I needed a cabin in Estes Park for two people and a puppy.
The important filter was not the fireplace or the view. Dogs had to be allowed.
I sent the request out and got a pile of replies from cabins, lodges, ranches, and vacation rentals. Anything without pets was immediately useless. One lodge had a single dog-friendly cabin left for August 18 through 20. It had a wood-burning fireplace and sat near the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park.
The puppy had only been in Colorado for a short time. A few days earlier I wrote that she was happy and that watching her learn was amazing.
A weekend away now had a checklist. Where could she stay? How long could she be in the car? What could we do once we got there? Which cabin would let her through the door?
I also had a new work account and Praxis work around the edges. The dog was now part of every plan.
I had not booked one yet. One lodge said it had exactly one dog-friendly cabin left. That made it the obvious contender.
The rule was simple. The puppy came too, or the cabin did not work.
The dates were August 18 through 20. The replies covered cabins, lodges, ranches, and vacation rentals around Estes Park. Some were immediately out because of the dog. The one place with a cabin left also had the fireplace and location near the park entrance.
I was not comparing a dozen vacation packages anymore. I was looking for one available door that would let all three of us through it.