Typist: Bethany
The dogs have seen all the road trip gear hauled out so many times, when the dog stuff is getting packed, they get excited. Really excited. So excited, in fact, that they seem disappointed when everything is in the car, ready to go, and we spend one more night at home. I hate packing the day before and having to wait until morning to leave too. I never sleep very well... I am just too eager to hit the road! So, are the dogs truly enthusiastic about traveling or are they just feeding off of my strong wanderlust emotions? When we arrive somewhere, anywhere, the car slows down, and I begin to delightedly look around, Wilhelm, Brychwyn, and Huxley do too. I can't wait to get out and explore! Either can the dogs. Maybe we are the luckiest foursome ever to have found others that share our exploring passion. Maybe my dogs love me so much that whatever makes me happy, makes them happy. Judging by how difficult it is to get the dogs to look away from me for a photo, I thought the latter was probably true. But after viewing the photographs I managed in this weeks Dogwood 52 photo challenge, maybe Huxley, Wilhelm, and Brychwyn just love to travel. 

Dogwood Photography Photo Challenge Week 7, Portrait: Faceless
"Tell someone's story without showing their face."

Capturing photographs of the dogs traveling exhilaration is easy. Sharing their love of travel in photos is one of the reasons we are the Cascadian Nomads! What was challenging for this weeks faceless portraits, is shooting the dogs from behind. Sure they love exploring where we are, but they are trained to turn towards me for photos. I had to be sneaky, and aware of moments that each dog was really enthralled with our wanderings. The most challenging part of all was that I am always invigorated by our journey's surroundings as well! So maybe Huxley, Wilhelm, Brychwyn and I have a passion for travel in common. Maybe because every aspect of traveling, from packing to unpacking, makes me happy, the dogs are happy about travel too. I am not sure I need to know why my dogs love to travel so much. I just care that we get to keep going places together for many years to come.

Does your dog do something just because you love it?
Do you do something just because your dog loves it?

This post is a part of the Dogwood Photography 52 Week Photography Challenge. Please see more of our photo challenge posts here.

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Typist: Bethany
On a recent road trip, we were fortunate enough to have a fenced yard at our dog friendly cabin. When I first saw the aging white picket fence, I was certain that the dogs would spend their time searching for a way to escape. Instead, their passion for play lead to some epic chases and many goofy bitey-face matches during our stay. I laughed and cheered as the dogs played and barely fretted about the fear of a loose dog. I am so proud that my traveling dog trio is comfortable enough on the road to impetuously play not matter where we go. Wilhelm, Brychwyn and Huxley don't let anything stand in the way of their passion for playtime. 

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Typist: Bethany
Upon learning I was planning a budget road trip from Seattle to San Francisco a friend in Portland offered for me to stay at his place. "Thank you so much but you should know that I am traveling with my dogs," I replied. There was a long pause and a shaky "oh..." at the other end of the phone. It was obvious my friend was not comfortable with this turn but was hesitating to rescind his lodging offer. "Is there room for me to put up my tiny tent in your back yard?" I queried quickly. A very different "oh" came from my friend this time. It was lighter, louder and followed by a "yes! Yes, of course." One night of free road trip lodging was secured. Hooray!

One thing I get asked a lot when planning pet friendly road trip lodging is "are your pets well behaved." The answer, of course, is yes. But I have had people tell me their dog or cat is "extremely friendly" a split second before it turns into a snarling, teeth barring wild thing. Just last night, a woman told me about a parrot at a street fair that the owner was insisting passers-by pet or hold because the parrot was "so very nice." Then the woman showed me the scar from where this "nice" parrot bit her. So all pets are friendly and nice and everyone should be allowed to bring their pets everywhere, right? Wrong. Pets, particularly traveling pets, are unpredictable and rules, especially those of the host, should always be respected. My host, be it cheap accommodations or free lodging, knows I have pets, in advance and upon arrival. I make sure the host knows that I have no intention of breaking their rules about how my pets stay. When I am a well behaved pet traveler, it doesn't matter whether or not my pets are "well behaved." My goal is my hosts to not even know my pets are with me except for when I told them and we agreed upon the best way for my pets to spend the night.

As I exited my backyard tent in Portland, my friend came out to say good morning. I walked and fed the dogs as my friend and I visited. As we sat and sipped coffee my friend suddenly exclaimed "you didn't say you had trained dogs. It probably would have been fine for all of you to stay in the house." Again, I thanked him and made sure he knew we were truly comfortable in the tent. But his compliment did lay the foundation for the rest of my awesome pet friendly road trip south as well as many, many more.

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Typist: Bethany
On a recent camping trip, Wilhelm celebrated his eighth birthday. While eight is still relatively young for a dachshund, every time any of the Cascadian Nomads get one year older I reflect on all of the amazing journeys the dogs, cat, cockatoo and I have enjoyed together. I also can't help but daydream of the pet friendly adventures I still yearn for us to take. Of course, this aging traveler contemplation mostly involves the way too short lifespans of dogs and cats but also I ponder how long I will stay physically capable of travels involving living out of a van for weeks on end with five pets in tow. (Which is the only way to travel, I think!) The Cascadian Nomads have seen so much together already and for that I am forever grateful. But the inherent wanderlust in me wants more. More! Here is the short list of my dream pet friendly journeys:

• Drive to Alaska (the only state in the US I have never been to!)*
• Ferry to the Haida Gwaii Islands (my family did this when I was young and I loved it!)*
• Drive to Florida then up the Eastern seaboard to Maine (I also did this as a child but would love to experience it as an adult with my pets!)
• Drive across Canada* (I have done this road trip before but would love to share a journey through the provinces with the dogs.)
• Do a Great Lakes Tour (I am proud that I have seen all of the lakes but I would love for my pets to do the same, especially Leo who seems to have a great appreciation for lakes and large bodies of water.)
• Drive to Mexico*
• Drive the full US Length of the Mississippi River
• Drive the full US Length of the Columbia River

*Dog and cat only; Leo cannot attend border crossing road trips.

As I look at that list of journeys I long to take with my furry and feathery travel buddies, I wonder if there will be enough time and money to make it happen while the dogs and cat are young enough to enjoy each and every hiking, exploring, camping moment. As we all age and another summer ends, I catch myself wishing we had done more together. Then I remember how far we have already traveled and am immensely thankful. There are billions of people who have not experienced the travel wonders my pets have! We are some lucky nomads. And even if we only have time left together for adventures in our special little corner of Cascadia, that's okay too.

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