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Time, 3338 miles, 7 states, 2 provinces, and hundreds of dog treats fly by quickly when you’re having fun! But every great journey has a beginning and begins with the first steps. Susie was born ready, and turned out to be a great traveler. She and her pal, Lambchop, were packed and ready to roll.
This was not only the beginning of the journey to dog camp in Vermont, but also the first steps to be taken by Susie and her daddy on the primary mission of the pet patrol, to find great places and great things for pets and their human companions to do travelling together. As such despite its length and over 3000 miles, this is but the first step for the Boomer Travel Patrol’s Pet Patrol.
The morning of May 31, 2023 found the patrol team eager and ready to roll up the road to the North Country. Packed with all the essentials, dog food, treats, poopy bags, leashes, blankets, towels and crate, the Pet Patrol was on its way!
The team left Louisville at 9:30 am and began the long trek up I-71 through Kentucky and Ohio. The destination for day one of the journey was Erie, Pennsylvania. Shortly after lunch around Xenia, Ohio we noticed an SUV pulling a camper, begin to lose control trying to pass in the left lane. Susie was happy that daddy slowed down and dropped back, because the SUV and camper went off the road along with another vehicle behind them. We stopped to make sure everyone was okay and that the accident had been called in to 911. Fortunately although the SUV and camper where damaged, no one was hurt.
Continuing on our journey we stopped at several of the Ohio rest areas so Susie and daddy could answer the call of nature. At one stop Susie made friends with a woman and her two children, the first of many new friends along the way. One of the rest stops indicated that no pets were allowed in the picnic areas, but we spoke with two rest stop attendants and they told us that people that picked up after their pets were allowed to have them with them at a picnic lunch. They also said that they appreciated being asked about it. The old maxim – “It never hurts to ask!” Most people are willing to go halfway with you.
We arrived safely early in the evening at our destination – the Marriott Towneplace Suites in Erie, PA. Another article will follow on our experience at this pet friendly hotel.
Also this is the first of a series of articles based on our experiences on the trip – the hotels we visited, interesting and pet friendly restaurants at which we dined, the camp itself, and more. Watch for the whole series as it unfolds.
June 23, 2023
