There Are Mountains in Georgia!!!

Posted on May 19, 2013 by fran

Wow! I can’t believe it’s been a month since I rolled out of Florida and into Georgia. I’ve been saving up my Georgia experiences thinking it would be easy to condense them into one blog post, but I found myself enjoying the state so much I stayed longer than anticipated. Now I have the difficult task of whittling down the highlights and images. That’s never easy for me because I want to share everything!

I never would have guessed that Georgia was such a mountainous state. These mountains don’t rival peaks of the Cascade, Sierra Nevada, and Rocky Mountain ranges, but they are spectacular just the same. What I thought would be a fairly brief journey through Georgia turned into a few weeks, as I “feasted” on the the scenery… the forests, lakes, rivers and waterfalls… while they were brought exuberantly back to life by the wonders of spring!

At the recommendation of some of my new friends in Florida I planned my first stay near Calloway Gardens in Pine Mountain. I usually opt to camp in state and national parks when possible. Most don’t provide full hook-ups (utilities) and they rarely have wifi available, but they all sit in the midst of nature. Camping next to a lake or stream, easy access to hiking trails, and meeting friendly neighbors who enjoy the same is worth the inconvenience of using the “dump station” on my way out of a campground, and having to find a nearby coffee shop to take care of business online.

My first Georgia campsite was at F.D. Roosevelt State Park, just outside of Pine Mountain. I managed to score an enviable lakefront site that I was thrilled to call home for a few days. While there I took Jazzy and Sadie for several hikes in the woods, visited Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “Little White House”, and enjoyed watching a pair of geese and their adorable fuzzy yellow offspring!

Lake Delano in F.D. Roosevelt State Park, GA

F.D. Roosevelt State Park, Pine Mountain GA

My campsite along Lake Delano

F.D. Roosevelt State Park, Pine Mountain Georgia

Momma goose and her babies on Lake Delano

Chillin’ and Grillin’ at home in F.D. Roosevelt State Park (self portrait)

One neighbor I met, Joe, was on a solo exodus in nature while contemplating his future, his career, and in particular some choices he felt he had to make. Was it fate that brought him casting and reeling past my campsite? Our conversation started light…

“Hey… good evening.”

“Hi. I’ve been following this one bass all the way from my campsite.”

“Hmmmmm… Is his name Walter?”

My attempt at humor was met with a blank “who the heck is Walter” expression.

“Walter! You know… the trophy size bass that Norman pursues for years in the movie On Golden Pond.”

Still a blank expression.

“Ummmm… well… ok. I guess it’s an old movie.” I say as I glance away concealing a smile and only a slight bit of embarrassment.

We spent a fair bit of time chatting over the next few days… about life, about choices, and the importance of staying true to yourself and your convictions. I was truly impressed at the depth and understanding of this young man for his age.

A few days ago I came across a plaque with a quote on it that made me think of Joe and immediately snapped a shot of it with my cell phone and sent it to him.

“It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Lake Delano, FD Roosevelt State Park, Georgia

Joe, in pursuit of “Walter”

I spent one full day at Calloway Gardens. Unfortunately I was about a week or two late for their colorful azalea blooms, but found that there was still much to enjoy about this place. Walking amidst thousands of butterflies in the Day Butterfly Center was a delightful experience.

Day Butterfly Center, Calloway Gardens, Pine Mountain GA

New arrivals emerging from their chrysalides

Paper Kite Butterfly, Calloway Gardens

They also have a very nice “Birds of Prey” show which, of course, I couldn’t pass up. It was a good and educational show, and I was pleasantly surprised to see a Red-shouldered Hawk featured along with a few other hawks and owls. This is the same type of hawk that I managed to untangle from fishing line and hold for a few moments while kayaking in Florida. (Story and picture here… Friends Along Florida Waterways)

Red-shouldered Hawk, Calloway Gardens

Barred Owl, Calloway Gardens

Barred Owl

Azaleas across a pond in Calloway Gardens

Colorful leaves, Calloway Gardens

To top of the day, I indulged myself in their Treetop Adventure and Zip-line course. This was a rather intense obstacle course stretching from tree top to tree top, and I was glad to be wearing a safety harness as I wobbled and swung and teetered from one challenge to the next. I did the entire course with a GoPro video camera attached to my helmet, but have yet to find time to edit the lengthy clip. (Hope to add it soon!!!)

After Pine Mountain I made yet another pit stop in Atlanta to visit my friends Eddie Tapp and Judy Host. I’ve written about these dear friends a few times before. (Fellow photographers and kindred spirits) It’s rare that I plan my route to include large cities, but there’s no way I’d pass through the state of Georgia without visiting these two special people. Thank you, my friends, for hosting me and my girls once again!

From Atlanta I made my way to Vogel State Park at the southern fringe of the Smoky Mountains. Here I scored another awesome campsite right along Wolf Creek, and spent my days hiking trails to one waterfall after another.

Wolf Creek, Vogel State Park

Trees in the mist near Vogel State Park, Georgia

Anna Ruby Falls, Unicoi State Park, Georgia

The fresh green of spring in Vogel State Park

‘Tis the season! While hiking through the park along Trahlyta Lake one rainy morning I came upon this mother goose protectively sheltering her babies from the rain. I didn’t know until I passed by again how many there were!

Momma goose and babies in the rain, Vogel State Park

Momma and her babies AFTER the rain!!

Wild Iris, Vogel State Park

Trahlyta Falls, Vogel State Park

Helton Creek Falls near Vogel State Park

Dog Hobble, near Vogel State Park

Upper Desoto Falls near Vogel State Park

Lower Desoto Falls, near Vogel State Park

My campsite along Wolf Creek, Vogel State Park

My next stop was not too far down the road… Tallulah Gorge State Park. I arrived and set up camp in the pouring rain, which is never fun but goes with the territory from time to time. I accept it, deal with it, and then count my blessings as I peel off my soggy attire while stepping into a dry motorhome instead of crawling into a damp tent. I did plenty of that, sometimes for days on end, while living in Washington.

The following morning I hiked the North Rim trail with Jazzy and Sadie, and enjoyed several overlooks along the way. Knowing they were not allowed on the suspension bridge I set out on my own that afternoon to hike the South Rim trail, then down 1099 steps to the Hurricane Falls lookout point at the bottom of the gorge (and back up again!!), and back across the suspension bridge, which stretches high over the gorge floor, to the north rim and my campsite beyond.

Tallulah Gorge

L’Eau d’Or Falls (french for Water of Gold) Tallulah Gorge

Hurricane Falls, Tallulah Gorge

Steps to the bottom of Tallulah Gorge (1099 of them!)

This 1000 ft deep gorge is absolutely stunning, and well worth a visit if you ever find yourself in the area. Unfortunately the hikes I’d planned on doing down to and around the bottom of the gorge were closed due to weather and trail conditions, so I cut my stay one day short and headed off to my next destination… Lake Chatuge in Hiawassee.

View of the southern Smoky Mountains from a turn out on Highway 76 between Clayton and Hiawassee.

I have to admit the campground gods have been looking favorably upon me lately. I scored yet another great campsite, right on the waterfront of Lake Chatuge, at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds. Moments after setting up camp I dropped my kayak in the water for the first time since leaving Florida. I did find myself missing the birds I grew to love along the Florida waterways, and thought it almost comical when I remembered there was no need to keep a lookout for alligator anymore. I was a bit startled when a goose came racing off the water and flew right at me, but realized it was my granola bar he was after, not me. I’m guessing he’s been fed a wee bit too much people food!

Another great campsite, Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, Hiawassee GA

Hungry goose chasing me down for my granola bar while kayaking on Chatuge Lake

Although most of the Rhododendrons had not yet reached bloom, I enjoyed hiking through Hamilton Garden located right there at the fairgrounds.

Trail hike in Hamilton Rhododendron Gardens at Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds

Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, Hiawassee Georgia

Rhododendron, Hamilton Rhododendron Gardens

Rhododendron bud,
Hamilton Rhododendron Garden

Iris, Hamilton Rhododendron Garden

Brasstown Bald, the highest peak in Georgia, was only about fifteen miles down the road, so I made a point of checking it out my first day in town. I was so entranced by the 360 degree view that I set my alarm for early the following morning so I could reach the parking lot well before sunrise, giving me time to hike to the top in time to capture the first light of morning. As it happened it was a very foggy morning, so no “sunrise” to speak of, but the foggy layers woven between the mountains held a mystical beauty all their own.

Afternoon view from the top of Brasstown Bald

Early morning from Brasstown Bald

Morning fog from Brasstown Bald

On the trail back down Brasstown Bald

Sadie and Jazzy enjoying the hike with me on Brasstown Bald

As it happened, my friend (and Canon contact during my time on their elite team of “Explorers of Light”) Steve Inglima was visiting his brother not far from me in North Carolina. He took the time to come down for a visit one afternoon, and showed me some of the sites I had not yet seen. The tiny little community of Brasstown was one of them. Field of the Woods in Murphy was another. The intense religious conviction that went into the creation of this place reminded me of another place I visited while journeying through southern California… Salvation Mountain. Thank you Steve, for taking the time. It was wonderful to see you!

Little front porch in Brasstown Georgia

Field of the Woods

There’s a song that’s been slow dancing through my head since the morning I crossed over into the Carolina’s, and I can still hear old Willie now… singing “Georgia on my Mind.”

One last peaceful image of a foggy morning from my campsite on Chatuge Lake…

Foggy morning on Lake Chatuge

Memories of Florida

Posted on April 29, 2013 by fran

It feels good to be on the road again after four months of sitting still. I was rarely still mind you, but “The Beast” was… sitting in the shade of a big oak tree that dropped things on her constantly, (acorns, tufts of spanish moss, twigs and even limbs at times, not to mention the dust and pollen) and was home to a lot of birds who dropped things on her too! And although I walked Jazzy and Sadie several times a day, they spent a fair bit of time waiting patiently for me to return from a water excursion that did not include them. They clearly share my joy to be on the road again, not to mention the new trails and scents to be found along the way. As the miles disappear beneath me though, my melancholy mind draws me back to my memories of Florida.

Of all the states I’ve been through on my journey, Florida has seen the most of me. One month last spring, and four months this winter and early spring add up to a little more than a quarter of my time out here. I’ve already written about Florida nine times. (see My Favorite Places Revisited for quick links to all of them) You would think I’d run out of things to share, but the experiences just kept coming.

My new friends Glen and Gwen, and their “Gulf to Lake Paddlers” group, got me out on Rainbow River a second time. It was interesting to see how springtime had changed the landscape in the two weeks since we had been there. Many of the birds even acted differently. I’d never tire of the unique and diverse variety of birds in Florida, especially along the waterways.

Great Egret takes flight over Rainbow River

Great Blue Heron in breeding plumage fishes the shores of Rainbow River

Juvenile Little Blue Heron, just starting to show his true colors!

White Ibis in flight over Rainbow River.

Male Anhinga, sporting his breeding colors (note green around eyes), rests above Rainbow River.

Spring colors at Rainbow River

I was fortunate to get my daughter, Elissa, out to visit me twice while camped in Florida. We enjoyed some day trips, including Tarpon Springs and Cedar Key. And although she was a little reluctant at first, I got her out kayaking along Halls and Homosassa Rivers, and ultimately out on the Weeki Wachee. There’s no doubt she enjoyed both adventures immensely!

Kayaking Halls River with Elissa and our new friend Reuben.

School of dolphin making a meal of mullet along Homosassa River

Momma Wood Duck cruises with her babies on Homosassa River

Little Blue Heron, Weeki Wachee Springs

Weeki Wachee Springs

We were also treated to a private stroll along the Three Sisters Springs boardwalk with my friend Kathy. This was shortly before the warmer weather took most of the manatee back out into the Gulf.

Manatee at Three Sisters Springs, Crystal River

Great Horned Owl, Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park

Curious turtle at Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park

One thing about staying camped in one place for awhile, it’s easier to build friendships with the people I meet. That was the case with Trish and RD Daniels, and their friend Jim. Trish and RD (neighbors in the campground) invited me to join them for a day trip to the Clearwater Beach area to visit their friend Jim. We had a marvelous time taking a ferry out to Caladesi Island where we strolled the beach for quite some time, talking and plucking seashells from the sand, followed by a sunset dinner on Clearwater Beach.

A walk on Caladesi Island with new friends Trish, RD and Jim.

Willet’s standing on the shores of Caladesi Island

Seashell seashore of Caladesi Island

Gopher Tortoise grabbing a meal on Caladesi Island

Enjoyed dinner at sunset on Clearwater Beach with Trish, RD and Jim.

Another outing, this time to Crystal River and Three Sisters Springs, with my “Gulf to Lake Paddlers” friends. I’m really going to miss this gang!

Gulf to Lake Paddlers, Three Sisters Springs.

Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Crystal River

And days before I rolled out of Homosassa/Crystal River area my wonderful friends Gwen and Glen took me out for a fishing excursion on the Gulf. I managed to catch a two Spotted Sea Trout and two Mackerel. I gave the Mackerel to friends, but made a couple of yummy meals out of the Trout. We spotted a few bald eagle on the way back up Crystal River. Such magnificent birds!

Catch of the day! Mackerel on the left and Spotted Sea Trout on the right.

Bald eagle perched atop a palm on Crystal River

Bald eagle in flight over Crystal River

Four months after my arrival in Homosassa, it was finally time to go. I found myself having to go through a mental checklist before hitting the road. The important things that had become so routine felt oddly new to me again, for a few minutes anyway… secure everything that can slide or fall while mobile, awning in, patio chairs and grill stowed, slides in, jacks up, unhook utilities, clean and stow same, program GPS, dogs in, steps up, break off, take a good look in every direction and take a big WIDE turn out of campsite, find a spacious place to pull over and park, run back for the car, hook up, run through all the gears and let it idle in neutral for 3 minutes, put her in AUX mode, hop behind the wheel of The Beast, buckle up and hit the road with plenty of water, good tunes and a smile!!!

At the recommendation of my friend Jim at Nature’s I made one last stop before leaving the state… Ochlockonee River State Park. This is a small but beautiful park just south of Sopchoppy Florida, home of the Worm Gruntin’ Festival. I got such a kick out of this (and the fact that I’d missed it by a couple days) that I had to stop and ask a local to clue me in. Worm grunting is a technique used for bringing earthworms (bait) to the surface. The “grunters” pound a wooden rod into the ground and rub a metal flatiron back and forth across the top of it. The vibration either gets them excited or drives the worms crazy, but it brings them to the surface.

My campsite right along the river in Ochlockonee River State Park

Pines and Palmettos, Ocklockonee River State Park

This park is well known for their unusual White Squirrels which weren’t running around in abundance like the others, but I did manage to find a few.

White Squirrel, Ochlockonee River State Park

Small pond surrounded by Pine trees in Ochlockonee River State Park

While camped here I dropped my kayak in the water for a 7.5 mile solo adventure on a loop up the Ochlockonee River, down the twists and turns of Bear Creek, and back up the river to the campground. It was a hot, muggy afternoon, but the exercise felt good and I enjoyed the peacefulness and critters along the way.

This Osprey, carrying a rather sizable branch, reminded me of the endless walks I took with the dogs while camped in Homosassa. I was amazed to watch Osprey flying above the treetops and snapping off brittle branches to use in their nests.

Osprey busy building a nest. Ochlockonee River

Curious Alligator on Bear Creek

At the recommendation of the park ranger I took a side trip to Wakulla Springs State Park and did their boat ride. It’s the only way to see most of this beautiful bit of waterway since they don’t allow any other boats on the water within the park, and there are no trails along the water. Because of this there’s an abundance of wildlife. Lots of alligator, turtles and of course all the birds I’ve grown to love. I also visited St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, a vast haven for Florida’s critters.

Nesting Osprey, Wakulla Springs

Bald cypress, Wakulla Springs

Great Egret in breeding plumage, Wakulla Springs

Bald Cypress, Wakulla Springs

Nesting Osprey, Wakulla Springs

Tri-colored Heron, St. Marks Wildlife Refuge

Florida was a special place for me in many ways. The waterways, especially those that can’t be accessed by motorboat, were absolutely stunning. And as I’ve mentioned, I’m a big fan of the birds found throughout the state. What I’ll remember most about Florida though is the wonderful new friends I met there. There are far too many of you to name here, but I know you know who you are. I want YOU to know that you will all be a part of my treasured memories as I travel down the road.

***Note, for those of you who are unaware, I’ve finally created a Journey In Focus Facebook page where you will find more frequent tidbits as I travel. Feel free to go there, and if you’d like, you can “like” it. https://www.facebook.com/JourneyInFocus Remember also that you can sign up for email notifications when I post here by clicking on the mail icon at the top of my home page. And feel free to leave your comments here! I always enjoy hearing from y’all!

My Favorite Places Revisited

Posted on April 21, 2013 by fran

Hello friends! I know some of you have been wondering where I’ve been. Amazingly, until a couple days ago I hadn’t moved in nearly four months. My last few blog posts were about my time in a special part of Florida… Homosassa/Crystal River… and in particular, the wonderful experiences I had and the special friends I met there. My time was so full that I decided to take a little hiatus from blogging… give myself permission to let it go for awhile, breath and enjoy the days. Letting go of life’s pressures WAS after all, one of the purposes of this journey.

So I kayaked, and did road trips, and spent time with friends, and walked the dogs a LOT! And I worked on other projects, including a “slideshow” from my first fifteen months on the road. THAT was one hellava big task! But it was inspiring, even to me.

After more than 23,000 miles on the road, not to mention hundreds on foot and nearly that many by kayak, I was overwhelmed. More importantly… I was grateful. I was grateful for the gift bestowed on all of us of this great land. I was grateful for the spirit it took to put myself out here. And I was grateful for the vision to see and capture the stunning vistas, and incredible animals, and memorable moments… to share.

I’ve been asked numerous questions while on my journey, the most amusing of which is, “You drive that big thing… YOURSELF?” Honestly, it never occurred to me that I couldn’t. The number one question though, is “Of all the places you’ve been, where were your favorites?”

While working on my slideshow I was inspired to consider this question, pick my favorites, and share my answers with you. Picking my favorites was harder than it might seem, for a number of reasons. First of all, it’s limited to places I’ve been on my journey. The choices may also be skewed by other factors… weather, season, how much time I had in any given place, and what I was able to do with that time. There’s no doubt in my mind that I’ve yet to see some of my favorite places, and that some of the places I’ve seen might have been favorites if only I’d had good weather, or more time.

Five favorites seemed like a fair number, but I constantly found myself wanting to add more. And of course… there were an overwhelming number of images from these places to share in one post. My remedy to that is to share a few select images, and the links (in blue) to my writings about these places. By following the links to the pages you will not only see more of the beauty, but read about the experiences as well. I also decided not to limit myself to one “stopover” point, one town, or one park, but rather “areas” that I feel comfortable grouping together as “a place”.

Keep in mind also, that I grew up in Washington State and lived in California for more than fifteen years. Both are amazingly beautiful and diverse states, but neither is on my list simply because they were not in the least bit new to me. They are both well deserving of top honors though, and if you read my posts about them you’ll understand why. (Just type Washington or California in the search bar at the top of my home page.)

So… here we go… in random order;

Upstate New York- I traveled into New York State through the southern tip of Canada (Niagara Falls area), and almost hate to admit how astonished I was as I made my way across the state. From Letchworth State Park, through the Finger Lakes region, and into the Adirondack Mountains. The landscape was lush… the lakes and waterfalls gorgeous!

Middle Falls in Letchworth State Park

Watkins Glen Gorge, Watkins Glen New York

Enfield Creek, Robert H. Treman State Park

Seventh Lake, New York

Ausable River near Lake Placid

Read my tales from Upstate New York at these links.

Crossing Into New York

Come Along on a Walk with Me!

Where Fairy Tales are Born

Trips and Trails and Puppy Dog Tales

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Oregon Coast- Having grown up in Washington the Oregon coastline was not entirely new to me, but I had not seen it since I was young and never in it’s entirety. I did a multi-day side trip to see the northern part of this coastline while I was home in Washington visiting family. Cannon Beach was the first place Jazzy and Sadie ever set foot on a beach, and they LOVED it. They ran and romped and played gleefully in the soft sand and cool breeze.

I traveled the southern part of this coastline when I continued on my journey after more than a month in Washington. My camp spots were almost always within the sound of the surf. The peaceful sound of the waves rolling rhythmically into shore is something I’ll never grow tired of. And of course the dogs loved our crisp morning walks in the sand. I did ride out one of the most brutal storms I’ve endured on this journey while camped along the shore in Gold Beach, but by morning the skies were beautiful, and everything even fresher than the day before!

Cannon Beach

Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach

Oregon Sand Dunes near Coos Bay

After the storm, Oregon coast

Oregon Coast

Read and see more here!

The Oregon Coast

When I Think it Can’t Possibly Get Any Better…

Stormy Weather

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Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks- Where do I begin! Between the stunning vistas, the many hiking trails, and the amazing variety and abundance of wildlife I was in paradise between these two parks. Not only once, but twice I traveled here on my journey. It was so hard to drive away from here that I pushed back my departure three days in a row. To put it simply… mountains, lakes, rivers, bison, antelope, and moose. Lots of ‘em!

Autumn color before the Grand Tetons.

Bull Bison and Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park

Osprey bringing fish to the nest, near West Yellowstone

On a day ride from West Yellowstone up to the Continental Divide and the border of Idaho.

Old barn and the Grand Tetons from Mormon Row.

Jackson Lake and the Grand Tetons.

Lots of goodies to see and read about here!

Sunrise on The Tetons

Teton and Yellowstone National Parks

The Road to Yellowstone

Tetons… Way Beyond Grand

Full Circle Through Eden

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Upper Peninsula of Michigan- I’d always heard how beautiful the “U.P.” is, and I swore one day I’d get there. When the time finally came I wasn’t disappointed. I’m glad I allowed myself ample time to experience this place from west to east. My only regret was leaving before the turning of the autumn leaves. All the more reason to come back one day. One thing that will always stand out to me was having to keep telling myself, while watching the waves crash ashore on Lake Superior, “This is not an ocean!”

Eagle Harbor Lighthouse, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

MichiganPictured Rocks along Lake Superior, Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore along Lake Superior, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

A hike in the woods, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

Lower Tahquamenon Falls, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

Crisp Point Lighthouse, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

Yakin’ with Jazzy and Sadie in Tahquamenon Falls State Park

Beautiful images and some good stories here…

Pure Michigan- The Upper Peninsula (part one)

Pure Michigan- The Upper Peninsula (part two)

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The Waterways of Florida- I’m writing this post a day after departing Florida for the second time on my journey. Last spring I spent a month traveling throughout the state, mostly under a storm cloud. I made camp in numerous places between the western gulf shores, the Keys, and all the way up the east coast. This time around I spent more than four months hovering south of “old man winter”. Most of that time was spent camped in one place… Nature’s Resort in Homosassa. Before my arrival in Homosassa the longest I camped in one place was a week. (My average stay was 3-4 days!) It was not my intention to stay in one place, but the price was right and there was no shortage of beautiful places to see!

Ichetucknee Springs

Great Egret flying over Santa Fe River

Sunset from my campsite on Grassy Key

My first Manatee encounter, Homosassa River

Great Blue Heron flies over Halls River

Kayaking with friends at Three Sisters Springs, Crystal River

Read all about this marvelous state! (These posts are from spring of 1012 and winter of 2013)

Rolling Into Spring

New Sights and New Routines

Bird is the Word

Between Spring Showers

Final Days in Florida (2012)

Florida Take Two

The Warmth of Homosassa

More Beauty Around Homosassa

Friends Along Florida Waterways

Memories of Florida

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There were several other places vying for the top five spots here, and well worth mentioning. As stated, Washington State… in particular the North Cascades, the Olympic Peninsula, and the San Juan Islands in the Puget Sound. California… the northern coastline, Redwood Forest, Yosemite and Sonoma Valley. Glacier National Park… WOW! Colorado… the entire western two-thirds! Sedona… one of the most unimaginably stunning places I’ve ever seen. Utah… from Arches National Park all the way down through Canyonlands National Park and beyond was breathtaking!! (My posts about all of these places can be accessed through the search bar at the top of my home page.)

While working on the slideshow I was reminded not only of the beautiful places I have been, but also the unforgettable experiences I’ve had along the way. Seeing old friends and meeting new ones will always be at the top of that list. But the list goes on… kayaking amongst groups of dolphin, swimming with Manatee, getting up close with the mountain goats in Glacier National Park, an amazing wolf encounter that left me breathless, witnessing the birth of a baby Llama, rescuing and holding a hawk in Florida, and not only sharing more than 23,000 miles on the road, but hiking hundreds of miles of trails and shores with the two best dogs I know… Jazzy and Sadie.

And of course… spending time with my daughter, Elissa, at numerous beautiful spots across the country is one of those special blessings I could not have done without.

Kayaking with my girl!

Friends along Florida Waterways

Posted on March 5, 2013 by fran

Sorry once again for the delay in sharing my stories with you. I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy some great experiences with many new friends here in Florida, especially on the waterways. Lots of outdoor experiences means much time spent on my computer, loading and culling through the images I gather along the way, not to mention the tagging and writing.

The first stop I made during this venture into Florida was the Orlando area. It was there that I met a delightful new friend and fellow travel blogger, Erika Wiggins. I’ve been back to visit her twice while camped here in Homosassa. Through Erika I met yet another friend and fellow blogger, Rachelle Lucas. The three of us met up for some peaceful kayaking at Wekiva Springs. With so much in common conversation came easily as we enjoyed the serenity of the river.

Wekiva River

Alligator, Wekiva River

Rachel Lucas and Erika Wiggins on Wekiva River

Rachelle Lucas and Erika Wiggins on Wekiva River

I met three more “women of the water” right here in my campground. Donna Egbert, Sally Love and Kathy Edwards took me for a journey up Halls River to remote rookery filled with nesting birds.

Kayaking with Donna, Kathy and Sally on Halls River

Anhinga sunning on Halls River

Great Blue Heron nest , Halls River

I’ve mentioned in my last two blog posts that I’ve met a lot of new friends right here at Nature’s Resort. The “Cast of Characters” as I refer to them. From time to time I hop on a pontoon boat with one gang or another for a relaxing cruise down the river. Here’s some of my favorite characters… John, Gail, John (lots of John’s here!), JB (who’s also a John) and KC.

A few friends from Nature’s Resort

Osprey Nest on Homosassa River

Spider Monkey on Spider Island, Homosassa River

Spider Monkey on Monkey Island, Homosassa River

Alligator on Homosassa River

Pelicans scrambling for lunch on Homosassa River

When an article about my journey was featured on the front page of the Citrus County Chronicle I was almost overwhelmed by the outreach of many locals with suggestions of places I should see, and offers of kayaking adventures. It was that article that brought Glen and Gwen Cook into my life. It took a few weeks before we were able to coordinate our schedules for an outing on Crystal River, first on our kayaks to Three Sisters Springs, and then in their motorboat down the river to the gulf.

Gwen and Glen Cook

Pelican landing on Crystal River

Crystal River, Florida

Cormorant on Crystal River

Yellow-crowned Night Heron Crystal River

Days after our first outing I was invited to join up with a group of their friends for a 9-10 mile journey to Ozello Point and back. This was one of my more intense kayak workouts, in howling winds and waves.

I had a marvelous experience right after we launched our kayaks and headed down the channel toward to river. A hawk had gotten himself completely entangled in some fishing line and was struggling to fly, landing in the water amongst some of our group. He managed to flap himself to the shoreline nearby, but I doubted he’d survive as tangled up as he was. (I saw a dead Anhinga, caught up in fishing line and hanging from a tree limb, while out with the pontoon group above.)

Luckily one of the kids on the dock had a pocket knife, which was passed to me as I approached the hawk. I have to admit the sharp talons and beak of this panic stricken hawk were a little intimidating, but I took a slow and gentle approach. He must have sensed I was there to help because he held quite still as cut the line and untangled the rest from his body and wings. And then I got to hold him for a moment which was very cool indeed! (I believe it’s a Coopers Hawk. Any hawk experts out there??)

Interestingly I had a similar experience with a pelican who got snagged by a young boy fishing off the dock at Nature’s Resort a few weeks ago. I’m now being called “The Bird Whisperer”

Photo by Glen Cook

Long paddle with new friends, Crystal River

Great Blue Heron, Crystal River

With my new friends on Crystal River, L-R… Me, Richard, Carol, Glen, Rick, Layne, Kim, Gwen and Chuck

A day or two later I joined up with Glen, Gwen, Kim and Chuck for an outing at Rainbow Springs! This was one of my favorite spots yet!!

Rainbow Springs, Rainbow Springs State Park, Florida

Waterfall at Rainbow Springs, Rainbow Springs State Park, Florida

Trees at Rainbow Springs

Glen and Gwen Cook on Rainbow River

Tri-colored Heron landing at Rainbow Springs

Tri-colored Heron at Rainbow Springs

Anhinga at Rainbow River

Great Egret, Rainbow River

Rainbow River

Turtle sunning on Rainbow River

Sandhill Crane, Rainbow River

Anhinga and turtle on Rainbow River

Cormorant nests on Rainbow River

Little Blue Heron on Rainbow River

Rainbow River

Great Blue Heron and nest atop a tree on Rainbow Springs

Red Cardinal at Rainbow Springs

I’ve mentioned numerous times how fortunate I have been to meet so many wonderful new friends as I’ve traveled across this country. And none more friendly and engaging than those I’ve met and shared time with in the Crystal River/Homosassa area. Thank you one and all for adding to the blessings and memories on my journey.

More Beauty around Homosassa Florida

Posted on January 31, 2013 by fran

In my last blog post I shared the story of my first few weeks in Homosassa Florida; tales from Natures Resort, many images of the birds I never grow tired of watching… Heron, Egret, Pelican, Osprey, and an adorable video clip of my first Manatee encounter! Six weeks later I’m still parked here, still enjoying the people and the Homosassa experience…. from sunrise to sundown and beyond.

Sunrise on Halls River, Homosassa Florida

Daybreak on Halls River

Halls River

Trees along Halls River

Scene on Halls River

Evening on Halls River

About a week after I arrived, Eryn Worthington of the Citrus County Chronicle came out to interview me for an article she titled Letting Life Happen. That article (see blue link) inspired a flood of communications from many very friendly folks with offers of kayak meet-ups to boating on the river, as well as numerous suggestions on places I MUST see before I leave. I’ve only had an opportunity to meet up with a few, but I’d like to thank all those who’ve reached out.

One of those was Kathy Lemmer, who took me out kayaking at Chassahowitzka Springs (I’m told it’s pronounced “Case of Whisky”, which is much easier to remember.) We had a marvelous afternoon paddling our way up beautiful streams so thick with foliage you have to duck to get under some, and so narrow and shallow in some places you have to get out and walk your kayak. It was nothing short of breathtaking! Thanks Kathy!! Hope we can meet up again soon!!

Kayaking with my new friend Kathy on Chasawiska Springs

Chasawiska Springs, near Homosassa Florida

Chasawiska Springs

The springs on Chasawiska Springs

Kayaking the Chasawiska Springs, near Homosassa Florida

Another special place I strolled through on my own is the Ellie Shiller Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park. This beautiful 210 acre park surrounds the headwaters of the Homosassa River. It is home to hundreds of creatures, from a huge variety of birds to black bear, and of course manatee. Many manatee are injured by boaters each year, and in this area they are brought here for treatment. Once they are healthy they are released back into the springs. The other residents of the park are unable to survive in the wild on their own. I don’t typically enjoy viewing caged animals, but this park is very well done giving the animals very natural and spacious environments, and they are obviously well cared for. Photographing wildlife in a place like this is akin to shooting fish in a barrel in my opinion, but I brought my camera and made it my challenge to capture what I could with natural backgrounds and good lighting.

Burrowing Owl

Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Florida

Wood Stork

American White Pelican

White Pelican with breeding season horny plate on upper mandible

Red-shouldered Hawk

Bald Eagle

Whooping Crane

Greater Flamingo

Barred Owl

Barn Owls

Crested Caracara

Young Roseate Spoonbill

Green Heron

Brown Pelican coming in for a land at Homosassa Springs

White Ibis

Burrowing Owl

Domesticated Turkey

Fox

Since these adventures I’ve made my way by car to Atlanta for the Imaging USA convention, where I was fortunate to see and spend lots of time with a tremendous number of good friends from my chosen profession. Most know me as a portrait photographer, many knew of my journey, and some of those I’ve managed to see across the country. It was heartwarming to see these folks, and even meet some new friends, after a few years off the circuit… and nearly off the grid!

I’m back for more time in Florida, and still calling Homosassa home. Here’s one last evening image taken from my kayak on Halls River.

Evening Scene on Halls River

The Warmth of Homosassa (Florida)

Posted on January 16, 2013 by fran

That’s a bit of a play on words I guess. I’m sitting in one of the warmest places in the country right now. I’m also surrounded by the warmth of many newfound friends. And I’m adjusting… to a much slower pace after more than fifteen months and 23,000 miles on the road. I gave myself until the end of the year to meander rather spontaneously around this country, absorbing and sharing the beauty and experiences as I went. Now, in addition to saving money on gas, it’s time to sit still long enough to get some work done.

Getting things done is proving to be far more difficult than I had hoped because most everything I have to do involves the internet, and the available WiFi is hit and miss. The speed (and existence) seems to come and go with the breeze. This is one big detail I have to iron out. In the mean time, it’s put me behind once again.

It has been my habit to write about a place after I’ve moved on down the road, but I can’t put this off. I already have far more images than I could possibly share in one post, and many more experiences ahead of me, so this is only a first installment about my time in the Homosassa/Crystal River area.

It was the manatee that brought me here. Swimming with these gentle creatures is an experience I could not pass up, and I was on the phone lining it up within minutes of settling into my campsite. After a quick online search I chose to schedule my “manatee experience” with a group simply called Snorkle with Manatee. The following morning I was on a pontoon boat with two gentlemen from England and the boat captain, Laura. She did a wonderful job of educating us on the Manatee, as well as proper (and lawful) etiquette before we slipped into the water wearing mask and snorkel.

You’re not supposed to swim after them, but if you’re still and calm their curious nature will bring them to you. In this adorable video clip one of the young manatee comes to me and bends for me to rub him when I reach out with my hand. With a video camera in my other I had little forward momentum so I kept slipping away from him, and he reaches out to me with his flipper to pull me back in!!

The friendly guy in the second shot below is literally holding onto me. He held me for a long time, turned me around and held me some more. I found out later they refer to him as Chester the Molester.

The campground I chose couldn’t be better. Nature’s Resort sits right on Halls River, making it easy to get out on my kayak frequently. In addition to the manatee there is a huge variety of birds to enjoy along the river… heron, egret, pelican, osprey, eagles and more!

Then there’s the people! I met several nice folks who came and went, but many of the people here live here full time or keep an RV of some sort as a weekend get-away. In time I got to know and treasure many of the regulars here. They are a fun and funny group! The stories… the pranks… the howling laughter. They remind me so much of author Carl Hiaasen’s characters I think I should write a book! There are too many to list by name, but I call them my “Cast of Characters”.

I have to share a funny story before getting to my image gallery… After a frustrating afternoon of trying to load my Manatee video to YouTube on slow WiFi only to have it fail, I slammed my laptop shut and grabbed my kayak. I needed fresh air and exercise… badly!! Ten minutes up the river I noticed a couple guys who looked like they were trying to paddle a Nature’s Resort pontoon boat with an oar. I know from years of boating that stuck on the water is not a fun place to be so I went to check it out. Engine wouldn’t start. They were stranded and there were no other boats in sight. Not one to shy away from a challenge, I offered to try to tow them back with my kayak. Took awhile, but I got ‘em there!! Now I have two more friends in my Cast of Characters!

There are many more stories soon to come, and many more beautiful images too! Enjoy the gallery below!!!

Great Blue Heron taking flight over Halls River

Great Blue Heron in flight, Halls River

Great Blue Heron, Halls River

Great Egret, Halls River

Anhinga watching over Halls River in Homosassa

Cormorant swimming Halls River

Great Egret taking flight over Halls River

Juvenile Little Blue Heron

Little Blue Heron takes flight over Halls River

Little Blue Heron

Osprey, Halls River, Homosassa Florida

Brown Pelican taking flight on Halls River

Brown Pelican, Halls River

Brown Pelican staring me down on Halls River

Little Blue Heron, Halls River

Great Blue Heron, Halls River

Great Egret taking flight, Halls River

White Ibis, Halls River

Juvenile Little Blue Heron taking flight, Halls River

Wood Ducks, Halls River

Great Blue Heron, Halls River

Great Egret, Halls River

Spider Monkey of Monkey Island, Homosassa Florida

Spider Monkey of Monkey Island, Homosasa Florida

Cat hoping for some fish at The Freezer in Homosassa

Cute pup watches the boat traffic go by on Halls River

Florida Take Two!

Posted on January 2, 2013 by fran

I spent more than a month under a rain cloud in Florida last spring, from Navarre Beach near Destin, down into the Keys, and all the way up to Flagler Beach on the northeast corner of the state with several stops in between. I had a few warm sunny days, but mostly it rained… more accurately, it stormed! I saw some amazing places though, which you can read about from here and another 4 or 5 posts beyond… Rolling Into Spring. I also spent lots of time with some great friends, old and new.

When I left Florida in late May I promised myself I’d return… to revisit some of these places and friends, and discover more of this beautiful and diverse state. Now I’m back, for an indefinite period of time. After more than 15 months and 23,000 miles on the road it’s time to slow the pace a bit so I can focus on several projects. That doesn’t mean I won’t be having fun and seeking out new adventures while I’m here, I assure you!

My first stop was Orlando, where my good friends Bonnie and Scott were visiting family. Bonnie has four sisters, so I was able to blend in almost undetected amongst them! We spent one day at Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral with Bonnie’s sister and brother-in-law, Sandy and Larry. Very interesting place! We enjoyed doing a shuttle launch simulator, a tour out past the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A, gawking at the HUGE rockets and all sorts of amazing memorabilia… from moon rocks to the earliest of space suits. We also attended a lunch with astronaut Jack Lousma. He spoke for awhile about his experiences, the most famous of which was… during his roll as CAPCOM to Apollo 13… being the one who received the message, “Houston, we’ve had a problem.”

I was a small child when John Glenn first orbited the earth, and only nine when Neil Armstrong first stepped on the moon, but I remember how everyone was riveted to their televisions and radios… all eyes and ears on NASA… watching the launches on pins and needles. The one thing that struck me the most while touring Kennedy Space Center was the heroics of the astronauts. What brave souls… especially in the early days… to go where no man had gone before strapped into sixty two thousand pounds of metal and twenty eight hundred pounds of fuel!!!

“Rocket Garden”

Saturn V Rocket

Vehicle Assembly Building

Launch Pad 39A

With Larry, Sandy, Scott, Bonnie and astronaut Jack Lousma

While in Orlando I camped in Wekiwa Springs State Park, which I found to be spacious and peaceful. I have to admit to being confused by the name Wekiwa, since the river that is fed by the spring is called Wekiva. While driving through the area I saw street signs and businesses using both spellings. I was so perplexed that I asked several people who live in the area and found that even the locals are confused by the names.

Call me curious, but I had to dig for an answer. I had a hunch, and it probably nagged at me most because of the name of the street I lived on in Texas… Calvery Court. Not only was the name misspelled in the city records, it wasn’t even the right word! In a subdivision named Custer Creek, with streets names like Big Horn Trail and Last Stand, it makes sense the word they meant to use was Cavalry, a division of the army who fought on horseback. Calvery is not a word, but Calvary refers to the hill outside of Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified. That un-ammended error irritated me for the 15 years I lived on that street.

What I found when I started digging around online were conflicting answers. One source said that the Indians who once lived in the area used the w spelling for still water and the v spelling for moving water, and another had a slightly different but similar answer, that Wekiwa means “spring of water” while Wekiva means “flowing water.”

An article written by Jim Toner for the Orlando Sentinel told of Arthur E. Francke Jr., a historian and former board member of the Seminole County Historical Commission, who after careful research concluded that the proper spelling is Wekiwa. He wrote: “The confusion arises from the fact that the river, originally spelled as Wekiwa, over the years apparently through inattention and disregard for careful spelling, became known as the Wekiva River.”

The article stated that wekiwa is a Seminole-Creek Indian word for a spring of water. And that there was some debate whether different Indian words were used to describe a spring and a river, but apparently that was put to rest by linguists who said Native American languages do not have the letter “v.”

Although I prefer the idea that they are different words with different meanings, I’m putting my money on the spelling blunder. Whether Wekiwa or Wekiva, I enjoyed an afternoon of kayaking on this beautiful river… home to an abundance of wildlife, including alligator, turtles and a variety of waterfowl.

Wekiva River

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

Great Egret in flight

Little Blue Heron on the hunt

Sunning Red-bellied Turtles

Turtles and alligator sharing a log

Moorhen

I noticed several signs in the park prohibiting dogs from the areas near the water, and judging by the number of alligators I spotted on this river it’s pretty clear why. I didn’t feel threatened by them in my kayak, but I have to admit that it did creep me out a little when I paddled close to this turtle and got a shot of him before I noticed the alligator on the bank behind him. And the following image… of what I assume is a momma alligator (note the larger one in the middle) amongst her adolescent brood. Three of the young ones slipped into the water as I paddled near, and I count eight different gators in the picture.

Family of Gators

Curious mind strikes again! When googled, I found out that a female alligator will lay between 20 and 50 eggs in a nest. I also learned that the sex of the hatchlings depends on the temperature of the nest during incubation. 86 degrees and below produces females, while 93 degrees and above produces males. I’m guessing that means temps between 86 and 93 produce male and female offspring. Although a mother alligator will defend her young, they have a mortality rate of up to fifty percent in the first year, and the biggest threat is other adult alligators. No wonder these youngin’s are sticking close to mom!

While in Orlando I also had the pleasure of meeting one of the fellow travel/adventure bloggers I’ve connected with virtually. When I realized that Erika Wiggins lived very hear where I was heading in the Orlando area I sent her a note to see if she’d like to meet in person. What we discovered over lunch was that although we were brought up very differently, we share many similarities in spirit, and just like that a new friendship was forged. You can find out more about my new friend on her blog, The Active Explorer.

When I left Orlando I relocated a couple hours west near Crystal River where I would finally have a chance to swim with some Florida Manatee, a story I’ll be sharing with you soon. In the mean time though, the girls and I made a car trip back to Orlando to spend Christmas Eve with Sandy, Larry and family, and Christmas day with Erika and her family! I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again… I am blessed to have such amazing friends in my life!

So… stay tuned for more of Florida, it’s beautiful waterways, abundance of waterfowl and my Manatee encounter!

Finally… Cumberland Island! (And a Bit More of Georgia)

Posted on December 24, 2012 by fran

As mentioned in my last post, I had a hard time leaving Edisto Beach in South Carolina. Spending time along that shoreline lifted my spirits tremendously after several weeks of cold and dreary weather surrounded by a rather bland landscape. (No leaves on the trees and no snow on the ground equals bland to this Northwest girl!)

I was heading to Orlando to meet up with my Virginia friends, Bonnie and Scott, while they were in town visiting family, but had one special stop to make along the way… Saint Marys Georgia. I camped in Saint Marys while on my way north out of Florida in the spring, with plans of taking the ferry out to Cumberland Island. Unfortunately the off-season ferry schedule prevented me from doing so during my brief visit. This time around I allowed myself a few more days in the area so I’d have plenty of time to visit this beautiful barrier island.

Saint Marys River

Common Cormorant drying his feathers after a swim

Cumberland Island, designated as a National Seashore, is 17 miles long. Unless you have a boat, the only way to reach this island is by passenger ferry (no cars, no bikes, no pets). Once there, unless you’ve pre-arranged a tour, the only way to get around is to walk or rent a bike. Since the trails are mostly soft sand I chose to hoof it. This limited me to exploring only the southern end of the island, but there was no shortage of history and beauty there.

Cumberland Island Maritime Forest of Live Oaks

The big attraction on this end of the island is the Dungeness Ruins, what remains of a 59 room Queen Anne Style Mansion built in the mid 1880s by Thomas and Lucy Carnegie. Thomas died before it’s completion, but Lucy raised their nine children on these grounds. She eventually acquired 90% of the island, and built four more mansions for her children including the famous Plum Orchard. (Much farther up the island, so I didn’t see it.)

Dungeness Ruins

For those who know me, or have been following my journey for awhile, it should come as no surprise that what inspired me most to visit Cumberland Island was the wild horses I’d read about who roam freely on the island. While exploring the grounds of Dungeness I was drawn to the sound of excited whinnying and followed it to find this stallion (at right), mare and their beautiful ghost white colt.

The wild horses of Cumberland Island

The trails lead past many historic ruins and a small cemetery, past salt marshes, and eventually across the dunes and onto a long wilderness sea shore where I gathered as many beautiful sea shells as I could carry. A mile or so up the beach a boardwalk takes you back across the dunes and into the most surreal live oak forest I’ve ever seen.

Shorebirds of Cumberland Island

Boardwalk across the dunes of Cumberland Island

Forest of Oaks and Palmettos

There are two rustic campgrounds on this island, one right here in this beautiful forest, but since I couldn’t bring the dogs along I was unable to stay for the night. From here it was a short hike back across the island to catch the afternoon ferry back to Saint Marys. I’d love to come back one day by boat to explore more of this enchanting island.

Speaking of camping… when I first arrived in Saint Marys I went back to A Big Wheel RV Campground where I camped briefly in the spring. It’s quiet, spacious and the owners are very friendly and helpful. Unfortunately they were experiencing WiFi difficulties and I had a lot of work to catch up on, so at the recommendation of a fellow RV traveler I met on the island I relocated to Walk-About RV Park a few miles up the highway. This is a fairly simple and quiet campground recently acquired by a delightful young couple from Australia, Troy and Suze, two of the hardest working and friendliest campground owners I’ve met during my travels. With four children to raise and lots of renovations taking place there was little idle time for these two, but that didn’t stop them from looking up from every task with a smile and a wave, or engaging in long conversation with their visitors.

One thing I enjoyed about this location was the open space surrounding the campground, where I could let Jazzy and Sadie run freely off-leash. One trail leads to a boardwalk across the marshes to Crooked River. We strolled here several times a day, once finding dolphin feeding along the banks of the river. It was a fairly handy place to launch my kayak as well.

Jazzy and Sadie on the boardwalk through the marshes along Crooked River

The “Duck Pond” at Walk-About RV Park

Kayaking under I95 along Crooked River

Sunset on Crooked River

End of a good day in Saint Mary’s

While there I did a day trip out to Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. On the short drive out to the Homestead hiking trail I spotted two alligator AND, for the first time in the wild, a Water Moccasin. You can bet I kept a safe distance from these creatures while photographing them! With predators like these lurking about you can’t blame the tiny little tree frog for hiding himself high amongst the leaves.

Okefenokee Forest

Aligator in Okeefenokee

Water Moccasin

Ity Bity Tree Frog

I’ve really enjoyed this laid-back corner of south east Georgia both times I visited, with plenty of wilderness to explore and all the amenities you could need right there in Saint Marys. I’ll keep this marked as one of those places I would come back to!

The next several stops will be in different parts of Florida, so stay tuned for sunsets, sandy beaches, lots of birds, and my long awaited visit with the Manatees!!!

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Along the East Coast with More Friends Than Fair Weather

Posted on November 8, 2012 by fran

I’m not even going to try to candy-coat it… I’m feeling skunked by my autumn in the northeast. I’ve dreamed of seeing this part of the country ablaze with color for many years, and had high hopes of adventuring through several states to witness and capture them at their best. With dreary, rainy weather far outweighing the sunny days, and the unusual lack of vibrance in the trees, I know I can’t even come close to showing anyone the beauty of the northeast. Lesson learned; Nature keeps it’s own calendar. Best not to count on it’s cooperation, and arrive with an open mind rather than one full of expectations.

What the northeast was lacking in color, it made up for with friends… old and new. I’ve shared several times that one of my greatest joys out here is precious time with friends. Some of those friends I knew and sought out to reconnect with along the way, while others were chance encounters with strangers who quickly became friends.

For several months I’ve been communicating with Horace and Sharon, who I met in Jamaica more than twenty years ago (and haven’t seen since), about connecting when I made it through the Boston area. As that time drew near many of the campgrounds in the northeast were shutting down for the season, making it difficult to plan a stopover for few days. Knowing my size limitations, Horace arranged for me to “camp” on the property of their very good friends, Steve and Bobbi, about forty-five minutes north of them in Hampton Falls New Hampshire.

It’s never easy to impose on friends… lock, stock and barrel (not to mention two dogs)… but to drive onto the property of complete strangers can feel like a huge intrusion. What little discomfort I may have felt was put to rest when Horace and Steve greeted me with smiles, escorted me up the long driveway, and got me settled into what would be our “camp site” for the next few days. We could not have asked for a better spot, nor more gracious hosts.

One of our favorite camp spots, in Steve and Bobbi’s front yard!

After exploring the woods around their home with the girls, I went inside and spent time getting to know Steve and Bobbi, and their dog. Oscar, who was obviously quite precious to them, was old and ailing but still getting around slowly and able to eat the home cooked food Bobbi prepared for him. I enjoyed the way he pushed his head firmly into my hand each time I reached out to pet him.

Sadly, I found out yesterday that Oscar passed away the day before. He was 15 years old and lived a long and happy life, but my heart goes out to Steve and Bobbi for the loss of their beloved little friend.

Steve and Bobbi’s cool little guy. Oscar

Knowing how much I love horses, Horace asked if I’d like to visit his friend Jay’s farm to see and possibly photograph his “Warmbloods”. Of course I jumped at the chance! Jay was there to greet us, and walked with us to the fence where we were immediately greeted by three of the biggest, most beautiful horses I’ve ever seen.

With Jay’s permission I stepped into the pasture to give them each an alfalfa treat I had tucked in my pocket. In no time at all I was surrounded by these tremendous animals. They could not get close enough, which might have been intimidating because of their size and numbers, but I did not feel afraid. I’ve mentioned before that I believe horses can sense our spirits, but the same can be said for theirs, and these three had very gentle spirits.

As it turned out, it was actually difficult to get good images of them because they followed me so closely around the pasture. It was hilarious actually. They were like little puppies wanting all the attention they could get! I chose not to sweat the images too much and enjoyed their presence instead. The encounter was so amazing I could have stayed for hours, making it hard to walk away when it was time to go. Thank you Jay, for sharing the “gentle giants” of True North Farm with me!

Jay Howlett’s True North Farm

Duplicor

The wonderfully handsome Bodacious, Duplicor and Kingston!

Bodacious sitting down on the job

While I was photographing the horses, Horace grabbed a few fun shots of me with them…

Getting some lovin’ from Bodacious!

My helper!

Both Bobbi and Sharon are big horse lovers as well. Bobbi’s horse, Sachi, was stabled at a ranch within walking distance of their home, so I got to spend a little time there as well. And Sharon took riding lessons at a ranch a little closer to their home outside of Boston. Horace and I made a challenge of trying to get a great action shot of Sharon and Sugar in a very dark barn, on a really cloudy day. (Kudos to Canon for the quality of the highest ISO setting on the 5D MarkII.)

Sharon perfecting the “sliding stop” on Sugar

Bobbi’s horse, Sachi

Steve, Horace and Sharon

After a few wonderful days with Horace, Sharon, Steve and Bobbi, it was time to continue on my journey. I was already stretching my stay in the northeast out longer than most, and had to consider weather and the fact that most of the campgrounds in this part of the country were closing (if not closed) for the season. Next stop was Cape Cod where fellow photographer and Brooks Grad, Patrick Wiseman, graciously offered me camping space in his driveway.

With the business climate in the world of professional photographing changing at mach speed, Patrick decided to branch out to hotel ownership and, more recently… restauranteur. Needless to say he had a lot on his plate while we were there, so the girls and I had plenty of time to explore the Cape on our own. We had one glorious day of sunshine and spent it zig-zagging all the way up to the tip of the Cape, stopping where we could to nose around, and hike a ways whenever possible.

As always, I was drawn to the lighthouses. They are always unique and full of history. Details about these lighthouses and more can be found by clicking on the blue links. Chatham Light.

These adorable first mates really wanted to come ashore and play with my “roadies”!

Brewster’s Windmill

Home of Edward Penniman, well known whaler from the Eastham area.

Edward Penniman House, Eastham

Nauset Light below replaced the Three Sisters of Nauset in 1923. You may recognize it as the lighthouse on Cape Cod Potato Chips!

Nauset Light

Two of the “Three Sisters of Nauset”

The Pilgrim Monument, which stands high on the hill in Provincetown, commemorates the day the Mayflower made landfall in Provincetown Harbor on November 21st, 1620 after 67 days at sea.

Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown

The Highland Lighthouse was a particular favorite, and I barely made it there before sunset.

Highland Lighthouse

The following morning I launched my kayak from a small marina on Prince Cove and spent a few hours “stalking” the local water foul.

Swan pair in Prince Cove

Common Cormorant

Prince Cove

Great Blue Heron

Osprey on the hunt

The shot below was not a particular favorite but I was amazed to see that this Osprey actually has a fish in EACH talon!

Osprey double dipping

Swan in Prince Cove

The night before leaving Cape Cod I checked out Patrick’s restaurant, Mooncussers Tavern in Harwich Port, and enjoyed some wine and the most delicious Tapas I have ever eaten! I would highly recommend this place (which will also be an Inn soon!) to anyone visiting the Cape!

Sending a very BIG thank you to my special friends, Horace and Sharon, Steve and Bobbi, and Patrick! I can’t begin to tell you how much my time with all of you meant to me. I hope to see you all again soon!!

Pure Michigan- The Upper Peninsula (part two)

Posted on September 22, 2012 by fran

Before I get into my remaining tales from the Upper Peninsula, I have to apologize for the size of these two posts. If they load slowly for you it’s because of the sheer volume of images. I whittled them down as best I could, leaving out many I would love to have shared. Just sit back and relax while it loads… grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine while you’re waiting… and then enjoy.

When I left the Keweenaw Peninsula I made my way east to Munising and found a very spacious spot right on the water at their local Tourist Park Campground. Once settled I ran into town for supplies and a stop at the visitors center. The folks at these centers are usually quite helpful in guiding me to the kinds of attractions I enjoy… the adventures and the beauty. Most importantly I wanted to find out the best option for kayaking around the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, a stunning place I’d been reading about.

View of Pictured Rocks from shore

There are a few lookout points where you can see a bit of it from shore, but I knew that would not compare to seeing it from the water. Because the cliffs face northwest the best time to view and photograph them would be evening, but I’d also noticed that the wind seemed to kick up as the day progressed. Kayaking on a rough and unpredictable body of water… especially alone… is a risky thing to do. Add to that the nearest put-in point was a fair distance from much of this long, beautiful shoreline. I may be adventurous, but I’m not foolish. I hoped to find the right opportunity to experience it from my kayak, but in the mean time I booked myself on a boat tour. This was money well spent, as I was able to check it out from the safety and comfort of a large vessel, and the captain who narrated was very informative. It was a lovely evening (one I COULD have kayaked as it turned out) and the setting sun danced brilliantly on the colorful rock walls.

Can you see the pirate face in these rocks?

The Munising area also boasts a number of beautiful waterfalls. I’m sure the prime time to see the falls is late spring after the snowmelt, and not at the end of an unusually dry summer, but several of the falls still flowed with fresh clear water. All of these were within short hiking distance from a roadway.

Wagner Falls near Munising

Tannery Falls

Munising Falls

Miners Falls

Sable Falls

I never had the right break in the weather to make my way to Pictured Rocks in my kayak, but I did launch it from my campsite and got out for a paddle one evening. It was choppy and cold, but I was close to the safety of shore, and within viewing distance of several people. Before loading the kayak back on top my car I took it out one last time my last morning there. Since there was really nothing notable to photograph I left my camera gear behind and focused on the workout. While paddling along the shoreline I realized this would be the perfect opportunity to see how the dogs would do on the kayak… something I’d always wanted to try. Here I had a gentle shoreline where the water was cold, but comfortable enough for me to get wet.

Thinking one dog at a time would be the best approach I grabbed Sadie, and although tentative at first she willingly got aboard and cruised with me for awhile. Next it was Jazzy’s turn, but Sadie did not want to be left behind, so with Jazzy in the back and Sadie between my feet we set out. We stayed close to shore and cruised for a bit. By then the wind was picking up and it did get a little choppy. Not ideal for our first foray on the water together, but they did fine. Sadie bailed when a couple big waves rolled over the bow, but she swam ashore and trotted along with us on the beach… all smiles. I couldn’t help wishing there was someone around to get a picture of us!

After a few enjoyable days in Munising I moved on to the eastern edge of the Upper Peninsula to Paradise, and more specifically the Tahquamenon Falls Rivermouth Campground. After settling into my campsite I set out to explore the area. First stop was Whitefish Point where I hoped to see and photograph the lighthouse and check out the shipwreck museum. Unfortunately the lighthouse was covered with scaffolding while they worked on a fresh coat of paint and much of the grounds were blocked off. I opted not to pay for access since much of what I wanted to see was off limits. Instead I took a walk on the beach.

Whitefish Point Shoreline

After my walk I headed back south and then west to see the Upper Tahquamenon Falls. In the image below you can see a streak of color, which I understand is usually much more prominent. The brown tones that typically run through these falls are caused by tannins leached from the cedar swamps that the river drains from.

Upper Tahquamenon Falls

The following day was filled with rain, which gave me a good excuse to stay inside and work. My campsite was very close to the Tahquamenon River, and right alongside a dense forest. During a break in the rain the girls and I found a lightly used trail through the trees and set out for some fresh air and exercise along the river. When it was clear that we shared the trail with no one else I let them run freely off-leash. I wish I could adequately describe the moments that followed… simple moments… but remarkable to me, and I believe they were to the girls as well.

There is nothing quite like walking through a forest, on a trail softened by decades of decomposing pine needles, especially after a cleansing rain. The greens are greener, the sounds are softer, and the air is fresher… cooler… and more pungent with earthy aroma. When I find myself surrounded by these “ingredients”, I am instantly transported home… and to my childhood. I remember vividly running carefree through the woods with my brothers. So much of our childhood was spent tromping through the woods in the cool, damp, pungent state of Washington. These truly were the very best days of my life, and if asked… I have no doubt my brothers would agree.

So what’s a woman filled with childhood memories and surrounded by a damp forest do?? She RUNS… freely and happily along the soft pine-bed trail, leaping over roots and downed trees like a child. The dogs caught on quickly and were overjoyed at my joy. They joined in, and we shared in a game of catch me if you can until I could hardly breath. It was great fun!!

The following day when the rain let up I made my way to the Lower Tahquamenon Falls in hopes of putting my kayak in the water. I parked my car and hiked a short distance to a beautiful vantage point from the trail.

Then I walked down to the dock where you can rent row boats, to find out how best to launch my kayak. Launching meant dragging my kayak off my car, a fair distance through the park, down a steep hill and into the water near their dock. That of course meant I’d have to do the reverse to get it back on my car again. This would take time and a fair bit of effort, not that the effort would stop me, but it was also starting to sprinkle again. While I was discussing this with the park employee I noticed a sign… $5 per person to rent one of the rowboats that were lined up along the water right next to me. Two minutes later I was rowing across the river toward the island surrounded by (and blocking from view) most of the lower falls. This was the best $5 I’ve spent in a very long time, and I had the entire island to myself!

Lower Tahquamenon Falls

Heron on the hunt at Lower Tahquamenon Falls

Zen by the falls

After leaving the lower falls there was one last place I wanted to see before setting out again the following morning. I knew there was another beautiful lighthouse at a place called Crisp Point, but there were no road signs to direct you there, and everyone I asked was rather vague with directions as well. It was remote, I was told, and best not attempted without all wheel drive. A park ranger told me which way to head down the highway, and which way to turn off on a dirt road. From there I was on my own. I knew the shoreline was no more than 15 miles north so I figured on about 20-25 minutes depending on road conditions.

I watched my progress on my GPS, which showed the shoreline but absolutely no roadways around me. The muddy, bumpy, windy road took me meandering northeast through the woods. Thankfully there were little signs (a sketch of a lighthouse and an arrow) nailed to the trees at most of the forks along the the way. It seemed like I drove forever, and I was glad to be in my trusty CRV as I encountered deep puddles and sloshy mud all along the way. I was not disappointed when I finally arrived at the Crisp Point Lighthouse (45 minute later), but I was amazed that this gem along the shore of Lake Superior was left so remote. There’s no doubt that the effort I made to get there (and slight twinge of fear at the thought of getting stuck where few others dared to tread on such a yucky day) made it all the more special to me that day.

Crisp Point Lighthouse

View from the top of Crisp Point Lighthouse

By the time I made my way back to camp that evening Zippy (my Honda) was as dirty as she’s ever been. I was happily greeted by the girls who were more than ready for a walk. While out we took the time to get to know a few of our new neighbors. It’s always a treat for me to meet new people along the way. It’s fun to share stories of our adventures, and fellow travelers are always a great resource on places to see down the road. I especially love it when the same great destination is shared by many. Then I KNOW it’s a must see!

As the breeze died down and the water calmed a bit I decided to drop my kayak in the water and talk one of my neighbors into taking a few pictures of me and the girls “Yakin’” on the Tahquamenon River.

Yakin’ with Jazzy and Sadie in Tahquamenon Falls State Park

The following morning we were on the road again, and leaving another place on my list of favorites… Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

That’s not the end of Michigan. There’s a bit more to come in my next post. As I write this though, I’m preparing to hop the border into Canada, as I make my way to the northeast corner of this great country. The northeast draped in fall foliage is something I’ve always longed to see. The time has finally come!!

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Reminder to those interested… my Journey in Focus 2013 Calendar, which is filled with some of my favorite images from my year long journey around the country, is available for ordering now at a pre-print special price (which includes tax and shipping) of $16. Multiple copies will be discounted since my shipping costs will be less, so be thinking about folks on your gift list who might enjoy it as well! Once I go to press the price will go up to $18 (plus tax and shipping.) I’m working on adding a shopping cart option here, but in the mean time those interested can contact me directly through the contact button at the top of the page.

Journey in Focus

with Fran Reisner

Tag Archives: Hobie Kayak

There Are Mountains in Georgia!!!

Memories of Florida

My Favorite Places Revisited

Friends along Florida Waterways

More Beauty around Homosassa Florida

The Warmth of Homosassa (Florida)

Florida Take Two!

Finally… Cumberland Island! (And a Bit More of Georgia)

Along the East Coast with More Friends Than Fair Weather

Pure Michigan- The Upper Peninsula (part two)