We had rescued Katy two months prior to her first California vacation and did not know how she would travel on a fifteen hundred mile plus journey. Luck was with us and our new dog did not exhibit any signs of travel sickness! We traveled in a cab plus truck with a canopy on the bed of the pickup, but Katy stayed with us in the temperature-controlled cab. We made the back seat of the truck very comfy for her. She had to share her quarters with our cooler, but on her side of the back seat she had a blanket and a bowl of dog food. Our trials with the Dalmatian began around six in the morning as we loaded the last of our belongings in the truck. The back door was open and Katy's instincts told her something was up and so she obligingly disappeared down the alley twice to make things difficult for us. Finally, with the Dalmatian settled into the back seat, we crossed the border into Blaine, Washington and stopped at a 24-hour grocery store to buy a few provisions. We left Katy alone in the truck less than fifteen minutes and when we returned she had chewed some of the wooden roller balls on the car seat cover, protesting the unknown that was before her. Until that time our wonderful Dalmatian had never shown any inclination at chewing. To this day she does not chew on our belongings.
Traveling Interstate 5 is wonderful. The highway is in great shape, mostly two lanes of traffic and punctuated with frequent rest stops. We stopped every two hours so Katy could stretch her legs and get a drink of water. It is very convenient traveling with a dog late at night at these rest stops. Even though signs state that no pets are allowed inside the washroom, for my own safety during the late hours, Katy came in with me anyway.
The original plan was to sleep in the back of the camper for a few hours, and the first extended stop came at a rest area in Northern California. This was mid-December and a far cry from the warmer Southern California climate. Unfortunately the short hair of a Dalmatian does not offer any warmth and Katy shivered on top of the blankets. I brought her underneath the quilt and soon her quivering stopped. Dalmatians are known for dreaming vividly and kicking their legs and it wasn't long before Katy's flailing legs woke me up. In a sleepy daze I shoved her out of bed but the shivering began before I could fall back asleep. We drew a truce and I brought her underneath the quilt again, but this time I placed her next to the wall of the canopy, keeping her kicking legs away from me. After a terrible sleep Kerry awoke around five in the morning, hopped into the cab and drove off, leaving me and one puzzled Dalmatian snuggled together in the cold camper. A brief drive down the highway and he stopped at a Denny's telling me he was going in for a coffee. I decided it was too cold and bumpy to sleep in the camper and I would prefer the warmth of the heated cab. I pulled on my coat and shoes and waited and waited and waited. Finally I went into the restaurant only to spot Kerry munching down a huge breakfast! Thanks for inviting me! I also ordered something hot and after we ate we continued the drive south. We spent a week with my parents near Phoenix before heading across to Anaheim on Christmas Eve day.
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