Hello:

Thanks for the information about the XTerra cargo mat. I have ordered the internal bike rack as well, and hope to be able to use the mat at the same time as the bike rack. Does the mat reach the base of the front seats? In other words, is it designed to cover the flat section of the X, even when the back seats are down?

Having just ordered the accessories listed above, and planning to take the dog into the mountains soon, I am wondering what else I will have to do to protect it from mud, etc. For the short term, the bike rack does not matter as much as the dog transport. I have ski rack already installed up top, and therefore the truly muddy and wet things will remain outside. The bike is worth enough to keep inside, and will not be used until the snowpack melts, which is months away.

Sincerely,

Robert, Dillon (120 lb Great Pyrenees), Patsy (Klein mountain bike), and Spirit (XTerra, named after the Mars lander)