Our seventh road trip had a bit of flair—we covered five cities this time. We started in Tampa and eventually made our way to Palmetto, with all sorts of scenic detours and funny moments in between. My friend had been on her own travels and flew back into Tampa, so we coordinated to meet up and stay overnight. Naturally, we chose a hotel so we could recharge, reorganize, and rehydrate (mostly Ace–hydration is part of his brand).
The first stop was International Plaza Mall. Which means exercise. Yes, mall walking absolutely counts. And since we were there, we put in some escalator practice just to keep everything sharp. Ace handled it with the cool composure of someone who reads the escalator manual for fun.
After a quick lunch and a snack (because one meal is never truly one meal), we headed to Bayshore Animal Clinic to see Dr. Panzarella. Sadly, our timing was off—Dr. P was not available. So, we simply said, 'Next time, Dr. P! We'll catch you on the rebound."
Then came Pinellas Park. I have thoughts about Pinellas Park. Let's just say the landscaping was gorgeous—top-tier palm trees, perfectly trimmed hedges—but the location was not my favorite. I'll leave it at that.
The highlight of the trip was meeting up with Ace's puppy raiser, Laura, at the Dali Museum. That's our second reunion this year. And what did we do? We climbed and descended the helix staircase multiple times. Let me just tell you—climbing a DNA-shaped staircase with a guide dog and two enthusiastic humans feels like an Olympic event. But Ace was a champion. He stayed fully in work mode and didn't even think about doing the dramatic "reunion leap." I reassured her that she can absolutely see Ace up close—he will work professionally, then enjoy social time once released. And that's exactly what happened.
Inside, we admired Dali's masterpieces—melting clocks, surreal landscapes, the whole dreamlike universe. Then we slipped out back into the courtyard where I removed Ace's harness and handed the leash to Laura. And the two of them? Pure sunshine. Soft tail wags, nose nuzzles, quiet joy—not a single dramatic soundtrack required.
The next day, we drove to Ellenton and toured the Gamble Plantation Historic State Park, complete with a 174-year-old staircase. Yes, we climbed it. And yes, we crossed it off the list. Ace conquered that one too—apparently ancient architecture is simply another day in his resume.
To wrap up the trip, we stopped by Dogs Inc. We wandered the street fair, chatted with vendors, and I ended up making a fleece infinity-shaped tug toy while catching up with friends. Ace breezed past the food trucks without a hint of desire—he was on duty and he knew it. Meanwhile, Dogs Inc staff spotted us from afar with expressions somewhere between pride, joy, and perhaps "Look at Ace being a whole gentleman!"
A few came to say hello, of course. Because Ace is Ace. The kind of dog whose reputation enters a room before he does.
And that concluded our wonderful five-city journey. Each stop meaningful, each mile earned. Now we're already looking forward to road trip number eight—in just a few weeks!
Another chapter in the adventure. Another stamp in Ace's imaginary guide dog passport. Another story for the book.