Travel

I was so thrilled to hear that the portrait I took of Robert at Alumapalooza 2012 made the current cover of Airstream Life Magazine.  This image was one of my favorites from the event. Robert and his pups were such great sports to pose for me! This will be my 3rd cover image for Airstream Life Magazine.  Looking back, I noticed that all three covers have a dog in the photo.  There must be something about traveling with pets that is so appealing.  I know that I can't even imaging traveling without Max.  The article in this issue is all about traveling with your pet...something Max and I know a little something about.   Thank you, Airstream Life!

I am now living full time in my van with my dog, Max.  I don't like good bye's and it was especially difficult this time around since I really don't know when I will return.  Even at this point, I don't know exactly what I will do, where I will go, or when I will get there.  I like it that way. A few days ago, I left my home and decided to try to beat the heat and get up in the mountains so the first destination was Yosemite National Park.  Most people told me how crazy busy it would be and I was pleasantly surprised when there were several campsites to choose from.  Max and I chose a site and took it easy the first day.   It was so beautiful waking up in the forest however, "campy" will take some getting used to where sleep is concerned.  Max growled at every sound and he wasn't too happy when deer would pass through our campsite.  I agree that it was a bit rude of them to walk right through, but since they most likely were there first, I let it ...

I can't imagine living on the road without my dog, Max.  There are many alone moments traveling and when he's with me, I am never really alone.  The few past years when we lived in a tent, I was a bit afraid in some of the remote places we settled in since rangers were quick to remind us at every step that we were in BEAR COUNTRY!  Max sleeps inside of my sleeping bag (yes, true story), so at times I was a bit afraid that the bears would think I'm hiding a snack for them.  We made it through and now I feel a bit safer sleeping with him in the van. As much as I think this journey is for me, it's really for Max.  I make decisions on where to go based on how Max would like it and how comfortable he would be.  He LOVES the beach!  It's the only place besides dog parks that I will let him off leash.  When we get to a safe area where there are no roads close to the beach and there really isn't anything for miles, I click him off of the leash.  He k...

Time.  Where does it go?  Sometimes I reflect back to when I quit my job to tour around the country to "find myself."  That was four years ago!  Sometimes it feels like just yesterday I headed out with "Trailie" and other days it feels like that trip was a long time ago.  Regardless, it doesn't last forever. I adopted Max almost three years ago.  I found him at a farmer's market and adopted him through a rescue organization.  He's my best friend for life and I can't imagine being on the road without him.  Today, Women's Adventure Magazine reposted an article I wrote on the past three years and it got me thinking about the beginning and how I felt at the time.  The first year really was a blur and the past two years in a tent is what I remember most.  I adopted Max and about a month later, we hit the road together.  I was looking back at the photos from my point and shoot camera from that year and found a photo of Max on the first d...

Max and I would like to wish everyone a very safe and happy holiday season! Be sure to spend time with your favorite people and animals.  They are worth more than any of the "stuff" that's passed around. If you are going to drink, be sure to be the passenger so we are all safe on the road. We are thankful for all of you and wish you a very peaceful Christmas.

On Halloween, Max wanted me to enter his photo in a costume contest that painter, Kellie Straw was having on her facebook fan page .  He dressed up as a fisherman.  You can see the photo HERE. Max and I were so thrilled to learn that he won!  For a prize, Kellie painted Max doing his favorite thing...having fun at the beach.  She painted his portrait using a photograph I took of Max on the beach in Cape Cod last year with the wind in his face. I love her work and I love this painted portrait of Max!  She even has note cards available of this painting HERE. Thank you Kellie!

I don't travel often without my dog, Max.  Max and I are a family so I take him most everywhere I go, which is how I like it.  I can't imagine my life without a dog. I've had several dogs growing up including Taz, Barkley, Ruffles, Sushi, Maggie and now Max. Three years ago, I traveled the country in my teardrop trailer with my dog, Maggie .  The past two years have been spent traveling with Max in a tent. I adopted Max about three months after my beloved Maggie passed away .  I've always had larger dogs in my life and didn't think about adopting a small lap dog.  One day I went to the farmers market in Long Beach for strawberries and the next thing I knew, I came home with Max.  He was up for adoption from a local rescue organization called "Hearts for Hounds."  They told me that Max (or "Freddie" at the time I adopted him) was on his last day at a shelter before they scooped him up.  I am so glad they did. A few weeks after adopting him, we we...

I've never been to the ocean side of Delaware so I thought I would travel along the coast see what it was like.  Since it's November, it was pretty much a ghost town.  Not many shops were open and very few people were around.  Max and I didn't mind.  We drove to Rehobeth Beach and took a short walk on the boardwalk.  From there we traveled south and stopped at what would seem to be a thriving beach front community but for now, it was empty.  We took advantage of the beach that we pretty much had to ourselves and ran around for a while then headed south across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel .