To the EQUUS Film Fest in the Crashed, Smashed and Deer-struck Tiny House Wagon Camper

I, Bernie Harberts, did not use generative AI to write or illustrate this article. Spell check and grammar check, yes. AI, no.

The tiny house wagon camper is hooked to the pickup and Julia and I are heading out to the EQUUS Film and Art Fest. I hope we don’t crash our beloved wagon. Given how many (mis)adventures it’s had, I’m putting my money on the Newfie wagon, as I call it.

A Brief History of the Newfie Wagon

A few years back, I built a small wagon for my mule Polly. I built it on a cheap, bolt-together frame I bought from Harbor Freight. The plan was to travel across Newfoundland in it, so I outfitted it with everything I’d need for half a year up on that foggy island. I covered the roof with a blanket, a tarp and a painter’s drop cloth which I painted to make waterproof. I built a fold-down desk, shelves and a tiny bed to make things cozy inside. And, my pride and joy, I welded together a tiny wood stove to keep me warm.

I called the wagon the Newfie Wagon. Lots more on the build right here.

And then, Polly and I spent half a year traveling across Newfoundland in our wagon.

Crash #1

On the last day of my journey, during perfect road conditions, a drunk, distracted driver rear-ended the wagon. The impact was so great that the cart I was pulling the wagon, with me sitting in it, was thrown on its side. The heavy steel trace chains Polly was pulling the wagon with snapped, and the last I saw of her was the wagon smashing into her, and then she galloped off. I was furious, terrified and sad, all at the same time, mostly for my beloved Polly. I was sure her back legs were broken.

Imagine my relief when I found her, unscathed, munching grass on the side of the road. A real miracle. Matched only by the amazing fact that the wagon wasn’t smashed to kindling. Aside from a few dents where the car smashed into it, it was okay. The car suffered a crushed front end and a burst radiator. The driver was never charged.

The only damage the wagon suffered was a tear in the canvas covering which I repaired with willow branches and dental floss.

Carolina Wagon Ramble

Mule Polly and I returned to North Carolina and, not long after, Polly pulled the battle-hardened wagon through eastern North Carolina, this time accompanied by Morgan Potts and his film crew from PBS North Carolina. Morgan and his guys shot some incredible footage which Morgan turned into the Emmy Award-winning “Mule Rider” piece. You can watch “Mule Rider” by clicking on the video below.

Crash #2 of the Newfie Wagon

A few years later, I figured out that Julia and I could hook the tiny wagon to the Subaru and use it as a camper. So, two years ago, we hooked it to the Subaru and headed from North Carolina to California. The last thing I told my barber before we headed out was, “Never take something on a road trip you’re not prepared to walk away from.” I was talking about the wagon.

The trip to California went well until, one dark night, driving through the desert outside Reno, a massive mule deer ran in front of the Subaru. The hood flew up over the windshield, blocking my view, all the air bags went off and we traveled a terrifying 500 feet before smashing into a fence post. The Subaru was a total loss. The wagon survived.

You can read Julia’s and my account of the crash. Mine is called Total Vehicular Destruction in Two Acts, and Julia’s is Correspondence From the Road West. I would have never imagined this crash would get us involved with a mind-boggling animal abuse case (think dogs forced to eat dead dogs) that resulted in our ending up with two awesome border collies, Lucky and Diggity.

Like I told my barber, never take a road trip with something you’re not ready to walk away from. I never thought it would be the Subaru.

Incident on an Unnamed Stretch of Highway

Okay, there was a third incident, along some unnamed stretch of highway, where the Newfie wagon came loose during rush hour traffic and, er, some people had to steer around it. The Newfie wagon came to rest against a guard rail, I hitched it back up quick as I could, and towed it home. The only damage was a small hole in the canvas roof that I patched with dental floss and one of Julia’s painting canvases.

Hitched and Itchin’ to Go

So here we are, hooked and excited to head off to the EQUUS Film and Art Fest. The plan is to use the wagon as our camper at the EQUUS film fest this coming weekend. Julia and I are each presenting. I am screening the Lost Sea Expedition, the movie about my wagon voyage across America, on Saturday, September 21 at 7 pm. Julia is giving her presentation on working with feral mustangs on Saturday, September 21 at 4 pm.

We’d love to catch up with you at the EQUUS film fest. Come listen to our programs and catch all the other great events going on, from film screenings to mustang gentling demonstrations. The address is:

• Aiken Equine Rescue
• 532 Glenwood Dr
• Aiken, SC 29803
• more info: http://www.equusfilmfestival.net/

We’ll be easy to find. We’ll be the ones in the tiny covered wagon hooked up to the pickup truck. Come chat. Hang. Look at all the patches in the wagon roof where it’s been crashed.

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