Coming to a Blog Near You: Tettegouche State Park!

Guess what we did?!

Reserved our dream campsite for September 2015!!!

This campsite has it all.  Take a look at the view from the campfire ring!  Look at all the sticks I can chew!

Only downside to this site is that you have to cart-in .25 miles to get there.  But the views?  Totally worth it!

Where is your dream campsite?

Adventure (Sans Dog) Tuesday: Split Rock Lighthouse State Park

Hello, World!

Well, today, I hate to say it, but....

Bosses ditched me for this trip. :(  You know why?  I wasn't even born yet!

The "morning coffee" spot!

This was Bosses' camping trip from Labor Day weekend, 2013.  I was merely a breeder dog, still in Momma's tummy.  Bosses went up there and camped in the campground right down the hill from the famous lighthouse there.  This place is a little less than an hour up Scenic Highway 61 from Duluth, MN.  It's right along Lake Superior, and Bosses gotta say: it's one of their favorite state parks so far.  I really wish I were with the Bosses for this trip, but alas, there was no physical way that I could be there.  However, Bosses DID say that I did really well in the tent last time and will *maybe* take me there next time! :)

Look at the fog coming off the lake.

So....this is what I have to look forward to:

Beautiful morning out at the "coffee spot"

This campground is all either cart-in/backpack-in/kayak-in campsites.  Bosses like these campsites, because there are no loud motors from either cars or RV's.  It's a little ways off the path from the parking lot, so it's desolate, quiet, and sooooo scenic.  Bosses had to cart their stuff in about 100 feet or so to get to their campsite.  So....not terrible.

View from the campsite in the morning.

The campsites themselves are very spaced apart, which is also nice.  They were at a different campsite for a night on the way to Duluth, and you could practically reach outside of the tent and touch the other campsite's fire ring.  Well, not quite that close, but Mom unzipped the side of her tent, got out, and BAM there was the neighbor like right there, and he waved and said "good morning" while making his coffee.  Definitely not something they're used to!  But....Mom/Dad are friendly people so they made small talk.  Anywho, I digress.  Desolate campsites!

Hot coffee and eggs are ALWAYS on the menu when we camp- even I get a nibble most times!

Mom, Dad, and I all manage to fit in this 2-person "extra-long" backpacking tent.  Impressive, eh?

Waking up to serene and stunning nature was really easy for them here.  While it was brisk in the mornings in September there, they could walk to the rocky shoreline and have their morning coffee.  It was about 50 feet away, and there was a nice log to sit on.  Is there possibly a better place to sit and enjoy a morning?!  Bosses don't think so.

The log the Bosses sat on at their "coffee spot"

There were tons of hiking opportunities, which Mom says I would absolutely love!!!  The trails were lined with fresh, wild raspberries, so getting a snack on the trail was as easy as plucking them off the plants.  Beautiful overlooks, a lighthouse you can tour (no dogs allowed inside though, grrr), a little market on the weekends at the lighthouse where you can buy local things, and even access to the Superior Hiking Trail, if Mom remembers correctly.  It was splendid.

Split Rock Lighthouse.

Really loud horns up at the lighthouse.  Wooooo wooooo!

So, when are we going to take a trip there?! Mom says next year when the weather is nice, they'll book a spot.  Mom says they already have a site booked for us for Labor Day weekend - the best cart-in site at Tettegouche State Park (coming to a blog near you very soon).  So, this park is going to be in our near future! :) It's dog-friendly.  2 paws and 2 thumbs up! :)

View from the lighthouse.

Lake Superior was surprisingly calm when Bosses went up there.

It's a long way down if you somehow fall over the super tall fence!

View from the hiking trail along the lake.  How gorgeous is this?!

View from the lake.  It was beautiful! (The water's chilly, though.  Tons of dogs are usually out here!)

Beautiful day for a hike.  I should've grown up quicker so I could've come along!

Beautiful hiking trail lined with birch trees.

Mom and Dad are those little shadows!  What a nice beach to play fetch on.  Next time!!!

Look at all those trees.

Little creeks flow everywhere along the hiking trail.

Settlers once used this place as a gathering place, and built this cool fireplace!

The beauty of fall up on the North Shore is unsurpassable.  It takes our breath away every time! <3

This post is part of the Adventure Dog blog hop, hosted by DOGthusiast and Tiffany's Diamond Dogs every Tuesday.

Black and White Sunday: Enjoying the Weather While it Lasts

Hello, Everyone!

Whew, it was so refreshing to get an extra hour of sleep last night! I sure enjoyed it- we've been pretty tired around here.

With the extra hour, though, comes one thing: the sun sets one hour earlier.  So, with that in mind, time to run while the sun's out and the grass is somewhat green!

#AdventureDogChat Tuesday: The Family Birthday "Paw"ty

It's that time again!

Adventure Dog Tuesday is upon us!

I looooove going through an agility tunnel.  Shh, there are kids in that tunnel, too, and I happen to love those!

On Sunday, my biological puppy family and I celebrated my litter's birthday.  I haven't seen some of my siblings since we were separated- and I couldn't have been happier to see them!

My brothers, making a break for it!

We usually get together with a few of the puppies from my litter, cause...well...you know, dogs my age can be a little crazy.  We like to get together to wear off our "puppy" energy and to have fun!  Thank goodness we were all adopted by people in the Twin Cities- we're pretty close, but some families have busier schedules than others, and aren't able to make it to a lot of our get-togethers.  Luckily, my ENTIRE family made it there, PLUS my other friends that I met along the way.

Me in front, my brother Bixby in back.

Party "Paw"ticipants:

• Me! Sadie!
• My siblings: Bixby, Dylan, Ryder, Comet, Holly, Sawyer, and Chester
• My momma, Nicole
• My daddy, Roy
• My foster sisters: KraeLynn and Lilly
• My foster friends I met along the way: Whitney, Raelynne, Annie, Joy, Bailey
• My foster friends' other dogs: Jack, Lottie, George

Joy, a fellow volunteer's rescue Golden. She's awesome!  The wheelchair can't slow that girl down.

George, our foster friend Annie's adoptive brother.

Me (on the right) telling my brother, Chester, a piece of my mind! :)

Three of my brothers: Dylan (left), Ryder (center), and Comet (right)

Dylan (right) and I having an old-fashioned game of tug-of-stuffie.

Wrestling with my big brothers- Chester (left), me (center), and Dylan (right)

"Hey, they're beating up on me, Ma!" Dylan (left), me (on ground), and Chester (right)

Dylan (far left), Me (with the pearly whites), Sawyer (center), and Chester (right)

My foster sister, Kraelynn!  She's awesome at catching a ball.

We love to play!

Dylan (with the ball) and Chester- they're good buds!

Look at all these rescue dogs!  Only one pup here was from a breeder (George): we all had stories (some "prettier" than others), and all were surrendered to RAGOM.  We couldn't be more thankful- puppy "get-togethers" remind us of how far we have come!  P.S. : that list was just merely dogs- double that, and that's the humans, too!

Bixby, Comet, and myself (in the far back) getting some beautiful fall weather playtime in.

Another reason we get together is because our parents are learning how to socialize with other dogs and humans.  And what better company to do this in than with their children?!  Our momma was adopted a while back and has come so far since she was surrendered.  She was terribly shy, scared of people, and did not seek human attention.  Our foster mom and her adoptive mom worked very hard to get her socialized and enjoying her life- we're so happy to see her happy!  Our daddy, however, has come so far, but still has a long way to go.  He is still available for adoption, 1 year after he was brought here from the commercial breeder.  He is a very scared guy- but he is getting better day by day.  I got to meet him last summer, and I look so much like him!  I made sure to tell him "everything's alright, Daddy- you're in great hands now!".  I'm so grateful that I get to see my parents and brothers/sisters as often as I do!

My Daddy, Roy (left) and my Momma, Nicole (right).  Aren't they ADORABLE?!

That's my daddy, Roy.  He's getting so brave!

We had so much fun- we had T-R-E-A-T-S, the humans had munchies, we ran, fetched, caught, wrestled, the list could go on.  We love our little RAGOM family!  We are truly blessed.

Take a look at my lazy brother, Ryder, at the water dish! BOL!

Do you get to see your littermates or really good doggie friends?

Team Nicole's pups! There are two more that aren't well visible.

Chow!

This post is part of the Adventure Dog blog hop, hosted by DOGthusiast and Tiffany's Diamond Dogs every Tuesday.