Solo touring could be enjoyable however touring with a companion is all about making recollections with one other particular person. Especially when your journey buddy is your pet pooch, you’re assured to have the time of your life whereas exploring the world. Jess Stone, a biker and traveler has been touring across the globe together with her 6-year-old German Shepherd named Moxie. However, Moxie left Stone with some heartfelt recollections because the canine died after some issues from a routine operation, per PEOPLE.
“Moxie just died,” Stone instructed CNN. “And we were not there. And the guilt that I felt and the grief that I had. My world just shattered.” Her husband Greg, who would typically accompany Moxie and Stone by driving behind them, was met with an accident on the Pan-American Highway in March. He suffered a number of accidents and simply two weeks after that her beloved canine companion handed away from issues to a routine surgical procedure. With Greg nonetheless recovering, Stone was left alone to proceed their worldwide multi-year journey which they’ve titled “GoRUFFLY Around the World.”
Stone and her husband continued to doc their lengthy tour on Instagram and YouTube the place she revealed that she had determined to take a break from their traditional route and as an alternative go on a visit from Seattle to San Diego to take a look at individuals doing completely different actions with their dogs and discover their completely different bonds. “It was so extraordinary riding with Moxie. We formed this special bond together. I knew that there were other people doing different things with their dogs that also had that bond,” Stone mentioned. “So I thought, wouldn’t this be a good way to celebrate Moxie and to sort of work through my own grief.”
This impressed Stone to hit the street as soon as once more on her BMW motorbike with a brand new furry companion. But it was tough for her to seek out the precise canine to accompany the couple on their journeys however they lastly settled with a 9-week-old White Swiss Shepherd who was named Whimsy. “I’m a dog person,” Stone continued. “I have a dog business. I have a cockpit and I love riding with my dog so I knew that eventually I needed to get a dog. It just had to happen.”
Whimsy was new to all of the bike journeys so she needed to be educated to journey alongside Stone on the bike and get used to sporting goggles which was the toughest a part of the coaching course of. Thankfully, by way of her follow journey, Whimsy wasn’t fussy in any respect. “She did so well,” Stone praised her new pooch. “It was like she was born for this. Now I’m riding with Whimsy. We’ve resumed our journey. We’re going to continue going south, following in the paw prints of Moxie and head down to the Antarctic.”
With Whimsy by their aspect, that they had a brand new schedule of “hanging out, resting and sleeping. It’s completely different driving with a puppy than it’s with an grownup canine,” she instructed CNN. “Moxie was a year and a half when we started. She was finished with her teething phase and she had a bit more staying power. Whimsy is like a fluffy puppy. Greg and I need to slow down ourselves. Having Moxie pass away like that — it was so unexpected. So we know that bad things can happen.”
Stone, her husband Greg and Whimsy, the new addition to their family, are all set to travel to Mexico from Nevada before traveling through South and Central America. They also plan to ride to the edge of Argentina before flying over to South Africa and by then, Whimsy will be over a year old and more suited for long-distance travel. Their audience on social media has already welcomed Whimsy with wholesome comments and lots of love.
“It’s just wonderful how everybody has sort of rallied behind Whimsy,” Stone joked. “Everybody was just so thrilled that we were able to sort of bring a new joy back into our lives like this and continue the journey with her. As I watch Whimsy, I feel like my heart is light. It just makes me happy to share this again. Even if it’s not with Moxie, I’m glad that I’ve got this new co-pilot. I feel renewed.” We will proceed to keep watch over Whimsy’s journey together with her new household and keep in mind Moxie as effectively.
