My name is Mike Minnick and I set off a couple years ago on an epic adventure to see the country and change my life. I had been in Austin, TX for nearly 8 years and had become complacent and unsatisfied as a bartender. I decided I was way overdue for an adventure. Of course I couldn’t leave my best fuzzy friend, Bixby, behind, so I bolted a doggie crate to the back of my Yuba Mundo Cargo Bike and I set out, emBARKing on what would become not only an adventure, but a mission.
I started from the eastern most town in the United States, Lubec, ME. Bixby and I headed down to Key West Florida and from there to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. We celebrated Willie Nelson’s 81st Birthday in Austin, and then rode on to my hometown of Tulsa, OK. A few days later we cycled up to Denver, CO and eventually all the way to Blaine, WA at the Canadian border. Now we are headed south through Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Big Sur and San Luis Obispo, where I write from today.
Bringing my best friend along with me on this epic two-wheeled journey, was the best decision I could have made. Without Bixby, I would not have made this trip on a bicycle. She’s a 50 pound shelter dog (Border Collie Mix) from Austin, TX, so finding a cargo bike that could haul us both was a game changer. In return for taking my pup on this amazing adventure and playing fetch in the most beautiful places in the country, she introduces me to everyone. People who would otherwise never give me the time of day, stop in their tracks when they see Bixby on my bicycle. They genuinely want to know what we’re doing.
I’m not a shy person, but having this adorable little ice breaker with me has introduced me to so many people and started so many conversations. My trip would not nearly have been as meaningful without her. She has also given me a mission.
Bixby and I want to spread the word about shelter dogs and what a prize they are. We promote animal adoption and get people to support local shelters all across the US. Having been to over 100 shelters across the country, we have certainly learned a lot about what works and doesn’t work to help our furry friends. Our website, wheresbixby.com lets people follow our journey and keep in touch. We hope that our story will inspire people all over the country to find forever families for furry friends like Bixby.
We’ve also learned a lot about the trials of travel with dogs. Hotels can be challenging, as many require ridiculous non-refundable fees all while claiming to be pet friendly. When I ask the house cleaners what the money goes to they’ll usually say nothing. It’s a fee, just because. That being said, hotels are expensive, and having Bixby with me has gotten me invited into so many people’s homes and lives. Bixby also protects me when we camp in the woods; she lets me know when anything approaches. When I go into grocery stores, she keeps watch over our bike and belongings. When I get lonely or frustrated from all the many miles on the road, she’s there to remind me that that I’m not alone and that simply throwing a ball can really make her day.
I do have to highlight Doris Day’s Cypress Inn at Carmel by the Sea. This is a very special place. Not only are they extremely dog friendly, but even their restaurant welcomes dogs. Sure there’s a separate pet-free section, similar to smoking sections of a time now past, but in the more abundant pet area of this nice restaurant, the dogs facilitate conversations between people! Guests from all over the world begin talking to each other because one guy thinks another guest’s dog is cute. Pretty soon its: where are you from?
Today I’m a long way from where I came from. Prior to this adventure, I had let many opportunities fly by me and accepted the status quo. I was a chain smoker and extremely unhealthy. Many years ago my truck broke down by Big Bend National Park. As a result, I met two brothers on a cros- country bike ride. I was so inspired by what they were doing, but I told myself I could never do that, thinking that I was too old, too out of shape, smoked too much. But Bixby told me “Dreams are Like Sticks, You just have to chase them.”
This amazing little creature has completely changed my life, and now its nearly two years since we hit the road and traveled 8,350 miles through 31 states. My dreams are bigger than ever. I quit smoking. I’m healthier than I’ve been in many years. At 39 (my birthday was last Tuesday) I’m so much younger than I was 10 years ago, and my life is so much more fun. Once I started actually following my sticks, my dreams are coming true.
Dogs are amazing this way. Pets are amazing this way. In that fancy hotel in Carmel, I never saw a dog fight. There’s a good energy there, and the dogs sense that. We’ve seen wonderful things at shelters all across the US. When you adopt a dog, you’re adding a member to your family and the thought of leaving that family member behind to go on vacation, for me, isn’t worth it. Working your vacation to include your dog is awesome, and the bond with your best friend will just be that much stronger. So Hug Your Dog, they love you.
Mike Minnick is a dog lover from Texas who has been traveling across the US with his rescue dog, Bixby. He’s been featured in press all across the country, and his website wheresbixby.com tells the whole story.
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