Day 24 

Our first full day in Salt Lake we drove to Park City and ended up at the Sandy Creek Trailhead for our hike. 

Day 25 

We decided to take it easy and hang out at our SLC Airbnb (that’s correct, yet again, we didn’t camp 😳). The boys seemed pretty content with this and made themselves comfortable. 

Day 26

After leaving Salt Lake City we headed towards Moab. On our way there we stopped in Kanti-Lasal National Forest. 

We arrived later than expected in Moab and only had an hour and a half to go through Arches National Park, but what we were able to see was pretty cool. The pictures do not do it justice and we plan to go back at some point. 

We’d checked the weather for Moab and knew the overnight low wasn’t too bad, but that there would be wind with gust of 20mph. Even so, we had every intention of camping. However, after arriving and realizing just how windy it was and thinking about the challenge of putting the tent up in the dark with strong winds, we decided a hotel was in our future. 

I felt less guilty about caving and getting the hotel room when the following morning we ran into a woman at the hotel who asked if we had tried camping last night. We told her we hadn’t bothered cause we knew it would be a disaster. She said they had tried, but given up halfway through the night and came to the hotel. 

Arches National Park

We didn’t want to be this guy. 

So…

Day 27

At this point in our trip we started to reevaluate the future of our time on the road. We knew it would likely be too cold to even attempt camping with the gear we had (and with our pampered pups), so we needed to determine how much further we wanted, and also could afford, to go. We agreed to try and stop through a few places in Colorado before heading East. 

One of our final stops was Aspen. If I win the lottery, I’m moving there. Our time there was brief and cold, but it is beautiful! 

We had planned to do a 6 mile hike, but we’re not expecting the 8-10 inches of snow they had gotten and had to cut it short. Luckily, the boys love the snow and didn’t mind running around in it for only an hour. 

Downtown Aspen

White River National Forest

Day 28

The last official day of our trip was spent in the Beavercreek/Vail. We trekked through the snow again to get to Beaver Lake. 

Day 19

From Seattle we headed to Boise. On our way there we stopped to have brunch with Ben’s dad in Yakima, WA. We found a great trail to hike before meeting up with him. 

We decided to stay in the Walmart parking lot just outside Boise for the night. Terrible idea. Neither of us slept well and I ended up with a cold. Last time we do that with two dogs and an overnight low of 35. 

Day 20

We didn’t end up spending much time in Boise and hiked one morning and headed towards our next stop Pocatello. 

Day 21 

We stopped in Pocatello, ID on our way to Yellowstone and stayed at the KOA there. The next morning before hitting the road we went to the local donut shop, Amazing Glaze. If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend stopping there. Not only were they delicious, but the price was right – 4 donuts and 2 coffees for $7! 

Before reaching the Park, we needed to wear the boys out and stopped for a hike in Targhee National Forest. 

Yellowstone National Park

Day 22 

On our way from the hotel to Jackson we stopped for a hike. 

Bridger-Teton National Forest 

Unfortunately, it was pretty cloudy, so we weren’t able to get the clearest view of the Tetons. Even so, they did not disappoint. 

Grand Teton National Park

Day 23

We started the day off with a hike before getting in the car for the 4 hour trip to Salt Lake City.

Bridger National Forest



Day 12 

On our way to Couer d’Alene we stopped in Libby, MT to hike. It was very impromptu and we didn’t know what to expect, but were pleasantly surprised when we ended up with beautiful views. 

Day 12 continued – Day 14

We ended up camping for two nights in Farragut State Park outside Coeur d’Alene, ID. Unfortunately, Goose cannot be trusted in the tent, so he and Werner spent time in the car while we cooked dinner. 

It was a little warmer for this round of camping and the boys seemed to settle in a little better. 

We were only able to fit in one hike while in Coeur d’Alene, but it provided some decent views. 

Mineral Ridge

On our way to Seattle we made brief stops in Spokane and Snoqualmie. Nothing much to report from either of these stops. 

Day 15

We made it to Seattle! The farthest west our travels will take us. My mom came and spent a few days with me in Seattle. 

Point Defiance Park 

Day 16 

We stayed in an Airbnb in Shelton, WA and did our most challenging hike yet in Olympic National Forest. It was difficult, but well worth it for the views. 

Mount Ellinor

Day 17

On our way to Mount Rainier we stopped in Olympia and spent some time walking around the Capitol. 

Day 18 

Hanging at Pike Place Market. 



Day 9 

After Pray, our next stop was Whitefish, MT. The drive up was going to be a long one, so we stopped at Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest in Butte, MT, to get the boys some exercise. Winter had arrived! There was quite a bit of snow on the ground and Goose loved it! 

Thompson Park – Grading Camp/Milwaukee Road Trail

Once in Whitefish we decided to rent a cabin at the KOA. The cabin was only slightly more expensive than a tent site, but came with a heater and had electricity. 

Our cabin was directly across from the communal bathrooms, which was both good and bad. It was convenient for when we needed to use them. But whenever anyone else needed them in the middle of the night the boys would begin to bark. 

Day 10
We looked into the various hiking trails in the area and decided on one of the Whitefish trails. There weren’t any amazing views, but we enjoyed walking through the woods and the trail was well maintained. 

After our morning hike, we made the short trip to Glacier. Upon arrival we discovered that Going to the Sun Road was closed from the entrance we were using and in order to drive along it, we’d have to drive around the Southern portion of the park and go in through the East entrance. The trip over to the East entrance would have taken 2 hours and then we would have spent at least 2 hours driving through, plus 2 hours back. We were initially going to go for it, but decided it would be too much and it was already later in the day. So, we decided to drive through the portion of the park open from the West entrance. It was beautiful! 

Day 11

We had only planned to stay for two nights, but like Whitefish so much and  we ended up extending our time there an extra day to fit in more hiking and in order to have time to walk around downtown. 

Day 7 

After our stay in the Walmart parking lot we decided to upgrade and get an air bnb. We found one a little leas than an hour outside of Bozeman in Pray, MT. Pray has a population of ~680 people and our bnb was located in what could be considered the center of town, which consisted of 4 buildings. The cabin we stayed in was located behind the owners art gallery and had beautiful views of the mountains out the back. 

We arrived in Pray prior to checkin and decided to go for a hike in nearby Gallatin National Park. 

Day 8

The next day we headed to Bozeman and hiked a portion of the Sourdough Canyon Trail, which is an off leash out and back trail not far from downtown. Upon arrival we notice someone has posted a note saying a bear was spotted the day before, so we were both a little nervous to start our hike. Then, within 5 minutes of starting, Goose had stepped in the bear poop he was trying to eat and had his head peed on. Things were going swimmingly! 

Off the side of the tail was a steep drop down to the creek. Goose spent most of the time on the trail trotting along the edge or chasing down Werner very close to it. Watching him was giving me lots of anxiety and probably took months off my life. We went 2.5 miles before deciding to turn around and head back. 

Once done with our hike, we decided to walk through downtown Bozeman. It reminded me a lot of Franklin Street in Chapel Hill, but better. It appeared to be mostly locally owned stores and restaurants unique to Bozeman. 

On our way out of town, we grabbed a growler from a local brewery, Bridger Brewing, before headed back to Pray. Ben decided to enjoy a beer and the view that evening. 

Before leaving we attempted to take a potential Christmas card photo. Getting the two of them to cooperate was a disaster. Mostly because Goose wouldn’t behave. So don’t be surprised when your card only has Werner. 

 

Day 5

After leaving Lake Vermillion we headed to the Badlands and set up our tent at a KOA campgrounds. Within the National Park there was a free campground but seeing as there was no running water and it also happened to be our first camping experience while on the road, we decided to go with something that offered a few amenities. Timing still not on our side, we got to the site after dark and had to set the tent up by lantern light. 

The overnight low was 40 F and it felt it. After reading the reviews I decided to get a Noblecamper dog sleeping bag. Based on Werner’s weight the large seemed appropriate, but I think a medium would have worked better – it probably would have been a more snug. For Goose, we brought and extra sleeping bag. We had the boys tucked in and figured they were good, but since they tend to move in their sleep each knocked the blankets off and we woke in the middle of the night to them shivering. After getting them warmed up, we all went back to sleep and slept until 6am. All in all it wasn’t a bad first night in the tent. 

We started day 5 driving through the Badlands National Park. Because dogs aren’t allowed in the back country at National Parks, we weren’t able to go on any of the hiking trails. So we spent a couple hours driving around, hoping in and out when we saw something we wanted to get a better look at or take pictures of. Neither of us had heard of the Badlands prior to a couple months ago and had no expectations, but were pleasantly surprised by what we saw.

From there it was onto the Black Hills. We reserved a tent location in Custer State Park and had time to go for a hike and drive into Custer before pitching our tent for the night. 

Custer State Park – Lovers Leap Trail

Day 6 

After breaking down the tent and packing up it was time for a shower. My first in 3 days and I took advantage of it. Ben sat in the car with the boys while I went to take mine. Apparently I was in there a while because Ben the first thing Ben said when I got back to the car was, “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! You’ve been gone 30 minutes!” The showers are on a timer and after Ben finished his he asked how many times I had to restart mine. I think it was close to 10. His took 2. Oops! Sorry, not sorry! 

Anyway, from there we headed to our hike for the day, which was also in Custer State Park, but crosses into Black Elk Wilderness. 

Harney Peak Trails

The Park was re-tarring one of the parking lots we walked through. The little one walked right through a puddle of tar. We still aren’t sure how we’re going to remove it. I think cutting it out or shaving that fur are high up on the list of options. I’m open to suggestions 

On to Mount Rushmore. We were a bit disappointed. Having purchased the National Parks Pass, we expected free entry. Not the case. Still have to pay for parking. 

Mount Rushmore 

I spent the weeks leading up to the trip making a sleeping platform with my dad and was determined to put my handywork to use. So, en route to our next stop, Bozeman, MT, and in an effort to save money, we decided to sleep in the Walmart parking lot in Sheridan, WY. Sleeping in your car/truck/RV in Walmart parking lots is a well known, real thing. I didn’t know what we were getting into but I set the bar very low. Ben set his expectations at no sleep. I slept horribly. Ben said he was pleasantly surprised. But I suppose when you expect zero hours of sleep, any hours is a win. Goose slept great, no surprise. Werner slept in the driver seat and I think got some rest. I was able to use an eye mask for most of the night (thank you, Delta), but still woke up throughout the night. 

Our neighbors included multiple RVers and truckers. I hope nobody watched as I tried to put the platform together. It was a hot mess. Ben stood holding the dogs, while I unloaded half our belongings into the parking lot in order to put the platform up. Oye! 

Although, our experience wasn’t great, I would totally recommend taking advantage of this! Two humans, plus two dogs was rough. Our sleeping quarters were pretty tight and the parking lot lights do not shut off. But you can’t beat free and it was indeed free. 

We’re on Day 4 of our journey and continue westwards. We’ve contemplated, on a frequent basis, turning around. Making the trip with two dogs has tested our level of commitment to the trip.

Here’s a rundown of the trip thus far:

Day 1

We left Chapel Hill and headed towards Chattanooga, TN. On our way, we decided to make a stop in Montreat, NC, just south of Asheville, to stretch our legs and get the boys some exercise. What should have taken a little over 3 hours took 4.5 hours. Our first delay was having to take a urine sample to the vet (opposite direction). This stop trigger a mishap with our packing structure and food scattered around the vet parking lot. We then stopped again an hour into the trip to try and resituate the boys. Two of them in the back together has not worked as well as we’d hoped. Goose is intent on taking up as much space as possible, leaving nowhere for Werner to lay down. 

 

We finally made it to Montreat around lunch. Ben had done some research and the Montreat Trails were recommended as a dog friendly area. They also happened to be close to the highway, so we didn’t spend too much extra time getting to and from them. We hiked for 1.5-2 hours. The boys were well behaved and enjoyed running around. Departing and getting the two of them settled proved to be another story. Goose was sprawled out across the back and Werner continued his attempts at escape to the front. I had grabbed slices of bread and peanut butter from the back and was going to make us sandwiches, but by the time I could, they had finally settled and I didn’t want to disturb them by opening the peanut butter. So we ended up eating plain slices of bread. 

 

We made it to Chattanooga that evening, where we stayed with Katherine, a friend of mine from college. We were all pretty worn out from Day 1, so after a delicious meal we got ready and went to bed. 

Day 2 

We went to a coffee shop around the corner from Katherine’s for breakfast. They had a cute dog friendly patio that we (the humans) sat on. Meanwhile, the boys were chilling in the car, which was strategically parked directly next to the patio. This allowed each of us to keep tabs on the other. Looking back we’re realizing we need to be better about taking pictures to document these situations. 

After breakfast we stopped at a local pet store, Nooga Paws, to grab some treats. Even though Ben was hesitant to do so, we took the boys inside. This was short lived. Within the first couple minutes, Goose had grabbed a treat out of a display and started barking at another dogs wanting to play. They were quickly escorted back to the car. 

Before getting back on the road we hiked the Guild Trail to Lookout Mountain with Katherine for a couple hours. 

On our way out of town we stopped at Walmart to buy a pillow to use as a barrier between the boys. They were so tired from our hike it initially seemed like it was going to work. Not so. Gradually Goose inched his way into Werner’s space and we were back at square one. Luckily the drive from Chattanooga to Nashville is brief and they survive, but we would have to come up with a solution before the next leg of our trip. 

We were staying with Ben’s friend, Scott, in Nashville. While we waited for him to get off work we walked the boys, then fed them dinner on the sidewalk (like homeless people) and sat in the car so they could sleep. That night we grabbed dinner at Edley’s, a great BBQ place with a dog friendly outdoor patio. This is where the boys had their first (and probably last) experience on a restaurant patio. All was well until the food showed up. Goose jumped onto the table and got a hold of Scott’s mac and cheese. Luckily, Ben had also ordered some and we traded. 

Everyone slept well that night and we were refreshed and ready for the next day. 

Day 3 

We said our goodbyes to Scott and headed to Carsey Warner Park for a hike before getting on the road. The next stretch of our journey was from Nashville to the Badlands in South Dakota and was going to be a long one. 

Warner Woods Trail – Nashville, TN

Our solution to the issue in the backseat was for me to sit between the two dogs. Which I did for 6 of the 9 hours. It’s not the most comfortable, but seemed to solve the problem, so it’s worth it. Once we out west it shouldn’t be as necessary, as our drives between stops will be significantly shorter. 

 

We had every intention of camping last night, but along with other things timing isn’t proving to be a strength of ours on this trip. After multiple stops, that somehow take 20 minutes each, we weren’t going to make it to our campsite until after dark. Neither of us was looking forward to having our first campground experience in the dark. So we decided to continue driving and shorten our trip today. 

 

Day 4

The majority of the day’s been spent in the car. We stopped twice to get the boys some exercise. Goose continues to make car travel difficult, but we’re almost at our first official stop on our tour of the west! 

Stop 1 – Waubonsie State Park – Iowa

Stop 2 – Lake Vermillion Recreation Area – South Dakota 

The last hour… 

In preparation of our journey we decided to give camping with dogs a practice run in my parents yard. We fully intended to try this on two other occasions over the course of the last two weeks, but with the chance of rain both nights, we didn’t want to risk it (it didn’t rain either night). However, last night the weather was in our favor.

Despite the dogs chasing each other around, we got the tent set up relatively quickly. We added the necessary sleeping gear and then had a few hours to kill. The dogs and I spent this time inside watching the NFL Network (keeping the experience authentic 😉). Meanwhile, Ben was in the tent enjoying the great outdoors/the calm before the storm.

Goose was a little too comfortable inside (see below). This should have been a sign of what was to come. Yet I more concerned we’d have issues with Werner sleeping in a strange place.

The boys and I joined Ben around 11pm. Currently, we only have one dog sleeping bag and Goose was quite cozy inside, so I decided it may be best to bring the actual dog bed outside for the night. It’s one of those large Orvis beds and took up a significant amount of space, but it was worth the lost space if it meant he’d sleep. We’d deal with the reality of not having a full sized dog bed on the road later – this was practice.

Werner snuggled right into his plush digs – a real sleeping bag inside a dog sleeping bag. He curled into a ball and had his nose tucked under his leg keeping it warm. Goose made his way into his king sized dog bed and seemed settled. We were golden! That was until a couple minutes later when a leaf ruffled or twig broke or shadow changed or god knows what. Guard dog Goose was having none of this and kept everyone up until 1am low growling/barking at the wind. At one point he was barking at the bush next to my parents house. The same bush that was there 5 minutes earlier had somehow become a threat. Super peaceful.

Around 1:30am, with Goose finally settled, I really needed to pee. In true outdoors(wo)man fashion, I punched in the code for my parents garage and ran inside to use the bathroom. The dogs escaped from the tent and followed me inside. They ran straight to the bedroom where they tried to settle in for the night. Reluctantly, they both came back outside when I returned to the tent. Getting the two of them into tent provided a challenge. There are doors on either side, so while I tried to get Werner in my side, Ben would attempt to grab Goose from his. He’d finally get Goose in to have him wonder back out the other side, which was open because I wasn’t having much luck calling Werner. This happened 2-3 times before we finally had them both inside.

Everyone settled back in and we slept for the next 4 or so hours, somewhat uninterrupted. Goose, who is not only a guard dog, but also an alarm clock, decided it was time to rise a little before 6am. Rather than fully commit and try to cook ourselves something outside we retreated indoors to a fresh pot of coffee (thanks,  Mom!).

Coffee didn’t wake me up the way I needed and I got back in bed for a short nap. The boys joined and we got in an extra 1.5 hours. We’re gonna miss the comforts of home!

When I asked Ben if he wanted to help me write a blog post, he responded sarcastically, “About how great we slept last night?” So…it could have gone better, but we’ll get there!