Day 7 is our final day on the road. We met up with puppy raisers in Ohio to pick up 5 dogs who are hitching a ride back to the Guiding Eyes campus to take their In-for-Training (IFT) evaluation. Chief, Delia, Gilbert, Nari, and Oksana joined our caravan headed back east. We also picked up one recently retired guide dog who is heading back to campus for evaluation before she is adopted. It’s been a long, exciting week of travel, but home is just on the horizon. We will make it back to campus this evening. Thank you for following along on our journey, and a special thanks to the village who made this trip possible!
Day 5 on the road was another travel day as we made our way toward Wheaton, Illinois. After 5 long rainy days on the road, we decided it was time to give the motorcoach a little TLC. Jason knew just the place to take us. Big shoutout to Nathan and his crew at the Blue Beacon Truck Wash in Walcott, Iowa. They took excellent care of us.
We are overnighting at the I–80 truck stop in Iowa. It is literally the World’s Largest Truck Stop. Made sure I took my number one driver out for a well-deserved meal. What else does one order when at a truck stop diner but steak and eggs with a side of biscuits and gravy? Jason didn’t even open the menu, he just ordered. I guess when you know what makes good road food, then there is no need to look any further! 😂
Flyer and I went out for a nice post-dinner walk. He got a bit silly when we tried to take a selfie together – he kept licking my face and “shnorfaling” my neck. Yes, “shnorfaling” is a word… Okay, maybe it’s not actually a word, but it is a good description for when dogs stick their noses in the crook of your neck and sniff all around like they are trying to smell what you had for lunch two weeks ago. I do love me some Labrador love, but sometimes a cold nose is a little shocking!
Day 6 on the road – we finally reached Wheaton, Illinois with Flyer, our lone canine passenger. Flyer is the first placement for our Youth Program through “Operation Cuddle-Up”, our partnership with the Chicago Lighthouse. Flyer was excited to meet his new family, but he quickly settled. Flyer already has begun bonding with his new person, 14-year-old Isaac, and his family. Isaac gave Flyer a few treats and learned how to ask Flyer for a touch, which Flyer readily did.
After we said our goodbyes, Jason and I hit the road once again for a few hundred “dog-less” miles. Tomorrow morning, we will pick up 5 dogs in Ohio in order to transport them back to campus. This crew of younger dogs, who have finished up with their puppy raisers, will take their In-For-Training (IFT) evaluation on campus in a few weeks. We will also pick up one guide dog who recently retired and is heading back to campus for evaluation before she is adopted.
Day 3 on the road began early as we made our way to Colorado. We took an FWP break (food, water, park) at a rest stop just after sunset. When we arrived in Colorado, the volunteer fosters were ready and waiting for the dog exchange in the parking lot of a local Walmart. We said goodbye to the rest of the guide dogs – Ambrie, Bando, Bea, Odyssey, Pippi, and Ursa as they each are headed to a volunteer foster home where they will live until it is time for a Region GDMI (guide dog mobility instructor) to pick them up for home training.
This leaves just Flyer as the single canine passenger for the evening. We made our way to a beautiful campground in Cherry Creek State Park. We had time to set up camp and enjoy the outdoors with Flyer including an amazing Colorado sunset during his evening walk.
Day 4 on the road started with another chilly morning. I took Flyer on a walk around the campground while Jason readied the motorcoach. I have never been to Wyoming, so Jason took us the scenic way to I-80 with beautiful scenery along the way. At the rest area/welcome center, they had a fantastic pet exercise area, so Flyer got a chance to really stretch his legs! Today and tomorrow are travel days on the road, as we are headed to Wheaton, Illinois to drop off Flyer on Saturday.
Day 1 on the road finished up with us checking into a KOA PA (Kampgrounds of America – Pennsylvania) on the border of Ohio. We pulled in just in time to set up before sunset and just in time for the rain. Nothing quite like a genuine motorcoach experience until you have set up your rig and all its accommodations in the rain 😉 – and let’s not forget feeding and relieving all our superstar passengers in the rain as well! The dogs were all pros and relieved quite readily. The pups then settled back in for the evening until last out around 9:30. The best part about being cold and wet was knowing that someone super awesome made us some homemade lentil soup for dinner. Shout out to Shanon Walsh for making sure that Jason and I had a warm, hearty, and healthy meal! Not going to lie, I wouldn’t have really cared if it was unhealthy – I was SOOOO happy it was hot because it warmed me right up after the bone-chilling rain and wind.
Day 2 on the road started at 0400 (4 AM) with the weather at around 56-58 degrees out and pouring rain. All the pups were super excited to eat so early, and they all parked quickly. Afterward, they all got a nice little walk around our section of the campground. Once all dogs emptied their “holding tanks” and had a little walk, this 4-legged convoy hit the road a little after 6 AM. We must have been some sight as we maneuvered the big rig around the little campground roads in the pitch black.
Most of the dogs were troopers and did all their business in the pouring rain before we left. Several chose to wait to do “their business” until we stopped in Ohio a little after 8 AM to meet up with Bob Johnson, an OH area volunteer. It was short and sweet, as we were trying to beat the massive rainstorm that had been chasing us since we hit the road. Jolee happily trotted over to him during the socially-distanced exchange.
We are currently pulled into a rest area parked with all the other big trucks. We stopped and got fuel and some dinner before pulling in. Dinner was just something quick and easy, Subway. It’s usually one of my go-to on the road meals. Jason is currently sleeping. We fed and walked everyone after dinner, and Jason plans on getting up around 1 AM to head out. The dogs and I will be happily sleeping in our respective bunks while he gets this rig on down the road with the other asphalt cowboys.
Today, our new Guiding Eyes motorcoach hit the road manned by 2 staff members and 8 dogs. The motorcoach is headed west to Ohio and Colorado to drop off the dogs with volunteer fosters.
Also known as: Ambrie
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