Beginning

dante and I

not sure who found whom but dante in his wiggle your whole body and give your guests a big toothy smile and lick their hand or face won me over. 

Saw him one day, put a hold on at the shelter and went back shortly thereafter. Woke up with a certainty that he was to be my special travel dog. So many people had "told" me I needed to take a dog. Resisted but saw the wisdom. Timing was right!
He was so happy to be released. I can only imagine how long he was in cages . . . first in Salinas, then?

The first week I deserved lots of kisses, mostly just before we went to bed, he wandering to sleep at my feet. He has backed off with his generosity but still when being apart for a while and coming together again the same wiggle your whole body, smile tooth-fully and kiss generously. Who can resist?

On the Road, Dante likes to curl up in the back with an occasional "what is that smell and where is it coming from" view out my driver's side window. His right paw is on my arm or shoulder while his left rests on the door frame.

A few minutes and he is back in rest mode.

Loves to sleep, curl up in small spaces, lay sprawled out on his back, and sink into himself. Hard to get him out of those deep spaces. Have to kind of shake him around a bit and keep saying "walk", "walk". Getting down to ground level and showing him the leash clip and saying "walk" and he generally comes tail a wagging. However, if he suspects we are getting ready for another-really-long-road-trip he sinks solidly into his bones . . . dead weight.

Once he gets moving, after he does his version of yoga "cat cow" he really gets moving. One strong muscle and he gives a pull of determination. Only with a quick pull and "come" will he change his direction. Usually likes to lead the way. Usually nose to the ground. Usually for signature purposes!

Our first jaunt was to Kalamazoo Michigan, retrieve the Avion and return post haste to deal with real estate issues. 6500 miles in something like less than 3 weeks.

Good to say that I have lost track of when, what day, how many. It is more and more just part of the path!

Dante was a favorite. Kids and women most often want to know his name and if he is ok to pet. Then they ask in one form or another, some courteous, some not, "What kind of a dog is that, anyway? What is it crossed with? I explain he is part dachshund and part miniature schnauzer. Mostly they just admire him.

Men want to know about my truck and Avion. "What is that?" "Looks like a Airstream" and I tell them the story.

Of how several men working for Airstream wanted to construct a cab-over-camper to put on a 3/4 to 1 ton pickup 4x4 such that they go to remote areas and hunt and fish in comfort. Permission granted the Avion had a run for maybe 10 years. 

Now, they are hard to find. Witness my driving to Kalamazoo to retrieve mine.

A solid, once fixed up, smooth runner that purrs. A big truck it took me several weeks and a few dings to mind its space.

On the highways I 

practiced dealing with my anxiety by sinking into the seat and relaxing my body. Hands on steering wheel, not with "white knuckling" but with relaxed attentiveness. Travelled many miles many days in this fashion. Only stopping to relieve the tensions of we two weary travelers.