RUFFLY

08/07/2024

Greg, Whimsy and I rode the Trampoline of Death road in Colombia.

It’s 80 km of unpaved road throughout the Andes with 18 curves per kilometer, on a single lane road.

In our case, it was pouring rain so the unpaved road turned into a muddy mess. The route ranges from 600 to 2800 meters above sea level with huge dropoffs - many of which still don’t have guardrails.

We started In Pasto, Colombia and made our way to the start of the infamous stretch - but first, a cup of coffee!

Whimsy was quickly decked out in her K9 Moto Rainfly to protect against the rain and cold.

The first part of the road had decent traction but it soon turned to mud with numerous water crossings caused by the overflowing waterfalls. A beautiful area, that I wish I could have ridden through during a bone dry afternoon!

We made it through with a few close calls from oncoming truck traffic. We stopped at one of the only turnouts for a round of catch and then continued on.

But 4 hours later, we ended in Mocoa where we promptly went to a local vet to prepare Whimsy’s documents to cross the border into Ecuador!

🎗️Thank you to Tractive for helping make GoRUFFLY Around the World possible!

❗Use GORUFFLY40 for 40% off at Tractive.com!
..🎶 New Light (With Oohs & Ahhs) - Instrumental by ADELINE RIVERSyncID: MB01HRZNFSYXFYF

07/28/2024

Had a wonderful time sharing stories from our recent trek across the Darien Gap with Jim Martin of Adventure Rider Radio. Hope you’ll give it a listen!

https://adventureriderradio.com/adventure-rider-radio-episodes/2024/7/25/go-ruffly-across-the-darien-gap-jess-and-greg-stone

Go Ruffly Across the Darien Gap

Jess and Greg Stone follow a route that only those with little choice would go willingly to begin their motorcycle journey into South America.

The Darien Gap is one of the most dangerous routes in the Americas.

This week on Adventure Rider Radio.

Listen in any podcast app or visit the Adventure Rider Radio website. Link below in comments.

07/10/2024

TROLLS.

“The best thing about travel is the people you meet.”

That’s the most common reason people give for what they love most about travel.

I believe that the people who say it believe it, but it always leaves me grappling with a couple nagging questions:

Are the quality of people you encounter abroad somehow better than those at home?

Or are you better as a traveler, which draws out the better in them?

Maybe neither or both, but I think there’s something very human if less polite at play beneath the surface.

A traveler represents something new and different, which elicits interest.

Interest causes people to pay attention and ask questions.

Now, when, in contrast, does that ever happen in everyday, ordinary life?

In ordinary life, you can attract and hold people’s attention only by the hardest, and still they will turn the topic towards themselves at the first breath you take.

But, as a stranger who is different in looks and manner, just being yourself might be interesting enough to tear someone’s attention from the flashing notifications on their phone.

And here’s the point:

What greater dopamine hit to the human metaphysic than receiving other people’s attention just for being yourself and moving through the day?

So, when someone asks what’s the best thing about travel, I believe they mean it when they say “It’s the people you meet.”

But, I wonder if what we really mean is: “It’s that people show interest in me!”

It’s not a polite thing to suggest.

But I think about it often because both Greg and I are quite the opposite.

As dedicated introverts, we’re like trolls under the bridge.

Only not the kind you see in the fairytales because we’re happy to be alone and yet never grumpy if you engage with us – we’re just not likely to initiate the interaction.

Which is why one of the reasons we love to travel with Whimsy – not the best or only, mind you – is because she breaks the ice and elicits interactions.

Through her extroversion we’ve met amazing people who have made our lives and travels immeasurably richer.

But ‘for the people you meet’ isn’t why we travel.

It would be a polite, politic answer to give, but not an honest one.

06/22/2024

If you’re curious what it is like to cross the Darien Gap on foot, watch our 5-part Across the Darien miniseries.

You’ll see how we got the permissions, the SENAFRONT patrol that accompanied us and the hundreds of migrants we encountered along the way.

We are very proud of this series and I sincerely hope you’ll enjoy it!

***We ride from the U.S to Panama in Parts 1-3 and the Darien trek covers Part 4 and 5!

The GoRUFFLY pack welcomes puppy Whimsy, trains her to ride on a motorcycle, and then journeys south through the U.S., Mexico, and Central America to trek ac...

06/14/2024

STORYTELLING.

After months of sharing this journey, we came to a realization.

We were telling the story before we knew what that story was.

Instead of raw and authentic, our weekly realtime episodes felt out of character to how we do things.

To everything else – these posts we write, every RUFFLY collar we make, and K9 Moto Cockpit we build – we try to live by a simple rule:

Do less but better.

But vlogging led us down the opposite path.

We tried all the usual techniques: clickbait titles, trending keywords, and preposterous thumbnails.

Worst of all, feeding the rapacious Algorithm means posting more frequently and producing more publishable minutes, rather than crafting a better story.

So, we went quiet quite simply because we didn’t have something to say.

That is, the story, which we were living out over the long months and hard, dust, muddy miles wasn’t ready to tell.

We trained Whimsy to ride in her Cockpit, traveled through the U.S., Mexico, and Central America, trekked across the Darien Gap, and then reached the foothills outside a small village in Colombia.

That’s where we ended the Across the Darien leg of this journey and had the opportunity to reflect on the most important question:

What story did we live to get here?

Rebounding from the double-barbed tragedy of Greg’s accident and Moxie’s passing.

Then opening wounded hearts to a new puppy to discover her discovering the world as we rolled riot on two wheels and four paws.

And then summoning our moxie more than ever before or imagined to tackle the challenge of crossing the Darien together.

We think the result is a story much better told and more worthy of telling. It’s more modest and far grander than anything we’ve shared before.

It spans eight months and 12,000 kilometers of this still ongoing journey as we try to live extraordinary together every day by making our home and running a business wherever and everywhere we are.

It’s a story in five parts, told as honestly and thoughtfully as we can, and true to our north star of doing less but better.

*** All 5 parts of the GoRUFFLY Across the Darien miniseries are live on YouTube. So watch now or binge this weekend!

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNib4j0pHl43Xt-v326Py5HYjoDS-xKly

05/08/2024

The Knotted Collar is made to go everywhere and look amazing.

The handwoven cotton fabric is soft on your dog’s fur, naturally dyed, colorfast, and covers sturdy industrial nylon webbing. Skilled indigenous women artisans create the elegant, knotted band over 4 to 8 hours in small, home workshops.

05/01/2024

Just because your dog might plop down and snooze wherever they are doesn’t mean that a comfortable bed isn’t just what they need.

It’s a simple equation really, and it works for dogs as well as humans:

Greater comfort → Better sleep → Less irritable → More active

That’s why we think the TenderPaw TREKKER Bedroll is one of the keys to having a happy, healthy, active dog – at home and everywhere you go together.
🛍️ TenderPaw TREKKER Bedroll in Badlands

05/01/2024

NAMES.

She had a truly marvelous name.

We named her in hopes of who she would become, and also that it might help kindle boldness in my wimpy belly.

It was a lot to live up to, but it turned out to be a named that suited her perfectly.

Like a flower dress matched with combat boots and brass knuckles, she wore it brashly and effortlessly right from the start.

Never effortless for me, she taught me to follow her example so that, over the years, my shadow grew taller.

I can’t explain exactly how but I’m certain it’s her name that helped make me strong enough to ride us to the Arctic Ocean together.

Thus was Moxie, which is a good name that she made better: the best you can hope for with names.

Now is the time of Whimsy.

Another hard path for me to follow towards becoming a lighter more joyful version of myself, but likewise a name that suits her flawlessly.

And though they couldn’t wear their names better, Whimsy, like her bareknuckle predecessor, has a million fitting nicknames too.

Wrecking Ball was the first of these, given because of how she would stir and rise throughout the night, throw herself against the opposite side of the metal crate, nearly knocking it from atop the dresser, before collapsing back into deep slumber.

After that came Feather Duster for the most delicate way she wags her tail in excitement, clearing nearby surfaces of mugs, cups, keys, coins, and once even a smoldering cigar in a dirty ashtray.

White Devil is another nickname, given when she first began teething and reaffirmed daily each time she blasts through a mesh door or she chews firewood down to kindling.

One of Moxie’s many names found its way into black ink on Greg’s forearm and surely one of Whimsy’s will too.

But for now, today, we celebrate her first full year of life.

A year in which we traveled 20,000 kilometers with me and crossed a fearsome jungle.

A year that she chewed down to the marrow and slashed to ribbons by swinging her tail like a machete blade.

Happy birthday, Whimsy, and thank you for what you’ve taught me.

04/29/2024

Every dog deserves this extraordinary collar designed for the fashion runway and built for the great outdoors!
🛍️ Knotted Collar in Primrose Pink

04/27/2024

A dog bandana should be just that – a bandana – not a bulky, flowing cape or heavy, scratchy knitted throw.

It should be slender, low bulk, and super easy to wash. And, of course, it should look amazing too!
🛍️ New Horizons TREKKER Bandana in Wildflowers

04/25/2024

Go light, go far, and never go hungry with the travel kibble bag that’s built for backcountry adventures and designed for high street fashion.
🛍️ Kibble to Go Bag in Blackout

04/23/2024

Like you, we believe that every dog and their person deserve to have an extraordinary life together.

If sometimes the motivation is difficult to grab hold of, we think it all starts with having the right tools for the job – gear that’s rugged, stylish, and does good in the world.

Ultimately, inspiration is about living your values every day.

So, if your values include Runway Ready, Outdoor Tough, and Does Good – then you and your dog have a home with us!

🛍️ Knotted Collar

04/22/2024

RUFFLY gear is expertly made by skilled indigenous women artisans, tailors, and weavers in their own home workshops in the Guatemalan highlands.

Our artisans care for their families, earn a good living, and there are no long, dangerous commutes.

04/20/2024

Consciously crafted with Hands, Heart, and Soul.

We believe your dog’s outdoor gear is not like most things you buy.

It should to keep your beloved companion safe by your side – and celebrate the special bond you share to help inspire your extraordinary adventures together.
🛍️ Knotted Collar and Leash - Tailwinds Riptide Blue
🛍️ Only Paw Prints P**p Bag Holder - Seascape

04/18/2024

Like us, you probably believe that your dog’s best days are spent outdoors.

In that case, to get the most from those precious hours, your dog’s gear matters – and nothing so much as their collar.

🛍️ Knotted Collar

04/16/2024

We might be mere mortal humans but our furry superheroes need a stylish cape – or, better still, a slim, active-fitting dog bandana!

🛍️ New Horizons TREKKER Bandana

03/30/2024

Is there any part of this face than you can’t just fall in love with instantly?

🛍️ Knotted Collar in Tailwinds, Woodlands Brown Green

03/30/2024

DRAGONS.

In my perfect world, my silences would speak for me.

I worry about explaining the important things because my words feel so dull and clumsy, never tying together so elegantly as the band around Whimsy’s collar.

Instead, what if a long glance or a slow nod could speak for me?

But nothing goes without saying, so for five days I worried how I could describe what I see or explain why I’m here.

In the jungle, heavy thoughts like these are also slippery and elusive like a Cheshire cat. Especially to a weary mind that’s pack-laden over dozens of kilometers and overwhelmed by what you see and feel.

Now that we’re gone from there, I only want to go back – either to seek answers or evade them longer.

So, what words I have can explain this.

We sought to cross the Darien because we are overland travelers, which means our hearts live where the next hard road leads and from there on a little further.

Our eyes glance a map and become white saucers to see places labeled “There be dragons here”.

So, we asked to cross the ancestral route where the Pan-American still only exists on an old surveyor’s map.

Panama’s national border police, SENAFRONT, gazed to the Colombian side and the dragons they saw there are narcos, militants, and human traffickers.

The migrant route is not safe to travel either, they said, but at least it’s within our borders. We believe in what you’re fundraising for, so we’ll es**rt you.

That’s why and how it happened, but what the experience was like and how to explain the migrants’ long miles of hope, hardship, and desperation? Those words are still hidden someplace in my mind with the label “There be dragons here”.

Sharing a nail scratch of trail and a few morsels of food, my heart ached for these migrants even while my head reminded me how impossibly complex an important issue like immigration is.

So, while I continue to reflect and seek answers, I continue to pursue my mission to raise money for Girl Up and to employ indigenous, Guatemalan artisans to make dog gear for RUFFLY.

Because, if I can do that, then I hope just maybe there might be a few less migrants desperate enough to cross the Darien.

03/27/2024

JUNGLE.

Now we’re in the jungle.

I lay in the still air made thick and heavy under the dense canopy of trees. The sweat rolls in streaks down the sides of my face as I hold dead still, breathing shallow and listening.

The night is many shades from black but the canopy above hides that while the jungle concert rages louder than any other I’ve attended.

Around me the soldiers chatter as they lay in their hammocks. They whisper and rattle with smothered laughter, and slap at the mosquitoes that attack through mesh or at a leg that dangles.

They are sons of this place or have come here and adopted it. They are at home but I am not.

A rustle spreads across the tall treetops and I hold my breath that the breeze might greet us down where ants and spiders and toads creep. It approaches from the open skyline nearby at the river, but the trees obstruct and the vines strangle long before it reaches.

So I lay in the suffocating stillness and I wonder at this strangeness.

Earlier, as we trekked along the riverbank and the daylight slashed through the break in the canopy, this was an optimistic place full of possibility. But now, in the night darkness camped among the sentry of trees beside the narrow trail, it is a prison labyrinth.

Beautiful, yes, but it is terrible here and I want out. It is the panic of hands on my chest forcing the breath out.

But beside me Whimsy hibernates in a happy pur. She has completely given over to exhaustion and won’t stir again for hours.

She is not from here as we are not, but her paws have already found firm footing even as she trudges through swamp and clambers over wet boulders. Tomorrow her tail will wag again as she races back and forth between the front and rear of our marching line.

Greg calls her ‘trail fox’ and I can see that he is proud of her.

We are not from here and our hearts live someplace far away. But we are here now.

This jungle is a wonderful and terrible place.
🎗️Thank you to these wonderful supporters for helping to make our Darien Gap crossing possible:
Senafront Panamá
Tractive
Triumph Motorcycles
Near Zero Outdoor Gear

03/25/2024

I’m not saying we did a DNA test on Nena, but if we did I guarantee it would show 5% jackrabbit!

03/23/2024

Simplicity is the rule of thumb for a wonderful outing with your dog. The world offers endless stimuli to keep you both running around and panting for hours. That’s why the trick is to bring along only what you need to THRIVE – and that’s the purpose of our Woven Crossbody Bag.

🛍️ Woven Crossbody Bag in Bushfire Red

Use coupon code RUFFLYGEAR20 to get 20% off your purchase!

03/18/2024

Best. Face. Ever.

🛍️ Knotted Collar in Tailwinds, Bushfire Red

03/16/2024

You might sometimes feel like Jan Brady complaining that your dog gets all the attention. Well, for us, it is all about your dog! But we have some gorgeous accessories for you – so that you can match your dog!

“Marsha! Marsha! Marsha!”

🛍️ Coin Purse in Wildflowers

03/15/2024

VACATION.

If you’re reading this, it means we’re out of office.

You’ll know that’s a hard place for us to reach if you’ve been with us on this journey.

Because during these two years of GoRUFFLY, we’ve worked – as we’ve traveled – in deserts and on mountain tops, in tree houses, dry cabins, beach huts, and on boat decks.

Even with a broken hand and a broken heart after losing Moxie.

We’ve brought RUFFLY everywhere we’ve gone and on every activity: on kayaks, on camp chairs, and on the sides of gravel highways.

We even did some work while camped at the Arctic Ocean – but then we closed the laptops and poured ourselves a drink.

Wherever our bikes have roamed, a flicker of signal reached, and while our batteries lasted, you can be sure we did some work there.

It’s the only way to run a small business, treat your customers right, and build something while you travel around the world with a dog.

But reading this now means we’ve finally clocked out and flipped our phones to airplane mode.

Have we gone on holiday?

Yeah, right! We’ve ventured into the Darien jungle.

We’re on foot and carrying only our backpacks, a Kibble to Go Bag, and maybe a machete.

This trek will take us on jungle trails, trudging through muddy swamps, and wading through rivers; through rain and in heat and under a tree canopy thicker than daylight; up a mountain, down the other side, and then to the seacoast where fishermen, beach tourists, and desperate migrants all cohabitate for a moment in time until each follows their own pursuits.

During what will be a weeklong journey of hacking through jungle, avoiding cobras, and drinking from springs, we’ll be completely cut off and beyond coverage.

So, for just one week, GoRUFFLY – which is RUFFLY on wheels, feet, and paws – will be out of office.

Our team remains hard at work in their home workshops in the highlands of Guatemala – but you won’t hear from us again until we reach the other side.

– or else if we can sn**ch a hint of signal through the leaves of two banana trees while extending the phone skyward, me standing on Greg’s shoulders atop a dirt mound while fire ants feast at his ankles…

03/12/2024

LISTS.

Life has always been written in lists.

As we prepare to trek across the Darien, there are packing lists and meal lists, gear wish lists, and shopping lists, and to do lists for RUFFLY.

Each list has a limited purpose. It’s reviewed, checked off, and then forgotten about completely.

But these lists make me think about another list with a different purpose. It’s one that began when we did, has never been checked off, and grows longer with each year together.

We call it “Our Greatest Hits” and it’s the list of things we’ve said to one another – loving, silly, nasty, goofy, and crude – recorded always through tears of joy and laughter.

Like an old photo album, months pass without perusing it, even as new snapshots are added all the time.

Nearly at the top of our list – the first item isn’t one to be shared – it begins when Greg was waxing philosophical until he noticed I had fallen half-asleep.

“Just pretend I'm listening and go,” is what the list records me saying.

A few days later, I pointed to an unfinished slice of pizza and our list records his explanation:

“You make me lose my appetite.”

There’s me telling Greg: “I thrived when you weren’t here.”

Him to me: “If you stopped riding I would hate you but I would still love you.”

The list records me lamenting: “Do you realize we’ve never gotten to break up?”

And me again to him: “Anytime you open your mouth I'm not having a nice time.”

Him firing back: “I say it with the force of a thousand f*ck-yous.”

On another line, there’s me: “You're going to give me a nightmare.” then him: “About what?” and me again: “About your face.”

Further down the list, there’s him: “I would suffer twice as much just to make you suffer half as much.”

And him again: “My favorite version of you is the one that’s sleeping.”

Me asking: “Do you feel the 7-year itch?” and him replying: “Yes, for like 6 years.”

And him complaining: “I don’t feel heard.” And me responding: “So then let me talk so that you can feel heard.”

And further down, it records an apology – an actual apology – from one of us to the other:

“I’m sorry that my life screws your life.”

03/11/2024

If we were a less confident brand, we never would have allowed Moly to wear such a gorgeous bow in her fur that steals attention away from her RUFFLY harness!

03/08/2024

These hands make magic. They create the gorgeous and incredibly durable knotted band that adorns every one of our collars, leashes, and harnesses.

The knotted band is their heart and soul, and these hands make it. Now tell me that isn’t magic?!

03/07/2024

What do we mean when we say “Live Extraordinary Together”?

It’s means getting out and experiencing the world together with your dog. Enjoying the sunshine, the warm breeze, the life happening all around you.

Our role in that is to make gear in a way that suits your values.

So that your dog’s gear does good for the people who make it and the planet.

Because your dog should wear your values – beautifully!
🛍️ Knotted Collar and Leash in Tailwinds, Bushfire Red
🛍️ Only Paw Prints P**p Bag Holder in Daybreak

02/20/2024

LIFTING.

I was a late bloomer.

Which I suppose means it took me longer than most to hit the ground running.

Before I could run, there were fears to overcome, self-confidence to build, and motivation to discover.

Eventually, my love for dogs, riding, and travel produced the motivation and courage to launch RUFFLY and start this journey.

But achieving my full velocity remains a work in progress.

So, when I discovered Girl Up, I glimpsed a vision of myself getting a leg up sooner.

Just a leg up, that’s all. Because no one can do the hard work for another, nor should they.

The girls do the hard work of lifting themselves, Girl Up just helps improve the launch conditions.

That’s why the purpose of this trip is to fundraise for Girl Up. But I’m also hoping it’ll help inspire a young girl or two to tackle their own absurdly fabulous dream.

This young girl who lives in a homestead outside a village in Nicaragua watched me crash my motorcycle out front of her home.

She came out and joined her brothers to help me lift my bike.

Throughout the morning as we rested after my crash, I watched her watching Whimsy who becomes untethered with excitement after every crash.

Fear of this big white dog slowly became curiosity. Curiosity became daring to extend a hand and stroke her ears and cheeks.

When her moment comes to take a risk and follow a dream, will she remember sitting on purple Tuskarossa with white Whimsy behind her?

Damn I hope so!
My goal is to raise $100k for Girl Up. Please donate what you can - https://fundraise.unfoundation.org/give/356968/