Preque Isle River. In the course of our hike, we came upon Manabezbo Falls, Mandino Falls, and also Nawadaha Falls. Gorgeous.









After breakfast, we all loaded up in our car and took the South Boundary Road east and north for 36 miles to the park Visitor Center (you guessed it--this is a big park (60,000 acres). At the Visitor Center, along with viewing the exhibits, we took advantage of the free Internet, a nice treat when there is virtually zip for cell phone signals for 30 miles. From there we turned east, leaving the park to go through Silver City and into Ontonagon, where we first fueled up the car and then we fueled up ourselves at a local café (I had the meatloaf plate special and Jan had a taco salad). We also bought a couple tomatoes the size of cantaloupe from an old geezer in a pick-up truck. After touring this interesting town, we headed back into the park, first driving through the modern campground to check it out. Like our primitive campground, this one is right on Lake Superior and has the same awesome views plus water and electricity. Several sites have ample room for BERT, so we would certainly consider staying there in the future.

Next we drove to Lake of the Clouds, one of Michigan’s main natural attractions. The view was nice, but the harsh light made it unacceptable for photos. From here we retraced our tracks and were back in camp by mid-afternoon. We sat outside enjoying the weather and watching our fellow campers.



Monday: Travel Day



We left the campground early, heading south for 16 miles on the same country road we had come in on. At Wakefield we turned east on 28 and drove it a couple hundred miles through the middle of the Upper Peninsula, driving through 26 small towns and one bigger one (Marquette) before settling in on Lake Superior at the Tourist Park Campground in Munising. We parked within 30 feet of the water with a wonderful view. This is about as good as it gets for our kind of camping--great view, full hook-ups, excellent WiFi, close to all sorts of things. We had fresh trout and whitefish at Dogpatch, a local restaurant, and then enjoyed our camp setting and the 82-degree afternoon.



Tuesday: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore



During the night the temperature dropped, the winds increased, and the rains started, so once again we awoke happy not to be tenters!

We loaded into the car and spent the entire day admiring and exploring Picture Rocks National Lakeshore. We took 28 east for just a few miles then connected with county road H58. My plan was for us to drive the entire 52 miles to the end of the park, and then slowly work our way back with the morning sun behind us. Well, there was no visible sun, but I stuck to the plan anyway. For the most part the road was level and smooth, and we were surrounded by trees just starting to show their fall color.

When we got to Grand Marais (this is a place we’d like to re-visit in the future), we got some coffee to go and drove around the town. On the north end we stopped at a viewing station of Lake Superior. We also drove through a campground on the lake that would also be fun to stay at on a future visit. We bypassed Sable Falls, but stopped at the Log Slide Overlook where we took the short trail ending at the site where they used to slide logs down off the bluffs. We drove along the lake and passed by the white sands of Twelvemile Beach. We would have liked to spend more time, but we had to get back to Munising in time for our appointment.











After getting back to BERT (our Big Expensive Road Traveler), having lunch, and walking the Pups, we drove down to the dock for our glass-bottom boat tour of sunken ships. Because the waters were quite rough offshore (12 to 16 footers), the cruise was cut to viewing just one sunken wreck and viewing one old lighthouse. The old wooden iron ore hauler was interesting, but the water was stirred up because of the winds so the viewing was not ideal. Anyway, it was nice to get on the water, and because of the limited cruise the price was cut in half.



Getting back to camp, we decided to go see the things on our driving tour that we’d missed in the morning. So, loading up the Kids, we headed back to Pictured Rock. We stopped at Munising Falls, then drove out to Sand Point to view the old coast guard station, which is now the park headquarters, and looked at the remains of a few wrecks that were torn up by the shore. Next we drove to Miners Falls, taking the mile-plus path down to watch the tumbling waters--very nice. From here we took another short trail overlooking the big lake and the rock structure called Miners Castle.











After that we went back to our campsite where the weather had warmed, the sun had appeared, and the winds lessened. Jan built a fire on the beach where we had dinner and watched the sun go down.

One busy day!





Wednesday: Brrrrrrr!
After a windy night, we awoke to 40 degrees and 35-mile-an-hour winds. Jan and I spent the entire day working and got a lot done. There was an incentive to stay inside as the wind never let up, the rain would start and stop intermittently, and it hailed a couple of times to boot.

The UP
I’d forgotten how pretty Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is. Lot and lots to see--one could easily spend the entire summer here--maybe we will.

Thursday: Heading South



The weather stayed the same so it was time to go. After doing an online services account management recording with my friends from Service Strategies, we rolled out of the campground at 10:15. Jan drove the bus east on 28 as I worked on the computer. At 123 we turned south and then turned south again on I-75. I drove the bus over the Mackinaw Bridge and down into the Lower Peninsula. I turned south on 31 then south again on 131. We took this all the way down to Manton where we found a campground for the night.

Friday: Our Old Stomping Grounds



Jan got us back on 131 south and we drove to Grand Rapids, stopped for fuel, and then continued on another 30 miles to the small town of Wayland. Here we stopped at an RV service center to get more warranty work done. We unhooked our tow car and headed south to stay with our good friend, Jamers, in Kalamazoo while the coach was being fixed up. It was nice to be back in our old stomping grounds. Jan is from the area, and the two of us spent 15 years or so living here.

Saturday: The Big Rivalry
Jan’s brother, Wayne, and his wife Anna invited us to the Big Game. They are big supporters of our old college, Western Michigan University, and have great seats eleven rows up on the 45-yard line. The weather was perfect for football, 70 degrees, and to top it off, this was The Big Game: Western was playing their arch rivals, Central Michigan University. Similar to the other big rivalries in football, e.g., Ohio State-Michigan, Texas-Oklahoma, etc., there is some bad blood between the two schools. Hence, lots of nasty cracks about the intelligence and integrity of Central was bantered about in the crowd around us. My favorite comment was, “How do you get a Central graduate off of your porch? Pay him for the pizza!”

Anyway, to put it mildly, Western stomped them 44 to 14. Here are a few pics of the afternoon. By the way, the fan with the big head is Western’s president. Also note that Western is known for its fashion sense and takes pride in starting clothing trends. Note the sophisticated WMU fan wearing a chicken hat, for example.

Pups Across America

Headlights

September 18-October 7: Kalamazoo, MIchigan
October 8 On: TBD

Have questions or comments--send them in.

See you next week.

Tags: photography, Michigan, Upper Peninsula

Contents

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

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

Rearview Mirror

Sunday: Devils Tower National Monument



I took the Pups out pre-dawn into the brisk 41-degree morning. Soon Jan and I drove the two miles to the Tower Trailhead, stopping to view a really big porcupine making his way up a hill. By 6:25 a.m. we were working our way up the trail that goes around Devils Tower. We were the only ones there (so we thought), which was totally opposite from the parking lot of the evening before when it was crowded with tour busses, motor homes, and cars full of tourists. We thoroughly enjoyed the easy 1.3-mile trek, stopping often to take pictures and watch the red squirrels gather pine cones for the upcoming winter. As we listened to the birds and critters we heard another noise, and looking up we saw three climbers halfway up the hill. We later found out that they had scaled the Tower the night before, camped on the peak, and were now making their way down--probably trying to avoid arrest!. Just a wonderful way to start the day.





Busted
When we drove back to camp, a brown note was on our windshield. Just as I pulled it off and before I could read it, up came the serious-looking camp host, decked out in full National Park attire. He ominously told us that our dogs had been barking non-stop for the two and a half hours we had been gone (actually it had been 65 minutes, but no sense arguing with an official of the law no matter what their lowly rank), and it was against regulations to leave them unattended. He also said that several of our camping neighbors had complained (it was Sunday morning you know), and he could hear the racket all the way across the campground. I apologized solemnly and vowed it would not happen again. Over the next hour, Jan and I apologized to all our neighbors. However, they all said they either hadn’t noticed or hadn’t cared. It seemed that a ranger driving through camp got all worked up and sounded the alarm. I really wish we had heard them though, as I guess they started to howl like the big savage canines they are and it set off coyotes from all around to start howling--could have loved to have recorded that. To give you an idea of how the Kids can howl, here is a 20-second movie, “Pups Gone Wild.”



I spent most of the rest of the morning finishing up last week’s blog, editing pictures, and planning out the next steps in our RV adventure. Jan did some painting and, of course, met several of our neighbors, all nice people with their own unique life stories to tell. Here is the “mini RV” of one of our neighbors.



Cowboy Poetry
Just like when we camped at Vega State Park in Colorado, by coincidence, our stay at Devils Tower occurred at the same time as their annual Cowboy Poetry event. We walked down and enjoyed the poetry of an 85-year-old local woman and the singing and joshing of a bunch of old cowboys and ranchers who belted out old cowboy songs. They were quite good actually. Here are a few pictures, including some young cowboys jostling on the grass.













Country Ride
Late in the afternoon we took a country ride (bumpy dirt roads, of course) to the Black Hills National Forest, and at Jerry’s request, we took one more trip to Prairie Dog Town.





Monday: Labor Day at Teddy Roosevelt National Monument
I took the pups out early to a much warmer morning. While I was away, Jan started getting the coach ready to go, and after breakfast we left the campground promptly at 7:57 a.m.



Stopping at the entrance to the park to get our mandatory picture of the park sign for the blog, we turned left on 24 and drove to Hewlett. We passed through the little town of Alva, population 50, and on through Alladin, where the posted sign said that there were 15 residents. At least according to the map our road turned into Wyoming 34 and we continued on east, turning north at the 85 junction. Soon we were in North Dakota, and we stopped for lunch in the coach at the tiny visitor center at Bowman, where I got my official state map and other information on what North Dakota had to offer. At Belfield we fueled up and then turned west on I-94 for the 15 miles to the entrance of Teddy Roosevelt National Monument in the town of Medora.



We set up camp, and late afternoon we drove the 36-mile scenic route, seeing a few wild horses and prairie dogs.



Tuesday: Wild Horses, Bison, and PDs
Returning from my morning Pup walk and within 100 yards of BERT, we spotted two wild horses, a stallion and a mare. I quickly took the Pups back to the coach, gathered my camera and tripod, and then returned taking pre-dawn pictures of these equines eating grass and small plants with purpose. I stood out there for 45 minutes taking photos and admiring this handsome couple.





After breakfast we returned to the 36-mile scenic route. In the early morning we had much better luck finding critters. In fact, we saw well over 100 bison, sometimes quite up close and personal. We had to stop a few times to let them cross the road. We also had great luck with the wild horses, viewing 50 or more during our trip. Of course the highlight for the Pups were the hundreds of prairie dogs.













Really Big Trucks



After working a few hours it was time to move on. While I worked in the passenger chair, Jan took us east on I-94, then north on 85. Here you would have sworn that the Really Big Truck Convention was going on with long trucks, wide trucks, and a vast assortment of really big trucks heading in all directions carrying equipment and supplies for energy and agriculture. I never saw so many signs saying, “Oversized Load” or “Wide Load.” At Walford City I had Jan turn east on 23--big mistake! There may have been concrete or asphalt below us, but you would never have known it. For close to 30 miles we shared the rough dirt paths with more really big trucks through a construction maze. Finally, we stopped and camped at the Van Hook Resort, in New Town, ND. Long day.

Wednesday: Lake Metigoshe



I worked till 10:00 a.m., and then it was time to head out. We took 23 east for about 50 miles and then took 83 north, passing by Minot. At Highway 5 we went east to Bottineau, north on a county road for six miles, and east again on 43 for six miles to the entrance of Lake Metigoshe State Park. We found a site, and set up in this picturesque setting. This very popular park was mostly empty (post-Labor Day), and we enjoyed the solitude. The weather was just about perfect, and we ended the day with a nice campfire.



Thursday: Peace Garden
While working on the computer in the wee hours, I suddenly heard a noise. I opened up the door and heard stereophonic howling--the coyotes were at full yap. This made me a little more careful of the Little Ones when I took them out a little later. This was followed with Jan and I hiking on the Old Oak Trail, a pretty walk through the woods.

At 8:00 a.m. the family loaded into the car and we drove the three miles south, 16 miles east, and three miles north to the North Dakota-Manitoba Canada border to visit the International Peace Garden. This joint collaboration of two governments is just a marvelous place to visit. The tranquil 2,300 acres include lakes, formal gardens, sunken gardens, memorial gardens, woods with hiking trails, a campground, a chapel, a 9-11 memorial, a museum, café, and more. Yes, it is a little isolated, but worth the visit. Check it out at www.peacegarden.com.













I worked the rest of the day while Jan did some more art--see what you think.



Friday: Minnesota
Jan and I took the Pups out for an early morning romp, and Jan found a live dragonfly partially iced over in the grass. Jerry was very interested in giving him a smell, while Mitzy tried to eat him! Luckily Jan saved him.



After computer work, and a Swedish Skype, we pulled out of Lake Metigoshe State Park for a 300-mile trek around 10:00 a.m. We took 43 east to 3 south down to Rugby, where we picked up 2 for the rest of day’s travel through Devil’s Lake and Grand Forks. At Grand Forks we stayed on 2, passing into Minnesota going all the way to Bemidji, where we camped for the night at the Royal Oaks RV Park.

Saturday: On to the Porkies



We were on the road at 8:00 a.m., back heading east on Highway 2 driving the 100 miles of Midwest prairie through Duluth and on into Wisconsin. After stopping for lunch (I had the special) in the little burg of Poplar, we stayed on 2, passing through Ashland and Hurley. We again crossed state lines and came into Ironwood. We stopped at the Michigan Visitor Center only to find it closed on weekends (great marketers those Michigan recreation folks). Not to worry, I had done my research online early that morning and had a good idea where I wanted to take us. So at Wakefield we turned east on 28 for just a couple of miles, and then turned north on County Road 5-9 for 16 miles through a canopy of just-starting-to-change-color trees. We turned into the Porcupine Mountains State Forest and found a huge campsite, not more than 50 yards to a bluff overlooking Lake Superior. Jan cooked over the campfire, and we ended the day watching the sunset over the big Lake.

Pups Across America

Headlights

September 11 to 24: Michigan TBD
September 23-October 7: Markin Glen County Park, Kalamazoo, MI
October 8-15: ???
October 16-31: Visit Kentucky friends
November 1 to ???
??? to ???
???: Back on Pine Island

Have questions or comments--send them in.

See you next week.

Tags: Wyoming, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan