Biker tragically loses her canine travel buddy but finds solace in a new furry friend

Solo traveling might be fun but traveling with a companion is all about making memories with another individual. Especially when your travel buddy is your pet pooch, you are guaranteed to have the time of your life while exploring the world. Jess Stone, a biker and traveler has been touring around the globe with her 6-year-old German Shepherd named Moxie. However, Moxie left Stone with some heartfelt memories as the dog died after some complications from a routine operation, per PEOPLE.

“Moxie just died,” Stone told CNN. “And we were not there. And the guilt that I felt and the grief that I had. My world just shattered.” Her husband Greg, who would often accompany Moxie and Stone by riding behind them, was met with an accident on the Pan-American Highway in March. He suffered several injuries and just two weeks after that her beloved canine companion passed away from complications to a routine surgery. With Greg still recovering, Stone was left alone to continue their worldwide multi-year journey which they have titled "GoRUFFLY Around the World."

Stone and her husband continued to document their long tour on Instagram and YouTube where she revealed that she had decided to take a break from their usual route and instead go on a trip from Seattle to San Diego to check out people doing different activities with their dogs and explore their different bonds. “It was so extraordinary riding with Moxie. We formed this special bond together. I knew that there were other people doing different things with their dogs that also had that bond,” Stone said. “So I thought, wouldn’t this be a good way to celebrate Moxie and to sort of work through my own grief.”

This inspired Stone to hit the road once again on her BMW motorcycle with a new furry companion. But it was difficult for her to find the right dog to accompany the couple on their journeys but they finally settled with a 9-week-old White Swiss Shepherd who was named Whimsy. “I’m a dog person,” Stone continued. “I have a dog business. I have a cockpit and I love riding with my dog so I knew that eventually I needed to get a dog. It just had to happen.”

Whimsy was new to all the bike journeys so she had to be trained to ride alongside Stone on the bike and get used to wearing goggles which was the hardest part of the training process. Thankfully, through her practice ride, Whimsy wasn't fussy at all. “She did so well,” Stone praised her new pooch. “It was like she was born for this. Now I’m riding with Whimsy. We’ve resumed our journey. We’re going to continue going south, following in the paw prints of Moxie and head down to the Antarctic.”

With Whimsy by their side, they had a new schedule of "hanging out, resting and sleeping. It’s different riding with a puppy than it is with an adult dog,” she told CNN. “Moxie was a year and a half when we started. She was finished with her teething phase and she had a bit more staying power. Whimsy is like a fluffy puppy. Greg and I need to slow down ourselves. Having Moxie pass away like that — it was so unexpected. So we know that bad things can happen."

Stone, her husband Greg and Whimsy, the new addition to their family, are all set to travel to Mexico from Nevada before traveling through South and Central America. They also plan to ride to the edge of Argentina before flying over to South Africa and by then, Whimsy will be over a year old and more suited for long-distance travel. Their audience on social media has already welcomed Whimsy with wholesome comments and lots of love.

“It’s just wonderful how everybody has sort of rallied behind Whimsy,” Stone joked. “Everybody was just so thrilled that we were able to sort of bring a new joy back into our lives like this and continue the journey with her. As I watch Whimsy, I feel like my heart is light. It just makes me happy to share this again. Even if it’s not with Moxie, I’m glad that I’ve got this new co-pilot. I feel renewed.” We will continue to keep an eye on Whimsy's journey with her new family and remember Moxie as well.