Phoenix To Seattle Road Trip With 3 Dogs & A Cockatoo Day 3: A Sparkling River, Beach & Volcano

5/16/2014

Typist: Bethany
We started our visit to South Lake Tahoe, California with a hike along the Upper Truckee River. Huxley's cracked paw is healed but I still chose an easy, leashed dog friendly hike. The Hawley Grade Trail had everything we forest starved Cascadian Nomads needed from river wading to meadow wrestling. We all enjoyed the cool breeze, tree filtered sunlight and gorgeous views.

Of course, our first day in California wouldn't be complete without some time at the beach. There are only a few beaches in South Lake Tahoe that allow dogs. We walked down to leashed dog friendly Kavi Beach (though Wilhelm, Brychwyn and Huxley were the only dogs on leashes- and likely the only dogs traveling almost 800 miles from home.) The beach was fabulous fun and the panorama views were stunning. And our visit to a lovely, sandy California beach seemed the perfect time to add the last state of this epic journey to the dogs "States I've Visited" shirts.

Wilhelm and Brychwyn have visited California before but we added the state to the "States I've Visited" shirts on Kavi Beach. South Lake Tahoe, California.

Day three of driving back to Seattle from the Southwest made me a little bit sad to plan. It had so far been an exciting road trip full of highways I had never driven before. But on this day, once we got to Reno, we would be on roads I have driven many, many times the rest of the way home. All of that sadness was erased though, once I smelled the sage covered hills just past Bordertown. When we entered Lassen National Forest and the warm, large pine stands, meadows and marshes whizzed past us, I wondered why I don't drive through here more often.

This short and splendid drive ended in one of my favorite places in the whole world: Mt Shasta, California. We arrived in time for a pleasant walk, sunset and full moonrise all with the extraordinary volcanic peaks of Mount Shasta and Shastina in view. I can tell that the pets are growing weary of being on the road but I think my excitement about being back in Cascadia as well as in this spectacular place reinvigorated them a little. While we are still over 500 miles from our house, technically we are home.

Please forgive any & all rough spots in this post as it has been done on mobile from the road! We will be reading and enjoying your comments but, due to being on the road, it will be difficult for us to respond right away. Thanks for understanding and for coming along on our adventure.

The Cascadian Nomads fit dogs travel and stay fit! Please enjoy the FitDog Friday Blog Hop brought to you by SlimDoggy, Peggy's Pet Place and To Dog With Love. Join the hop or just enjoy the links below - lots of fun fitness tips and advice!

24 Comments

Emma link

5/15/2014 09:28:42 pm

Great to meet you all at BlogPaws! You did the travel right taking your time and enjoying the sights along the way. We had to get to BlogPaws and back in a hurry because of Mom's work, so we didn't get to do fun stuff along the way. Looks like you all really enjoyed your trip!

Bethany

6/6/2014 10:25:11 am

I am so glad we got to briefly meet. And Huxley had a wonderful time playing with Bailey. After last years 8-9 hour a day drives to get to Buffalo in time for the family events, I just could not do another trip like that so soon. This relaxing, often two nights in one place trip was just what we all needed!

Molly The Wally link

5/15/2014 10:29:47 pm

The sage covered hills sounds wonderful. Have a fabulous Friday.
Best wishes Molly

Bethany

6/6/2014 10:26:10 am

It smelled divine! I wish I had stopped to pick some for a smudge stick- it was the perfect time of year for that.

SlimDoggy link

5/15/2014 11:07:36 pm

What a great adventure you have had. Your dogs have a great life. Will it be hard to settle back into your routine when you get home? Thanks for joining the Hop and sharing your photos.

Bethany

6/6/2014 10:28:05 am

As I type, the dogs are all napping on the couch. They really missed the couch... it is I who is bored with getting back to the humdrum of working from the couch and walks in our neighborhood. The dogs thin sniffing around the same places after a long break is wonderful!

Mary link

5/15/2014 11:40:57 pm

Looks beautiful! I so want to take the dogs to a beach someday.

Bethany

6/6/2014 10:35:17 am

I wonder what desert dogs would think of the beach. The first time I took my beach dogs to the desert (Tynan and Wilhelm at the playa of the Black Rock desert in Nevada) Tynan jumped out of the car and ran... and ran... and ran... then stopped, looked around (we believe it was for water) then ran full speed back to the car and wouldn't get out again. It was not a beach; he was done! :)

Paws and Pedals (Scooter & Kate) link

5/15/2014 11:49:46 pm

Always makes me chuckle to see an Aussie Bird 'hanging out' with all those dogs in the great outdoors of America. Looks like you all enjoying your roadtrip & getting plenty of exercise as well

Bethany

6/6/2014 10:54:08 am

Road trips (or anything) are not fun without exercise- for birds too!

Bailey link

5/16/2014 12:15:46 am

Beautiful location shots. Wonderful place for the dogs to hike.

Bethany

6/6/2014 10:55:52 am

Thank you! Did you see the black and white shot of the waterfall we found at the end of the hike: http://www.cascadiannomads.com/cascadian-nomads/black-white-sunday-arid-cascade

Tenacious Little Terrier link

5/16/2014 02:32:13 am

I love their shirts. Mr. N has only been to three states and feels deprived.

Bethany

6/6/2014 10:36:56 am

But Mr. N has been on an airplane. My dogs will never know an adventure like that!

Diane @ To Dog With Love link

5/16/2014 03:24:36 am

Wow! The photos are stunning. It was SO nice to meet you all at BlogPaws. We had the best time hanging out with your crew! We look forward to hearing about more of your great adventures!
Your pals,
Diane and Rocco

Bethany

6/6/2014 10:59:51 am

Thank you, Diane. It was so fun to hang out with you and Rocco. Sometimes I wish the country was smaller so we could visit far off friends more often. Wouldn't our gang have fun on a hike together?

Mark at Damien's Best Dog Toys link

5/16/2014 07:04:23 am

Those are great photos for an epic trip. I love the photo with the Cockatoo in the stroller.

Bethany

6/6/2014 11:02:57 am

Thanks, Mark. The stroller did not roll on the beach so I had to carry it but it was worth it both for the photos and for Leo to enjoy himself!

Marquie link

5/16/2014 08:21:39 am

What a wonderful, fun and beautiful trip. Petal and I should've hidden in your car when we had the chance, so jealous! Petal's never been to a beach before. Did Huxley avoid the water? ;)
Lovely photos!

Bethany

6/6/2014 11:07:23 am

There wasn't a lot of room in our car! ;) Huxley waded in the Upper Truckee River but not in lake Tahoe. He was excited about the water at lake Mead too. It's funny how absence makes the heart grow fonder...

Hawk aka BrownDog link

5/16/2014 10:23:44 am

Hi Y'all!

Can't believe the bird is traveling to the beach and not flying away!

Y'all come by now,
Hawk aka BrownDog

Bethany

6/6/2014 10:40:09 am

Leo's wings are clipped so as to reduce the lift he can get if he tried to fly but that doesn't always help, especially not around water (birds that are not water fowl drown easily!) So when he is out of his cage or travel carrier (Popemobile) I hold my thumb over his feet. It's like a finger safety belt!

Jessica @ YouDidWhatWithYourWeiner link

5/17/2014 02:15:00 pm

I'ev been to the Lake Taho area a few times but, again, did not have time to stop and hike. We did try to stop at one park but we drove through the area to early and it was closed :(

I know what you mean about the drive back too. On the way down we meandered through ne-to-me mountain passes but on the way back we drove straight through desolation land Nevada and driven-a-million-times highway 84.

Bethany

6/6/2014 11:13:53 am

It is tough to hit the right times/seasons in Northern California. I have attempted hikes in Shasta-Trinity that I wish I had my snowshoes for in May or that were ghastly crowded in August. But it is such a beautiful area, why not just try, try and try again? :)

The wonderful thing about travel with pets is that they make each trip unique, even the driven a million times routes. The first trip I did on the boring I-5 through Northern California, Oregon and Washington stretch was just Wilhelm and I. Then it was when Brychwyn was less than a year. Then I took all three dogs to visit friends. And this time was with Leo on a return from his longest road trip. Fantastic memories even if the road was long and dull.

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.

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.

Follow on Instagram

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)