Cascadian Nomads
  • Pet Adventure Blog
  • Cascadia- About Our Area
  • Nomads- About Us
    • Cascadian Nomads Advertising Opportunities
  • Humans
  • Canines
  • Psittacines
  • Felines
  • Contact

How The Southwest Was Won Or What To Pack To Survive A 3 Week, 4 Pet Camping Road Trip

6/10/2014

15 Comments

 
Typist: Bethany
When I was setting up camp (for the second time) at  Lake Mead, Nevada, a woman walked by and joked "wow, can I camp with you? That's quite a tent." In Moab, a neighboring camper, watched me set up camp and queried "are you expecting ten more people?" As I unloaded the van in Mt. Shasta, California, a woman walked by and said "who are you with all this stuff?" My answer to all of them was that I am traveling with three dogs and a parrot. We need a lot of space, hence my "ten more people" tent and, yes, a lot of "stuff."
Picture
Traveling cockatoo Leo (in tent) and three happy camper dogs, Huxley, Brychwyn & Wilhelm: Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona.
Whenever we return from any of our pet friendly road trips or camping adventures, I always get a ton of e-mails asking what I bring for the pets and how I do it. In answer to how I do it, I am very organized. Very. Obsessively so, to be honest. There is a place for everything and everything in it's place. Why? If I am running behind schedule or something doesn't go as planned on a road trip, I have to care for the pets. Immediately. I cannot wonder where a dish is or dig for the food scoop. (Packing in as many clear bins as possible helps.) I want our perfect first aid kit faultlessly packed and ready to use! Long road trips and camping with pets is more like a vacation and less stressful when the pets can be easily made happy. I can make them (and myself and everyone for miles around) contented faster if I can quickly find the stuff they need. And that brings me back to all the stuff. What do I bring?
Picture
I proudly admit that I am a glamper (glamour camper.) I have pillows and an air mattress. I have never used the tent heater but it is nice to have it along just in case. I always bring a small folding table for use at camp but also to ease van unloading or rest stop pet feedings. The rechargeable battery powered fans have come in handy more times than I can count. We wouldn't have slept a wink in our small tent in Iowa or Nebraska last spring if I hadn't hung a fan from the ceiling.
Picture
I don't as proudly admit that I constantly over pack for the dogs. I barely opened the dogs spare stuff bin on our cross country or southwest road trips. However, I would rather have too many extra leashes than none. And when traveling with pets, there is no way to bring too many paper towels, rags and blankets. If there is room in a bin or under a seat, stuff another rag in!
Picture
Picture
Leo, Wilhelm, Brychwyn and Huxley enjoying a break the BlogPaws conference in Lake Las Vegas, Nevada. (Leo is hard to see in his cage but he's there.)
The dogs rode in their soft crates on last years cross country trip but with a bird along on our road trip to the Southwest, I couldn't also fit three dog crates into the van. So I buckled the dogs in with their harnesses and Leo cruised in his seat belted Popemobile. The last of the important stuff, like my purse, Umbilical Belt, PoopPac and the dogs bug repellent, fit up front. Jason insisted that I leave the kitchen sink at home with him and cat Amelia. And without that, I just don't think I had all that much stuff. Do you?
Picture
Leo watches a train from his shotgun road trip seat.
So besides not bringing the kitchen sink, how did I do on packing? Did I remember everything? What do you bring on camping trips with pets? What essentials do you take on long road trips?
Share this post:

Tweet

15 Comments

First Day Of Spring Snowshoeing With Three Dogs From Silver Fir At Snoqualmie Pass

3/21/2014

12 Comments

 
Picture
What a lovely spring day!
Typist: Bethany
It was a beautiful, sunny first day of spring in Seattle yesterday. But I packed up the car and the dogs and drove to snowy Snoqualmie Pass. Celebrating the Spring equinox snowshoeing with the dogs seemed like a perfect way to bid farewell to an odd winter and welcome a new season. We had such a strange winter in the mountains of our part of the Pacific Northwest. There was unseasonably early snow that washed away with a mass of warm rain. Then we had a long cold but extremely dry spell. And eventually we had so much snow in such a short period of time that avalanches were dangerously prevalent. So now that the avalanche and road closure risks have lessened, it seemed time for Wilhelm, Brychwyn, Huxley and I to spend some time in the mountains. Even if it was the first day of spring.
Picture
The same lovely spring day one hour (and several thousand feet) later.
Having been over a year since I had last packed up to take the dogs snowshoeing, I was surprised how quickly I was able to gather up our gear. Most of what we brought on our spring snowshoe is similar to what we'd bring on any car adventure, so it was almost all ready to roll. Here's what I brought:
  • Complete First Aid Kit
  • A Large Towel
  • Hands-Free Leashes
  • Ginger's Treats in a water resistant bait bag
  • Dog water and two methods of dog drinking (dish and bottle)
  • Poop bags and a way to pack out the poop with less odor
  • Spare leashes
  • Wilhelm's coat and harness
  • A packable snow shovel
  • Human water
  • A snack
  • Trekking poles
  • Snowshoes
  • An extra layer of warmth
Picture
Since this was our first snowshoe trip of the year, we went to a trail we know fairly well. I parked at the base of the Silver Fir chairlift at Snoqualmie Pass and followed the snowshoe trail upward. The trail winds along the east side of Hyak Creek, east of the Silver Fir chairlift. On the weekends, these woods are filled with alpine and Nordic skiers as well as snowshoers but yesterday we had the whole forest to ourselves. When we arrived at the parking lot and started our trek it was peacefully snowing. By the time we reluctantly left, the sun was shining and the sky was sapphire blue. This was truly a perfect spring day in the mountains of Cascadia.
Picture
Brychwyn finds the trail.
Picture
The beginning of one of many of Wilhelm's snow rolls
Picture
Wilhelm rolls on the snow for fun, fitness and to try to get out of his coat.
Happy Spring!
Picture

Read More
12 Comments
Forward>>

    Cascadian Nomads
    Pet Adventurers

    Cascadian Nomads adventurous dogs and parrot with pet and travel blogger, Bethany Clochard.
    Cascadian Nomads canines and psittacine on a road trip with blogger Bethany Clochard.
    Pet travel blogger Bethany Clochard shares a lifetime of budget travel experience, camping, and enjoying outdoors & Pacific NW adventures with pets. She currently hits the road with three dogs, a cockatoo & a cat.
    Related
    Instagram Follow on Instagram
    Picture


    Follow on Bloglovin
    follow us in feedly
    Picture

    Never miss a post! Have Cascadian Nomads Pet Adventure Blog delivered to your inbox:

    Delivered by FeedBurner


      Get our e-mail newsletter:

    Sign-Up

    Find anything on our site by searching here:
    Click any sidebar image to learn more!

    Cascadian Nomads only places ads for products we use, made by businesses we like. We highly recommend a click to
    visit our sponsors:
    (not affiliate links)
    WrapSit Quad Folding Chair Slipcover
    WrapSit is the ONLY slipcover crate for your folding quad chair. It makes taking pets and personal items outside or on a trip exponentially easier!


    Join us on the First Monday of Every Month!
    Positive Pet Training Week

    Positive Reinforcement Pet Training Week
    Hosted by Cascadian Nomads, Tenacious Little Terrier,
    Travels with Barley, and
    Wag n' Woof Pets.

    Picture
    Celebrate #MultiPetDay June 30th

    Categories

    All
    Adventures
    Amelia
    A To Z Challenge
    Awards
    Birds
    Black & White Photography
    Blog The Change For Animals
    Brychwyn
    Budget Travel
    Camping
    Cascadia
    Cats
    Celebrations
    Cockatoo
    Collie
    Corgi
    Cross Country Drive 2013
    Dachshund
    Dogs
    England & Wales 2014
    Fit Dog Friday
    Giveaway
    Holidays
    Humans Who Love Pets
    Huxley
    Leash-law
    Leo
    Multi Pet Life
    Peeks At The Past
    Pet Fitness
    Pet Health
    Pet Training
    Pet Travel
    Photography
    Planning Pet Adventures
    Positive Pet Training Week
    Product Review
    Road Trip
    Scoop That Poop
    Seattle
    Silliness
    Southwest-drive-2014
    Sponsored Post
    Urban Hikes
    Walk Your Dog Week
    What To Pack
    Wilhelm
    Woof-support
    Wordless Wednesday


    The Cascadian Nomads are:
    Cascadian Nomads Bethany with the dogs and Leo at Wilson's Arch, Moab, Utah
    Cascadian Nomads triton cockatoo Leo enjoys the sunshine in West Seattle, Washington, Cascadia
    Cascadian Nomads adventurous cat Amelia enjoying the view in West Seattle, Washington, Cascadia
    Cascadian Nomads black and tan dapple miniature dachshund
    Cascadian Nomads cardigan welsh corgi Brychwyn, Alpental, Washington, Cascadia
    Cascadian Nomads rough collie Huxley enjoying the green at Lopez Hill Park, Lopes Island, Washington, Cascadia
    Cascadian Nomads Jason with miniature dachshund Wilhelm snowshoeing Silver Fir Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, Cascadia
    Cascadian Nomads founding pets:
    Cascadian Nomads Founding Pets: Cockatiel Bobbie Birdie, cats Emily and Gryphon and dog Tynan.

    Features & Awards

    See products on this blog you like? Find all of our favorites on our Amazon Influencer page!
    Picture

    Bethany Clochard (@cascadiannomads) - influencer profile on Dealspotr
    dealspotr.com

    © Copyrighted Content
    Posts, words, photos or images from or featured on this blog may not be copied, reused or reproduced in any form without the prior express permission from the blog owner.

    The Doug

    The Fine Print
    For more on Cascadian Nomads privacy policy, advertising disclosure and responsibilities to our readers and visitors, click here.

Disclaimer
Cascadian Nomads are not veterinarians, behaviorists or animal trainers. Always consult with a veterinarian before starting or changing your pets exercise routine, before traveling with your pet, before changing your pets diet or before using any new pet products. Since all pets are unique individuals, consulting with a veterinarian, behaviorist or animal trainer about your pets specific needs is always recommended.
Disclosure
Every post  Cascadian Nomads publishes that is sponsored by a company or brand or obtained through an affiliation with a media network will contain a disclosure paragraph.  We do not use any affiliate links,  just regular links to a product or company website.  Cascadian Nomads only shares honest information that we feel is relevant to our readers whether a post is sponsored or not.
Privacy Policy
Cascadian Nomads does not share personal information with third-parties nor do we store information we collect about your visit to this blog for use other than to analyze content performance for marketing purposes. We do use cookies and add-ons, which you can turn off at anytime by modifying your Internet browser's settings or opt out of  add-ons. We are not responsible for the republishing of the content found on this blog on other Web sites or media without our permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice.
Copyrighted Content
Posts, words, photos or images from or featured on this blog may not be copied, reused or reproduced in any form without the prior express permission from the blog owner.

©2013-18
BethanyGO Designs


Cascadian Nomads Pet Adventure Blog: Budget pet adventure inspiration through stunning photography and amusing dog, cat, cockatoo and human stories.