Hey Fam,
Little Potato calling in from our pawsome road trip! We’ve spiraled from bays to beaches to canyons, with me ruling the roost. Might’ve given rain the cold shoulder, but hey, the ham at Paws-on-the-Grill was more tempting. You know me, right? Spencerville’s been a charm, missing our chaos though. Tail wags and barks till the next update.
Licks and Wags,
Little Potato aka Jackie.

Listen to the story here

As the early dawn delicately unfolded around Spencerville, I found myself in a cheery, road-weary Rover, packed, brimming with excitement, and ready for yet another road trip. This was different though, as I wasn’t going alone today. A gentle snore from the backseat caught my attention- my loyal road trip companion, Jackie.

Radiant as ever, despite a mild disdain for the early morning hustle, her favorite frisbee snug beneath her paw. Her beautiful brown splotch glistened under the tender sunlight. The same sunlight seemed to strengthen my resolve to transform an ordinary road trip into a diversion that even Jackie would appreciate.

The plan was to start from Bulldog Bay and then move onto Beagle Beach, right before visiting Collie Canyon. However, as legends go, the only rule of Spencerville was that there were no rules. Hence, we simply ventured off where the road took us. Engulfed by the kind of scenery that would make even the most ambitious artists down their brushes in defeat; our journey was nothing less than a visual spectacle. Truly, Spencerville with its suburban serenity and rural resonance had a charm that was hard to resist – even for a urban hound like Jackie.

Road trips are just as much about the journey as the destination – a sentiment Jackie seemed to echo with the infectious enthusiasm in her healthy panting. Her joyous brown eyes were afire as we neared Bulldog Bay. She leaped out, making a mad dash for the shore, her most loved frisbee clutched tightly in her mouth. Here, as I watched her frolic around, the breaking waves at Bulldog Bay were music to Jackie’s ears, overwhelmingly melodic and soothing.

Next stop, Beagle Beach. The warm sand seeping through our paws was a treat for both of us. For Jackie, it’s the uncanny resemblance it bore to the sprawling, sun-soaked beach she always loved. The waves breaking against the shore, the melody of seagulls soaring overhead, and the taste of salt in the air, all made Jackie’s tail wag, a sight we dearly missed at the local dog park back home, a place Jackie was never quite fond of.

Our last stop, Collie Canyon, was nothing short of a masterpiece. The canyon stretched out before us in a stunning spectacle of red bounded by a lofty blue sky. Jackie’s curiosity bloomed at full tilt. Our frolicking amidst the wildflowers was cut short by the skies above turning grey. Rain, the arch-nemesis of Jackie’s adventures, had arrived unexpectedly.

In the safe warm retreat of our Rover, we found solace at Paws-on-the-Grill. Jackie’s delight was beyond words when she sniffed out her favorite strand of cooked ham. The food wasn’t a lot to write home about but, in Spencerville, even the ‘Fur Tacos’ tasted like home – so neither of us complained. A doggie bag of ham in one hand and Jackie leaning against me, we walked out to seek comfort in the familiarity of our Rover.

The journey back was peaceful and quiet. Jackie’s snores echoed inside the confines of the Rover. Her head resting on her frisbee, a content smile on her face, the rain tapping gently against the Rover’s roof, we felt the welcoming sense of serenity that made Spencerville home.

As I watched her, I mused on the joy Jackie had brought to us on the trip; her stubborn streak had added a dash of sass on the way, her culinary kryptonite had brought an infectious joy, and even her disdain for the rain had brought us closer. As they say in Spencerville – a journey is best measured in friends rather than miles. Alone had been a decent trip, but with Jackie, it had been priceless. I glanced at the rearview mirror – at Jackie, sleeping peacefully, her breaths rhythmic with her heartbeats. A perfect end to an eventful day. After all, in Spencerville or on a road trip, it’s always the small moments that sum up to a big life. A joyous life – lived loyally, adventurously, and endearingly. Just like Jackie’s!

The End.