Lynn, yep that's me capturing Joe in all his glory. As to sounding like a Bulldog - if you mean the southern accent, most Atlantans don't have one of any consequence. I lost most of mine at a pretty early age.
The avatar is Tucker (see Bee's Hiking Buddies thread). He was originally my daughter's, but she gave him to me before a solo Death Valley trip years ago. Since she couldn't go, she wanted me take him along so I wouldn't be "lonely". He's been dangling from my pack ever since on any trip out west.
I've almost lost him a couple of times - once at Mt. Rainier and another in Yosemite. Luckily I found him both times. I use a pair of carabiners to keep him on my pack now, instead of just one. The shot in the avatar photo was Tucker at Cottonwood Pass on a very sunny day. He borrowed my shades for the shot.
Here's Tucker on Wildrose Peak in Death Valley a couple of months ago - looking for the summit register:
