Say what?
Well we thought it was a good idea at the time and as it turns out it turned out okay after all.
Meet Ace...
I read about Ace in the BCUSA forums, a member there had a neighbor who was terminally ill. She had two dogs and being the neighborly type, he took her dogs in, promising to find good homes for them. Quickly successful at finding the smaller of the two dogs a home, Cadyak, was looking to find Ace a new home. Ace is a pure bred husky and at the time was living in southern Georgia. Cadyak posted about his search for an home for Ace and I replied as did many others. The support was top shelf.
After a time of looking at offers and available assistance Cadyak decided to let Ace come to my home in the great vast expanses of the Northern Minnesota wilderness. Yeah, my backyard that I'm so fond of! With the decision made we started planning how to get him to his new home.
The idea of a dog underground railroad rescue was born, the intent to use BCUSA forum members who'd volunteer to drive a leg of the 1,404 mile journey from south Georgia to northern Minnesota. In order to attract volunteers I decided to do a give away, a Nessmuk double bit that's been featured here on the blog.
A couple days passed as folks spoke up and volunteered. Then an outstanding young man from Madison Wisconsin, Burleaf, who'd already volunteered to drive to Decatur Illinois volunteered to drive all the way to Nashville Tennessee and back again with Ace! This sped the process along dramatically, and another volunteer, Echo4V, spoke up for the run from Atlanta Georgia to Chattanooga, with Cadyak getting Ace from Albany Georgia to Atlanta. I reserved a hotel room for Burleaf in Nashville and everyone set to the road for their pieces.
One by one, leg by leg, transfer by transfer, Ace was getting closer and closer to his final destination.
Some of the pictures from Ace's journey with Echo4V and his son:
Echo4V's son wasn't to happy to see Ace move on to his next leg of the trek, not happy at all!
While Cadyak was making the run up to meet Echo4V, Burleaf had made the long haul from Madison Wisconsin to Nashville Tennessee. During his layover before meeting up he took the time to take in a few sights of local flavor.
From Stones River Battleground:
Then it was on the road again, Nashville to Madison!
Once they arrived in Madison, Ace sure was glad to see this tree!
Having made it back safely it was my turn, so, long before sun up I pointed my old truck south and had at the highway.
Crossing over from Minnesota to Wisconsin the sun finally broke fully over the horizon.
Dropped the hammer and five and half hours later rolled into Burleaf's place to pick up Ace. I think he's probably the best dog I've ever seen at long distance rides. By now he's had so much practice he even tells you when it's time to take a pit stop!
And when he's ready to get rolling again.
He was rather shocked at this though, I guess he's never seen a giant orange moose before.
After many hours on the road we took our last pit stop before getting home. Ace was introduced to Lake Superior. He said "man that is some big water"!
His glamor shot.
And finally meeting the other two members of the pack. A good sniff was had all around.
I want to thank everyone involved in getting Ace to his new home, end to end and everything in between. An exceptional group of people, one and all. I can assure you that everyone will be seeing much more of Ace in the future. A successful BCUSA mission! So here's to you Cadyak, Echo4V, Burleaf, and Ace!
Well we thought it was a good idea at the time and as it turns out it turned out okay after all.
Meet Ace...
I read about Ace in the BCUSA forums, a member there had a neighbor who was terminally ill. She had two dogs and being the neighborly type, he took her dogs in, promising to find good homes for them. Quickly successful at finding the smaller of the two dogs a home, Cadyak, was looking to find Ace a new home. Ace is a pure bred husky and at the time was living in southern Georgia. Cadyak posted about his search for an home for Ace and I replied as did many others. The support was top shelf.
After a time of looking at offers and available assistance Cadyak decided to let Ace come to my home in the great vast expanses of the Northern Minnesota wilderness. Yeah, my backyard that I'm so fond of! With the decision made we started planning how to get him to his new home.
The idea of a dog underground railroad rescue was born, the intent to use BCUSA forum members who'd volunteer to drive a leg of the 1,404 mile journey from south Georgia to northern Minnesota. In order to attract volunteers I decided to do a give away, a Nessmuk double bit that's been featured here on the blog.
A couple days passed as folks spoke up and volunteered. Then an outstanding young man from Madison Wisconsin, Burleaf, who'd already volunteered to drive to Decatur Illinois volunteered to drive all the way to Nashville Tennessee and back again with Ace! This sped the process along dramatically, and another volunteer, Echo4V, spoke up for the run from Atlanta Georgia to Chattanooga, with Cadyak getting Ace from Albany Georgia to Atlanta. I reserved a hotel room for Burleaf in Nashville and everyone set to the road for their pieces.
One by one, leg by leg, transfer by transfer, Ace was getting closer and closer to his final destination.
Some of the pictures from Ace's journey with Echo4V and his son:
Echo4V's son wasn't to happy to see Ace move on to his next leg of the trek, not happy at all!
While Cadyak was making the run up to meet Echo4V, Burleaf had made the long haul from Madison Wisconsin to Nashville Tennessee. During his layover before meeting up he took the time to take in a few sights of local flavor.
From Stones River Battleground:
Then it was on the road again, Nashville to Madison!
Once they arrived in Madison, Ace sure was glad to see this tree!
Having made it back safely it was my turn, so, long before sun up I pointed my old truck south and had at the highway.
Crossing over from Minnesota to Wisconsin the sun finally broke fully over the horizon.
Dropped the hammer and five and half hours later rolled into Burleaf's place to pick up Ace. I think he's probably the best dog I've ever seen at long distance rides. By now he's had so much practice he even tells you when it's time to take a pit stop!
And when he's ready to get rolling again.
He was rather shocked at this though, I guess he's never seen a giant orange moose before.
After many hours on the road we took our last pit stop before getting home. Ace was introduced to Lake Superior. He said "man that is some big water"!
His glamor shot.
And finally meeting the other two members of the pack. A good sniff was had all around.
I want to thank everyone involved in getting Ace to his new home, end to end and everything in between. An exceptional group of people, one and all. I can assure you that everyone will be seeing much more of Ace in the future. A successful BCUSA mission! So here's to you Cadyak, Echo4V, Burleaf, and Ace!
What a lovely story.
ReplyDeleteThanks FS, hows yer dog doing? Fully recovery I hope?
DeleteSo he made it. Mission accomplished. I wouldn't have minded having him myself, but the trip to California would have been even farther, and I doubt he would enjoy the climate here. 98 degrees today.
ReplyDeleteOuch! Man it's hot everywhere.
DeleteFantastic team effort, and very nice of you to give Ace a new home! :)
ReplyDeleteHappy to have him though my kids have quickly commandeered him as I understand it.
DeleteWhat a fantastic story! I am deeply moved by the effort taken to see this dog find a new home.
ReplyDeleteI wish Ace and you many happy trails and years in northern Minnesota!
Thanks to the BCUSA-members for making this possible!
Appreciate that Ron, Ace is doing great so far though he and my old bird dog are still sorting things out.
DeleteI'm glad that it worked out. I saw the posts on BCUSA and if you would have need help going throughCalifornia I would have been all over it. He is a beautiful dog.
ReplyDeleteThanks Hannah!
ReplyDelete