The journey begins - Page 1

First let me say that I have been on this board for a long time using another name. I have used an alternate name here to protect my privacy, not to deceive.

My life has taken some strange turns this past year and I am at a point where I want to go and explore. I plan on crossing the US and possibly even heading to Canada. I will be taking my faithful companion with me, of course he's a GSD. He is protective when need be, friendly where there is no threat. He thinks the people in this world were put here for his pleasure.

This will be my last opportunity for any kind of adventure. I plan on publishing a weekly journal on-line as I travel for a year, possibly publishing them all as a book when I finish my journey, if I finish my journey. Documenting experiences, people, dogs, places, every day life.  I will be leaving from the northeast and heading anywhere USA.  I'd like to have a place to crash for a night here and there, with my dog of course. The use of a shower and possibly a hot cup of coffee in the morning would be an added bonus. I figured GSD people would be a good place to start, I know of at least two who will be asked on a more personal level.  If I get the opportunity to visit a few good clubs that would be awesome!  And I'd really love to see some herding.  I have friends and family pretty much dotted around the country so I could make it without asking here.  I just thought it would be more interesting to visit GSD people when I'm out there.  So, if there are any other takers I could acutally map a journey with specific destinations in mind.

If anyone is interested in aiding my travel please send a PM and I'll fess up to who I am and disclose personal information, if I know of you. I've been on here for quite some time and I know who are on the level. If I don't recognize and login name, I will ask for someone else you know here to verify. I will check to make sure the people I visit actually know someone, I'll do this for my safety. I will include you in my journal but will respect privacy if you so desire. I'm hoping I get a few responses, I think this will be fun.

I plan on leaving New Years Day.

That sounds so brilliant, have a safe, happy adventure. liz

Sounds like a once in a lifetime opportunity. How great to quite the rat race and just go your own way.

GSDtravels,

what agreat idear. If I would still be living in KC and not in Germany, you would have an adress ! It is quite refreshing to hear that there are still peopel out there, who, like 4pack mentioned, quitt the ratrace, and go for an adventure.

All the best to you & your GSD and I am looking forward to read your story.

Best Regards Ulli

Thank you for your kind wishes,  I appreciate that.  It's time I did something meaningful with my life.  Enough drudgery, enough garbage.  I have gotten some responses and they are good ones!  If all works out I will give the link to the published journal and anyone caring may read as I travel.  I am looking torward to this, very exciting.

Good for you, I wish I had your courage... have a blast!

Sorry about that typo, I'm looking FORWARD to this.  LOL

I would like to thank those who have so graciously offered me a stop-over.  Things are coming together, I am attempting to gather supplies and map my route.  This is the opportunity of a lifetime and I'm going to grab it while I can.   I'm looking forward to spending all waking hours with my dog, for however long we travel.  It will be interesting to see how our relationship evolves.  I'm trying to map landmarks to visit that will be dog friendly, I won't be able to leave him at all.  And I'm really looking forward to meeting some of you!  Thank you!

 A few tips for you to consider: Try to keep in mind that it's not about the destination..... it's all about the journey. If you remind yourself of that every day, you will enjoy every mile and always be exactly where you wanted to be, no matter where you are. You will see, feel, smell, taste, enjoy,experiance and remember so much more in that frame of mind. 

Certainly have a plan "A", but always have a plan "B" and "C". Be flexible. Always leave yourself a way out of anything you walk into.  What ever you think this trip is going to cost you, it will probably cost you twice as much, but it will still be a bargain.
I have been in almost every state, much of it on a Harley, and I can tell you that I don't care how beautiful and full of history that you might think is out there, there is far more than you can imagine waiting for you to discover it. Unless you're in a hurry (i.e. bad weather coming), get off of the interstate as much as you can.... that's where the real America lives..... that's also where real down to earth folks live.
Tourist areas can be fun for some, but you will save big money if you simply toss money out of the window as you quickly pass by. LOL  There are some seriously dangerous folks out there, so always be aware of your surroundings and pay attention to your gut. People that survive bad events are generally people that have planned to survive. So, think about those bad potentials and how you might react to survive should you find yourself in one.
We take a 30 day vacation every year and have for nearly 39 years. A couple of years ago we left the west coast and didn't stop going east until we arrived in Charleston, South Carolina, and danced in the Atlantic Ocean. We came back by way of the Gulf states, then through Texas ( damn that state is big) and then to what I call the rest of the cowboy states. We did this in 30 days and put over 9000 miles on the bike. You name the weather and we rode through it.... but it was an absolute adventure of a lifetime. Of course my bride had to ride on that 11" pad, on the back of the bike, for every single one of those 9000 miles. LOL We want to do it again. only this time, I may buy a side car for the bike and take our GSD with us.
I can't offer you a place to stay, simply because we are gone so often I could never know when you might be in our area at the same time we are. Besides, I trust no one. ; >)
Take far more photo's than you think that you will ever need, you'll be glad that you did.
Oh, and if you get cold feet over this dream of yours, j

Hmm, it seems I used too many words for the system, lol, my Bride tells me that all the time.

So it ends:

Oh, and if you get cold feet over this dream of yours, just ask yourself what I have on more occasions than I can remember, "if not now, when?"
God luck, have fun and always wear clean underwear. ;>)
Gator