Once September rolled into October it was time to get organized, pack up the car, and head north to St. Louis for Katie and Kyle's wedding. Thankfully, Zuzu and Tootie love riding in the car, and they seemed to go with the flow when this particular car ride lasted more than the usual fifteen minutes. With all of our gear stowed in the rooftop cargo carrier, they were quite comfortable sharing the dog bed in the clutter free interior of the car.
Once we crossed the Seven Mile Bridge and made our way through Marathon, they got the hint that this was a serious car ride and settled in for the long haul. We took our time meandering north on backroads and the lesser traveled byways of Florida, stopping frequently to stretch our legs.
Once in northern Florida, it was apparent to the girls that we had left the palm trees behind. They were very interested in smelling the tree trunks of the elms, the oaks, and the maples, perhaps following the almost forgotten scent of the grey squirrel.
An unsuccessful attempt of a quick pose at one of our stops, Tootie was eager to get back in the car and resume her afternoon nap on her soft bed. We had one more overnight stop on this three-day journey to St. Louis, the La Quinta Inn south of Nashville.
Zuzu and Tootie have become La Quinta queens. They enjoying the soft down-filled comforters on the beds, and they really appreciate a room with a view of local wildlife.
Once in St. Louis, we took Zuzu and Tootie to familiar parks and walking trails, they got to see their canine buddies and their foster moms, and they endlessly chased squirrels and rabbits in the backyard.
We joined Val, Paul, and Susan and their vizslas at Canine Country where they ran, romped, and relaxed for several hours.
Zuzu and Tootie love seeing their foster moms, Susan and Val. Susan fostered Tootie and Val fostered Zuzu.
They both have a special bond with Val, however. With Val, you can see the joy in their eyes as they try to leap up into her arms and smother her with kisses. They know she rescued them from the puppy mill and are forever grateful.
Back at the parents' house, the girls either relaxed outside in the sun, Zuzu on her pile of dry grass.
Or they were inside on the parents' soft comforter.
We found a new walking trail in the city of Chesterfield. It seems this city has plenty of tax revenue to build an extensive gravel walking trail with nice boardwalks and bridges through the woods.
We practically had the trail to ourselves, only passing a couple of walkers out enjoying the crisp fall day. The trail was not quite finished as it came to an abrupt end just around the bend. Tootie was not fond of the construction noise and was just as happy to turn around and head back to the car.
Near the trailhead, construction workers were in the process of putting the finishing touches on an outdoor amphitheater, water park, and playground. Across the street there was this rather dramatic sculpture of a man half-buried in the earth.
We kept the girls busy during our two week stay in St. Louis. They did their best to catch up on their sleep whenever they could, especially during our three-day trip back home.
We took a different route, one through Alabama, down alternate US-27 along the west coast of Florida, back down the center of the state on US-27 skirting Lake Okeechobee. On our outbound trip, eager to see the largest lake in Florida, we didn't realize the lake was surrounded by a tall embankment obscuring any view of the lake. Determined to see the lake, we stopped at a park nestled at the base of the dike, climbed the dam and gazed out on...a canal in which a lonely alligator swam and grass as far as you can see.
Zuzu and Tootie were equally unimpressed, especially being out in the rain, so back to the car we went to continue our journey home.
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