Fun Time, Full Time
Now that the house is behind us…



…we took off Sunday morning, heading out on the 2,000-mile journey north from St. James City, through Atlanta, Nashville, St. Louis, Kansas City, and on to Parker. Colorado, Friday afternoon as planned.









For the most part, our first full week of full-timing was uneventful with the usual road construction and a couple detours. However, we did experience the coldest, snowiest May day for 107 years across Kansas.



Coach Cat
Our efforts to find Chico, our 15-year-old, Mexican-born cat, a new home proved unsuccessful (many thanks to those of you who attempted to find him a home), so we brought him with us. I had envisioned cat-dog fights, hours of endless meowing, and unanticipated hassles. I could not have been more wrong. Chico adapted to coach life like a goat in a landfill. He now acts like he owns the place!



Birthday Bash
We arrived in time celebrate both grandkids’ birthdays. Here is a shot of Austin playing with his buddies, and Natty and her Mom.







Old Trucks
Here are a couple of old trucks for your review.





See you next week.

Tags: Nature Photography, pet photography, Old Trucks

Trip to Chicago
I spent most of the week in Chicago, working with a client in helping to launch a big engagement.

Day One: Hour by hour, worse and worse
Our launch team consisted of great people, and Day One went well. However, as the day progressed in length, my voice recessed in volume. By the end of our session, my vocabulary was reduced to teenager speak--a few grunts and groans separated by chunks of silence. That evening was even worse--ordering dinner at the hotel was an ordeal for me and my waitress, as my tools of communication were limited to fingerpointing and head nodding. I went to bed pondering how I was to facilitate Day Two, and even more disturbing, I had a presentation to give on Day Three to people from around the country. A consultant without a voice is like an artist without a brush--quite difficult to do the job!

Day Two: Thank goodness for technology and high-school typing
I felt that the only way I could give a speech on Day Three was to rest my voice during all of Day Two. Yet, I still had an important assignment to complete. Luckily, the stars aligned. My client has a great set-up in their conference rooms where you can directly hook your laptop into a large HD TV on the wall. You can switch quickly to different documents much faster than with a traditional projector.

In addition, back in 1970 I took a class in high school on typing, and was able to do quite well. This combination of technology and learned skills (plus patience and understanding on the part of the others on the team) allowed Day Two to be successful. As the rest of the group talked, I was able to type out suggestions and respond to questions relatively quickly. I was happy with the outcome, but exhausted as I headed back, took an early dinner, and went to bed hoping my voice would return for the next day.

Day Three: The Great Flood
I awoke, cautiously tried my voice, and determined that it had improved to 80% intelligible and only 20% garble--I could give my talk! Feeling good, I walked through the cold pelting rain into the rental car of my Swiss colleague. As we pulled up to the frontage road, we gazed upon the flooded areas and our only road of escape that was covered by a couple feet of water racing like the rapids on a raft float. Ahead was an abandoned car in the median and a quarter mile of rushing water between us and the main road. As we drove/floated through the running water, I was picturing us barefoot and shivering, holding our bags over our head, trying to keep our balance as we trudged from our abandoned car. Not to worry, we made it safe and sound with a good story to tell.* The speech went well, and after some flying delays due to the horrific weather I made it home that evening.

*I left after my presentation, however, the other members of my team and scores of others had to be rescued from the hotel by trucks later in the day as the flooding forced the closure of the Marriott.

Weekly Photos
Alas, this week I only produced one photo worth sharing. Here is an airplane window shot at sunset somewhere over Georgia.



However, just for fun, I pulled out some old pre-blog shots from different locations that you might find interesting. Let me know if you can guess where they were taken.













Old Trucks
Here are two not-published old truck pics.





See you next week.

P.S. Motoring Across America 2013 is getting closer!

Tags: travel photography, portrait photography, pet photography, Nature Photography

Quick Trip to DC
I had a super three-day session with a great client in DC. While there, a record was set for the highest temperature in 90 years (94 degrees) and the highest pollen count (at least I think it had to be a record)--there is a downside to cherry blossoms, you know.

Around the Island
It is getting quieter on the Island as the Snowbirds fly (or drive) back up North. Here are pics of a staring osprey, a beautiful weed, and Mitzy in the meadow.







Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.





See you next week.

Tags: Nature Photography, Old Trucks

Around the Island
Out on walks, we discovered a Muscovy duck and her brood, and the Kids were fascinated by a Gopher Tortoise ( I was able to capture her as she entered her den).





Quick Trip to Chicago
I flew to Chicago to give a keynote speech, however, I had a few hours to walk around the city to take a few shots. If I got bored working in my room, I just opened the curtain to watch the crane operator--he was at eye level. Now there is a guy with a fun job!











Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.





See you next week.

Tags: Nature Photography, Old Trucks

Around the Island
Here are a few random shots from around the Island this week.













Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.





See you next week.

Tags: Nature Photography, Old Trucks

Hot and muggy then cool and chilly…the winter weather patterns in Florida vacillated this week like a teenager contemplating a first date. I write this Sunday morning listening to the patter of raindrops on the metal roof--a soothing rhythm that offers reassurance that nature is still aligned with the universe.

On a less philosophical note, it was a busy week on the Island doing lots of writing/developing/reviewing/adjusting/enhancing work outputs while seriously planning Motoring Across America ’13. Yes, it is almost time to fire up BERT (our Big Expensive Road Traveler) and head West.

Around the Island
Here are a few random shots from around the Island this week.















Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.





See you next week.

Tags: Nature Photography, Old Trucks

Quick Trip to Boston
I started off the week with a chilly trip to Boston to begin an engagement with a new client. As I walked from my hotel to their office in the biting wind tearing at my coat and through the crunching snow numbing my feet, it reminded me of Florida, only different. Great group, with folks from Germany, France, Spain, Holland, and Sweden.

Take the Long Way Home
We had driven from the island to Apopka (NW of Orlando) so that Jan and the Kids could visit relatives while I was gone. On our drive back, we decide to take the long way home…our wish was granted :’>>>

About 70 miles from home heading southbound on County Road 660 just north of Limestone, I watched with annoyance, then displeasure, then dismay, as the dial on the temperature gauge marched from “C” to “H” faster than Sherman took Atlanta. As the Borg from Star Trek would say, “resistance would be futile,” so I pulled over off the road around 2:40 p.m., looked under the hood, and then turned off the engine. Luckily there was a little shade, as the temperature was around 83 degrees.

Jan pulled up “auto repair, Arcadia FL” on her iPhone, and I talked with Tex, the proprietor of Tex’s Auto Repair. He said he’d do his best to get us up and moving, and he’d send a tow truck right out. Being 14.7 miles away, we hoped the wrecker would arrive in a half hour or so…a couple hours later Bobby Suggs in the Bobby Suggs wrecker pulled up, loaded our car, and the five of us pulled into Tex’s place at 5:07 p.m.

Tex did a quick but thorough analysis and determined the cause of the problem was a stuck thermostat. Since it was after five, his phone calls attempting to locate a thermostat all went to voicemail. Faced with staying another day (or two or three) in Arcadia, Bobby agreed to take us the remaining 55 miles back home. By the way, Tex would not take a penny for his help--always great to deal with people of integrity. Here is a pic of a smiling Bobby unloading our Honda at home (actually, he was a very nice, interesting guy. Plus his charge seemed quite fair for the distance of the haul).



Around the Island
Here are a few random shots from around the Island this week.













Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.





See you next week.

Tags: Old Trucks, Nature Photography

Chowder Cook Off
This week was the second annual Pine Island Boat Club’s Cook Off. Although we had other plans, the past commodore of the Club demanded that Jan participate, as she was the winner of the Inaugural Chile Cook Off held last year (another proud day in the Alexander family).

Fifteen contestants of varying styles and demeanors had prepared their chowders with glee and gusto. Boat Club members (plus three unrecognized people who walked in from the street), ambled down the chowder table, sampling, scrutinizing, and sizing up the selection. All the while the smells of clams, shrimp, grouper, and other mysteries blended with spices, sauces, creams, and broths floating through the air like a Mozart concerto in an auditorium.

As is always the case with Pine Island contests, very strict rules were in place for the judging. No snooty culinary “experts” were to impose their personal taste standards on this group! Just like in Washington, tasters voted with their pocketbooks…if you liked the chowder, you put dough in the dish, currency in the can, bucks in the bucket. Sneaking in a few extra bucks for a spouse or a friend was not frowned upon, but admired.









Around the Island
Here are a few random shots from around the Island this week.















Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.





See you next week.

Tags: Nature Photography, Old Trucks, Pine Island

Boat Club Meeting
Here are three “comic-tized” shots from the last Pine Island Boat Club meeting.







Hot Dogs and Potatoes Recipe
Last week’s blog prompted some requests for Jan’s Hot Dogs and Potatoes recipe. Here you go:

• Oscar Meyer hot dogs, sliced lengthwise
• Yellow onion, cut in rings
• Montreal steak seasoning
• Yukon gold potatoes (with skin) sliced
• Tomato soup
• Water (1/2-can for each can of soup you use)

Fry the dogs with onions in olive oil until both are pretty much deeply browned (maybe almost burned). After the dogs are almost burned, add the potatoes and soup. Season with Montreal seasoning, cover, and cook until the potatoes are done. The soup gravy gets thicker the longer it rests.

Around the Island
Here are a few random shots from around the Island this week.













Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.





See you next week.

Tags: Nature Photography, Pine Island, Old Trucks

Around the Island
Here are a few random shots from around the Island this week.









Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.





See you next week.

Tags: Nature Photography, Old Trucks

Aerial Combat
I was walking the Pups on a windy Thursday afternoon, when a streak caught my eye. I looked up and saw a mature bald eagle flying across the sky at mach 1, with two screaming ospreys in hot pursuit. All three big birds would change direction as quickly as campaigning politicians, diving and dodging, zigging and zagging, all across the horizon. It reminded me of the WWII dogfight footage from the George Lucas movie Red Tails, except the pace I observed was much faster.

As I watched this aerial display of flying prowess and precision, I contemplated the rationale for this dramatic but dangerous behavior. Could a change of diet have caused the eagle to be aggressive? Might an exotic virus be affecting its central nervous system? Possibly global warming had raised the body temperature and heightened mood swings?

Then it struck me like an answer to a Cash Cab question, the eagle must have been bored! What could be more cheering to the Big Bird then messing with the high-strung, totally neurotic, one-level-down-on-the-avian-food-chain osprey? Fly within 50 feet of their nest and you can count on an osprey counterattack as surely as you will find cold beer in fisherman’s cooler. What a spectacle! I wasn’t fast enough to capture the eagle-osprey interaction with my camera, but I got one decent shot of an osprey launching into the sky to join the foray. Can’t wait for tomorrow.



Around the Island
Here are a few random shots from around the Island this week.









Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks...well, the appropriate classification of one of them is up for consideration.





See you next week.

Tags: Old Trucks, Nature Photography

Around the Island
Sunny and unusually warm (low 80 degrees) week on the Island. I enjoyed a nice pattern each day--early morning walk/bike ride, work most of the day, followed by bike ride/cart ride. Old British TV shows at night. Not bad, eh?

Here are a few shots taken on the Island this week.













Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks.





See you next week.

Tags: Nature Photography, Pine Island, Old Trucks

Around the Island
Here are a few shots taken on the Island this week: Stella and her mom going on a “walk,” Mitzy solving a mystery, and a couple variations of a Pine Island sunrise.









Retiring?
I have had questions regarding if I was retiring since we will be RVing full-time. The answer is no--I can work anywhere there is web access and an airport within an hour or so. I enjoy my profession and will still be researching/writing/speaking/advising/training on improving the customer experience and building effective services businesses.



New Year’s Eve Video Shoot
To emphasize the point about not retiring, while most of you were enjoying the holiday, I was busy at work on New Year’s Eve. With help from Suzanne and Jan, we shot a video for marketing my business this week--lights, boom mic, stereo recorder--the whole shebang.

Stuff for Sale
I’ve added an old butcher block and a couple of cool electric lanai heaters to my “stuff for sale” listing. If interested, check it out here.

Old Trucks
Here are three old trucks.







See you next week.

Tags: Nature 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

St. Jude Trail
St. Jude Trail* is one of my favorite places to walk on Pine Island. Mitzy likes it a lot but Jerry loves it--twice this week I turned around on our walk to see this svelte rat terrier on his back, bony legs straight up with toes pointed skyward, writhing in pleasure as he blissfully rolled in something I didn’t care to identify. The resulting odor would make a sanitation worker squeamish, but proud Jerry inhaled with gusto. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was a dog!

This week alone I saw a flock of more than 20 roseate spoonbill, great blue herons, night herons, great egrets, brown and white pelicans, and an otter scurrying across the trail and into the water. Here is a shot of some cool art at the Norm Gowan Trailhead and a pre-dawn view from trail’s end.





*St. Jude Trail is a property of the Calusa Land Trust, a non-profit that does a wonderful job buying and managing sensitive lands on Pine Island. If you enjoy the flora and fauna of the area, consider joining. www.calusalandtrust.org

Around the Island
Here are a few shots taken on the Island this week.















Old Trucks
Here are five old Florida trucks.

Headlights

See you next week.

Tags: Nature Photography, Wildlife photography, Old Trucks, 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

Lido Key Beach
Tuesday afternoon I drove ninety miles north to Lido Beach Resort on Lido Key by Sarasota. I gave a speech on selling services to the North American organization of a Swiss manufacturing company. Great group. Here is an evening shot from my room balcony plus one taken on the beach around dawn on a stormy Wednesday morning. Nice place.





Home Depot Dogs
Jerry and Mitzy’s favorite place off the Island is Home Depot. Peering over the moving orange shopping cart and wearing their cutest faces, they gaze among the shoppers awaiting for “Ohhh, look at the puppies” from their human admirers. Strolling through Hardware, speeding through Plumbing, and stopping by Paint, they soak up attention like parched brown grass during a morning shower.

However, the glory of the story doesn’t end there. Within seconds from exiting the store and heading left to your parked vehicle, your nose starts to twitch and your nostrils widen from the aroma of grilling peppers and the delightful smell of gourmet meats being prepared. Within thirteen feet of the exit door is the New York Style Hot Dog and Italian Sausage stand, manned (I guess I should say “womaned”) by a very savvy owner who gives good-mannered and attentive pups a “free” grilled hot dog cut up in canine bites. As we close in on the stand, Jerry looks at Mitzy, Mitzy looks at Jerry, they both look at me, then as if being given a secret nudge, they both stare up at the lady with faces showing an intricate combination of hunger, cuteness, and a genuine love for both the woman and her fare. Best place on the planet for lunch if you ask the Kids.



Around the Island
Here are a few shots taken on the Island this week.















Old Trucks
Here are four old trucks.

Headlights

See you next week.

Tags: Nature Photography, pet photography, Pine Island, 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

Walk and ride bikes in the morning, write most of the day, take cart rides late afternoon. Nice island rhythm.

West Sky at Sunrise
Here is a morning shot a half-hour past dawn.



Old Trucks
Here are five old trucks in all their glory

Headlights

See you next week.

Tags: Nature Photography, 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

Morning Walks
This week we continued our morning walks in near perfect weather. Mature and young eagles soared overhead like fighter jets jockeying for battle position. Pups played and paraded, cows and calves stared in curiosity as we walked by.











Picnic Island
One afternoon we boated the short distance to Picnic Island, a favorite destination from years past.















Sunset on the Sound
One evening we boated alone in the glass-topped waters of Pine Island Sound. We were rewarded for our efforts with this orange sunset radiating off the bright blue sky decorated with wispy clouds.



Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks taken on the Island.

Headlights

See you next week with some Thanksgiving pics.

Tags: Pine Island, Nature Photography, 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

Settling Back In
Although we had been motorhoming for seven months, it only took me a couple of days to get back into my Florida routine with morning walks alongside the James Creek Preserve at dawn, and strolls, bike rides, and golf cart rides through the neighborhoods in the late afternoon, with business work in my home office in between. Lots of eagles and other big birds, neighbors, and friends out and about…all enjoying the near-perfect weather. Here are some pics from this week.





























Austie in Town
Our grandson, Austin, accompanied by his Dad, A.J., came down to visit for a few days. Here are a couple of pics of this good-looking, well-adjusted, hoot-to-be-around young man.





Old Trucks
Here are two old trucks taken on the Island.

Headlights

See you next week.

Tags: Pine Island, 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

Walking in the Rain
Fall dominated the outdoors with falling temperatures, falling leaves, and falling rain. Yet, the colors remained vibrant and attitudes remained uplifted--who wouldn’t feel positive among all this beauty? Here are four photos taken along a walk at Markin Glen Park one chilly, wet morning.









Quick Trip to DC
Early in the week I had a short business trip to DC, working with a great client.

Pretty Lake Hike
Saturday morning we hiked with friends around Pretty Lake outside of Kalamazoo. Here are a few shots, including Jan showing off some really big leaves and a shot of Jan, Bobbie, and Deanna with Bobbie’s two pups.













This and That
During the week we visited Wheels (here are her two horses), celebrated a business housewarming for friends, and Mitzy got a haircut; here is a shot right before she went to the groomer.







Old Trucks
Here are a few old truck pictures taken from Kalamazoo and the surrounding area.























Another great week!

Headlights

October 21-26: Kalamazoo, Michigan
October 27-29: Heading South
October 30-31: Red Bay, Alabama
November 1: Appalachicola, Florida
November 2: Arrive Back in St. James City, Florida

See you next week.

Tags: Kalamazoo, Nature Photography, 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

The Color Continues
Even with the drop in temperature, daily rains, and high winds, the magical fall colors continued to paint Northern Michigan in their full magnificence. The colors are so intense, I have to de-saturate some of my photos in the computer so that they don’t look artificial--what a nice problem to have!













Quick Trip to Chicago: Pup Presentation
In the first part of the week, I participated in the Society for Service Executives (http://www.servicexecutives.com) annual symposium, giving a keynote speech on customer experience management. Just for fun (and as a personal challenge), I refrained from using any charts, graphs, or matrices, and used only photos of dogs that I have taken to tell my story. (Longtime readers would know most of these pix.) Response was excellent, and I had a blast--my speeches may never be the same! Here are a four that made the big screen...









Farewell to Sleeping Bear
After a great stay as camp hosts, our time was up and we said goodbye to this amazing place and the great bunch of folks we had the pleasure to work with. We have been to some really nice places, but this ranks right at the top. The good news is that we plan on coming back next year. Here is a photo of Ranger Maryellen and our boss, Ranger Dennis.





Important Note: If you decide to leave any comments about these words or pics, keep them nice, Dennis and Maryellen read the blog :’>>>

Back to Markin Glen
Friday around noonish we left Sleeping Bear and meandered over to 31 South to enjoy the views as we traveled south and a little west to Kalamazoo. Taking our time, we shot one old truck along the way and enjoyed the colors that this portion of Michigan offered. By late afternoon we were set up in Markin Glen County Park in 50-degree weather compared to the 100-degree climate we left a few months earlier.

Old Trucks
Here are this week’s old trucks...















Another great week.

Headlights

October 14-26: Markin Glenn, 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, pet photography, 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

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

A gorgeous week in Northern Michigan.

Sunrises
I was out on the beach before dawn most days this week, usually by myself. As always, I was not disappointed as the water and sky greeted the sun.







Visit from Auntie
Janny’s aunt came and visited for a few days. Auntie is from this North Country, and we revisited old haunts and discovered new ones as the leaves turned from green to red and gold, and the temperatures dropped from nice-and-warm to pleasantly chilly.



Trail Hiking
We kept active, hiking the following trails: Alligator Hill Trail, Windy Moraine, Bay View Farm Loop Trail, Empire Bluff Trail, Pyramid and Point Trail (bluff and back).











Morning Sun from Campsite
Most chilly mornings the smoke from campfires mimics fog. Here is an early morning shot from our campsite.





Day Trip
Here are a few other shots from day trips during the week.







Old Trucks
Here are few old (and not-so-old trucks). I especially like “Ain’t Got No Body.”





















Another great week.

Headlights

September 30-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

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

River Cruise
We started the week cruising on Scott and Deb’s boat, taking trips that ranged from going through the locks for lunch in Cheboygan and on to Lake Huron to taking a nature route with lots of birds swimming, diving, and soaring among, above, and below the backwaters.















Camp Hosting at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore



On Wednesday we departed Waterways Campground in Cheboygan and drove to the DH Day Campground in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore northeast of Empire Michigan. Sleeping Bear is a national park with 65 miles of shoreline that receives around two million visitors a year. The campground is just gorgeous. We have a large wooded site that is an easy walk to a sandy beach on Lake Michigan. The water color ranges from Pacific to Caribbean blue, tempered by a constant wind, ranging from breezy to “I wish I had worn a heavier coat.”

Hikes and Drives
We had some up-front time off in which we got in some hiking and countryside drives. Although it is mid-August, the leaves are starting to turn and the farmland is peppered with roadside stands and handsome pups.















We started our first day of camp hosting on Saturday, quickly learning the ropes of the simple, well-thought-out procedures. The staff is friendly and helpful. I can tell already that this is going to be a great gig.

Wildflowers











Old Trucks

Headlights

August 19-October 15: Sleeping Bear Dunes, Empire, Michigan
October 16-On: Heading South

See you next week.

Tags: Nature Photography, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, 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

East Jordan Tourist Park





This township park is a wonderful secret, known mainly just to the Locals. Our grass campsite is 30 feet from the South Arm of Grand Traverse Bay, and comes with full hook-ups and a fire ring full of complimentary firewood. Great place to run the dogs and walk along the beach. Across the water from our site is the famous East Jordan Ironworks, makers of most of the iron manhole covers worldwide.



Quick Trip to Denver
I drove the picturesque hour journey (actually it took a little longer as I stopped twice for old truck pics and once for a coyote) from our campground to the Traverse City airport and flew to Denver for business.



My workshop went very well, and, of course, being in Denver, I drove Friday afternoon to visit the Grandkids. Here is a pic of Granddaughter Natalie.



Family Get Together
Saturday night was a family get together at Frank and Sandy’s cottage on Lake Charlevoix. Everyone had a great time, including, of course, dogs and kids.









Flowers





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

Headlights

July 22: Holiday Park Campground, Traverse City MI
July 29-August 5: East Jordan Tourist Park, East Jordan, MI
August 6-20: Waterways Campground, Cheyboygan, MO
August 21-On: Exploring Northern Michigan

See you next week.

Tags: Old Trucks, East Jordan Ironworks, 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

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

Sunday
We hung around our campground in Larkspur until we could confirm that our next campground would be open.



The soon to be notorious Waldo Canyon fire had started the day before and was spreading like (you know what) wildfire. Cheyenne Mountain State Park is located just a few miles southeast of Waldo Canyon, so during our stay we had views and smells of the smoke from this growing fire.

Our good friend, Suzanne, flew in to camp with us and meet up with our other RV buddies from Oregon, Kathie and Gary. Here is a shot of, from left to right, Kathie, Suzanne, and Jan.



Monday
Morning Hike
Upon checking with park rangers, I learned that there had been a recent bobcat sighting, so early morning Suzanne and I did a three-mile hike on Blackmer Loop and Cougar’s Shadow seeking out these cats. The only critters we saw were a doe and a fawn deer, but a nice hike nonetheless.

Royal Gorge



After a late breakfast, the five of us drove south on 115 then west on 50 through Caynon City to the Royal Gorge. Over our couple-hour stay, we drove and walked the bridge plus took the tram.









Tuesday
Zoo
Although close to the fire, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo had not been closed, and we arrived shortly after the gates opened and just in time to help feed the giraffes.





Will Rogers Memorial
Above the zoo is a winding road that leads to the Will Rogers Memorial atop the mountain. Very tastefully done, the wall murals tell the story of this area of the West, and the photographs give a visual interpretation of one of America’s most famous icons. From this vista point we had a good view of the fire as well, and we watched the planes making drops in the hope of containing this cantankerous beast.











Wednesday
Sunset View of Fire
Sitting outside we enjoyed our first powerful sunset of the week.



Canine Courtship
We were pup-sitting Charlie, the distinguished pug of the Helman family. This fun-loving bulldozer of a pug fell head over curly tail for Gary and Kathie’s elegant Madeline. Here is a shot of this canine courtship.



Thursday
A Change of Plans
Originally our plan called for spending two days in the Pike National Forest. However, the wildfire took this option off the table, and we were lucky enough to be able to extend our Cheyenne Mountain stay a couple of days. We stayed close to home, though, just in case an evacuation was called.

Friday
Old Truck Shoot
Late afternoon we drove east of Colorado Springs out into the prairies in search of old truck photo ops. We were in luck--see a few of these shots toward the end of the blog.

Saturday
Hike
Jan and I were on the trail at sunrise for a three-plus mile excursion through wooded areas, and down across Prairie Dog Towns.







Pick Up Jo



We timed our departure out of Colorado Springs to pick up Jo in BERT at the Denver airport. It worked great--we swung through the Southwest departure area just as Jo walked out the door into the sunlight. From there we got back on the interstate, and headed west to Estes Park.

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

















Wonderful week.

Headlights

July 1-4: 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
???

See you next week.

Tags: Nature Photography, Wildlife photography, Waldo Canyon Fire, Cheyenne Mountain, Royal Gorge

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

Sunday: Cowboy Country
Mid-morning we pulled out of Cortez and drove the 115 miles to Ridgway State Park, five miles north of the town of Ridgway. We took Highway 145 through Dolores, passed through Rico, passed by Telluride, turned east at Placer, and north at Ridgway. We were fortunate to reserve a site overlooking a pond adjacent to the Uncompahgre River--just gorgeous. We spent time relaxing outside admiring the fly fishermen and watching kids play around and in the water. There are trails all over and the mountain views are fantastic. This is one nice State Park. Fans of Western movies might recognize the Ridgway area from viewing How the West Was Won and John Wayne’s True Grit, which were filmed here.

Monday: Back to Durango



We had business that required us to go back Durango, so early Monday morning we got onto the San Juan Skyway and headed south. Just 19 miles down from our campground is the town of Ouray, billed as the American Switzerland--a beautiful town in a stunning setting. Just south of Ouray is the 12-mile stretch that is referred to as the Million Dollar Highway. I’m not sure of the reason behind the name, but it sure provided million-dollar views as we drove along, up and up around curve and curve with snowy mountains above, flowing waterfalls across, and deep valleys below. My hunch is that the contractor for this job started running out of money at this stretch of road. Many of the most extreme curves over really deep fall-offs had no guardrails, and, at some of the most door-handle-grabbing sections, the pavement seemed to be a couple feet narrower than normal. No wonder many RV drivers avoid this road like caster oil, preferring to detour many miles to travel less stressful roads! At over 11,000 feet we crossed Red Mountain Pass, later Coal Bank Pass, and finally Molas Pass before reaching Durango. This is one gorgeous drive. We stopped along the side of the road to shoot this old truck.



On our return trip just south of Coal Bank Pass, we saw a small bighorn sheep jump down from a rock onto Highway 550. The car in front of us luckily slowed way down, and I pulled off just 20 feet from this large lamb. He let me shoot him for at least five minutes before he methodically bound from rock to rock back up the mountain. Handsome fellow, isn’t he?



Little Molas Lake
Later in our journey we stopped at Little Molas Lake to enjoy the view of this postcard setting.



We then stopped in Silverton to check things out. Shortly after we finished lunch, the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge train pulled into town. We walked down and took a few photos. Here is my favorite.



The Million Dollar Highway always requires vigilance, but it is far less stressful going north rather than south, as you can hug the mountainside instead of treading on the edge. So this portion of road was child’s play compared to the morning’s trek.

We drove around Ouray, and when the lightning started we darted into the Historical Museum of Ouray County for an enjoyable and enlightening hour learning about the local area. They had some beautiful flowers showcasing their facility.



Tuesday: Really Big Cat
The day started with a brisk, one-hour walk starting at the edge of our campsite and winding up and back the Uncompahgre River. I took a few shots of flowers along the way. Here is one of a false lupine.



Later in the day, we took a scouting car ride into the Uncompahgre National Forest. I was hoping to find some potential trails for hikes later in the week--typical forest roads, rocky, narrow, and steep, with switchbacks that provided the occasional wonderful view. Fourteen miles up the road (close to an hour’s driving), we turned a sharp corner to see what first appeared to be a dead elk with its mother/sibling standing by its side.

As we approached within 30 feet, we discovered that the standing creature was not an elk but a really big mountain lion who had just made a kill. Finally noticing our presence, he slowly raised up from chomping on the carcass and looked our way as blood ran down his chin. This guy appeared to be in robust maturity, tall at the shoulders, square of head, and sporting a tail that looked long enough to jump rope with. Two big bounds and this master of the woods was out of sight, probably watching us and waiting to get back to his lunch. Although I had my big camera on my lap, the three-second or so delay in taking action meant it was too late!



Wednesday: One More Time
Although the odds of seeing the Big Cat again were phenomenally against us, we couldn’t resist the lure of trying. So before dawn we re-traced our steps to the location of our sighting the day before. No carcass, no cat, but we continued to drive up, seeing patches of snow and numerous deer and elk. At one point we saw a newborn baby elk hobble across the road testing its legs as it followed its mother in retreat from our presence. We drove past the pass and went on and on all the way to Silver Jack Reservoir.



Here we unloaded from the car, and with the Kids in the lead we hiked for an hour along the lake, through a meadow, and then up into the woods. Our path ended at the dam where we decided to walk the dirt road back to our point of origin. Another beautiful hike with head-turning sights everywhere.







Box Canyon
Late afternoon we went to Box Canyon, housed within the city limits of Ouray. Along with a beautiful waterfall, Box Canyon is one of those rare places on the planet where black swifts nest. Apparently the swifts had just returned from their winter migration in Brazil and had not yet started their nests. The photographic challenge is that the black swifts are black and swift--we didn’t see a one, but enjoyed our visit.





Thursday: Telluride



Another scenic drive took us to the famous ski town of Telluride. We started by driving the streets lined with quaint shops and well-groomed houses (and an old vehicle or two), and then drove to the edge of town by the old mill to take in the view of Bridal Veil Falls. Next, we parked and walked the streets before taking the free tram to Mountain Village, Telluride’s sister city. This was the Pups first tram ride and they handled the affair with calm and dignity, just as you would expect of these worldly canines.





On our return home we took a diversion off of 145 taking Fall Creek Road south, down to the Woods Lake recreation area, another isolated location. Driving into the campground we saw this marmot.



Friday: On to Montrose



We took the short but pretty drive to Montrose. Here we had a very enjoyable evening visiting with Marge and David, our camp host friends from last year at Highline Lake State Park.

Saturday: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Early in the morning we drove the 20 miles to Black Canyon National Park. We parked at the campground and took the two-mile Rim Rock Nature Trail along the canyon wall trek to the Visitor’s Center and back. The Pups enjoyed the walk, and we had some nice views of the canyon. After that we took the scenic park drive stopping at some of the lookouts. We ended our time in the park by taking the East Portal Road down to the bottom on the canyon and on to the dam. Just as we turned onto this stretch, we saw this female dusty grouse cross the road.



This is Jan’s kind of road--hairpin turns and 16 percent grades.

Once again we ended the day with a nice visit with Marge and David talking about old times and new adventures.

Bonus Pic
Here is a pic from last week’s Anastazi ruin, Lowry Pueblos, visit that I neglected to put in last week’s blog. I really like this image, as it communicates the feeling of isolation and foreboding.



RV Park Review--Great RV Resource
Before I book a park I find myself going more and more to www.rvparkreview.com to get opinions from others who have stayed there. In fact, this is now my main resource. I was starting to feel guilty about using this great tool without contributing anything, so I am now writing reviews after each stay. If you are an RVer, I strongly recommend it.

Wonderful week.

Headlights

June 10-12: One Mile Camp, Gunnison, CO
June 13-15: Chalk Creek Park, Nathrop CO
June 16-17: ???
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 to July 4: Mary’s Campground, Estes Park
July 5 to 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

See you next week.

Tags: Wildlife photography, Nature Photography, Colorado, Montrose, Ridgway State Park, Durango, telluride

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: The Six-Miler
We started off the week as we left off--ambitious hiking. From camp we drove the dirt roads around the Vallecito Lake for 25 minutes, ending at the Pine River Trailhead. This was a pretty trail. Our journey took us through green, sweet-smelling forests, over and along boisterous streams, among flowered meadows, and gently upward into wild mountains.

I was loaded down with gear, so when we came to a tricky stream requiring crossing/fording, Jan carried the Pups over the rocks and logs one by one. (The Kids are troopers, but they don’t like to get wet!)

As we approached our third mile up, we met a young couple descending the trail. Along with a large, obviously full backpack, the woman carried a two-month old baby papoose-style. This family had camped for three nights along a lake 17 miles up the trail! I was impressed. Their dog also had a job. It carried a pack on its back full of diapers--clean on the right and dirty on the left!

Six miles for us old-timers was very good, and back at camp Jan and I were satisfied with our efforts but tired, and Jerry and Mitzy were just plain exhausted.



Monday: Memorial Day
No hikes today! Just a couple of close-by walks.

Tuesday: No Luck
We were up early at the Ute Recreation Area hoping to shoot some birds down by the lake and around the marshes. Beautiful morning, but no keepers.







Wednesday: Quiet Day
We returned to the nearby Vallecito Creek Trail for a brisk morning trek, and then I stayed close to the rig working while Jan went into Durango for supplies.

Thursday: The Hunt for Anasazi



After an exercise walk, Jan pointed the bus south and then west on to Cortez. After setting up, we drove the short distance to Anasazi Center up by Dolores. This place was the headquarters for the Canyon of the Ancients--helpful staff, excellent resources, and an extremely well-done museum. If you are into geology, history, photography, or old Indians, stop here.

Friday: Trail of the Ancients



At 5:30 a.m. we departed camp, taking a gorgeous pre-dawn, 42-mile, one-hour-and-10-minute drive across the valleys and hills of southwest Colorado ranch country and into eastern Utah. Along the way we saw lots of equipment (some new, some old). As we entered Hovenweep National Monument we saw this female coyote scooting across the brush.







Our well-thought-out plan was to take the main two-mile trail starting at the visitor center, seeing the main ruins in the cool morning before things heated up. Of course, no one else was there.





The trail was steep, rocky, and narrow, but we enjoyed seeing the ruins and the surrounding rock structures. The Pups had a marvelous time leading the way.

At a junction of two trails, I took neither, leading us into what turned out to be a remote canyon. We took this difficult “trail less traveled” (it kinda, sorta looked like a trail) until we could go no further, and reluctantly re-traced our path. However, our “accident” led us to spot a “Category III” ruin (a ranger later told us that they purposely don’t tell the public of their existence), so that was kind of cool.





From then on, though, Jan took special care to make sure we followed the correct trail.



After three invigorating hours of hiking we returned to our starting point, the visitor center, were we talked with the lone ranger. Next, we drove four miles on a four-wheel-drive road, and then hiked again for a mile or so to observe the Holly Ruins. Not a soul shared our exploration--a common occurrence in these remote areas...well, except for this colorful collared lizard.





Back at the car it was 10:30 and already quite warm. We leisurely drove our way home, stopping every now and then to check-out and shoot birds and enjoy the scenery.

Saturday: Canyon of the Ancients
We first drove northwest of Dolores to the McPhee Reservoir. At the observation point, we took the Can Do Trail along the canyon walls through the junipers spotting lots of birds along the way. After driving through the rest of McPhee, we decided to head north and, since the light was good, check out the Lone Dome Wildlife Area for photo ops. As we headed northwest on 491, it got darker and darker with lightning coming from the west. When we saw a Canyon of the Ancients monument sign pointing into the storm’s direction, we made an executive change of plan, heading west into the storm hoping to get some cool shots of the weather over the ruins. Even though it was mid-morning on a weekend, there was not a soul at the national historic landmark. We wandered at will, taking lots of photos of the skies darkening over Lowry Pueblo--our bet had paid off.







From here we drove to the Dove Creek Diner in Dove Creek for lunch (Jan had a burrito with Pinto beans), filled with gas, and spent most of the rest of the day exploring, stopping at the beautiful Dolores Canyon Overlook, and then into Lone Dome and other dusty paths inside our good friend, the San Juan National Forest.











Wonderful week.

Headlights

June 3-7: Ridgway State Park, Ridgway, CO
June 8-9: Cedar Creek RV Park, Montrose, CO
June 10-12: One Mile Camp, Gunnison, CO
June 13-15: Chalk Creek Park, Nathrop CO
June 16-17: ???
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

See you next week.

Tags: Colorado State Parks, Utah, Colorado, Hovenweep, Cortez, Lowry Pueblo, Vallecito Lake, San Juan National Forest, 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

Sunday: Mother’s Day Adventure
After a brisk walk in the 34-degree daylight and breakfast, everyone loaded into the car to celebrate Mother’s Day with a hike and a road trip.

Golden Eagle Encounter
Within 300 yards of leaving San Luis State Park, a mature (meaning really big) Golden Eagle swooped up from the desert directly to our right then cut across our path no more than six feet off the ground and within six feet of our car windshield. We could see every feather detail of this mottled brown giant as we barely missed a collision. I’d had my camera on my lap, but had no photo op during this three seconds of raw action. In my mind I hoped our new friend would circle back, but he kept on flying. Added to the consumption of a pot of strong coffee, I was buzzed for the day.

Zapata Falls Hike
Just five miles south of the Dunes is the Zapata Falls Recreation Area run by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management). We took the three-mile path up the bumpy, curvy gravel road, ascending a couple thousand feet in the effort. At the trailhead we trekked up the old stream bed, stopping off to enjoy Zapata Falls. From here we continued up the mountain, climbing another mile before retracing our steps. Along the way we had panoramic views of the Dunes and the entire San Juan Valley. Wonderful hike.





Jan decided she’d like to see some yet-explored sights for Mother’s Day, so instead of turning south at Mosca we turned north.

Colorado Gator Farm
After careful but short deliberation, we passed on visiting the Colorado Gator Farm, continuing on past Hooper.

UFO
However, just a mile or so past Hooper we were “forced” to turn into the UFO Watchtower just as though a cosmic energy took possession of our Honda Element. What a place!



Ute Theater and Cultural Center
We continued going north on 17 with mountains on all sides to look at and not much else. We took a left at the junction of 285, deciding to explore the town of Saguache. As we turned down the main drag of this old town of 500 residents, I decided I wanted a cup of coffee to go. Pulling into a parking spot, I walked across the street to the local cafe. When I returned, Jan had found/created a new lifelong friend named Denise, the proprietor of the Ute Theater and Cultural Center. She had been drinking Mimosas outside of her establishment and had invited Jan inside to view the snack bar, wine bar, and old-time theatre…



Back in the car we returned home to the Park via Center, Hooper, and Mosca.

Monday: Breaking Camp
After four days, we had seen most all the sites in this area we had wanted to see. So by 7:45 a.m. we were on the road out in the brisk morning sun. We took the back roads all the way to Highway 160 West. As an example of the remoteness of our travels, even going 35 miles an hour for a big stretch, we drove over 30 miles with no one coming up behind us. Talk about stress-free driving.

Tuesday: Durango
We started the day with a downtown walk and stops at the Colorado Wildlife and BLM (Bureau of Land Management) offices to get ideas for hikes and locations for spotting wildlife. Later in the afternoon we took a road trip checking out both the town of Mancos and the Mancos State Park. Adjoining our campground is a ranch where horses run.



Wednesday: Junction Creek
By 6:45 a.m. we were at the Junction Creek trailhead of the Colorado Trail at the base of the San Juan Forest. We took a two-hour hike up Colorado’s most famous trail, then drove to the top of the world to Animas Overlook where we took in a vista of tall mountains, forests, and valleys.



Late afternoon we scouted out our hike for the next day.

Thursday: Hermosa Trail
This morning we took the high-altitude Hermosa Trail in the San Juan Forest.











Friday: Scenic Skyway Trip
Took an hour walk along the Animas River.





Early afternoon we took a 50-mile drive up Highway 550, part of the San Juan Scenic Skyway all the way to Silverton. Oh, yes, scenic it is! Made several stops along the way scouting out future hikes and future campgrounds.





Saturday: Navajo Country
Late morning we took a road trip south into the Ute Reservation, checking out Ignacious, Arboles, and driving through Navajo State Park, considering it for a stay in the future.

Wonderful week.

Headlights

May 20-23: Alpen Rose RV Park, Durango, CO
May 24-30: 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, Mosca, San Luis Valley, Nature Photography, Wildlife photography