Day One route — Melbourne, FL to Mobile, AL
Starting out June 21, 2021, from Melbourne, Florida, we were confident for our first day of driving. We previously stayed in Mobile, Alabama, when we moved Cross Country with Three Dogs.
We had a lot of last-minute things to do, including loading things the movers wouldn't transport — plants, liquids from the garage, and our classic Karmann Ghia — and dropping off our Mini Cooper with a friend who agreed to ship it for us. We've always used UShip for transporting vehicles and have had good success.
The Pack
Loading Up
Ginger and Ellie, ready to go |
We loaded Ginger, our 11-year-old Jack Russell mix, and Ellie, our 85-pound Great Dane puppy mix, along with beds, toys and food and set out for Mobile. |
On the Road
The Drive
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Because we got on the road later than we hoped, we had some scary moments driving after dark in a thunderstorm while towing a trailer. We finally arrived at TownePlace Suites Mobile after what should have been an 8.5-hour drive, but in reality was more than 10. |
That radar reading |
Summer driving in the south and midwest brings thunderstorms, hurricanes and heavy rain. It's best to have emergency supplies on hand just in case — and always check the radar before you set out, especially when towing.
Night One
The Hotel
We reserved the room for $110.00 and paid a $100 pet deposit — that doubled the room rate, but having made a trip across the country before, we were expecting the up-charge.
"In the middle of the night this giant puppy decided she wanted to sleep in the bed too, and we woke up with Ellie bouncing all over us like she'd forgotten she wasn't a lapdog."
We had really been looking forward to another meal at Briquettes Steakhouse, where we had an amazing meal on the last night of our move from Washington to Florida — but after the long, stressful drive, all we wanted to do was sleep.
With good planning, a trip with your dogs can be memorable with little stress. Check out the Cross Country with Three Dogs series for a full guide on booking pet-friendly hotels and building your emergency kit.
The full trip overview
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