Zip’s Dog Blog (2.0)

Snowflakes are a fallin’ on this Tuesday afternoon and it’s amazing how much can occur in just over a week from the
previous post. I miss more things than I remember to report it seems and as such I’ll try to make Tuesday afternoons a
regular posting time going forward.

So Teva has come up with a contest for which they accept Video entries or essay entries. The contest could end at
absolutely any point so we had to really work to get it in under the unknown wire. Basically they are looking for life
agents who have an Adventure Project worthy of their $10,000.00 grant to help the project reach completion. Dad’s 2020
vision Quest continues to be a forward moving reality but as it has a ten year plan it doesn’t quite fit into the Teva
plan. One of the climbs does it it’s sufficiently challenging and so we made our entry. It was our first day with the
new Digital Video Camera needed for the filming as well as the first evening exploring video edits to lin the three
segments which made the piece. If Dad could have run it all together in one shoot it would have helped but I admit I
may have impacted the first segment when I began to grandstand with my nyla-bone wishbone! So the lighting wasn’t
ideal and the new explorations made it challenging but Teva is clear it’s about content more than video quality. Let’s
hope they like us:

Personally I think I need more of a role – if Dad thinks I might help lug him up the most dangerous Mountain in the
lower 48, reputedly, then he better start giving me even more due play!

I think I told you that we’ve singed up for a Wilderness First Aid course with the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC).
It’s the March 6 weekend up in Pinkham Notch and they were really good about working with Dad and his blindness…as
well as being appropriately knowledgable about my role in all this. They cannot certify Dad but they will certify
anyone he brings and let Dad attend the course pro-bono as a good will gesture of support for the project and for his
pro-active approach to safety leading into the 2020 Vision Quest. Ultimately there’s seven of us heading up there,
Dave, Carrie, Kara, Kat, Tracy, Dad and of course me. We’ll stay at the Joe Dodge lodge and by the end of the weekend
will know a lot about WIlderness First Aid. I’m betting I have to help lead Dad to a lot of folks and work through the
treatment practice. Contrary to popular desires I’m apparently not getting the Brandy Barrel for under my collar. I
do want to particularly thank the AMC for making us so welcome and especially Penny Miller!

So while we are on the notion of three letter acronyms being cool, we had to flesh out some equipment to ensure a safer
winter experience both for the course and for many future hiking potentials. We had made a few trips to the local
Nashua based EMS (Eastern Mountain Sports). In the most recent they not only recalled us (several of them relaying
their lab loving ways and noting what a fine dog I am btw!) but they also recalled the 2020 Vision Quest. Their staff
was very helpful and knowledgable as well as fiscally conscious. They gave us a very respectable discount to promote
the cause even though they are aware we do not yet have the legal completion of our impending 501-C3 status…bet you
didn’t know a Guide dog was so learned in Charitable Laws! So here is a particular shout out to Les the Assistant
Manager and Christina who helped us a fair bit. I even have a dog ‘halo’ light to wear on my collar for any potential
emergencies.

We snuck off to Karate as usual this morning and the falling snow was intermittent between intense and non-existant but
they assure us this storm is still a comin’ I’ll look outside the window when I finish this but I really wanted to get
you all the video peek. Tonight I may be off to Valhalla, Ben’s LARP concept not the actual mythological location. If
the weather dampens it then a night to elax after a busy weekend for Dad and Tracy. The next three days in a row all
have me making a trip to Concord for a Walk meeting tomorrow, the Legal presntation for 2020 Vision and finally for an
Empowerment through Technology Screen Reader edition on Friday. That should keep me busy but we still aren’t moving in
up there. Perhaps tonight may get us the stealth trip to do some sledding as Dad’s promised but not yet provided.

Be well and share my video since pup-ularity may matter!
Mighty Quinn