Have Dog, Will Travel - or How We Humiliate Our Dog While She Plots Our Slow, Painful Deaths

Luke has always wanted to take Molly on the motorcycle with him. When we had a quad, she LOVED it and rode on it all the time. Now she jumps up on the seat of any motorcycle she gets near as if to say, take me for a ride!

We took her, a couple of times, up the street to our friends' house but she sat on my lap while I was on the back of Luke's bike and she loved it. But this weekend it's a different story. We have a 2-hour motorcycle trip to New York planned with an overnight camp out, and sure, my mom would be happy to watch her while we're gone (right Mom?) but wouldn't it be more fun to bring her? Of course it would.

Molly's a hit with the motorcycle group we're camping with and when they heard us joking about bringing her, they were all on board. My dad even called last night with a new idea for transporting her in a milk crate lined with foam on the back of Luke's bike. So we've been brainstorming for possibilities and although it hasn't exactly been working out, it's been really funny.

This here is Sunday night at my sister's house. Luke was insistent on trying out one of Andrea's old baby carriers to see if Molly would fit. She fit, but her enormous look of disdain and loathing hung over the top.Luke still thinks that this is the best solution. I say: have you seen Molly actually sit up for more than five minutes at a time? She's more of a lounger and I think it would drive her nuts if she couldn't lay down for two straight hours. Plus there's no room in the carrier for her tail to stick out.

Which led us to the Toto basket (formerly our laundry basket). There's plenty of room for her to lay down, or look out if she chooses, and she can wear her harness so we can tether her to the bike instead of Luke. We fastened the basket down snugly and she actually looked pretty comfy in there. (Don't let that look of disgust fool you, there were treats in that basket. She was happy there.) I'm still worried, though. She's gonna be cold! I've got a fleece jacket for her and even an Old Navy parka with a hood, but I still think she'll be scared and cold. If I was riding on the back so she could lay on my lap, that would be one thing. But all alone in a breezy basket - I don't think she'll go for that. We'll see. I don't think we've given up on the idea yet.