Amy was turning 60 and wanted to plan an epic vacation. She considered traveling to Fiji or some other exotic location, but her heart was with her Labrador Retriever, Lucy, an award-winning Dock Diving competitor. She decided that she wanted to travel with Lucy from their home in Kansas to Bakersfield, California so Lucy could participate in a Dock Diving competition hosted by one of their favorite clubs, The Flight Crew Dock Diving Club.
“Lucy is the queen of adventure, and the club is so joyful and fun. The theme of the competition was The Dogfather, like gangsters, and I was looking forward to doing it up big! But I needed to figure out our transportation,” Amy said.
At first, she briefly considered driving there with Lucy in her Jeep. Then, she researched the cost of traveling in a private jet.
“My husband John suggested we look into renting a luxury motorcoach so Lucy and I could travel in comfort and style,” she said. “I researched three firms and Jim from LiTRV got back to me immediately with a suggested itinerary. That really impressed me, and I appreciated that Jim was genuinely interested in learning about Lucy and her Dock Diving competitions.”
What is Dock Diving?
Photo credit: Susan Goldman Photography
Dock Diving is a dog sport where dogs jump from a dock into a large pool to compete in events like distance jumping, vertical jumping, and speed retrieving. The main goal is for a dog to run down the dock and leap to get the farthest distance, the highest height, or the fastest time to retrieve a toy. Although dogs with an inherent desire to jump into the water are naturals, dogs who are agile and strong on their rear legs typically make the best dock diving athletes.
Amy became interested in the training community when Lucy was just 5 months old.
“There are all kinds of dog sports, and I met some women in the training community who introduced me to Dock Diving. Lucy comes from a strong line of American Field Line Pointing Labs, and I thought it would be perfect for her, so we went to watch a competition,” she said. “When Lucy was a year and a half, we attended our first competition in Temecula, California, and we were hooked.”
That was eight years ago, and since then Lucy has won several awards, including 3rd Place Finals at the 2023 DockDogs World Championships in her division in Big Air (Distance Jumping). Being a dock diving dog even helped get her cast in a national Purina Pro Plan commercial.
“I never had to train Lucy…it was more of helping her hone her skills,” Amy said. “We have so much fun, and now we are truly teammates. We also love the camaraderie of the sport and feel fortunate to have met so many great people and friends.”
Traveling in Comfort and Style in a Luxury Motorcoach
Amy had some experience traveling in luxury motorcoaches, but she had never been on a Prevost Marathon before. Marathon motorcoaches are renowned for their impeccable craftsmanship and industry-patented amenities, and Prevost motorcoaches are known for their incredible ride. Much like a 5-star hotel, Amy’s spacious motorcoach rental featured a king master suite with full bath, a second half-bath, an expansive kitchen and plenty of comfortable seating and other high-end amenities.
“I had no idea what to expect except for the photos. My plan was to stay in hotels every other night, but once we began the trip, it became more convenient and comfortable to stay on the motorcoach. It’s ridiculously comfortable, and Lucy and I both slept like babies,” she said.
Amy’s friend, Tara, also joined them on the trip. The “girl’s trip” with Amy, Tara and Lucy turned into a fun adventure.
“Tara is also part of our Dock Diving community, and we planned the trip so that she would meet up with her husband and dogs in California. I also met John in California after the competition. John, Lucy and I traveled in the motorcoach through Las Vegas on the way home to Kansas,” she said.
Grateful for LiTRV’s Private Driver
When you charter a luxury motorcoach from LiTRV, you can have peace of mind knowing that you’re working with a full-service firm. We help you assess which luxury motorcoach option is best for you, plan your itinerary, and also arrange for a private driver so you can relax with family, friends, and pets along your journey.
Our professional drivers are committed to your safety, comfort and convenience. And when there’s an overnight stop, we arrange for the driver to stay nearby so you can enjoy your privacy.
Amy said she was grateful that LiTRV’s driver, Randy, was behind the wheel, but she also felt he went “above and beyond” to make their trip comfortable.
“Randy is an angel on earth. I now consider him a friend, and I am still texting him photos of Lucy,” she said. “A driver can make or break a trip, and Randy was so proactive in so many ways. He was always looking out for us, and he laughed at our corny jokes. He even helped us make the accent lights inside the motorcoach pink, because pink is Lucy’s color.”
When they arrived at the competition venue in Bakersfield, they made quite an impression.
“We pulled into the parking lot, and to see the reaction of our friends and other people we knew, and watch their jaws dropping was priceless,” Amy laughed.
The venue had limited parking, so Amy thought she might stay at a hotel since Tara was meeting her husband and dogs there. But Randy found a quiet, gated RV site nearby and set up the motorcoach so she and Lucy could enjoy their privacy.
“At first, I was nervous about being alone with Lucy, but Randy assured me that he would let his family stay there and that he was nearby if I needed his help. It turned out to be perfect. Those were two of my favorite nights. I had a small yard, and Lucy and I watched the sunsets, and we went for walks every night. I had my own space with my girl to chill after very big days. I will never forget those moments with my dog,” she said.
Addressing Challenges Quickly
With any travel experience, challenges can occur. If that happens, LiTRV strives to resolve them quickly.
During Amy and Lucy’s trip, there was a mechanical issue in Arizona. Fortunately, it happened near a planned stop in Flagstaff where a mechanic worked on the motorcoach for several hours. Jim also drove up from Phoenix to lend his support.
Amy said she was appreciative of Jim and Randy’s efforts to resolve the problem.
“They handled it well,” she said. “While they worked on the motorcoach, Jim arranged for us to have dinner at a fun steakhouse, and we had a great meal. By the time we returned, they had fixed the issue.”
Amy added that Jim and LiTRV were also flexible when she wanted to change the itinerary before the trip started.
“We basically flipped the schedule at the last minute, and they were very accommodating,” she said.
Make Time for Fun
Amy said Lucy will continue to compete in Dock Diving competitions, but she acknowledged that she is getting older.
“Lucy now qualifies for the veteran division, and we’re just going to have fun,” she said. “I believe that if a door opens, and it brings you and your dog joy, you should do it as much as you can.”
Many LiTRV clients travel with their pets. To learn more, give us a call at 800-369-8153, email us info@litrv.com or click on the “Get a Quote” button at the bottom of our home page.
Recent Comments