With all that's happened in the past year since our road trip, it feels almost miraculous to think that at exactly this time a year ago, we had just returned home from our road trip that started in Vancouver and stopped at six states along the way. The thought of traveling - especially over the borders - is so inconceivable at these days and we look forward to the days when it's safe to travel again.

From the time our trip ended, COVID-19 went from being a distant threat, to being declared a pandemic with the borders closing for non-essential travel in quick succession. Although we were keeping an eye on the news throughout the trip and felt safe in the comfort of our own car, we also recognize that we were extremely fortunate with the timing and to have been able to do this trip when we did.

In British Columbia, we've been under a province-wide restriction since November where all non-essential travel should be avoided. While we miss traveling with Markus and making these updates have become more difficult and really stretching it at times, we're also fine doing our part if it means that we can all get through this faster, together.

With the year mark of our road trip, we decided to take some time to revisit the trip and the things we got to do before the borders closed down. We wanted to share some of the highlights and hopefully they may be of some use to you for inspiration or trip planning when we're allowed to travel again.

Vancouver to LA

This was the first time we were going to LA in a car and it was special because we got to do it with Markus, our dog. While the drive itself is not very difficult, we also wanted to make sure that we covered a lot of ground on the first few days of the trip while we still had energy, so we didn't make too many stops - only what was essential for us to grab food, ample breaks to stretch our legs and, well, a bit of shopping along the way.

From Vancouver to LA, we made stops at Eugene in Oregon and Sacramento in California, which made for 7 or 8 hour driving days, which was not too bad. In fact, that timeframe would end up being our average on the trip and we found that we couldn't go much longer than that (though we certainly had some days where we drove up to and past 10 hours). It wasn't just taxing for us, but for the dog as well.

If we had been traveling without the dog, we likely would've gone a little bit longer each day. Part of the reason why we chose to break the drive up into these parts was because we knew how he was in the car - he never rests. While some dogs get tired looking out the window and will eventually find their way to sleeping, Markus always looks out the window and will sometimes strain a bit too hard to do so.

For this reason, we intentionally made sure to schedule in rest stops along the way by circling neighbourhood parks just off of the highway where all of us could take a quick stroll around to stretch our legs out and maybe even find a washroom break. Some of the rest stops along the highway also included grassy areas for dogs, which was an added bonus so we didn't have to veer off the highway too far.

We also wanted to be mindful of Markus' sleeping schedule, which, prior to us leaving for the trip, was throughout the day. While we were at work, he would spend that time of the day sleeping at home. Since he doesn't rest in the car, we purposely went with shorter driving days where we did most of the driving in the morning or early afternoon. While we knew that Markus would eventually rest if he was really exhausted, it also took a long time to get to that point.

We also realized that for some reason, Markus was noticeably more stressed in the car when we were driving in the night. Forget about resting. When it was dark, we felt that he was straining extra hard to see out the front windows, in a way where his breathing was quick and laboured, so we made it more of a point to get through the long stretches in the mornings and early afternoons before it got dark. Besides, it was better for all of us to arrive at our destination earlier in the night.

The lesson to be learned is if you're doing a road trip with your dog, just be aware of their schedule prior to the trip and be sure to break it up for their sake. If you feel as though you need to cover more ground, then it's worth taking time before the trip to make sure that they're comfortable in the car and used to not getting as much sleep in a day as they're used to.

The Californian Doggo

Being in California with Markus was special. Not only were we in Los Angeles, the home of countless iconic things, but we got to meet so many dog friends while we were there! We live in a time where it's so easy to connect with people around the world - we do it through Instagram - but being able to physically meet up with a community of Shibas and their owners in California was extra special. Though it was short, we really appreciate our time together and the fact that they had arranged a hike for all of us to do! 

Las Vegas, a place to... rest?

We're all familiar with the vibrance and the energy in Las Vegas, but we didn't expect to be able to find at this stop. It goes without saying that this stop wasn't for Markus, but it was the perfect stop that he needed. If you're planning a long road trip with your dog, we recommend doing a day or two like this for your dog - obviously not necessarily in Vegas, but a stop where your dog can stay behind and rest in the room while you went out to do your thing.

Las Vegas ended up being a great place for us because the hotels that allow dogs do well to make sure that they're comfortable (obviously so that we'll stay longer), but the rooms were also quiet and well-insulated from each other. This is important because as a reactive dog with guard dog mentality, Markus will bark at the dog and feel defensive if he hears voices or footsteps in the hall. Markus spend the day sleeping and resting in the quiet and we could visibly see his energy coming back. Although Vegas in the middle of the trip wasn't much of a break for us, it was exactly what the dog needed.

The lesson here is if you're on a road trip and constantly on the road, going from one place to the next, we recommend taking a day or two in the middle of the trip to let your dog recharge their batteries, where you can leave them in a hotel and you can go exploring!

National Parks

Beyond the iconic cities, the places we wanted to visit the most were the National Parks. Being able to see a number of these world-famous parks in person were breathtaking to begin with, but being able to do it with our dog was something else.

On our trip, we got to experience the vastness of the Grand Canyon, the prickliness of the Joshua Trees, the steep redness of the cliffs at Zion, the height of the hoodoos at Bryce Canyon and the depth of the waters at Crater Lake. Beyond the national parks, we also got to relax at iconic beaches like Venice beach, do hikes and trails to see the arches and meanders in Utah and enjoy the stillness at Lake Tahoe. Aside from the one stretch of the hike that Markus physically wasn't able to do (proving that he is, in fact, not a mountain goat), he was such a trooper throughout the trip and we couldn't have been prouder!

It's worth noting that most/all of the National Parks have regulations about having dogs and they're almost always that you have to keep them at the main areas like the parking lot, the dedicated walkways or the picnic areas. In most cases, that doesn't go very far. You basically can't go deep into a park with a dog unless it's at the designated rest areas that were constructed for human use.

If you're looking for a deeper experience, you're either going to have to leave the dog behind or board them somewhere. For us, experiencing these parks from the surface was enough. We weren't looking to hike a trail within a National Park and we were satisfied experiencing the parks from the outer edges. In a lot of cases such as the Grand Canyon, the man-made structures were built with tourists in mind and those areas were more than enough for us to get our fill.

We hope that soon enough, we'll all be able to travel again. While we were on this trip, we had always kept a close eye on the news in case there were any updates with COVID-19, prompting us to head home and it helped that we were traveling in a car mostly seeing National Parks along the way with minimal interaction with others. We hope our update provided a bit of joy and inspiration for you today and although we're currently not encouraged to travel, may we think ahead and make plans for when we are allowed again!

In our development with Markus, we’re constantly pushing for the next thing. We’re always trying new things to train and work with him - so much so that when something doesn’t go the way we expect it to, we can become discouraged or even frustrated.

Taking the time to reflect where things began helps us to appreciate where we are today and it gives us the boost for another day. Putting in perspective that Markus was a rescued dog who had difficulty being adopted because he was labeled as aggressive helps us to appreciate how far he’s come in his time with us.

The Paws & Reflect series is our way of pausing to appreciate all the progress Markus has made from his days as an aggressive dog at the rescue shelter. We revisit his past to help us put into focus all the great things he’s already accomplished with us.

We’re so grateful for your support of The Markus Project. We mostly choose our locations through searching and word of mouth. If you know of a park, trail or location you think we should check out, please share it with us. We’d love to know!