Pedaling with Pooches

March 31, 2017 - Willie Weir posts to his Sights and Sounds blog every other Friday.

I wrote in the Dec 2016/Jan 2017 issue of Adventure Cyclist magazine about the long struggle to get our rescue dog out on a bike trip. I joke that our journey with Tiva consumed more prep time than for all our other trips combined. Except it wasn’t a joke ... it was three years and a lot of love, patience, and persistence. Below is a recap, thanks to Steve Sweitzer with PetPalsTV.

And now that Kat and I have joined the ranks of “bike travelers with dogs,” we have become aware of a lot of amazing people (and canines) out there. If you dream of bike touring with your dog, check out the websites below. They are a treasure trove of inspiration. 

Where’s Bixby? Bixby is a rescue dog. Her human was a chain-smoker who hadn’t ridden a bicycle since high school. Over 20,000 miles later, Bixby and her human are still going strong. They’re having adventures while raising awareness of the need to support local shelters and rescue organizations.  

Long Haul Trekkers. Dave, Jen, and their dog Sora, in the goggles above, pedal and run throughout the world — drop-dead, gorgeous photos, great advice, and honest writing. Check out their new series “Street Tails” profiling rescue dogs and their humans.

Cycling Gypsies. In 2008, Zoa and Fin took off on a 17,000 mile journey with their two dogs, Jack and Paco. Their adventures inspired them to write the children’s book series, The Dog Detectives.

The three examples above are extreme. It can feel daunting to read about epic adventures when you’re simply wondering if your dog would ever put up with riding in a trailer. But don’t be discouraged. Every epic dog/human bike adventure begins with that first mile. 

And as Bixby says, “Dreams are like sticks, you just have to chase them.”

Photo 1 Willie Weir | Photo 2 Armand Messina | Photo 3 Long Haul Trekkers

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SIGHTS AND SOUNDS is posted every other Friday.

Willie Weir is a contributor for Adventure Cyclist magazine. His books, Travels with Willie and Spokesongs, will inspire you to hit the road and might change the way you approach bicycle travel. He lives in Seattle with his wife Kat. You can also find him at WillieWeir.com, Facebook, and Instagram.