THE LUCY PET FOUNDATION
NEWSLETTER
JUNE 2015
From
The
Driver's
Seat
DAVID HIDALGO,
EDITOR
“You thinkin' of maybe sharing some of those
chips, son?..” Jack
Road Trips fall into several categories.
There are those that are months in
planning, where the itinerary is set down
with military precision and each person
knows what's expected of them. Kind of
like the Invasion of Sicily, but with fewer
casualties. Then there are the ones that
have a means to an end, but are spur of the
moment adventures. The following trip
across the Country with a dog named Jack,
is one of the latter.
Initially, the plan to showcase the new
Lucy Pet Product line of organic shampoos
and conditioners, was to drive our
Freightliner bus the 2000 miles to the Blog
Paws 2015 Convention in Nashville, where
we would park it, give tours, hand out
samples, and literature to the 500
attending internet Bloggers and friends. In
the months preceding the event, the price
to park the bus outside the Sheraton see-
sawed up and down, and in the end, it was
just not feasible to use it.
Fast forward six days before the event.
Jack, our spokesdog, who was rescued
from a kill-shelter, proving that any dog
regardless of background or lineage can be
trained, with a little love and treats,
to excel, was not going to be able to fly
unless imprisoned in the baggage
compartment. That was not an option and
it was decided that I was going to drive
Jack and the boxes for the booth to
Nashville. The challenge was to to rent a
mini-van for the 4000 mile round trip, but
on a Holiday weekend all that was
available was a one year old Dodge
Caravan, with 40k miles and two worn
front tires. Plus, the rental agency would
cheerfully overcharge me handsomely as I
was taking the van out of state.
I decided to use my own vehicle, a new
Honda Fit to make the trip. One of the
reasons that this model continually
outsells the competition in its' class, is the
ability to swallow a large amount of stuff
and passengers. I was able to pack eight
boxes of various sizes, a large bag of dog
food, as well as a computer, camera, large,
duffle bag, and fabric crate. This still left
space for Jack to enjoy the trip.
A late night run to Smart&Final for Road
Food and drinks, and we were ready.
I picked Jack up early Sunday, 5/24 and we
were on the road. Because the event
started on Thursday, I decided to take
three to four days for the trip out. It was
cool and overcast as we traveled east on
the 210 going north on the 15 and picking
up the I-40 as the sun broke through the
clouds.
Interstate 40, the main artery that crosses
the country from Barstow in California to
Raleigh, North Carolina, tied together a
number of smaller interstate routes. The
most famous of these, Route 66, which
started in Chicago and became part of the
National Interstate System in Oklahoma
City. As we drove east over the next several
days, Jack and I would see the remnants of
that Mother Road, in abandoned motels,
restaurants and service stations that were
still visible fifty years after the last traveler
checked in or fueled up.
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Southeast California blended seamlessly
into western Arizona, as we crossed the
Colorado River beyond Needles. The
drought is very apparent, but recent rains
produced a sea of wildflowers blooming on
the highway median. Jack, a golden
retriever mix, turns out to be a perfect
driving companion, as there are no
arguments regarding radio or music
selection and any treat is a good treat. We
gain elevation as we drive into Flagstaff
and pass through Holbrook and cross into
New Mexico. Volcanic cones and red rock
buttes dot the horizon and ancient lava
fields follow the highway for a hundred
miles.
It should be noted that Pet Friendly Hotels
are uncommon, but the La Quinta Chain
seems to be one of the few that go out of
their way to make you and your furry
friends feel welcome. We pulled into Gallup
at seven local time as the sun was setting.
A fast food drive thru for dinner and we
were both ready for bed.
It's 7am and we're up and gone. The second
day saw us making our way through
Albuquerque, and on into Texas. With the
exception of stopping at the occasional
rest area for Jack, the time constraints for
this trip meant we probably weren't going
to be able to stop at the world famous Big
Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo. The parking
lot was jammed with holiday diners, so we
filled up at the nearby Flying J and drove
on. Rolling grasslands as far as the eye can
see and we stop for the night in Yukon,
Oklahoma, just outside OKC.
The last day of our trip east, had us travel
through Arkansas and on into Tennessee.
Passing over 'creeks' that in SoCal would
qualify as major rivers. When we do cross
the Mississippi over the Hernando De Soto
Bridge in Memphis, you realize how
immense and wide it is. I was a little
startled to see a large, stainless steel
pyramid adjacent to the Interstate, that
unlike the one near that 'other' Memphis,
this one houses a Bass Pro Shop. Only in
America! Three days and 2000 miles later,
we roll into Music City, Nashville, Tenn.
We're booked into the Embassy Suites,
which is also very pet friendly. Jack and I
were able to sit in the lobby the next
morning and enjoy a very nice
complementary breakfast, below the
soaring atrium as families and travelers
came up and petted her. Time and time
again I was reminded how folks miss their
animals when they travel and Jack was
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very forgiving, allowing small hands and
hugs around the neck without any drama.
degree heat, warm by anyone's standards
it was nice to get back onto the road.
The show started on Thursday at the
Sheraton, an older hotel that has that
grand quality of dark woods, acres of
marble and granite. Rick Rockhill, a Lucy
Pet Products VP, our own Doc Halligan, and
I ran the booth, answering questions,
passing out literature and samples. The
business model that Joey Herrick, our
founder, wants to market a line of
effective, environmentally conscious pet
products that help support our
Spay/Neuter Clinics. Jack, who is depicted
on the products, posed with show goers as
our trainer, Doree Sitterlee, stood nearby
and put her through her routine. Overall, it
was a worthwhile two days and we had
some very positive feedback for the
shampoos and leave-in, spray on
conditioners. The BlogPaws folks should be
commended for hosting a great show.
In the late afternoon heat, Jack and I
slowly make our way through the traffic
outside Victorville. I'm reminded that
eighty years ago, this was the road that
Steinbeck's Okies, old cars piled high with
all their worldly belonging made the trek
from the Dust Bowl of the Depression, to
the promise of a better life out West. As we
pull off the freeway and drive up into the
Foothills, open the gate and drive down
the driveway, it's nice to be home.
Saturday morning and Jack and I are on the
road again. It's raining as we cross over into
Arkansas and continues for the next ten
hours until we stop for the night in
Oklahoma. Though the flooding isn't as
sever as further south in Texas, you could
see strands of trees half submerged in large
lakes that just a few weeks before were dry
land. The rain makes sightseeing a little
less interesting, as the cloudy, gray sky
stretches to the horizon.
June 8th Baldwin Park
The next morning, we're off for New
Mexico, the suns shining and we're making
good time. Gas mileage in the little Honda
varied from a low of 36 mpg to a high of a
remarkable 50.2 mpg. Mile after mile of
fields of corn, corn....and more corn. The
gas in these parts has 10% ethanol, which
is why the aforementioned crop is so
popular in these parts.
Of all the dozen or so dogs I've traveled
with, Jack has to be one of the best. She
would sleep with her head perched on the
center counsel or if she wanted to see out
the windshield, she'd rest her head on my
shoulder. Birds seemed to be the only item
that would get her attention, whether they
were flying near us in motion or on the
ground at a rest stop.
The final leg of our trip takes us from the
same Gallup La Quinta hotel, retracing our
route back through the pine forests outside
Flagstaff, and across the desert. We
stopped for a break at a curious silver,
geodesic building near Yucca Flats. A small
store sold curios and beer, but in the 108
June Schedule
June 2nd Baldwin Park: 4100
Baldwin Park Blvd, Baldwin Park
June 5th Peter Zippi Cats: Home
Depot 2115 Gaffey St. San Pedro
June 9th Baldwin Park
June 10th Inland Valley Chino
June 11th Baldwin Park
June 13th Baldwin Park
June 14th SEAACA Pet Fair 4900
Southern Ave, South Gate
June 15th Baldwin Park
June 16th Baldwin Park
June 17th Inland Valley Montclair
June 18th Baldwin Park
June 19th OC Shelter,
LoveBugRescue
June 22nd Baldwin Park
June 23rd Baldwin Park
June 24th Inland Valley Pomona
All Material/Photos Copyright 2015, Lucy Pet
Foundation
QUESTIONS? (855) 499-5829
U
WWW.LUCYPETFOUNDATION.ORG