Angel Jake at the RBC (Rainbow Broadcasting Corporation)

Angel Jake at the RBC (Rainbow Broadcasting Corporation)

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Jake and Just Harry's Most Excellent Christmas Road Trip: Day One

Finally, our secretary got around to downloading the gazillion photos from our road trip and copying my notes. Finally!! It's really hard to get good help these days -- especially when they have had several weeks of unaccustomed vacation, good fellowship, delicious food, and lots of wine...
To start off with, we thought we'd answer that burning question: did you guys really meet Gussie and Teka and did you or did you not share a bark with the whippets??? Yes. And yes. But you'll have to wait for the proof (unless you've peaked at Gussie's blog or at the whippets' waggle).














On the way out of town on Day One, I rode shotgun so I could give Dogdad directions...






And JH took turns from time to time.


That first day of our trip took us across Alligator Alley, which traverses the Everglades, to Bradenton on Florida's west coast.












Along the way, we stopped at our very first rest area, one of many, where we were excited to find a dog walk and lots of places to sniff and do our business.





















Because Mom and Dogdad had a presentation to give at Port Manatee on Day Two, and had to stop by that first afternoon, they arranged for me and JH to stay a few hours with a very cool lady named Rocky who has a K-9 training facility just a mile down from the port. We discovered lots of C. A. T. s there, but they were so used to having dogs run around, they barely paid us any mind. We, of course, were not so blase.

























That evening, Mom and Dogdad found a friendly Italian restaurant in Bradenton that allows dogs to eat on the patio. The patio was surrounded by a short marble wall, so JH and I had a wonderful time exploring and watching for new customers.














That evening we stayed in a very very very low budget motel because it was the only one in proximity to the port that allowed dogs. Clean sheets, but only a sliver of soap, one of three light bulbs that worked, no remote! Mom was proud of us though 'cause we didn't bark once and got down to business right away and, all in all, seemed OK with being some place new.
And that was Day One. Just so you know what to expect from the rest our story, our fourteen-day (actually fifteen days from start to finish) trip took us from Florida to Alabama to Mississippi to Arkansas to Tennessee to Missouri to Kentucky to Alabama to Georgia and back to Florida. We covered about 2,800 miles from start to finish -- taking back roads as well as interstates.





















































The temperatures along the way went from our 70s in Florida to 50s in Alabama to 40s, 30s, 20s, and all the way down to 7 in Missouri. And the landscape changed dramatically from place to place to place, going from green to brown to gray and back to green when we hit southern Georgia.

So stay tuned for the next episode of our most excellent Christmas road trip!!!
Your pal,

Jake

19 comments:

Asta said...

Jake
You and Just Harry awe supew twavelews now!!!nesxt time NY????huh???HUH???
I'm thwilled to be going along (so to bawk) on youw most excellent Chwissmuss woad twip..can't wait fow mowe.
smoochie kisses
ASTA

KEY WEST COLLIES said...

Glad to hear you traveled well. We have done a ton of trips up to Ohio (Deacon - 4, Essex - 7). We love the change in scenery, snow and cooler weather.

Looking forward to hearing the rest of the story.

Essex & Deacon

Koobuss said...

WOW!! What an exciting time you must have had, guys! Traveling with your family is so much fun, especially when you get to see new places. What a tremendous experience!

Koobuss Kisses,
Koobie

Faya said...

Woohoo ! I will check on my atlas to see where you have been. It is nice to follow you like this. Véronique has never been outside Europe. Thank you so much.
....hum....did you taste the pizza ?
Kisses, Faya

Quinvale AstaLaVista Baby said...

G'day Boys,

I have secwetawial pwoblems too!
Great photos,

xxx Asta (oz)

Molly the Airedale said...

What an adventure this was for the both of you! Restaurant eating must be fabulous! We've never done that! We can't wait for the next episode!

Love ya lots,
Maggie and Mitch

Dexter said...

That is some road trip. Good thing you were able to help provide directions.

Its so cool that you got to go out to dinner with your parents. Can't wait for the rest of your adventures.

Slobbers,
Mango

D.K. Wall said...

Sounds like an awesome trip. We take shorter trips (2-3-4 days) and take our own motel with us, so we always know we have a place to sleep.

Gus said...

Oh boy! You guys covered a lot of ground-leaving pee mail along the way must've been exhausting. We can't wait for the next installment.


gussie

Patience-please said...

Oh this is going to be exciting!!! We LOVE the peanut butter bar cookies you guys left for us... oh wow they are yummm!

wags from the whippets

Patience-please said...

Oh this is going to be exciting!!! We LOVE the peanut butter bar cookies you guys left for us... oh wow they are yummm!

wags from the whippets

Joe Stains said...

woo, we are so excited to see the rest of the trip!! I can't believe you got to have an Italian meal AT the restaurant, already the trip is great!

Homer said...

Hi Jake and Just Harry,

I wish I'll get the chance to explore these places. Who knows? Maybe after Holland, we might relocate to the states?

Love,
Homer

Princess Patches said...

What a great trip! And what good boys not to bark! We can't wait to see more!

Aire-hugs,
Poppy, Penny & Patches

Noah the Airedale said...

Crikey, you sure went a long long way. We can't wait to see more pics of your excellent adventure.

tailwags
Noah Willow Tess Lucy

Agatha and Archie said...

Oh boy this is GREAT!! Living through you gusy!! Love and kisses A+A

Pippa said...

Italian restaurants huh? I see you are entering the critical reviewing market. Have to keep my eye on you two.

Anonymous said...

Heya Jake (& JH),
We're starting way down here at the beginning and working our way back up top to the finnish. We think that we saw the DogDad driving pix over at Gussie's blog, but being dogs we really can't remember. We hope that tis is going to be (was?) a really good trip. Our Newfs have been to Orlando where they stayed at the Bass Pet Motel; they liked it. Rusty and Penny, both at The Bridge now, went on a 3 week trip out to Lake Tahoe. It took them 5 days to drive out, they spent at week at a cabil at North Beach on the lake, and then a week back. The saw Las vegas, Hoover Dam, the Grand Canyon, Old Towne Alburquerque, the Petrified Forrest, the Painted Dessert, Great Salt Lake, Graceland, Donner Pass, and a lot of other stuff. So this trip is probably gonna be really great too. We enjoy travel logs.
- Homer J., Jubal, J.E.B., Sophie, Shelby Belle, Jack, Abby, Max, Shiloh, Alex, Boru and Jenny = The Bumpass Hounds (and Kitties)

Jackson's J1 and J2 said...

Only just got my secretary to catch up with your travelogue! Can't wait to read the next installment... Jx