In this episode of “The Journey of My Mother’s Son” podcast, Sandy and I talk about our travels through California and the loss of our best travel companion, Youk.

The end of April was very difficult for us and we’re still working through the grief process. Youk crossed the Rainbow Bridge on April 24, 2024. It was certainly the most difficult thing that we’ve had to deal with since we’ve been traveling. Youk brought joy to such a large part of lives. We literally planned our life around his schedule and well-being. In return, he gave us unconditional love and countless memories that will last the rest of lives.

He was a larger-than-life personality who impacted the world in ways we never could have imagined. Countless people from all over the world have reached out to us since his passing to let us know how much they loved our best-selling author pup.

In addition to Youk, we talk about our travels through several national parks in California (Joshua Tree, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Yosemite, and The Redwoods), our project at the Southern California Railway Museum, our night under the Golden Gate Bridge, our Pacific Coast Highway Adventure, and of course, reconnecting with friends.

We’re still loving our nomad life, but it certainly has been an adjustment as our pack shrank from three to two.

To read my full blog about Youk’s last ride, click here.