Utah

November 2022

This was our first real trip traveling with all three dogs — and it set the tone for everything that came after.

We stayed in an Airbnb tucked deep into the desert, just outside of Moab along the Colorado River, across from Dead Horse Point State Park. There was only one road in and out, winding through cliffs and rough terrain for nearly an hour. By the time we arrived, it felt like we had driven straight out of the real world.

The place itself was a shared house with private rooms and a lot of open land — perfect for dogs. At the time, our crew included Chaos, our German Shepherd, Pepita, our toy doodle, and Kuma, our Akita, who was still a puppy and figuring out the world. The dogs had space to roam, explore, and just be dogs — which immediately took the edge off the trip.

The setting was unexpected in the best way. The property owner had a massive tortoise that slowly patrolled the grounds, occasionally attempting to chase the dogs with zero success. It was strange, funny, and a reminder that this trip was already shaping up to be something different.

Most of our days were simple. We walked the dogs down to the river, let them explore the shoreline, and spent time moving through the landscape at their pace. No schedule. No rush. Just fresh air, space, and quiet.

One afternoon, we rented 4x4s from the owner and took them out along the river. Chaos joined us for part of the ride before we dropped him back at the house and headed out again on our own. The terrain opened up, the views stretched on forever, and for a while, it felt like we had the desert to ourselves. At one point, we ran into a small group of cows crossing the trail — a moment that perfectly summed up the unpredictability of the trip.

Evenings were spent around a shared fire pit with the dogs nearby, watching the sun drop behind the cliffs. The sunsets alone were worth the drive.

This trip wasn’t planned to be anything big. It ended up becoming an unexpected benchmark — proof that slowing down, walking the dogs, and letting the environment shape the experience was more than enough.