Go The Distance w/ Tom Turcich

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Traveling The Globe Is Better With A Dog

About The Episode

When Tom Turcich was 17, his trajectory changed when a close friend from childhood passed away in an accident. Suddenly, he felt the gravity of his mortality. He wanted to figure out how he was going to best use the time he had here to follow his own compass. He knew he wanted to travel, go on adventures, and understand the world. So after going to college and saving money, he set out at 26 years old on The World Walk.

Tom started in the U.S. first as he figured out what he would need to adjust for. It required a lot of learning about how to survive, sustain, and carry things around. One thing Tom noticed is that when he would camp out and sleep in unfamiliar places, he felt he would be able to be at ease more with a dog by his side.

So before he went down to Mexico and Central America, Tom stopped in Austin, Texas, to look for a furry friend. At the shelter, he wasn't finding the right connection with any dogs until one worker brought out a little puppy and their sister. Tom thought it was a good idea to start a dog with this new lifestyle before they got used to something else, so Savannah left with him that day.

It wasn't easy. Savannah wasn't leash trained, she was terrified of cars, and was still gaining strength. Tom accepted that he had to prioritize training her for a couple of hours each day, and be patient, if this was going to work out. After a month of walking, Savannah was keeping up for the full 24 miles a day without an issue – even still having the zoomies at the end of a long day.

What more could a dog want? Walking every day, seeing and smelling new things, spending time with your best friend. Savannah did still help with the original intention of providing security and comfort at night, but the bond between her and Tom evolved in other ways. For one, it helped Tom to connect with other people who didn't share the same language but still find a sense of trustworthiness and connection based on a mutual love for dogs. But more importantly, Tom and Savannah were inseparable and it made Tom's journey around the world so much better to have a dog by his side.

Tom is now the 10th person to walk around the world, and Savannah is the first dog ever to do so. They traveled over 22,500 miles. Now, they're adjusting to living a "normal life" with staying in one place (Seattle, for now) as Tom writes a book with stories from their adventures together. They're memories Tom will never forget.

About The Guest - Tom Turcich

Tom Turcich is an adventurer, photographer, and writer. On May 21st, 2022, he became the 10th person ever walk around the world. His dog, Savannah, also became the first recorded canine to do so. They traveled across six continents and three-dozen countries over seven years. During their travels, Tom documented the many places through his camera and passion for photography. He is working on a children's book, Savannah's World of Adventure, as well as on documenting and recapping all his travels in another future book.

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