Maisie, traveling with dogs

“On the road again”

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“I just can’t wait to get on the road again”

Maisie and I are hitting the road on Wednesday.  We are driving from Chicago to Kansas City, MO for a blogging conference.  I’ve never been to Kansas City and I’m looking forward to exploring a new place.
I'm Going to BlogPaws 2018! Join me!

Initially, I was super excited about going to a conference to learn some tips to become a better blogger, I even included it in my year-end wrap up as one of my goals in the New Year.  Then I got nervous about doing something like this entirely on my own, not knowing anyone there except Maisie (she will be my partner and companion).

I bought my ticket in December, before Annie left us, but since she has been gone I’ve had such a hard time writing and figuring out what the future of the blog should be.  Even though she was not always featured in a blog post, she inspired me and was always nearby when I was writing.  I miss her presence in so many ways and have begun to have doubts that I will continue to write.

So….after several discussions with family and friends, I started to look at the experience with two different outcomes: either I will come home energized and motivated with new ideas or it will help me make the decision that it’s time to let it go.

Once I reached the conclusion that I still really wanted to go, no matter how I felt by the end of the conference, I started paying attention to the daily countdown notifications and blog posts about the conference and pet friendly things to do in Kansas City.  My excitement is building again.  The support and information that continues to flow, especially focusing on conference newbies like me has boosted my confidence.   Combine that with my recent mood lift from my vacation and I already feel like I still have things to share about my life with my big, sweet girls!

After deciding on and testing a restraint system for the car with Winn on our road trip to Ohio,  I’ve been focusing on what else I need to do to get ready.  After a lot of procrastination, I designed some business cards and starting making a packing list. I discovered years ago when traveling with the kids, if I started a packing list a week before we left, I would be able to jot things down and start making piles as I thought of them rather than trying to remember everything as I was rushing around the night before, throwing everything into the suitcases.

For Maisie:

  • Bowls-collapsable and full size
  • Food and supplements (7 meals)
  • cooler/ice for fresh food
  • water
  • treats
  • clean up supplies: paper towels, wipes, poop bags
  • wheelie cart and bungies
  • brush
  • bed and toys
  • leash and traffic lead
  • immunization records
  •  car first aid kit

IMG_6404

  • Tuesday bath and groom

For me:

  • business cards/holder
  • notebook, folder and pens
  • laptop/ipad
  • charging cords
  • camera
  • picture of Annie for memorial project
  • car snacks
  • water bottle
  • clothes/cosmetics/meds for 3 days

Similar to when I traveled with toddlers, Maisie’s list is longer than mine proving that I’m most comfortable when I am well prepared for the “kids” needs.

I’m using this image for the background of my business cards, my information will be printed in a contrast color on the upper left corner.IMG_6349

Please wish us luck, I plan to share our experience on the blog when I return but if you want to keep track of us while we are there, our instagram will be filled with lots of shots Thursday and Friday!

14 thoughts on ““On the road again””

  2. I think the conference will be a wellspring of new writing ideas, and connecting with other bloggers will energize you. Many of them will be feeling just as you are! Good luck and safe travels. Can’t wait to read all about it!

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  4. OK, this needs a “love” button. I understand your trepidation about going somewhere where you don’t know anyone, but trust me, Maisie will be the ice breaker for you wherever you go. She’ll get all the attention and that will make it easier for you. She’ll provide fodder for conversation which will also make it easier for you.

    So..the blog conference is dog friendly? Sounds fun. I might have considered going. I have friends in Kansas City that I’d probably visit as well.

    I’m looking forward to hearing all about it. I told Katie traveling with her is more stressful than traveling alone, mostly because I have her safety to think of more than just mine. You’re probably used to that having traveled with kids. And yes, my ‘to take’ list for her was almost 2x as long as the list of things to take for me.

    How many hours is the trip between Chicago and Kansas City? I found I had to add 2 hours to any time estimation when traveling with Katie, as we stopped at ALL the rest stops for a sniff around.

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    1. Thank you! It’s about 8 hours, but I’m planning 10. That’s the longest I’ve driven by myself, hopefully all goes well. Maisie is always such a good companion and I can take her anywhere pretty easily so I’m happy to have her as my “wing dog”. She gives me confidence and makes friends very easily. 🙂

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      1. 10 hours is a long time to travel. Katie wouldn’t allow it, I’d have to stop along the way! 🙂 She runs out of patience at about 6 hours and makes that 7th hour miserable.

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