The Last Road Trip

Favorite Quote of the Day:

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness”- Mark Twain

In September Hank & I packed up all seven dogs in a rented Winnebago and set off on a 4 week tour across the United States and back, passing through as many national parks and scenic places as we could cram into the itinerary. The trip was inspired by the obligation to fulfill the last wishes of my Mom and Dad, which was to see that their ashes were interred together in a double occupancy urn in the family plot in the cemetery at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Dad had been quite concerned about the details of how this task would be carried out during his last few years of life, and had entrusted me with the job. I had no doubt he would haunt me for eternity if I failed.

The biggest challenge was transporting the Urn from the west coast across the country to Pennsylvania (well, there were some other challenges too, like making sure the cemetery spelled the names on the headstones correctly, etc!) Airlines are resistant to the concept of passengers carrying human remains in their carry-on luggage, especially when they are sealed in large heavy brass urns which are impervious to x-rays! Another option was to send the Urn via Fed-Ex or UPS, but that just didn’t seem right either. So in the end we took a page out of Dad’s playbook and made an adventure out of it, and included the whole dang furry family. Mom and Dad always were up for an adventure and they loved a road trip.

Travelling with 7 rambunctious and enthusiastic fur-balls has a number of inherent challenges. Convinced that every time we came to a stop it was because we were about to explore someplace grand and thrilling, they all wanted to pile out of the RV at the same time the moment the door was opened. We had to make sure they were all secured on leash and then take turns handing them off two at a time out the door to check out all the exciting new smells and find the perfect spots to deposit canine versions of calling cards. I had a large quantity of leashes, dog treats and poop baggies always at the ready.

After a week or so everyone had the drill down, and we all performed like a well oiled machine. Or perhaps a very oily machine. Or circus routine. Whatever. It was a great adventure and a lot of fun. We saw a lot of beautiful country, visited family and friends, and made it home again safe and sound. The Urn is safely tucked away with the ancestors. I don’t have to worry about being haunted, although those restless spirits who raised me are still never far away, whispering in my ear about the next adventure that is calling.

Here’s a little video documentary of the adventure for your viewing pleasure and I hope you enjoy it!

Happy Trails,

Shirley & Co.

Author: sixdogmomma

Dog lover, hiker, backpacker, photographer, caretaker. View all posts by sixdogmomma