When we first set out on the tour, as excited as we were to be traveling, we were very aware of the reality that we were going to be on the road in a car, like, a lot. Yet, we were lucky to ease into road-trippin’ by driving through the east coast. Our journey to New Hampshire from Maine was a perfect example of that.

After spending a couple nights in a holding pattern in parking lots at a Cabela’s in Maine then a Walmart in New Hampshire, we finally packed up the car with drinks and snacks for the road and a hour or so drive later, we found ourselves already in Portsmouth – 68 miles later! We didn’t even get a chance to start eating our Peanut Butter m&m’s. Sad, I know.

At the Walmart parking lot, Noel had her lowest moment of the tour. While she’s a well-adjusted kitty now, at only two weeks into the tour, she was still a little apprehensive about being transferred to and from the trailer. When I was bringing her to the truck from the trailer, she wiggled her way out of my arms and made a run for under the trailer. Tyler fortunately grabbed her, scooped her up and began walking her toward the truck again. That was when, in a panic, one of her claws punctured his neck. Yep, you read that right. In one side, out the other. Later our friends Seth and Sally would go on to joke that we should have looped a hoop through for a nice neck piercing. It took time but Tyler eventually forgave her. I mean it’s not like she did it intentionally. Since then she’s adapted to different environments, and we hold her differently when transporting her to avoid any wounds.