Imagine going about your day and seeing someone traveling on their motorcycle with a German Shepherd on the back.
That’s what content creator Jess Stone has been doing. She’s ten months into a trip around the world with her pup, Moxie. “Every car that rides up beside us, [the people inside] take out their phones, almost causing accidents because they’re trying to get the shot,” she told CNN Travel. “It’s hilarious.”
Traveling the World
Across the trip, the pair are traveling around 90 different countries. The trips spans the Americas, Africa, Europe, and Asia.
They first set off in March last year, and Jess’ husband Greg rides just behind them. “I am always in the front,” she explained. “I want to go through the obstacles first.”
The couple lived in Liberia over a decade ago, and it was here that Jess, originally from Canada, first learned how to ride a motorcycle.
When she felt comfortable, they went on a motorcycle trip from North to South America lasting eight months. A few years later, they moved to Guatemala, and met Moxie when they viewed a litter of German Shepherd puppies nearby. “She picked me 100%,” said Stone, “She was there at my heels just waiting for me to love her.”
Designing a Custom Carrier
While they wanted to include Moxie as they continued to travel, they didn’t want to use a sidecar or a trailer. Instead, the couple designed the K9 Moto Cockpit, a motorcycle dog carrier.
“Everybody always asks how long it takes to teach your dog how to ride,” says Stone. “Honestly, it took Moxie the weekend.
“It took me a lot longer to feel comfortable having that much weight on the back, because I’d never rode [sic] with a passenger.”
Once both Jess and Moxie became comfortable, they decided to travel again. Jess aims to raise $100,000 for the nonprofit Girl Up, a girl-centered leadership development organization, through their current trip.
You can keep up with Jess, Moxie, and Greg through their YouTube channel and their Instagram page too.
