Traveling with Max: Pacific Coast and Phoenix

I soooo enjoy being back out on the road! A month in Seattle hanging out with Keith-n-Sarah and getting to know Savas was a ton of fun, but after five weeks I was getting restless to continue on my journey. Here's the first post of what may become another six-week roadtrip.

Max in the Van

Traveling with a kitten is certainly a new experience. I need to stop every few hours for play-time to keep him engaged and happy. (Admittedly I don't mind the play breaks!) The van is kitten-configured: a covered litter box is on the floor in front of the passenger seat; a large soft-sided carrier is on the seat, generally unzipped for free access; and a custom "cat shelf" of 1/2 plywood rests between the dashboard and passenger seat-back, affixed with Velcro and clothesline. This carpet-covered shelf gives Max a scratching surface as well as a view out the windows. It generally keeps him off the dashboard -- the only place with a better view of the road. In between the front bucket seats there's as cushiony cat bed in the air-condition stream. In the back there's a food and water dish in the door-well of the back slider, where they won't make a mess if they spill (not a problem so far).

Yes, I let him roam free in the van while I'm driving. Generally he hangs out in the large carrier on the front seat or on the counter-top behind the driver's seat. He's free to grab food or drink or use the litter box as needed, and overall seems pretty content while we're driving. If he gets restless and needs to play, we just pull into a rest stop for a break. I've been getting him out for a bit of exploration on his harness most days, which he seems to REALLY enjoy. I'm becoming convinced that you can train a cat to do pretty much anything a dog can do. Cats are far more portable than most people believe.

Fearless Max and our new dog friends

We've been exploring all sorts of new places. Since I don't have a permanent home base right now, we get to stay with a bunch of different people under different circumstances. As a result, Max has been exposed to a variety of other animals -- with great results. I'm hoping for my Mad Max to be a cautious but fearless cat and so far he's exceeded my expectations.

In Salem OR we stayed with Sarah and her grandmother and two energetic young shitzu pups. (I believe this was Max's first-ever dog encounter.) At first we left him in his carrier so everyone could share their smells. He hissed and spitted and struck out (in his carrier) a bit at first, so we kept the animals separated during the visit. A few days later we stayed at Ken Lewis' place in Danville CA with three high-energy kids and an even more high energy chihuahua/terrier mix. Max was out of his carrier and roaming freely around the house with the dog, but he pretty much kept his distance. The last few days we've been staying with Donna and her dog Haley in Scottsdale AZ. After just a few skittish moments, Max discovered that a well-behaved dog can be fun to play with. They play hide-n-seek and swat-the-tail and hide-in-the-toy-basket. In another day or two I could imagine them sleeping in the same bed. They're adorable.

Non-cat-related encounters

I'm so pleased to have such great friends and family all over the country. I've been looking forward to a visit with Marina and Harry for ages, and finally getting back to San Luis Obispo for a visit makes me feel recharged and hopeful and well, just connected. The feeling is hard to describe but I am SO grateful that they are part of my family.

I'm also extremely lucky to have such a great brother. Paul drove 90 minutes to rescue me after a VERY stupid and dangerous mistake, when I ran out of gas on I-10 outside of Phoenix. Though I could have phoned the auto service, Paul and Donna drove into the night to meet me at a rest stop with a gas can. Then Donna -- whom I'd just met -- hosted Max and me VERY comfortably in her gorgeous new home. I couldn't have imagined a nicer welcome and I can only hope to repay the favor someday soon.

I debated about even coming to Phoenix for a visit. I left after high school graduation in 1988 and only came back for a few brief visits in the past 20 years. Due to the magic of Facebook, I've been in touch with a handful of old high-school friends recently and we arranged to connect in person over drinks while I was in town. It's amazing how little folks change after 20 years! It's been a lifetime since we last spoke, but I really enjoyed our easy conversation over a few beers even after all this time. I hope to stay connected and possibly reconnect with a few more really old friends in a future visit. I'm glad I made the stop. (Photos of these folks posted to Facebook.)

RECAP
24 June

- Depart Seattle area

- Portland OR: visit with Sue Gemmell and family (2 kids, 2 chickens, guinea pig, lizard, frog)

- Salem OR: stay the night with Sarah Willsey's grandparents (2 Shitzu puppies)

25 June

- Redwood Natl Park, CA: camping

26 June

- Danville CA: stay the night with Ken Lewis and family (3 kids, terrier/chihuahua mix)

27-29 June

- San Luis Obispo CA: visit with Marina Borgstrom/Harry Gilmore

30 June- 1 July

- Phoenix AZ: visit with brother Paul Dressel and GF Donna Wagoner (and dog Haley)

- Reunion with HS friends Lee Geller, Michele Rua, Dennis Putscher

- Lemonade with Zach's brother Jonathan Price

NEXT UP (subject to change)
- Arcosanti AZ

- Mesa Verde CO

- Chaco Valley NM

- Santa Fe NM

- Taos NM