Opinions needed

[samclem]

(1) If you are on the fence at all about driving vs. flying, both American Airlines and Southwest (now) will allow small dogs in the passenger cabin with you for a nominal charge.

This would be a good answer, but it only works for very small dogs. The dog has to be able to stand up and turn around in its carrier, and that carrier has to be able to fit under the seat (IIRC, the seat height varies between 9-11 inches depending on acft). That's just too small for an adult Cocker Spaniel.

 

[CyclingInvestor]

If you drive, I believe all Motel 6's allow a dog in the room.

 

[Helen]

Wow, thank you all again for your replies. I am incorporating everything (don't have the cat litter yet though). In addition I am taking five gallons of water from our tap. When I get to Oregon I will start mixing it with the well water we use to switch her over. I also got her a new dog tag with my cell phone number.

The vet was supportive of this journey. She checked Sandy out and noted that she seemed very spunky. I got refills of her eye drops and vitamins and copies of her medical history including lab results.

I will take it slow. I have plenty of time and if I have to wait it out in bad weather then that's OK. I have $25k total of credit on my ccs, an ATM card and lots of cash.

Also, Mom's been paying almost $30 per month for Onstar and never used it, so I'll let them earn their money as much as I can.

Here is the route I am now thinking: Michigan to St. Louis, 70 to Denver, 25 to Cheyenne, 80 to Sacramento and I-5 to Portland. I think 84 is pretty dangerous this time of year, so it's probably worth the extra travel to take I-5 all the way up.

Thanks again to all of you. I have a laptop so hopefully I can post from the road.

-helen

 

[brewer12345]

Sounds like a pretty reasonable choice on the route. Glad to hear you will skip north from Denver rather than go straight through the heart of the Rockies. This time of year they have some pretty nasty storms, avalanches, etc. That you are wise to avoid.

The only other thing I can think of for your trip is to have blankets, a dog bed, or something else cushy for the pup to get comfy on. Depending on the shape of the seat, the dog may have a tough time getting comfy on a long trip. My elderly dogs do fine just plopping on the minivan seats, but have a tough time in the back seat of my subaru. A thick blanket or two makes a big difference.

Safe trip.

 

[Westernskies]

Sorry for your loss, and I second RiT's sentiments about this trip being cathartic. Having your Mom's dog to share it with you will only make it better. Take your time, enjoy the scenic vistas across the US; you only get to do this once.

80 west of Cheyenne will probably be the most risky part of the trip, until you get over the Rockies. I agree that 70 to Denver is probably a better choice than 80 thru Omaha- a couple of hundred miles of latitude really helps reduce winter storm risk and severity.

Look forward to reading your trip blog here on FIRE- happy trails to you and the pooch!

 

[Dreamer]

I am so sorry for your loss. It sounds like you have planned well for your trip. I hope that you have a safe trip. Enjoy your many memories of a great mother.

 

[Helen]

So far so good. I left mid Michigan around noon and am somewhere between Ft. Wayne and Indianapolis.

The dog is doing very well. She's riding like a queen in her bed in the back seat. She likes to look out the window, but she's been sleeping a lot too. She does not seem stressed at all.

It looks like the weather is going to be pretty good for the near future.

I found a Comfort Inn and they only charged $5 for the dog.

The car is a nice ride, it is a Cadillac CTS with butt warmers, the sirrus radio is nice too. Plus, the car phone is a kick. Best of all it reminds me of my Mom who would be "worried sick" if she knew I was doing this.

-helen

 

[bbbamI]

Hey...good to hear from you Helen. Now just don't be typin' while you're drivin' down the highway...

 

[REWahoo]

Helen, thanks for the trip report. Nice to hear things are going well for you and the dog. Please keep us posted on your progress.

 

[Sue J]

So sorry for your loss. Reading about your plans for a long drive home with the dog sounds like a nice way to process what you've been though and prepare for what's up ahead.

Good luck on the rest of the trip. I'm so glad the dog is handling it well.

 

[Westernskies]

Was wondering about your trip, glad to hear you are on the road, we'll be looking forward to hearing how the trip progresses. Safe travels!

 

[KB]

I'm glad to hear your first day went well. I'm looking forward to more reports. Be safe.

 

[Helen]

You guys are great, thank you so much.

I slept pretty well last night. Sandy is still asleep - half in her bed and half out. I'm going to walk her, pack the car, then shower and check out.

I think this will be another good day today.

Thanks for caring.

Sincerly,

-helen

 

[travelover]

Good luck and take pictures!

 

[Orchidflower]

Good to know Comfort Inn charges only $5 for dog. Now that's a good deal!

Take care...drive carefully....be safe! Sounds like you have a good passenger, too, in doggie!

 

[CoolChange]

A bit late; but, possibly still useful from a posting on another board: Travel & Activities : Weather Underground

Pick Road Trip/Dive in the Event Type drop down and then fill out the location (major cities worked well for me) and departure information (dates and times) before clicking the Plan and Map Your Trip! button which gives you a Google style map with predicted weather conditions all along the route.

Safe travels.

 

[Helen]

A bit late; but, possibly still useful from a posting on another board: Travel & Activities : Weather Underground

Pick Road Trip/Dive in the Event Type drop down and then fill out the location (major cities worked well for me) and departure information (dates and times) before clicking the Plan and Map Your Trip! button which gives you a Google style map with predicted weather conditions all along the route.

Safe travels.

Thank you for taking the time to post. I just stopped for the night in Cheyenne, Wy. Tomorrow I have to decided whether to take the longer 80 to I-5 route or the shorter but maybe riskier I-84 route. So far the weather has been beautiful, I hope it stays that way.

The dog is doing well so far and her appettite has been good which is a good sign.

-helen

 

[mb]

Thank you for taking the time to post. I just stopped for the night in Cheyenne, Wy. Tomorrow I have to decided whether to take the longer 80 to I-5 route or the shorter but maybe riskier I-84 route. So far the weather has been beautiful, I hope it stays that way.

The dog is doing well so far and her appettite has been good which is a good sign.

-helen

If there is even a hint of snow over Donner they won't let you over without chains so you may want to watch the weather and plan appropriately (e.g. plan to stay in Reno if necessary).

If you have chains and it snows, they do have a lot of guys that will put your chains on and take them off at the appropriate spots. I think that it is about $20 but if you haven't done it I would recommend that you pay them to do it.

I do the drive from the Bay Area to SLC once or twice a year. Most people are bored silly driving across Nevada. I kind of like it

MB

 

[Helen]

Thanks, MB. I think I will stop and buy chains. I've decided to go the I-84 route. It should be pretty and it looks like the temps will warm to the above freezing level.

 

[Helen]

I rolled into my driveway about noon yesterday, so it took from noon on Wed. to noon on Sunday. I took I84 though Idaho and eastern Oregon. I really lucked out on the weather, the worst thing I went through was fog.

Sandy is doing very well, she's even adapted to the other dog and two cats already. She has energy and seems to be feeling well.

Thanks again for all who followed this thread.

-helen

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Glad to hear you're safe and sound. Good job by both you and your new canine friend.

 

[Westernskies]

Congratulations on a safe trip.

What do your neighbors think of your new Caddy??

 

[KB]

I missed your last post and was wondering how the trip was going. I'm glad you made it home safely and Sandy is settling in.