I Could Call This Place Home

Posted on July 18, 2012 by fran

Anyone who’s been following my blog for awhile knows of my infatuation with Colorado. In my earlier years it was skiing the dry Colorado snow that drew me here in the winter. Later it was to reconnect with friends I’d met while traveling who happen to share my love for nature and the outdoors. I flew out several summers ago to do some backpacking with Carol, who I met at a photography convention in Vegas. And when my friend Tony, who I met at a convention in Wisconsin, offered to teach me to fly fish… with turning Aspens in the Colorado mountains as the background… I leapt at the chance! Colorado was my first stop outside of Texas last fall, and my second. I literally had to force myself to get on up the highway!

There’s no wondering why I chose Colorado as the background for my next dog book! It’s an amazingly beautiful place! The book project brought me full circle through the state for the entire month of February to gather the winter images for my book, and I’ve just wrapped up another six weeks of traveling throughout the state gathering my summer images. While here I had the pleasure of spending quality time with some wonderful friends. Some of those friends I’ve known a long time, while others I’ve met along the trail. As I’ve mentioned before, these encounters are a part of the blessings of this journey. Each one is special, and I carry the memories along with me… like precious gems in my pocket. Or maybe a better analogy would be like charms on a bracelet, each representing a special memory.

So… picking up where I left off, and wrapping up my last several days in Colorado…

My cousin Anne had generously offered the use of their condo in Breckenridge, and I had a safe place to leave my RV with my friend Carol, so the girls and I went by car to spend a few days in the Vail-Breckenridge area. Every time I drive through Glenwood Canyon along the Colorado River (I70) I am completely entranced. And as many times as I have driven both directions through this area, I have yet to get past the longing for some good turn-offs along the way. There are a couple of rest stops, but none in the most picturesque places. Seriously, when the light is bouncing dramatically off the walls of this canyon will take your breath away.

I photographed several wonderful dogs while in the area, but again… can’t share them all. I assure you though, that between the amazing dogs and stunning backgrounds, the book will be beautiful and worth the wait! I did come upon some canines I can share though, a mother fox and her one kit. These two were fun to observe for awhile.

The little guy joyfully teasing his Mom

Many of my dog images are captured spontaneously, but some are scheduled, and planned around iconic Colorado backgrounds. One of the dog owners met me way up a mountainside for this spectacular view of Breckenridge.

Breckenridge was very busy with tourists while we were there, as were the other communities we hit while in this part of the state… Dillon and Vail. Since I was running a full week behind schedule I was perfectly content focusing on the dogs I found along the way, and avoiding most of the packed streets and trails. After a couple of days away we were back in the Aspen area for the 4th of July. Thankfully fireworks were banned pretty much throughout the state, but the girls and I enjoyed a free concert in the park alongside hundreds of other locals and tourists. It rained a bit while we were there, but with wildfires raging throughout the state, it didn’t seem to dampen anyone’s spirit one bit!

There’s a wonderful memorial to John Denver along the river in Aspen, with many of his songs engraved on boulders throughout. We strolled through on our way back to the car, and I found myself singing his songs along the way. No need to read the words. I know most of them by heart.

In addition to all the other cool dogs I photographed while I was here, I managed arrange a morning with the Krabloonik Sled Dogs in Snowmass. Since it is off season, and also unseasonable warm for the area, I did not get to see the dogs in action, but enjoyed a tour through the compound and some time with a littler of pups. This is undoubtedly a great place to experience in the winter!

One of several “dog yards”. WOW!

What fascinating eyes!

Puppy breath!!!

Another cool find while there

Snowmass

The following morning we were off to our final Colorado destination… Steamboat Springs! On our way out though, we made one last stop to photograph Dante, who we met along with his owner, Amita, at the Farmers Market in Basalt. With my RV (and car) parked safely off the highway, we hopped in the truck with Amita and Dante for a ride up to their “little spot of heaven” where they had an outstanding view of Sopris!

Dante with Sopris in the background

While in Steamboat Springs for my winter shoot, I was amazed at how helpful the dog owners were at suggesting other dogs (and owners) I might like to meet. One dog led to another, and before I knew it I was traveling all over the county photographing some marvelous dogs. Susan Shoemaker and her herding dogs, Ringer and Babe, were among those I met. She has a wonderful property with an old barn that made a perfect background for her dogs. During my short visit with her last winter she invited me to bring my RV out and sit tight for awhile when I made it back to town. I can’t tell you how touched I am by the graciousness of strangers as I travel. Of course I said yes!

Susan’s dog, Ringer, herding the flock during our winter visit.

Before arriving Steamboat I sent a note to all the dog owners I’d met previously, letting them know I was heading back to town and asking for suggestions on more dogs. One of those dog owners, Rich Landon (who introduced me to Susan come to think of it) offered to bring his dog Belle out for a second shoot. We made arrangements to meet at a little country store several miles out of town near Steamboat Lake, and go from there. Belle, who has only three legs incidentally, is the gentlest dog you’d ever meet but you’d never know it by this humorous shot I got of her. Since she looks like she’s viciously stalking me I could never use the image in my book, but it made me chuckle (knowing the true nature of this dog) so I have to share.

Belle putting on a good show for me.

After meeting with Rich and Belle I hopped over to Steamboat Lake where I found a few more dogs, enjoyed the scenery, and wished for time to drop my kayak in the water.

Reflections on Steamboat Lake

Steamboat Lake

I resisted the urge to kayak on this peaceful lake because I was on a mission to meet “Spike”… the man known by many to have the finest herding dogs in the county. I was not surprised to find him out working the ranch when I arrived. Since we’d never met and I was pretty sure he had not received the message I’d left earlier that morning, I lurked for awhile… until his lovely wife Libby and their two adorable kiddos, Emmitt and Josie, came out to meet me on their 4-wheeler. Again, I was not surprised when Libby said, “Hop on! I’ll take you out to meet him!” I had too much fun with my time out there to care one bit about all the fresh cow poop I was stepping in!

Libby, Josie and Emmitt

Spike bringing the cattle in with the help of his dogs, Hank and Chief

And once again, I was taken with the beauty of Colorado!

View from the ranch

The following day we hiked up Fish Creek with another dog owner I met in February, Donna Segale, and her dog Bacci. This is the waterfall from the Coors label. Interestingly, it’s brewed in a completely different part of the state.

Fish Creek Falls

Jazzy and Sadie enjoying the cool, fresh water of Fish Creek

Between thunderstorms the girls and I enjoyed hiking across Susan’s ranch and found all kinds of things that made us stop and ponder for awhile.

This dust covered Porcupine still has me wondering

Susan and her dogs Ringer and Babe, and Jazzy getting in on the action

I have to admit to a bit of a melancholy feeling as I packed up to leave Colorado. I have spent much more time here than any other state on my journey so far. Three times I’ve journeyed through, and all three times I felt almost overwhelmed by the beauty… and the feeling that I needed more time. People ask me all the time how long my journey will last. Right now I don’t know how far I will go, or how long it will last, or where I will land. I just trust that I’ll know when it’s time to stop. If it happens to be in Colorado, I’d be very content, because I really could happily call this place home.

A very special thank you to all of the dog owners I met throughout the state! It was wonderful connecting with you and your wonderful pets. I’m sorry I am unable to share all of them here on my blog, but they can all be seen the Mountain Dogs of Colorado gallery on my website… www.franreisner.com

To Durango and Beyond

Posted on July 5, 2012 by fran

After hovering in Westcliffe, visiting old friends and making new ones, and enjoying some heartwarming animal encounters, it was time to shove off and continue on my journey. I couldn’t leave town before visiting the Paca Peace Farm though. I went to photograph their Akbash Guard Dogs (part of my book collection) and fell in LOVE with the Alpaca! What adorable creatures. I want one!!!! (Boy do I sound like Elissa! ) Seriously, if I could figure out how to travel with one in an RV the girls would be sharing their seat with a baby Alpaca now! These cuties had been sheered only days before I arrived, but they were still enchanting to me. Bella and Buddy, their guardians, were precious as well.

Akbash Guard Dog, Bella

Dinner time!

Akbash Guard Dogs, Bella and Buddy

Guarding the herd

From Westcliffe I drove back to Salida, down to South Fork, and over Wolf Creek Pass. This is a long, steep pass (10, 857 ft), but a stunning drive. Once again, few places to pull over in a 35′ motorhome, so when I was just shy of the summit I pulled out into the empty ski area parking lot, unhooked “Zippy”, and headed back down the mountain. Yep! Sometimes it’s just gotta be done!

South Fork of the Rio Grande

Wolf Creek Pass, Hwy 160

After hooking back up and continuing on over the summit I went into sensory overload. First of all, the drive back down the other side was at least as steep and probably more windy. The new breaking system I added to my tow car a few weeks ago became well worth the expense on this drive alone!

From Wolf Creek Pass looking south toward Pagosa Springs

This pass was made famous by country artist CW McCall. In his song (written by Bill Fries and Chip Davis) he fondly described the pass as “37 miles o’ hell — which is up on the Great Divide.” In the song, two truckers drive an out-of-control down the highway into Pagosa Springs – a 5,000-foot drop in elevation.

I looked at Earl and his eyes was wide

His lip was curled, and his leg was fried.

And his hand was froze to the wheel like a tongue to a sled in the middle of a blizzard.

I says, “Earl, I’m not the type to complain

But the time has come for me to explain

That if you don’t apply some brake real soon, they’re gonna have to pick us up with a stick and a spoon…”

(This info taken from Wikipedia at the link above)

It was an intense drive down, I have to admit, but absolutely breathtaking (in more ways than one!) If I hadn’t had an appointment to photograph a dog in Durango that evening I’d have found a place to ditch The Beast again, and drive back up with some stops along the way. Not just the pass itself, but the landscape and ranch land between there and town was just beautiful. Chalk it up to one more place I’ll have to get back to one day.

While in Durango I met up with several dog owners to gather more images for my book. One morning I hiked with two “dog moms” up the same trail. I met Kathleen and Roscoe (Great Dane) when I was here for my winter shoot. LeeAnn is the owner of Healthy Hounds and Fat Cats in Durango, and she brought along Pipsqueak (pom/corgi mix) and Bobo (tri color corgi). And I, of course, had Jazzy and Sadie along for the hike. The combination of dogs made for an interesting, challenging, and sometimes humorous “session” to say the least. It was a fun morning, and beautiful hike.

Junction Creek

Water dogs?

Since the trail didn't need marking I assume these cairn are just for fun

I met up with Kathleen and Roscoe one last time while in Durango, to get the ultimate shot of him. I understand (from several folks) that this is a common site around town.

Roscoe!

I finally got another chance to put my kayak in the water in a calm area of the Anamas River, and paddled upstream… away from the rapids. It was a hot afternoon, and there were lots of people out paddling and floating downstream in every kind of contraption.

A boy and his dog. Precious!

It’s funny how one connection leads to another. While hiking with Kathleen and LeeAnn, Kathleen mentioned a guy she sees skateboarding with his dog in her neighborhood, and had even been watching for him on my behalf. LeeAnn knew of him as well, and told me he owned a bike shop on Main Street, so I stopped by after the hike. Turned out he’d recently sold the bike shop but the new owner gave me his name and number. After my kayak excursion I drove about half a mile down the road and met Jeff and his dog Atlas, and photographed them skateboarding together, and THEN we went rafting down the rapids I’d avoided in my kayak, right through downtown Durango. What a great way to spend a hot afternoon!

Jeff and his dog Atlas.

What can you expect from a happy river dog?

Next stop on my journey was Mesa Verde National Park. I’d been reading about this place for awhile, and had to drive right by it on my way through the area last winter. You can easily spend an entire day in this park if you want to see it all. I did a shortened, self-guided tour since the dogs were locked in my RV with the AC running. I don’t like to leave them for long just in case the electricity went down or something, but I knew they would not be allowed on the hiking trails in the park either.

Entering Mesa Verde National Park

The Park was dedicated as one of our national treasures in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt, to protect some of the best-preserved cliff dwellings in the world, or as he said, “preserve the works of man”. It occupies 81.4 square miles and features numerous ruins built by the Ancestral Puebloan people, sometimes called the Anasazi.

Dwellings in Spruce Tree House

Down a ladder in Spruce Tree House

View from above of Cliff Palace

Balcony House very top, slightly right of center of the image. You can see how it got it's name!

I had planned on Telluride being my next destination, but failed to realize their big annual Bluegrass Festival was going on the weekend I was to arrive. I thoroughly enjoyed the drive from Mesa Verde through Delores and up over Lizard Head Pass, and was really looking forward to seeing Telluride (one of my favorite ski areas) for the first time in the summer, but had to keep on driving… to Gunnison. That story to come!

Road Trip!

Posted on June 28, 2012 by fran

I know. You’re all thinking LIFE is a road trip for me, right? It’s true, but as I’ve mentioned many times, I can’t stop at some of the most beautiful places along the way while driving “The Beast”, and there are some places ya just can’t get to in a 35′ motorhome. One of the main reasons for me to have a tow car is to be able to turn onto the “road less traveled” from time to time, and I do it as often as I can.

With the help of my friends, Bob and Kathy, I planned a full day road trip combining places they suggested with places I’d read about. Roughly an eight hour journey, but that didn’t take into consideration the numerous stops I’d make along the way to document the trip. With Jazzy and Sadie along for the ride, we set out shortly after sunrise.

The map above is as close to my route as I could get via google maps. I thought it might be more interesting (and informative) to follow along this way. Westcliffe was my starting and ending point, so it shows up as “H” on the map. From there I drove east on Hwy 96, and then south on Hwy 165 to Lake Isabel [B], one of Bob’s favorite lakes. I completely agree it was lovely and peaceful, and no doubt a place of vivid beauty in the fall. On the way I happened upon a heard of Big Horn Sheep, and not too much further I spotted more deer.

Big Horn Sheep

A little further down the road… as I was eyeing a cool old barn, this adorable calf trotted into view almost playfully. In my mind I could hear a child’s voice calling out, “Look at me! You can take a picture if ya want to!” And then Mom came along, and bellowed at him in reprimand. There is no doubt in my mind she was scolding him for talking to strangers as she hustled him on down the trail. These brief moments were sweet and comical, and kept me smiling for miles.

Lake Isabel

Backtracking down Hwy 165 I made a very quick stop at Bishop’s Castle. As most of you know, I’m not a big fan of “tourist attractions”, but I’d heard this was worth a quick look at least. Impressive? Yes. And who am I to question why? I cannot judge or fault those who are driven by passion. Being here did bring to mind two other interesting stops I’ve made on my journey, Salvation Mountain and Watt’s Towers, both in southern California.

The Bishop's guard dog??

A little further up the highway I took an off-road short cut that started out between jagged rock walls and a gently flowing stream, and eventually turned into beautiful open countryside. After a stop along the way to walk along the water with the girls, we moved on past Wetmore and on up Hwy 67 to Florence. [C]

Steakhouse in Wetmore. They weren't open while I was there.

From Florence we continued north on a road far less traveled. I don’t know if the folks around here consider “Phantom Canyon” [D] a road, but it does show up on a map. Several people since have said, “Nobody warned you not to take that road??” It’s certainly not one you’d want to drive in the pouring rain or in the dead of winter, and I’d highly recommend doing it in an all-wheel drive vehicle or at least a beater truck. It’s a dusty, bumpy, narrow and at times “cliff hanging” road with two extremely small tunnels and most importantly… some amazing vistas!

I saw few other travelers on this road, but met one couple and their two cute dogs along the way!

And at the top of the climb I dropped out into more beautiful, lush countryside and a short while later arrived in the old mining town of Victor.

A little further up the Hwy (67) I came to the town of Cripple Creek. [E] Again, a bit too touristy for me. My favorite find here were the Wild Burrow grazing on the edge of town.

From Cripple Creek I headed northwest on Teller County Road 1, and was surprised when I happened upon the same Llama Ranch I discovered two weeks prior when my daughter and I drove out from Colorado Springs to go hiking. They dazzled me then with their silly antics, some of which can be seen here.

As I pulled over to admire them once again I happened to notice something that took me a moment to register… little feet coming out of the back side of one of them! In the blink of an eye (faster than I could swap lenses) this little guy was born. I stood in the rain and watched as this baby struggled to get control of his long wobbly legs, and was amazed and even touched to see the “extended family” gather around. I had a strong sense that they were not standing there out of curiosity, but to welcome and encourage the youngster. They surrounded him protectively, eyes looking in all directions, and most especially at me. He struggled mightily, and fell several times, but from the moment of his birth it took less than fifteen minutes before he was walking alongside his mother. This is one of the most amazing things I have ever witnessed, and there was not another soul around to see it.

I had a hard time pulling myself away from where I stood, but a big storm was brewing around me, so I moved on. The first person I called was my daughter, Elissa, to tell her how much I wished she’d been with me. The second was my friend Kathy, to give them an update on my day (mainly to let them know I’d survived Phantom Canyon), and she informed me they were under an unheard of tornado warning in Westcliffe!

I continued on up Florissant Valley (35 miles west of Colorado Springs) and came upon another familiar scene, the Hornbeck Homestead. I admired the serenity of this place as I drove past it before, and this time I pulled off the road to take a look around.

The Hornbeck Homestead

The homestead stands in the center of this lush valley very near the town of Florissant. I was delighted to read that it was the home of a strong, determined woman who came to the area with her four children in the 1870s. Claiming land under the Homestead Act, Adeline Hornbek defied traditional gender roles to become the owner of a prosperous ranch. “You go girl!” comes to mind.

In Florissant I turned west on Hwy 24 and traveled toward Buena Vista. [Note: The following day yet another wildfire was raging on this same stretch of highway! To date I have stayed only miles (and hours) ahead of five separate Colorado wildfires.] There’s no shortage of cool old barns and buildings throughout the countryside here. No shortage of dogs either!

White Shepard with the Collegiate Peaks in the background

From Buena Vista [F] I headed south on Hwy 285 and took a long, windy side trip up Chalk Creek Dr/CR 162 to the old ghost town of St. Elmo. [G] It is claimed to be a ghost town, but there are actually people living there. It was a lovely drive, and the little town was quint, but a bit crowded with tourists on that particular Saturday. I’d have enjoyed it a lot more had I been able to stroll the streets on a quieter day.

Cascade Falls along Chalk Creek Dr.

Alpine Lake

Once back on the highway I continued south, and then turned on Hwy 50 toward Salida which sits right on the Arkansas River (mentioned in my previous post). I intended to spend a bit of time checking out this town as well, but they had a big festival going on. Knowing I’d be back to spend more time along this river I decided to pass on through. I followed the river for awhile and then turned down Hwy 69 toward Westcliffe. [H]

Beckwith Ranch near Westcliffe

After a wonderfully full and enchanting day I rolled back into Westcliffe just in time to catch up with Bob and Kathy and some of their good friends for cocktails and a bite to eat. They were full of questions, and after catching my breath (literally) and a few sips of wine, I regaled them with stories of my day.

Colorado… Too Much of a Good Thing???

Posted on June 25, 2012 by fran

I can’t believe how far behind I am on blogging! Not that it’s been all that long since I last wrote, but I have an over-abundance of stories and images to share and my days have been far too full of fun and friends and beauty and adventure and dogs to take the time to sit and research and write. And as is often the case, when there is time I have little or no internet connection. This is still my number one source of frustration on my journey. Not sure how I’ll get caught up, but I’ll do my best!

After putting my daughter back on a plane to Texas I headed to Fort Collins for a big party celebrating the marriage of my good friends Tony and Beth Courter. Although I’m back in Colorado to work on my book, being here to share their joyous day is the reason I made quick tracks back across the country when I did. Congratulations you two. May your journey together be joyous and everlasting.

While in Fort Collins, “camped” on the street next to their home, I found myself itching to take my kayak out. I had not been on the water since I left Savannah two weeks prior, and it was most definitely time. The yearning was so strong that I drove out to a tiny little lake in town, drug my kayak off the car, across a field, down a hill through the brush and dropped it in the water for my shortest excursion to date. I wasn’t expecting to find much worth photographing on this mini adventure, but took my camera anyway… and I was tickled to find one Blue Heron along the shore.

Great Blue Heron, Fort Collins

After a few more days in town I decided it was time to head up the mountain a ways for some real camping, and hopefully some real kayaking too! As it turned out, the county campground I picked (Horsetooth Reservoir) was just over the ridge from day one of what has become one of the states most destructive wildfires. At writing (12 days later) the “High Park” fire has burned through more than 100 square miles and destroyed at least 190 homes.

High Park forest fire the day it started, from Horsetooth Reservoir

I was told the blaze was a safe distance away, so I rolled in and set up camp. Since there were a lot of speedboats on the water that afternoon I decided to wait for the peacefulness of sunrise to take my kayak out. That afternoon Jazzy and Sadie took me for a good walk, I got some work done, had a good dinner and crashed early. I woke up in the middle of the night to smoke in my RV. Enough smoke to wake me from a deep sleep. When I stepped outside I was surprised to find the campground eerily quiet. It was dark as can be, but you could see and smell and “feel” the smoke, and I couldn’t believe I was the only one awake and alarmed by it. The dogs were clearly on edge as well. Although there was little wind, it had clearly shifted. Knowing this could mean the fire shifting directions as well, I got in my car and drove up the hill to see if I could tell where it was. I couldn’t see the blaze from the top of the hill so I figured we were ok for the time being, but I didn’t sleep a wink the rest of the night. By daylight the smoke had shifted north again, and the campground came to life like any other day. After brief consideration I decided I had no desire to camp this close to a raging forest fire. Friendly conversation with the park ranger led me to Carter Lake, a 45 minute drive but probably about 15 miles south as the crow flies. I found a great campsite right on the lake and settled in once again. The next morning I finally got my sunrise cruise in the kayak. I understand they evacuated the campground at Horsetooth Reservoir that day.

Sadie at Carter Lake with smoke from the High Park fire in the background

Jazzy and her new friend Koda

Cruising Carter Lake

Before continuing my journey around the state in search of dogs, we spent a little time with my cousin, Anne, and her family in Lafayette too. The girls and I stopped here for a visit last winter as well, and met their new family pet, an adorable Goldendoodle named Scarlet. I’m not sure I’ve ever met a cuter and sillier pup, and although she has grown in size, she has not outgrown the silliness. Jazzy and Sadie thoroughly enjoy romping around the yard with her!

Scarlet

Countryside in Lafayette

From Lafayette we were off to Westcliffe where my good friends Bob and Kathy Seei own the delightful Over the Brim Inn. I visited them as I embarked on my journey last fall, and fell in love with this little town and the surrounding area. [Previous Post] The route I chose took me past the Royal Gorge which I’d read about, and was told there was a park not too far off the highway where I could leave my RV and walk with my dogs across the impressive bridge that spans the Gorge. Soooo… off the highway we went, up a steep and windy hillside to the Royal Gorge Park. I had in my mind a state park, and was not prepared for what I found there. I followed the signs to park my RV on the fringes of their huge parking lot and walked with the dogs to the entrance. I felt foolish paying $26 to enter the park when all I wanted to do was walk across the bridge and back, but I’d come all that way to do so. I spent less than an hour there and couldn’t get past my disappointment. Maybe it’s just me, but it just feels wrong to make an amusement park out of such a beautiful natural wonder. I didn’t take pictures of what I DIDN’T like about it. The Gorge itself was impressive regardless.

Royal Gorge

Bridge over the Royal Gorge

Thankfully my spirit was revived during the enchanting drive along the Arkansas River. With very few places to pull off in The Beast I can’t begin to do the area justice, and I vow to come back one day and stay for a while at a campground along the river.

Arkansas River

Deer comfortably grazing and lounging right on the edge of town

With my RV parked in Bob and Kathy’s spacious driveway in Westcliffe, and the offer to stay as long as I’d like, I took the time to get to know the area… and the locals. While out to dinner with Kathy my first night in town I met some folks with dogs, who knew some folks with dogs. One introduction led to another, and soon my schedule was full!

Marti Marnitz told me about Judy Anderson, who has three dogs and whose ranch was the background to Comes a Horseman.

Once a Horseman was filmed on this beautiful piece of land

Marti also told me about Shirley Lloyd, who lives on a beautiful piece of land, has several dogs, lots of horses, and five Savannah Cats. I spent an entire morning visiting, walking the land with her and gathering images for my book (and then some!)

Savannah Cat

I took almost a whole day to visit Mission Wolf, a wonderful sanctuary run almost entirely by interns and volunteers. The three main goals of this nature center are to 1) Provide resident wolves with as peaceful and natural life as possible. 2) Connect people with nature and foster concern and support for wild habitat protection. 3) Educate to the extent that wild wolves and humans may co-exist so that sanctuary’s like theirs will become unnecessary.

My day was spent learning about, photographing and bonding with these beautiful creatures. By bonding I mean up close and personal. A small group of us were able to go inside one area where three wolves came around to “meet and greet” us the way they would greet other wolves in the wild… face to face. They want to smell your face and teeth and lick you. I’ll admit it’s a bit intimidating to have a wolf come straight at your face, but we were told by the staff that if we turned away or pulled back, the connection would be missed and that wolf would not return to you. It was a wonderful and cherished experience.

A few more creatures from my day…

I met these little guys right in the road on my way out to Mission Wolf

And before leaving town, I photographed one more big, beautiful dog and a stunning sunset over the Sange de Cristo Mountains.

Lucky

Elissa Joins the Journey

Posted on June 14, 2012 by fran

I have been full time on the road for more than nine months now, and still the hardest part of the journey is being away from my daughter. For those of you who are newcomers to this blog, the idea for this journey began as my daughter, Elissa, prepared for her high school graduation and set her sites on college. For the story behind the inspiration for my journey, read The Fork in the Road.

So far Elissa has joined me in the San Francisco Bay Area for Thanksgiving, and San Diego for part of her winter break. I made my way back to Texas for her spring break, and now… as she steps into summer after finishing her freshman year… she joins me once again. In my last post I left off after picking her up at the Kansas City airport and trekking across Kansas to Colorado. We’re both big fans of this state. First destination was a campground near Colorado Springs, chosen because it was the nearest campground to her paternal aunt, uncle and cousins (AND some hiking spots we wanted to check out) where I could swing a reservation over Memorial Day weekend.

All of my past trips to Colorado were either by plane, or entering from the south out of New Mexico, so I’d never seen the eastern edge of the state. “Edge” is not even an appropriate term. I should say Eastern third of the state. The eastern-most parts of Colorado I’d visited in the past were places like Denver, Sedalia, Boulder and Fort Collins. Elissa and I drove across Kansas on I70 and veered off on Hwy 40 for the last 160 miles to Colorado Springs. (Note to you RVers: NO NOT take this route! You know those bumps in the highway… those breaks in the pavement that you’d hardly notice in a car… the rhythmic kathump, kathump, kathump that becomes a gut wrenching SLAM, SLAM, SLAM in an RV… you know the ones. This entire highway is made up of those bumps!!)

The entire drive out Hwy 40 looked an awful lot like the midwest to me. I kept having to remind myself, “We’re not in Kansas anymore!” I was thoroughly exhausted and relieved when we arrived at The Garden of the Gods Campground, but once settled we didn’t waste a minute before heading out to hike through this lovely place. I only wish we’d had more time before sunset!

The next day we headed up Hwy 24 past the town of Florissant to hike out to Paradise Cove Swimming Hole. On the way, as we were driving through a beautiful valley in heavy winds, I was pointing out a field of Llama when they suddenly started loping across the pasture, locks tousling in the wind, playfully nipping at one another’s flanks. It was quite unexpected and really hilarious. I’ve never seen Llama do anything but stand around… and spit!

The entire drive was beautiful, and fun… so busy singing and laughing we missed a few turns without worry. We hiked with the dogs through some nice terrain and across a creek to the swimming hole. Our sea level lungs labored a bit on the steep inclines, but the hike was well worth it when we arrived at this lovely, natural oasis. Clearly a popular place, as we met several people (and dogs) on our way in and out.

It was not hot enough and way too early in the season to enjoy swimming, but after watching a few other college age kids jump from the cliffs, Elissa couldn’t help herself!

Next stop was Rocky Mountain National Park, Aspenglen Campground. I could write volumes about the beauty of this park, but I won’t because I’m already lagging way behind on his post. Suffice it to say… OMG Gorgeous! I’ve only been here twice, but I’m madly in love with the beauty of this park.

The afternoon we arrived we opted for a short hike… Chasm Falls, off Fall River Road…

View from Fall River Road, Rocky Mountain National Park

Photo by Elissa

Chasm Falls, near Fall River Road, Rocky Mountain National Park

Photo by Elissa

We stopped several times at this owl nest near our campground and never saw any more than this fuzzy little guys head.

Fall River and lots of critters ran right through our campground…

Turkey hen and chicks

The hike we picked for the following day was a 615′ climb in just under two miles and took us past some beautiful scenery including Bear Lake, Nymph Lake, Dream Lake and finally Emerald Lake at an elevation of 10,090′.

Dream Lake

Emerald Lake

View from Bear Lake Road in Rocky Mountain National Park

The time spent with Elissa was precious to me and it was, as always, hard to put her back on a plane to Texas. My hope is to get her out on my journey as often as possible so that she can see more of the amazing beauty I’m experiencing. For now, I continue through Colorado on my own, gathering images of dogs for my next book, The Mountain Dogs of Colorado.

Two Days of Rock and Roll (day 1)

Posted on March 15, 2012 by fran

Serious play on words, but I’ve never seen so many big ROCKS before in my life, and I saw them all as I was ROLLING down the road. Well, I hiked to some, but I had to roll to get there. Thus the title of this post.

I saw so many amazing sights in two days time that I’ve struggled with getting this post live. After tackling the huge task of whittling down my choices I realized that there are still more images than I can possibly share in one post so you’re getting it in two.

I’m back tracking a little because some of these rocks were between Fort Collins and Estes Park. While driving through the mountains in Colorado I couldn’t help but look up and wonder what kept the rocks on some of the sheer canyon walls from coming down. Some perched so precariously it was a miracle they were still in place. There’s no shortage of rocks (big and small) laying along the road either, which got me thinking… Surely falling rocks cause fatalities every year. I’ll be darned if I can find a statistic on it though.

Red Rocks, a concert venue just outside of Denver… speaking of Rock and Roll! What an amazing setting catching your favorite bands live, and I understand the acoustics are fantastic as well. Jazzy and Sadie drew the attention of these lovely young ladies. They were so sweet and youthful and full of life. As we parted I couldn’t help but hope that each one of them finds a way to hold onto that perspective and those smiles throughout their lives.

This waterwheel, which sits right along Interstate 70 in Idaho Springs, caught my eye both times I made the eastbound trip between Breckenridge and the Denver area. With no chance to stop during those trips I vowed to find it on my next trip through. I got a kick out of part of the inscription on the plaque displayed at the site; “Charlie Tayler used this waterwheel to power a stamp mill at his gold mining operations on the Ute Creek. Tayler, who attributed his good health to the fact that he never kissed women or took baths…”

And a quick stop in Silverthorne to get a shot of yet another interesting piece of “Ice Art”. Folks were paying to walk around inside of this thing!

Next stop was Steamboat Springs for the final few days of my winter shoot in Colorado. While there I met some wonderful people and their well loved dogs, and some other fun animals as well.

I think the girls enjoyed the snow every bit as much as they did the beach. I hope they got their fill because we won’t be seeing any more of it for awhile. (Back to the beach before long though!!)

From Steamboat I set out for Moab with the intention of seeing a bit of eastern Utah on my way back to Sedona. Once again I was amazed at the ever changing landscape as I drove. As I entered Utah I opted to ignore the GPS guided route I ventured off on a road far less traveled. Hwy 128 led me past the tiny little empty town of Cisco, along the Colorado River, and past Dewey Bridge. This old bridge, built in 1916, was designed to support the weight of 6 horses, 3 wagons and 6000 pounds of freight. The plaque said it was restored in 2000. Out of curiosity I did a search to find out what happened to it since. According to a report a seven year old boy playing with matches in a nearby campground started a fire that moved up the riverbank and destroyed the bridge’s wooden deck and rails.

Judging by the complete lack of traffic on this highway I’m guessing this gorgeous drive is not seen by many.

Speaking of falling rocks! Clearly they fall!!!

And just to give you some perspective on size...

My first attempt at stitching in PhotoShop... four images combined.

At the end of the highway I turned right and made a bee-line into Arches National Park just in time to catch some of the unbelievable scenery before dark. Not nearly long enough, but magical just the same.

Although I understand the hike is quite amazing, this is as close as I had time to get to Delicate Arch

And last but surely not least... Landscape Arch

And if you think that’s some amazing scenery, wait until you see day two! Coming soon… I promise!! Right now my focus is on getting back to Dallas for my daughter’s spring break. Nearly 700 miles to cover in two days. Doesn’t seem like much, but I assure you it’s a long haul in a big RV! I should make Amarillo before dark. Amazing to think it’s been almost six months to the day since I set out on this journey. It makes me smile to remember I took off down the highway singing “Amarillo By Morning”. And it puts an even bigger smile on my face to know I’m going to see my girl by tomorrow night!

Still High In/On the Rockies

Posted on March 6, 2012 by fran

I’ve been in Colorado for more than three weeks now, and it almost feels as though I’ve moved here. It’s strange to be away from my RV for this long, but I am glad I decided to leave it behind in Sedona. Although most of the roads have been clear, I have dealt with some pretty slick and icy conditions too, and during those times I was glad to be in my trusty little AWD Honda.

The other advantage of traveling without my home is that I’ve been invited to spend time in the homes of a few friends along the way. The girls and I were delighted to stay with my friend Carol (mentioned in a Sailing the Mountains of Colorado) while in the Aspen area.

My previous post took me into Colorado, through Durango and Telluride and then to Aspen. From there I headed toward the Vail and Breckenridge areas in search of more subjects for The Mountain Dogs of Colorado. Capturing the images for this book is a little trickier than The Dogs of Central Park. Not that there wasn’t a whole lot of work and travel involved with that project, but all I had to do was go into the park, especially before 9am, and the dogs were everywhere.

With this project I’m moving from one community to the next, and although there are plenty of dogs, they’re not necessarily standing in front of the iconic Colorado backgrounds I’m seeking, and if they are… it may be the wrong time of day. I’m rising to the challenge though, and it’s been fun connecting with the dogs and dog owners along the way. While in the Breckenridge area I contacted Good Times Adventures Dog Sledding and was invited to come out and spend the morning photographing their dogs. I was greeted by Sarah, who took me by snowmobile out to the “dog yard”… home of more than 150 Siberian Huskies. Standing in the midst of so many “wolf-like” dogs might have been a little intimidating, but none were in the least bit aggressive. On the contrary, they were all quite friendly and the biggest challenge was “sharing the love” with so many dogs while carrying my camera. Most of the adults were spread throughout this large compound, each with their own shelter and chained just far enough apart to keep them separated but with plenty of space to move about.

I got to play with one adorable four week old puppy… far too cute for words. And there were quite a few older pups too, separated by litter in large runs, eagerly awaiting their turn at the sleds. I have no idea what’s involved in training these dogs, but I have to assume it’s a pack thing. When a new dog is introduced to a team they must learn pretty quickly from the rest of the pack. One thing is for sure… they LOVE their jobs!

While there I enjoyed another horse encounter. Those of you who have been following my journey for awhile know my love of horses. (I Heart Horses) Right next to the Dog Yard was a corral of horses who pull passengers on local sleigh rides. Three of them were near the fence and friendly enough as I walked up to see them. The fourth stood back among the trees… quietly watching. I took a few pictures, but mostly just stood watching her in return.

After awhile she slowly started walking my way. This beautiful animal was BIG… a draft horse, one with a hint of fear or flight in her eyes despite the fact that she was allowing me to touch her. Her ears were back, then forward, then one back and one forward, then back again. She was obviously a little conflicted about the encounter. I stood with her for a long time… sharing the space, quietly talking to her and stroking her muzzle when she’d let me. It was clear she didn’t want me to go because when I finally started moving back toward the dogs she followed me along the fence line. After photographing a couple teams coming in and calling it quits I walked back past the corral, where she waited at the fence, and shared a few final moments. When I said my good byes and headed down the trail she stood quietly… watching me go.

From a pet friendly motel in Silverthorne I worked my way between Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Frisco (cute town!) and Vail area. My last evening there I made arrangements for the following morning to photograph the Avalanche Rescue Dogs at Beaver Creek and four “Newfies” in Minturn, both west of me, before moving on to Fort Collins in the other direction. Unfortunately I woke up to I-70 closed in both directions after a heavy snowfall the night before. With my day disappearing on me and westbound still closed I decided to head on east. It was a white knuckle drive on ice and thick slush all the way to Denver and thankfully a little clearer from there to Fort Collins. There I was greeted by the smiling faces of my friend Tony and his lovely new wife Beth. My girls and I spent almost a week enjoying their wonderful hospitality, their boys Zach and Tyler, and their cool old black lab Reggie.

Tony put me in touch with several of his friends who owned dogs and I was able to meet up with most of them while there. I met Kathy whose dogs (and those of some friends) were practicing for field trials they had coming up the following weekend. This was a new experience for me. Trying to keep these dogs framed and in focus as they were running through the tall grasses, WHILE walking quickly on uneven ground with a camera in front of my face, was challenging to say the least.

Before I had a clue what was going to happen, this dog jumped HIGH while scaring up a bird.

The following morning I joined Tony’s friends Sue and Matt and their dogs Taku and Ollie for a beautiful hike at Gateway Park, just outside of Fort Collins.

And later in the day his friend Vern picked me up for a long, beautiful drive up Cameron Pass to photograph his dog Koda. It was extremely windy at the top, with gusts we were guessing to be near 70mph, causing white out conditions as it blew the new snow around. The three of us braved these nearly unbearable conditions just long enough to get some great shots of Koda, the best of which were between the gusts.

The next morning I drove to Loveland to meet Tony’s friend Stephanie, who was kind enough to bring her two young children and their dog Brisco out for a bone chilling morning shoot.

After saying good bye to Tony’s family I took a detour through Estes Park on my way to Boulder. I found a few beautiful dogs in Estes Park, one being the largest dog I have ever encountered, a Giant Alaskan Malamute by the name of Mukluk. This big pup weighs in at nearly 200 pounds! I mentioned this breed a few posts back after meeting one for the first time in Jerome Arizona. He was, at the time, the largest dog I’d ever seen. I never dreamed I’d meet one even bigger!

That afternoon I arrived at the home of my second cousin, Anne Sabott, who I knew best when I was small girl in Nebraska. Since my family’s move to Washington I’ve seen her only a handful of times, but none the less the girls and I were welcomed with open arms (and dog treats). Anne and I were in the midst of getting caught up on the years gone by when her husband, David, convinced me (without a great deal of effort I might add) to go with him to their condo in Breckenridge for a day of skiing after their best snowfall of the year. Seriously… how could I pass up that offer? Friday morning we woke up to fresh snow and sunshine, and although the blue skies were quickly replaced by cold wind and more snow, we had a marvelous day skiing together. We arrived back in Boulder (Lafayette actually) early enough on Saturday for me to get a little more time with the rest of the Sabott family, and a few more dogs, before departing on Sunday for my final Colorado destination… Steamboat Springs!

The Sabott Labradoddle, Scarlet

Because my days have been so full, and my movement from town to town almost constant, it has taken me several days to get this blog post written. I finished my final day of photographing the dogs of winter on a beautiful day in Steamboat Springs and am stepping out the door to Moab now. A few more images from beautiful Colorado…

Jazzy loving the snow!

Rocky Mountain High

Posted on February 27, 2012 by fran

I have been working my way through the mountains of Colorado for more than two weeks now, traveling over six hundred miles of scenic highways in every kind of weather. Again I find myself short of words to describe the majestic beauty I’m witnessing. There is someone who had all the right words though, an artist who undoubtedly influenced and inspired me in my younger years, John Denver. One of my favorites… Rock Mountain High

I shared the first few days of my trip (into Durango) in “The Mountains Beckon” me last week, and since then I’ve taken in a lot of amazing scenery, met lots of great people, and photographed a tremendous number of dogs. I’m moving from town to town at a pretty good clip, only because I’ve got so much ground to cover and I do want to see a bit more of Utah before moving on to Texas in time for my daughter’s spring break. That said, blogging has not been a priority and I now have an overwhelming number of images and tales to share.

From Durango I headed to Telluride. I fell in love with this place years ago on a ski trip, and was thrilled to make my way back up this beautiful box canyon and find the town hadn’t changed a bit. Still small and quaint and not a McDonalds or Chili’s or Starbucks in sight.

I did take advantage of one day on the slopes while there and couldn’t have asked for better conditions!

Couldn't help but stop for some shots from the slopes!

Dogs are allowed on designated gondolas, so of course I had to take the girls to the top!

All an act. This cat was clearly NOT afraid of my tail waggin' mutts!

No shortage of dogs in Telluride and all I had to do was step out my back door and walk along the river trail or stroll a couple blocks to the main street to find them. And Jennifer Metzger of Mountain Tails helped me round up a few more, but I don’t have space to share these delightful canine’s in this post. I did take a side trip to see the “Winter Moon Sled Dogs”, and was thoroughly entertained by the “exuberance” displayed by three teams of dogs being prepped for the trail. They were clearly excited about the task ahead and vocalized it with yips and howls and barks. Once the three teams and their passengers were around the bend in the trail the silence on this snow filled morning was amazing!

This method of handling the dogs on their back feet while hooking them up was referred to as "putting them in two wheel drive". They are strong and eager, and this way they have less traction.

I think my girls were overwhelmed by all the yipping and howling as the teams were readying for the trail ahead.

And onward toward Aspen…

Unusual ice formation in Redstone

My new friend Elissa and her dog Teddy playing on a hill above Aspen

Aspen!

After a few days in the Aspen area I headed down the highway toward Vail. I mentioned the beautiful canyon between Aspen and Vail in one of my very first posts. What I have now discovered is that it is truly breathtaking any time of year! Unfortunately, even in my car there are few places to pull off and capture the beauty. I may have to hike it when I come back next summer!

The beautiful Colorado River

Sharing one more favorite from the brilliant singer and songwriter, John Denver. Annie’s Song

The Mountains Beckon Me

Posted on February 17, 2012 by fran

I don’t begin to know how to describe my feelings about the mountains. They do tug at me though, maybe even more so having spent the last 15 years living in Texas. My relationship with mountains is not intense, like that of an addicted climber, but it is deeply memorable. I remember vividly my first “encounter” and that was from a distance. My family was on the move from our home state of Nebraska to our new home in Washington when I was seven years old. Dad, Mom, me, three brothers, two dogs, a VW bug, and a wood-paneled station wagon pulling a pop-up trailer motored across the country to what would become our home. Mom and Dad traded off who was driving what and who was riding with whom. I was too young to know how that decision was made and why, but I do remember my Dad had all of us kids with him in the station wagon. As we drove down the highway through a forest of giant evergreens (fascinating enough to us “children of the plains”) he pointed out ahead of us and said, “Look kids! THAT is a mountain!” We looked out the windshield and in unison refused to believe him. “No way Dad! That’s a cloud!” It was in fact Mount Hood, just outside of Portland.

As children we had the good fortune to spend time every summer at the base of Mount St. Helens in a cabin on Spirit Lake. Of course we had no idea just HOW fortunate we were, and that one day the most memorable place of our childhood would no longer exist (not as we knew it), but we did not take it for granted either. We knew it was a special place. I believe it was the most serene and spiritual place I have ever seen, and I greatly regret never having been there as a photographer. This is the Mount St. Helens of my youth and some history on the mountain and eruption. To this day I still feel such a sense of sadness over the loss of our beloved playground that I’ve been back only once since the eruption, and that was to take my daughter to see what it has become.

I spent much of my youth skiing the mountains of the Cascade Range with my parents, brothers and friends, and my adulthood skiing all over the Tahoe area, as well as Taos, Aspen, Vail, Keystone, Telluride and Purgatory near Durango. These mountains fill me with a sense of awe. They are grand and majestic and at the same time serene and peaceful. They do indeed beckon me, and I am glad to have a reason to make them a part of my journey this winter.

A few days ago I winterized my RV and left it behind in Sedona to venture into Colorado with my dogs and my gear to work on another book, The Mountain Dogs of Colorado. Since I’ll be traveling throughout Colorado for a few weeks and have no way of predicting the road conditions that far out it seemed prudent leave The Beast behind rather than drag fifty two feet of metal through the mountain passes in the dead of winter.

I left Sedona early and drove in the dark for a few hours, all the while wondering what beautiful landscapes I was driving right past… and there was no doubt in my mind that I was. Just before sunrise I stopped for a quick bite and a much needed cup of coffee right along the highway in Tuba City Arizona. When I returned to my car I was shocked to find wild horses grazing along the highway right in front of me.

With the sun shining brightly the rest of the day I was treated to more amazing sights, and found it interesting to watch the landscape change with each passing mile, from desert mesas to woods and mountain peaks. Much of the drive was a slow blend of the two. One of the greatest joys of my travels so far is watching the amazing diversity of our beautiful country unfold before me as I drive down the road. This is not something you can experience from a plane.

Anyone who’s been reading my blog for long knows of my life long love affair with horses. I mentioned before that as a child I snuck my allowance off in an envelope to save the wild mustangs. I knew they were out there, but I never expected to see them. To my surprise I spotted several small herds of them running through the hills as I traveled down the highway. Even at a distance, if I stopped my car they would stop as well… all eyes on me and very alert. I was fortunate to spot this small group behind a hill right along the road. I pulled over, switched to a longer lens and hiked up the hill to see them. They ran, of course, the moment they spotted me. Not an up close and personal horse encounter, but amazing just the same.

It was right near here that I entered Colorado at Four Corners, a point where Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico meet. Of course I had to stop and pay the three dollars to stand on that very spot.

From here my drive took me to my first stop on this leg of my journey, the lovely history filled town of Durango.

And just a handful of the beautiful dogs I met there. Note to the wonderfully accommodating dog owners; I can’t begin to share all of the dogs I photographed on this blog, so please take no insult if yours is not here. I got some amazing images of all I met and hope to have a gallery live for you all to view soon!