Traveling with Dog!

**Roanoke, VI. in front of the great Roanoke Hotel. The fountain is for humans and their dogs too!**

American Press Travel News-Nov 12th,-PSL, FL.-Bob’s thoughts on traveling with “dog.”

Since Barb and I have been married we raised several dogs, along with our two sons.

Since our boys to men, headed out into the world, we were left with our pup sons and daughters and we travel frequently as outdoor adventurer’s, and travel writers. We have learned to travel with our little buddies best for them, and us as well.

Just a few decades ago, traveling with your dog wasn’t quite as easy as it is today. Recently, we traveled to MD. from Florida and stopped in Florence, in S. Carolina, off of I-95. Just about every over-night accommodation, accommodated your dog. Many restaurants were pet friendly, various events allowed your dog to attend as well.

When we first moved to the Florida Keys (many moons over Miami ago) we had to sneak our dog into our accommodations, and there were no restaurants that let your pet into. For us to even find an apartment that was pet friendly back then was almost impossible. In the past twenty years, we acquired a motor home, and our travel issues with our dog Charlie were over! Virtually every campground allowed dogs, and most importantly Charlie-Boy was a happy camper as he had his place and the regularity of a home no matter where we went. His foods, always having water, air conditioning, and not being cramped into a back seat was excellent for his comfort. He was able to walk over for a reassuring head-pet, anytime as we drove America! Everyone’s health was kept in check with the easy regularity of the day to day tripping. When he needed to run, do his cleaning out, or whatever we did together the motor home was perfect. Of course we had the extra security besides our double-barrel, of his healthy lungs and even the couple of times thugs did try to get in over-night, Charlie let them know he had canines waiting to tear into them with.

A few things to remember: Watch for skunks, your dog, as Charlie did just once, mistook one for a cat to chase. Took two weeks to stop the great odor in our coach. Always use a leash to protect your pet from the unexpected. Feed on a daily schedule, and make sure there is always fresh water for Mr. or Mr’s Rufus. Don’t let your pet stray into the woods, or get too close and friendly with other animals. Ticks, fleas and potential diseases can be transmitted easily. Make sure when you leave home-base, you carry all papers and medicines for your doggies. Just in case you need to visit a Vet. in some far-flung location in your travels. Take the favorite toys, and the bed your child is comfortable in. With regularity and familiarity, your dog will travel best, and will allow you to bring him home as healthy and happy as when you left your home-base, and make you glad too that he was aboard your American tour, as well.

Hurricane Irma; Nature’s Way of Sweeping the Floor, But also Uniting Peoples Suddenly Thrust Into Survival Mode

**Once bucolic, now gone with the wind!**

American Press Travel News–9/8/2017-Wolf Howl Farms, TN.–Barb and I for many years head from Florida to TN for spring through the fall, and return to FL. for winter. As former Lead Photographer for FEMA, I have learned first hand, that the fight or flight ingrained in our survival tool set genetically, should be kicking in right now. You can’t fight nature’s wrath, she will win everytime. So now is the time to get away from what should be very clear to everyone in harm’s way that Irma is one big, bad tough storm. What I saw was so many spawned tornadoes that killed many dozens of people in each of the hurricane disaster I was tasked to cover for the Pres. and the Congressional Record. I covered all facets in many directions and learned run from a fight you just cannot win! So GET OUT of the way NOW!

Roanoke’s Black Lantern Inn Bed & Breakfast Excellent & Friendly Place to Stay

**Chris and Jayne Andrews, new wonderful owners of the Black Lantern Inn**

Breakfast was a healthy treat. Coffee tasted like “real” coffee, the true organic breakfast fruit plate was delicious, brioche was special, the apple egg dish was superb (her moms and grandma’s old delicious recipe) all in all a memorable and socially wonder experience talking and getting to know each other.

American Press Travel News–May 31st, Roanoke, VA.-Bob and Barb “On the Road Again” and “Stopping to Smell the Roses.” Barb and I love to stay in really wonderful mom and pop accommodations, and finding such is like picking up that silver dollar in a parking lot. No, not because these type of stop-overs are extremely rare, but finding just the right one may be if you go in “cold.” What we look for is personality, and real friendliness-people that like people. So when we were told by our hostess to the area in the guise of Convention and Visitors Bureau Media Specialist; Taylor Ricotta about this nice couple who recently purchased the Black Lantern Inn, who would enjoy inviting us to spend a couple of nights at their place while we worked on our VA. travel articles, we said “yes.”The Inn has 3-accommodation rooms. We were offered the entire 3rd floor called the “Skyline Room with en suite bathroom, king size bed, sofa, writing desk and a flat screen TV. Call for prices. Rooms are $125 and up to less that $200 per night which includes breakfast for two. Great impeccable baths, fabulous urban surroundings and chirping birds off the porches, make this a memorable and relaxing interlude for any traveler and visitor to Roanoke, VA. There is a large amount of history to be able to explore in Roanoke. We honed in on railroading. The Museum of Transportation is a worthy visit. Replete with dozens of retired trains and transportation equipment, children of all ages from 4-100 would love this easily accessible museum. The Black Lantern Inn is tops with us for a B&B. The people: Terrific! The rooms: Excellent! The breakfasts: Perfect! The Inn is located at 1526 Franklin Road SW in Roanoke, VA. 24016 WWW.BlackLanterninn.com

STAY TUNED. MUCH MORE TO COME ABOUT OUR ADVENTURES IN VIRGINIA’S BLUE RIDGE, MUCH MORE!

What is An Estuary? In Port Charlotte Waters Near the Bay are Called Estuarian

AmericanPressTravelNews-Feb. 25th-Port Charlotte, FL-Bob and Barb “Stopping to Smell the Roses and the Gulf of Mexico.” The waters of Charlotte Harbor are called an “Estuary.” Quiet waters that provide habitat for unknown number of creatures. So many sea birds, crustaceans, fish, mammals, a million kind of invertebrates, water plants make their home and living in estuaries. The only dangers estuaries in the short-run face is man. When indigenous native Americans were the only human inhabitants, estuaries were relatively safe-havens for most living things, water quality and plants. Estuaries were balanced by these peoples not appreciably changing water-quality, they took what they could eat and use and left these habitats relatively untouched they lived and let live in the lands and waters. In early articles and books written in the 1800’s, the description of the amount of shore-birds, fish, crustaceans reaching to unimaginable numbers and varieties that today with the amount of human so-called modern encroachment and amending of the channels, shorelines and water depths as in dredging, the wholesale netting and trapping, of crustacean and fish stocks, fuel and oils in the waters, boat propellers gouging out runs through the underwater fabric of the estuary and so many more intrusions and disruptions of the natural flows of these natural places.