The Great American Road Trip Season 3, Part 1: A New Beginning

The one constant thing about life is change. And change came for us in some serious ways over the past few months.

In late January, we helped Roxy over the rainbow bridge to meet up with her friends and family, who I am certain welcomed her with a great deal of love and excitement. I imagine her best friend, Maya, meeting her with a big, playful growl before the two of them took off in their favorite game of chase. I imagine Quila showing Roxy where all the mini hedgehog toys and antlers are — but making sure Roxy knows which are off-limits. We feel such a deep sense of sorrow and loss but also an immeasurable amount of gratitude for 16 incredibly adventurous years with Roxy. She lived the very best life and we are confident her passing was not a day too soon nor a day too late. Roxy let us know, without a doubt, she was ready. If you’d like to read more about Roxy’s life, please read my Facebook or Instagram post (they’re both exactly the same, so just read wherever you’re happiest).

Blazing new trails on the
2O24 Great American Road Trip: The West Coast
 

While we figure out what life looks like without Roxy by our sides, we are looking forward to setting off to explore a whole big bunch of new places this year. The farthest north we’ve ever been on the West Coast is Humboldt County, when we visited the Avenue of the Giants redwoods. We’ve never spent an ounce of time in Oregon and we only had a partial day in Seattle so we don’t think that really counts. I am so, so, so excited — as is Greg — to visit new states and immerse ourselves in the Pacific Northwest this summer!

Before we took off on our big adventure, we had a photo shoot in San Diego for our three awesome trip sponsors. You’ll remember all three of them — Wellness, P.L.A.Y., and GoldPaw — from last year! We absolutely love these companies and the people we work with at each of them so we are beyond excited to have them all join us again for this year’s adventure!

A few months ago, I had a private portrait session with Archer, the goofiest, most lovable bulldog with the biggest personality. Since no one would let me steal him after the photo shoot (the audacity!), I decided the next best thing was to make him a modeling superstar! I didn’t know when it would happen at the time but when I began planning our first trip sponsor shoot, I knew exactly who I was going to call! Thankfully, his mom was as excited about Archer becoming a professional model as I was! Haha!!!

For the GoldPaw portion of Archer’s shoot, we told him we needed him to look like he was feeling a little under the weather so we could show how the Sunsie could be used for a dog who is recovering from surgery or who is suffering from allergies. Never one to miss a dramatic moment, he flopped over and asked, “like dis, Terran? I real sick.” We all about died of laughter and agreed that he wins the Oscar for Best Actor.

Suddenly feeling better again, we gave Archer a bag of Fluffles. Don’t worry, P.L.A.Y. doesn’t make actual potato chips but the Fluffles do have little plush crinkle chips that come out the back on a stretchy rope! Archer found the chips right away, pulled them out, and was so, so happy to chew on them on his new P.L.A.Y. Seaside Boxy bed! 

When we told Archer he got to eat real food from Wellness, he was absolutely thrilled! During our first shoot together, I told his mom about WHIMZEES, so Archer already regularly enjoys them and knows how great they are! As soon as he heard the distinct crinkle of the bag opening, he ran to his favorite chewing spot and said, “k, gimme the treat now, mom!” These were Roxy’s favorite dental chews and they made such a difference for her. If you’re a dog mom or dad who needs to help their dog’s teeth, give these a try!

Getting back on the road again without Roxy has been hard — really hard — but amidst my sadness, I do find great joy in knowing that Greg and I are about to go explore so many new places we’ve never been. It’s impossible for me to explain just exactly how much I love living small and how much I love our Airstream so perhaps the photo above can act as a visual representation. Experiencing new places, seeing new sights, and visiting friends and family in their hometowns is the best thing ever!

Speaking of visiting friends and family, the first big stop on our road trip was in Petaluma to visit with long-time friends and fellow pet photographers, Nat and Bill of The Labs & Co.! On our first evening there, we went to their home for dinner, drinks, and a whole lot of catching up. I was so excited to see them and their sweet dog, Willow, again and finally meet their kitties in real life.

Unsurprisingly, we had emotional conversations about the dogs who changed our lives. Nat presented me with an incredibly beautiful piece of illustration artwork that she had been working on for Roxy. My heart absolutely burst with gratitude and love knowing how much time, thought, and effort went into it. She even included marigolds in her illustration, which are the flowers believed to help guide loved ones back to visit through their bright color. I am a puddle of mush just thinking about it. Thank you, Nat. I love you, friend!

The next day, we gave Nat and Bill a tour of the Airstream, had a delicious lunch at one of their favorite spots, and walked around downtown. We may have had to stop for a little ice cream treat, too! Later in the afternoon, Nat suggested we stop in at her favorite plant shop. I always say yes to plants! The moment we walked in, we found a small barnwood planter we knew would be perfect for the memorial alcove I’m putting together in the Airstream for Roxy (pics to come when it’s done!). I showed the woman in the shop what we were doing and she helped me pick out some succulents, planted them at no extra charge, and even included a few amethysts for a little crystal magic.

I could not have dreamed up a more enjoyable time with Nat and Bill if I tried. I hope we can all get together again soon!!!

After our visit in Petaluma, Greg and I headed north to Armstrong Redwoods, one of our very favorite redwood groves! It’s a small park, which means it’s not too crowded. We hiked a little over 4 miles on the trails with roughly 1,200 feet of elevation gain. At the bottom, the redwoods stretch skyward, taller than any tree I’ve ever seen. And the smell. Oh, the delicious scent of pine, moss, and all the very best things! And then we have the light. You all know how much I love light. The sun sparkles through the canopy, hitting the forest floor only in small patches, where ferns and clover eagerly soak it in. As we hiked up the switchback trail to where we were level with the redwood treetops, the sky became more open and we saw more plants like wild irises, daisies, strawberries, and roses. It’s quite amazing what can grow with just a little extra sunlight!

Redwoods are some of my favorite trees ever so, of course, I always have to give one a hug when I visit a grove! What can I say? I just love ’em!

Our time with the redwoods didn’t last nearly long enough, especially since we had an epic camping spot, perfectly nestled under a beautiful tree directly alongside the Russian River. We had flowers just outside our door that the butterflies loved. There were at least 10 butterflies and bees feasting on the flowers’ nectar at any given time throughout the day!

As is true with every road trip, we need to keep moving. The winding drive from the redwoods up to Eureka was one of the most beautiful we’ve seen so far! The rolling hillsides were a patchwork of lush trees and sprawling grasslands, cut through by turquoise rivers and streams. This spot was simply too beautiful for us not to stop and grab a photo! 

And now, here I sit, alongside a picturesque seaside marsh, as we take a few days to catch up on the chores and work we’ve been neglecting.

This morning, something woke me up early and when I opened the curtains, I saw the mist rising magically from the surface of the high tide as the sun sparkled its way up over the mountain ridge, warming the cool night air. 

As I watched the marsh water rise and lower with the tide today, I was reminded that life will always have its highs and its lows, too. While great loss may be permanent, life does keep moving and we must keep moving with it.

So, with that, we say goodbye to California for the next few months and keep moving on to our next destination and new adventures.

Don’t miss Part 2 of our 2O24 Adventure: Oregon!

We’re heading north to spend time on the Oregon coast this month! You won’t want to miss that blog post, so if you’re not already signed up on our mailing list, pop your name and email below and you’ll be notified when it’s published!

Don’t miss the other posts in this series!

Part 2: Checking off the bucket list in S. OregonPart 3: Dogs, New Friends, and Giving Back