Michael and his beautiful husky pup Sox have been traveling across the US on a motorcycle adventure of a lifetime. They’ve been to national parks all over the country and have no plans to settle down anytime soon. It’s clear they’re best friends who have a thirst for adventure and love exploring nature together. If you’ve been looking for a heartwarming story during these difficult times, we hope this one makes you smile!
Many people dream of traveling their home country or the world, but Michael made this dream a reality. We only have a short time on this planet, so why not color outside the box and make it amazing? That’s what Michael and Sox have been doing, and they inspire people every day to follow their hearts. Not only does Michael get to do what he loves, but it also seems Sox is living his best life, too!
“Riding on the motorcycle and just looking back at my best friend enjoying the wind in his hair, there’s no way to describe it,” Michael says.
Sporting goggles and a helmet for safety, Sox rides on the back of the motorcycle like he was born to do it! He looks like a champ riding with his dad, and people can’t believe how well he took to it.
“Sox is almost 10 years old; I’ve had him for about 9.5 years. When I first got Sox, I had no idea the journey that we were about to start on.”
They’ve driven over 75,000 miles now, and it all began in the beautiful state of Hawaii. Michael’s always wanted to live there, so he took a big leap of faith and decided to go. He didn’t have a job, car, or even a house before flying there, but he did have the most important thing – his best friend.
The Aloha State, where dreams really do come true
“When we moved off to Hawaii, I knew I wouldn’t be able to bring my car. I was just planning on bringing my motorcycle. I needed to sell my car in order to have money to actually move there and try to get settled. That was pretty much the deciding factor where I was like, ‘Okay, I’ve got to teach my dog how to ride a motorcycle,’” Michael explained.
View this post on Instagram
Michael says that to make Sox feel comfortable on the bike, he started training him slowly. First, they spent a lot of time in the driveway, just allowing Sox to sit on the bike while the engine ran. This helped him get used to the noise and feel of the bike. Michael also shifted the bike back and forth to mimic the motion of driving it.
Next, Michael sat on the motorcycle, putting it in neutral and letting it roll down the driveway. That way, Sox could get a feel for the whole motorcycle riding experience. They spent hours each day repeating these simple steps. Once Sox showed Michael that he felt ready, they started riding around the neighborhood together.
“So, that was a very slow process; truth be told, it was probably over three months before I was actually feeling comfortable riding around the neighborhood with him.”
People often say they can’t believe he hops right on, but of course, it took a little training to get him there. Now, he seems like a natural – he’ll even run to the motorcycle and hop on when he wants to ride!
“We started driving all over the Big Island. There was no place we wouldn’t go. We went to the most beautiful waterfalls. We drove to these incredible valleys. Every adventure that I did, I had Sox. In fact, when people would see me if I ever didn’t have him with me, their first question was, ‘Where is Sox?’” Michael said.
The motorcycle adventure continues.
They spent five years traveling in Hawaii on their motorcycle adventure. After a while, though, Michael longed to explore other parts of the US. He’d always dreamed of seeing all 50 states, so he started planning their next destination.
Wanting to explore the desert, he decided on Southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico. They eventually made it to Utah and Nevada, and oftentimes, they were the only vehicle on the horizon! It’s so sparse and desolate there, so that’s not too surprising. When they took breaks, Michael would let Sox just run free and be a Husky for a while. For both of them, it was quite a liberating experience.
View this post on Instagram
They’ve explored the west coast also, driving all the way to Washington. There, Sox got to see the ocean and run through the vast wilderness. The adorable duo eventually made it to Big Bend National Park in Texas and saw a deer run right in front of them! When Michael reviewed footage later from Sox’s helmet camera, he could tell the dog was following the deer’s movements across the field. It made the adventure even more special to know his best friend was taking it all in with him.
“We’ve done 42 states and 41 out of the 62 national parks. When people ask, ‘When are you going to go home,’ I can’t give them an answer anymore. Because at this point, I can see us doing this for the foreseeable future. There’s a big world out there, and I’d love to explore all of it with Sox.”
Michael says that what started as an ordinary friendship between man and dog turned into something incredible. They’re sharing a motorcycle adventure of a lifetime, crossing off their bucket list for two together.
Final thoughts on the man taking his dog on a cross-country motorcycle adventure
It’s not every day you see a man driving his motorcycle with a dog in tow, but that’s just how these two roll. For them, every day is a chance for a new adventure and another national park waiting to be explored. We can’t wait to see where their travels take them next!
Would you go on a motorcycle adventure with your dog? We definitely would!
Community
