The man hunched over the plastic container on the side of the road was grabbing at the dirt. We’d seen all sorts of sight on our mule ramble. So far, though, nobody shuffling through the damp leaves on the shoulder looking for, what the hell….? Meet Chris, worm seeker.

Three weeks ago we started our mule ramble. We rode out the farm gate with our three mules and headed in to North Carolina’s High County. Ten days later, Hurricane Florence chased us off the road. Julia just posted the mule ramble equivalent of the “half time report” on her Saddle Under the Stars blog. It’s a great read on our adventure to date. It’s about dealing with… Continue reading →

It’s a rainy Sunday. We’re taking a short break from the mule ramble to wait out Hurricane Florence. We’re sorting photos, editing footage and reflecting on some of the interesting people we met during our amble through the western North Carolina hills.
One of the memorable people we’re thinking back on is Dave Demour. Dave’s an amazing stone artist, ex-monk, singer song writer and resiedent of Todd, NC. We could tell you more about Dave but this video sums up… Continue reading →

Eustace Conway: mountain man from “Mountain Men”. Here’s a Sunday evening story about how Julia and I try to track him down on our mule ramble.
It’s night. We’re stretched out in our pitch black tent (see pic above). We’re recording our musings. Crank up the volume. Kick back and chill.
(Post Script: this recording was made last week. We’re holed up right now at our cabin waiting for hurricane… Continue reading →

We think we’re on a noble quest: rambling the back roads aboard our mules. Drivers, and the occasional sign maker, might have a different view… (Todd, NC)

Stressing about Hurricane Florence? Julia has posted a photo of each of our camps during our mule ramble. Just looking at them will calm you down. They’re on Julia’s blog Saddle Under the Stars. We’re holed up waiting for the storm to pass. We’ll resume the ramble as soon as the weather settles.

Shelter from the storm: this camp looks familiar because it’s….home. Home as in where we live. Big thanks to Sam Coffey for helping us get here. The critters’ well-being comes first. They’ll be fine here. Mule Polly, Brick and Dusty are preparing for Hurricane Florence by eating as many chestnuts as possible. We’ll be back on the road as… Continue reading →

Ever heard rain drops falling on the New River coming out of a piano? No? You just haven’t met Dave Demour yet. Dave’s an amazing stone artist, ex-monk, singer song writer and resiedent of Todd, NC. This week, Julia and I had an amazing sit down session with Dave at the RiverGirl Fishing Company piano. He coaxed a thunderstorm, beavers and a cricket out of the ivories. We filmed the recording. I think you’ll really enjoy it.

Our mule ramble is taking on the character of a wave train. One moment we’re on a wave peak (plenty of food and water), the next we’re in the trough (run out of water but, good news, there’s a hurricane coming). Julia writes of this week’s highs and lows at ConsideringAnimals.com.

Varnished luxury log cabins trimmed with fake rocks to red clay chinked cabins. Our mule ramble through the western North Carolina High Country has exposed us to the full range of abodes. I lean toward the rustic side of the range. This low slung cabin caught my eye. It’s on Eustace Conway’s Turtle Island Preserve.