The Last Hurrah

Yesterday afternoon, my wife and I returned home from a seventeen day holiday.  Twelve of those days were spent on the highway.  But I am not complaining.

We drove so that we could explore as we drove cross country.  But we also drove because we had to take the dog with us.  But it will likely be the last such trip the three of us take.

Our last such trip was three years ago, when the dog was four years old.  Long days of driving did not bother him, he sat, or often stood, and looked out the window.  Now he is seven, and long drives leave him sore and limping.

Needless to say that we took a lot more breaks on our most recent trip.  If we keep the same pattern and do not drive East again for another three years, the dog will be ten years old (that is 70-ish in dog years).   There is no way that he would be able to handle such a trip again.

So this was our last hurrah!

P.S.  I am very happy to say that while our driving days (averaged about 10 hours on the road) were somewhat long, not only for the dog, but for my wife and I as well.  We made enough stops along the way that nobody limped in or out of a hotel.