FOUND!!!

FIRST OFF, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANKS TO ALL THE WONDERFUL DOGSTERS OUT THERE WHO GAVE ME ROSETTES AND STARS. I READ EACH OF THEM AND AM TRULY GRATEFUL!

Dad was really worried when I ran off. I was exploring in a strange place and caught the scent of a spruce hen and just took off after that bird. He promptly flew away but I had no idea where I was. I understand that Dad was calling me but I`m hard of hearing as I am a senior dog and thus I couldn`t hear him calling me. I am a smart dog however and I decided to stay put in the area. It was getting dark and the Alaskan chill was getting to my old bones so I decided to seek shelter. I found a house just across the road from the campground and crawled into an open woodshed there. I basically holed up here for 2 nights, emerging only to take a drink from the nearby lake. The morning after my 2nd night being lost, the owner of the house returned and found me in his shed. He was very kind and gave me some food and fresh water,then called the number on my tag. He got Dad`s voice mail which had a message on it telling him to call the number of his friend in Alaska. This he did and Dad soon showed up to reclaim me! WOOFS, was I ever so happy. I`m sticking close to Dad for the rest of this trip no matter how interesting any scents are!
Smiley

P.S. Dad and I will still be on the road for 2 more weeks as we wind up our Alaska trip. We still have to journey back down thru Canada to reach the lower 48. We`re using our friend`s computer in Sterling, Alaska but this may be our last computer access for a while. I`ll update as soon as possible.

Lost!

I`m writing here as Smiley`s Dad. This seems to be the year of the Alaska trip that was destined not to be. First were the car problems,then yesterday, Smiley became lost as he took off in pursuit of some animal or other. This happened at a campground at Johnson Lake on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska. I had stopped here for lunch on our way to visit the scenic town of Homer in Cook Inlet. Smiley caught the scent of some animal and took off along a lakeside trail. He soon disappeaared into the bushes and was ought of sight. I searched for several hours for him repeatedly calling his name and even spent the night at the campground hoping that he would follow his scent trail back there. He was still missing as of this morning, and today`s searching produced only one individual on a nearby homestead who had briefly seen him yesterday. He is an older dog with arthritus and is not getting his meds while he is lost. Also there are moose in the area. Please keep him in your prayers as I desprately hope for his safe return. Tonite will be his second night lost in the wilds of Alaska. He does have tags on,so there is still some hope for his return.
John (Smiley`s Dad)

Alaska trip update

Woofs,
Dad is currently having our car serviced in Whitehorse, Yukon,Canada. Hopefully the bearings will be replaced today and all will be ok. We`ve already been to Skagway,Alaska and Dad and I did a 3 day hike there. We hiked up into the mountains above Skagway and camped by an alpine lake. On day 2 of the hike, we camped by the inside passage of Alaska and watched cruise ships sail by at night. Their lights were all ablaze sort of like the Titanic! Yesterday morning 2 whales swam by our campsite and they were spouting water thru their blowholes! Dad will post the video when we return home. Will bark more when we have another opportunity at computer access.
Smiley

Waiting for repairs

Hi everybody,
Yesterday, while approaching the town of Watson Lake in Canada`s Yukon, Dad suddenly heard grinding noises comming from the left rear wheel. He new that meant that the bearings were shot and so decided to stay in the town of Watson Lake for the nite. Upon visiting a mechanic this morning, he was told that he would have to wait a day for the new bearings to arrive. Hopefully, we`ll be on our way tommorrow and will arrive in Skagway, Alaska on Wed. To continue driving without the repair would have meant the loss of a wheel and being stranded in the wilderness with help many hours away. We`re hoping for the best at this point.
Smiley

One week into our trip

Woofs to all,
We found a computer access terminal in Watson Lake in the Yukon Territory of Canada. We`ve been on the road for a week now and have already seen Niagara Falls,Hiked the shoreline of Lake Superior,and backpacked overnite in Stone Mountain Provincial Park in northern British Columbia. We expect to reach Alaska on Tuesday. Will bark more in a bit.
Smiley

P.S. There are wierd noises comming from the rear left wheel of Dad`s car. We fear that a wheel may fall off on the road as happened back in 2002. Hoping for the best or we may be stranded in the middle of vast wilderness or WORSE!

Off to Alaska!

Woofs! Dad has our car all packed and ready for our trip to Alaska starting tonight. We`re driving up to Niagara Falls and will spend tommorrow {Sun} hiking at the Falls. This is Dad`s 10th Alaska trip and my 4th. We`ll be driving the Trans-Canada highway across Canada starting Mon morning. Wish us well! I`ll bark more details about the trip when we get back.
Smiley

Some new pix

Dad just added 6 new pix to my page. They were taken in the fall of 2005 in the Badlands of South Dakota as we were returning from Alaska. These are the next 6 photos following my primary photo. Enjoy!
Smiley

River tubing

Dad has added a new exciting aspect to our river trips. He has purchased an inflateable river tube and attaches it to the raft using my 26 ft long retractable leash. Dad says that the feeling of running river rapids is more intense in a tube. I like to stretch out in the safety of the raft when we run a rapid. Dad is posting this rapid video on my page.
Smiley

June Appalacian Trail hike

June Appalacian Trail hiking
Category: Travel and Places


Woofs! Dad and I just returned from a 3 day hike along the Appalacian Trail in central Pennsylvania. We hiked the section of the trail that passes thru the St Anthony Wilderness otherwise known as the Stony Valley natural area. It`s the largest roadless area in PA and adjoins the Ft Indiantown Gap Army Base near Harrisburg.

The weather was sunny and pleasantly warm all 3 days. Friday June 22 was the first day of our hike and a cool refreshing breeze made carrying my dogpack seem effortless! As we hiked the trail this day, we came upon a "Thru Hiker"---someone who is hiking the entire trail from GA to ME! Dad hopes to do this someday when he`s able to retire although it will be with a younger dog as I`m getting a bit on in years. On Fri afternoon, we hiked a side trail along Stony Creek and both of us enjoyed a refreshing swim in a secluded swimming hole here. On Fri nite, we pitched our tent in a secluded area of forest covered with ferns.

Sat June 23 was another sunny warm day and both of us enjoyed more swimming in Clark`s creek. Late in the afternoon, we explored the old mining ruins at Yellow Springs along a blue blazed side trail from the Appalacian Trail. This whole area was a thriving coal mining region in the mid 1800`s and old stone ruins are everywhere! Dad and I camped beside 2 old pit mines late in the day. The ground here was caved in and 2 huge pits extended down into the earth. Dad climbed down into one using an old pipe for support,but he only got so far before the pit was pinched off completely. As darkness came on, there was much birdsong thus making for a pleasant campsite!

Sunday June 24 was the final day of our little adventure, and we swam in the chilly waters of Rausch Creek at mid day. Earlier this morning, 2 horses passed us on the trail and one of them was apparently "spooked" by the sight of a dog carrying a red pack. The horse reared into the air and charged off the trail taking his poor rider thru some tree branches! Fortunately, the rider soon regained control and all was ok.

At Rausch Gap village---another set of ruins from the mid 1800`s--- Dad met a man who was geocaching. This is a sport where you use a GPS to find hidden containers containing various goodies. Dad had a GPS along so the man gave him the coordinates of a cache and after some searching, Dad located it! His first geocache! It was a fun 3 days in the mountains!

Smiley

Tagged

I`ve been tagged by Morgan and Blossom and Wrigley

The rules:

Each player starts with seven random facts about themselves. Dogs who are tagged, need to post in their diary the rules and their 7 pawsome facts. Then choose 7 dogs to tag and list their names. Don’t forget to bark them a pmail that they have been tagged and to read your diary, or, send them a fun Rosette announcing they've been Tagged!

7 fun facts about me:

1 I am terrified of thunderstorms and will dig up carpets to relieve thunderstorm anxiety.

2 My nickname is Mr Snapper because in my younger days, I would snap my jaws in play.

3 Dad has taken me to Alaska 3 times in sept 2001,2002,and 2005.

4 We`ve also been to the Grand Canyon 3 times also in sept 2003,2004,and 2006.

5 I love rafting and Dad takes me out on the Delaware river as often as possible each summer

6 I carry my dogpack on hikes along the Appalacian Trail

7 My cousin is a sweet German Shepherd named Julie who lives in Lake City,FL. I`ve been down several times to visit her.

The dogs I`ve tagged are:

Julie
Jack
Jammin Lady
Tucker
Baby Red Snapper
Sunny
Wesley