Traveling With Your Dog

I don't travel often without my dog, Max.  Max and I are a family so I take him most everywhere I go, which is how I like it.  I can't imagine my life without a dog. I've had several dogs growing up including Taz, Barkley, Ruffles, Sushi, Maggie and now Max. Three years ago, I traveled the country in my teardrop trailer with my dog, Maggie.  The past two years have been spent traveling with Max in a tent.

I adopted Max about three months after my beloved Maggie passed away.  I've always had larger dogs in my life and didn't think about adopting a small lap dog.  One day I went to the farmers market in Long Beach for strawberries and the next thing I knew, I came home with Max.  He was up for adoption from a local rescue organization called "Hearts for Hounds."  They told me that Max (or "Freddie" at the time I adopted him) was on his last day at a shelter before they scooped him up.  I am so glad they did.

A few weeks after adopting him, we were on the road.  My car was packed with everything I needed to camp with but I kept a kennel open in the back for him to go inside and rest if he wanted to and a bed with blankets in the back seat.  Eventually I noticed that he didn't want to be in the kennel or bed but on top of the piles of stuff in the back.  This turned out to be his new home.

Max is a great traveler.  He sits in the back and sleeps most of the time and waits to get out on breaks. He doesn't complain or cry and he got used to the routine right away.  At night, he sleeps inside of the sleeping bag with me and stays asleep until I wake up and decide to start moving around.  Sometimes he stays there and waits to get up.  I am not one to lay still when I sleep so if I have to roll over, I just tuck him in my chest like a football and roll over.

He went everywhere I went.  When you travel with a dog, you need to be aware of restrictions at national parks and everywhere else.  If the temperature is too hot, some parks have a dog day care inside of an air conditioned trailer.  I never kept Max in the car if it was too hot or too cold.  We did camp in twenty eight degree temperatures in Yellowstone, but once we are both in the sleeping bag, it wasn't that bad.

Along with keeping me company, Max is the subject of many of my photographs during our travels.  I usually take a photo of him wherever we go and I don't think he always appreciated it.  The only time I was a bit concerned traveling with him was in remote camping areas where we were the only people there with the wildlife.  I think Max might make a good snack for some animals, so I was a little concerned that his scent would attract bears.  Luckily, we didn't have any problems.

I met some people on the road who also travel with their dog, which I love.  Some are shown here on the blog. I think Max likes to meet like minded dogs on the road to play with.  If we wanted to take a break from camping and if the weather wasn't cooperating, we would usually stay at a Motel 6 or Red Roof Inn, which both allow pets.  Best one yet was Red Roof Inn in Myrtle Beach.

Max and I are looking ahead to where we want to go next.  He's lucky enough to have traveled all over the country with me, even a short time in Canada.  I can't imagine traveling without him.  If you are thinking about traveling with your dog, here are some tips:

1.) Max and I liked to visit dog parks across the country.  One app we especially liked and used a lot was the "Dog Park Finder"

2.) Keep chewies in the glove box.  There will be times when your dog might start to feel stressed and bored.  Handing a chewie to Max while driving seemed to do the trick for a while.

3.) Keep all shots up to date along with papers.  Some campsites will need you to show this documentation in order to stay there.

4.) Follow a routine as much as possible so your dog knows what to expect.

5.) Keep bear spray handy when you are camping in remote areas by yourself. Dogs will attract wild animals.

6.) Have several leashes handy.  You might lose your favorite so a back up is handy.

7.) Always have water in the car that easy for your dog to find and drink.

8.) Play.  Remember that you are on the road together.  Take walks, go to the park, talk during the ride. Do things you would do with a friend, but do it with your dog.  As an example, Max and I decided to take an old time photo together at Wall Drug.  Don't take yourself too seriously.



9.) Follow the weather.  Don't keep your pup in the car if it's warm out. Take breaks, sit in the shade.

10.) Take Pictures!

Happy Halloween!

Max is ready to head out to sea...

"Dogs Dogs Dogs" Juried Photography Exhibit At 1650 Gallery To Benefit Dogs Without Borders

As you know, I am a big animal lover and I especially love dogs.  I can't imagine my life without one.

I am thrilled to find out that my photograph, "Bella" and "Dog Beach"were selected to participate in the juried photography exhibit at the 1650 Gallery.  Their "Dogs Dogs Dogs" show will be held at their gallery in Los Angeles on October 23rd from 7pm to 11pm.  All proceeds will go to the non profit group, Dogs without Borders.

Dogs without Borders is a 501(c) non-profit dog rescue that is dedicated to saving homeless & abandoned dogs from high-kill shelters in the Los Angeles area and to find them permanent and loving homes.

Because of organizations like Dogs Without Borders, I was able to find my dog, Max.

I went to my local farmers market in Long Beach, California over a year ago in June and there he was looking at me from a cage with other rescue animals.  It was a lot like this picture of him with a stick. He was saved on his last day at a shelter from the amazing group, Hearts for Hounds.  I scooped him up and about a week later, we were on the road.

In addition to "Bella," two other photographs were chosen to participate in their online Annex gallery; "Stick Max" and "Dixie."

I am excited to be next to some amazing work.  I am especially excited to find out that my friend, Sarah Ause is also in the show.  She is the official photographer for the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.  I have always loved her work and made the trip to meet her when I was on the road last year.  The post of meeting here can be viewed HERE.

If you are in the Los Angeles area and love dogs, this show is one not to miss for a good cause!

Yellowstone National Park

I love Yellowstone.  It's my favorite National Park out of all of our wonderful parks across the USA.  There is something about this park that I love.  It could be the wildlife or the breath taking views at every corner.  This year, I entered the park from the West Entrance and that completes all four corners for me.  I have been at all entrances to the park and have been on every road the past three years.

I think the feeling I have when I am at the park is the same as playing the lottery.  When you get a ticket, you think about winning and everything you will do with the money if you win.  The excitement of being a winner and your number being chosen that it's almost worth the dollar you spend on the piece of paper to get those feelings.  The same holds true at the park, except the winning lottery ticket is seeing wildlife.  If you are lucky enough to see a bear, elk, buffalo, coyote or the other numerous wildlife at the park, you are a winner!  As I drive down the road, I always imaging something darting out or where the next pull out is so I can stop for a photograph.

This visit didn't disappoint.  I was lucky enough to see all of those animals (except a bear) inside of the park and even close enough to get some photographs.  Sure the scenery is beautiful but I was more focused on the buffalo.

When I arrived at the park, I was greeted with rain that turned into hail at one point.  It wasn't the best in camping situations but Max and I made due and snugged up in the sleeping bag together in 28 degree temperatures.  The following day was clear and we drove around the park to play the "are you going to see a wild animal today" lottery.  We won.

If you haven't been to Yellowstone, it's a must.  I have visited this park each year for the past three years and each time is breathtaking.  The only downfall is the crowds.  That is one thing to expect when you go visit in the summer.  The one tip I have about not being in the middle of massive amounts of people is to get up early and see the sights when everyone is still asleep.  You will be alone with the animals and the beauty.  At least for a little while.

A Visit With Lauren Grabelle in Bigfork, Montana

Sometimes when you sit back and remember how you met someone in your life it was by chance encounter, a different turn, a mutual friend, a new job, etc.  I am thinking on how exactly I started talking to Lauren and it all started last year.

A virtual friend, Jane O' Hara's artwork was in a show last September and I went to the link to look at the other artists on the site.  I clicked on Lauren's website and instantly fell in love with her "Natural Boundaries" portfolio.  Not only that, there were and are so many images that I am drawn to.

I wrote to her to tell her just that.  She checked out my blog and what I was doing (driving around the country with my dog) and she identified with some things I wrote about on my travels.  We started talking and ended up having a lot in common.  After writing for almost a year here and there, I finally met her in her home/studio in Bigfork, Montana and Max and I spent some time with her and her dog, Sugar.

We had a nice slice of life in Montana going for walks, eating at the local establishments, listening to live music, visiting a farm house and enjoying her "yappy hour."

I had a great time in Montana.  I can see why Lauren chose to make Bigfork her home.  It is an amazing place and I look forward to returning again.  A big thank you to Lauren and Sugar!  If you are on facebook, you can be her fan by clicking HERE.

She is a blogger too and wrote a nice piece on our visit with her.  You can view that by clicking HERE.

Leaving Spokane

I haven't blogged for a while and I am sorry for the delay, for those of you who read this blog.  I have not taken my computer out for some time and I have been in places where I haven't had the reception to do so.

I have been lucky enough to stay in Spokane for several days and my friend Cat calls it my "Northwest Basecamp."  Max and I really enjoyed the company of Cat and her friends.  During my stay, I was able to participate in many activities including going to the lake, concerts at the gas station, walking in the park, going on a merry-go-round, a trip to Idaho, eating a shrimp boil, herding cows at a working ranch, and many more fun things that I wouldn't have had the opportunity to participate in if I didn't make the trip.

I especially enjoyed my time with my dear friend.  Sometimes we get so caught up in doing our daily activities and responsibilities that spending quality face time with friends ends up towards the bottom of the list.  As much as we can connect online with email and facebook, those things won't get you closer to the people you love as much as sitting in the same room for a chat will.  I am lucky I had the opportunity to take the time to slow down a bit to catch up on each others lives.

After my short trip to Long Beach to attend the roller derby and catch up in my home town, I flew back to Spokane to stay another night and plan a few days ahead.  Max had a great time playing with her dog, Bella and I had such a wonderful time with Cat's friends.  Thank you to all of you who made me feel like part of the group.

As with all good bye's, this was a sad one but I know I will be back.  Now it's time for Max and I to get on the road and head East.  I will talk about our adventure in the next few days of blogs.  Thank you for reading and for being a part of it with us! Also, a big thank you to the WSU design team and Danna Snow for allowing me to come in and photograph you!

A Trip To The Coast To Beat The Heat

Max and I decided to take a break from the heat and headed towards the coast.  I haven't been this far up Northern California since I took a trip with my family in our wood paneled station wagon when I was 10 years old.  It was my mom, brother, grandmother, grandfather, and father all packed into a car and headed to Canada.  My mother and I sat in the reverse seat in the back and looked out the window to where we've been.

Since the temperatures were over 100 where we were, the coast temperatures are a welcome site.  We left pretty late in the afternoon so we finally arrived to the Redwood Forest visitor center after hours.  The nice ranger saw me and decided to come out and give me a map only to tell me that all sites were filled.  He wished me luck in my search and gave me a tip that some hike in sites along the coastal dirt road might be available.

Max and I decided to take his advice and try to find the free hike in sites.  We drove North and turned at the bridge before Klamath, just as the ranger said and came upon an unpaved road.  We continued on the coastal trail and stopped when we saw a few cars parked outside.  We arrived at the Flint Ridge campsite. There were a few campers having dinner by their car so I talked to them about the availability at the site.  They weren't sure so we decided to get everything out of the car and haul it up about a half a mile to the campsites.  Lucky for us, there was a space available.  It was a nice hike but the best part about it was that it's FREE!

We set up camp and headed down the hill to watch the sunset.  It was a beautiful foggy sunset.  After that, we called it a night.

 Tomorrow we will be on the hunt for some tall trees.

A Few Days In A Cabin In The Woods

I am fortunate enough to have a friend that worked really hard to restore an old cabin in the woods and now Max and I get to enjoy it for a few days.  I love being in the forest.  It is so peaceful and gives me an urge to live like this full time.  The problem I have with it is that I have a hard time relaxing.  I am used to being on the go and moving constantly so sitting still takes some practice.

The cabin doesn't have electricity or water so it's like camping in a tent with a hard shell.  I have books and magazines but when the power was low on my computer and phone, panic started to set in.  It sounds crazy, I know.  To some, bliss is hanging out alone and reading a book.  I find it hard to sit still enough to enjoy it but I am trying.  I keep thinking of "what's next" and what I need to do to work on the projects I have in mind.  It's a good time to plan what I want to accomplish on this trip and perhaps plan a little more on where I will be headed next.  I still don't really know since I try and just plan it day by day.

I took Max on some walks in the forest, took a few pictures and kept imagining that a bear would come up to the house and have tea with us.  If not a bear, I would see sasquatch hunched over, running by.  I suppose it's a good thing I have my imagination to keep me company here when there is not a soul around. I keep my camera close by just in case those things actually happen.

So, the next stop is a mystery, but I like it that way.