adventure travel
50 Years Ago Today: The Great American Horse Race Began — 92 Riders, 1,966 Miles, Pure Adventure
Fifty years ago today, Memorial Day, Tom Sites and 91 other riders showed up to the starting line of the Great American Horse Race, the longest organized horse race ever held. The starting gun went off, horses walked, trotted and cantered across the starting line, and 100 days and 1,966 miles later, 54 of them arrived at the finish line in Sacramento, California.
Tom showed up with his horse Jose Dante, a $15 saddle, no crew, no trailer… Continue reading
The $1 Horse That Walked 5,000 Miles
Some people save up for years before a big trip. Sea G Rhydr spent one dollar. One buck bought her an outlaw gelding named Jesse James, and that horse carried her 5,000 miles across America. No sponsor. No support vehicle. Just a woman, a cheap horse, and a lot of road.
I sat down with Sea on the Travel Grit podcast to hear how that ride actually went — the breakdowns, the kindness of strangers, the moments… Continue reading
5,000 Miles Across America on a One-dollar Horse
Long Rider Sea G Rhydr bought a horse for a dollar. Then she rode him 5,000 miles across America.
I recently had a chance to sit down and have a long chat with Sea about her voyage. We had an incredible conversation and you can catch it here on my Travel Grit podcast.
Filipe Masetti Leite Rode a Horse 16,000 Miles. This is What he Learned.
“I’d never ridden more than 3 kilometers.” That’s what author, filmmaker, and Long Rider Filipe Masetti told me, a fellow Long Rider, after riding 16,000 miles across North and South America. That quote will give you hope you can do whatever you’re dreaming of doing.
Update: Filipe and Clara Racing on The Amazing Race Canada
Since this interview, Filipe has taken a break from Long Riding. He and his wife Clara are now racing on… Continue reading
Launching Grit: Storms Delay the Start of Our Shackleford Banks Voyage
Thunder storms, downpours and a tornado. Whew. Today was the day Julia and I were going to launch our sailboat Grit in the Neuse River and head toward Shackleford Banks. Only that didn’t happen on account of the, er, bumpy weather.
Shackleford Banks: Sailing to the Island of the Wild Horses
As promised last week in my get-the-boat-ready-to-float list, here’s a hand-drawn (as opposed to AI-drawn) map of where Julia and I are heading for our mid-March trip. We’re sailing to Shackleford Banks with our sailboat Grit to observe the wild horses that live there.
About the Map
Are you sick of looking at AI-generated art? Tired of seeing AI-generated videos of AI-people chipping AI-horses and baby AI-generated eagles… Continue reading
First Unsupported Horse Across Australia: Gin & Fable
Big news this morning. Gin Szgola and her wild brumby Fable have just arrived at the Indian Ocean. Julia and I spent a lovely day hanging with a Gin just over a year ago when she floated the idea… Continue reading
Are you Too Old to Go?
A guy I’ll call Harold wrote me recently. He said (and I’m paraphrasing), “I’m seventy-one years old. I’ve always wanted to take a long saddle trip like yours. Am I too old to go?” This reminded me of a quote by Saul Bellow. “When someone asks for advice, they’re looking for an accomplice.” It also reminded me of my dad, Art Harberts.
Sunday Sleep Medicine
Howdy Pilgrim. Feeling sorta sleepy this Sunday morning? Don’t sweat it.
Here’s some ancient Indian advice. Crawl back in to your tent bed and get some more nods. That’s what I… Continue reading
Miles or Steps? Measure of a Journey.
Folks often ask me, “how many miles can you and the mules travel in a day?”.
I tell them 25 and they’re not impressed.
25 miles. Big… Continue reading
Road Kill Fish
Catfish hung on stop signs. Catfish flung on the shoulder. A dead chub on the highway. Lately mules Brick and Cracker and I have come across dead fish where you wouldn’t expect them – along the side of the road. I put them in to a post card-like arrangement I though you’d enjoy.
Right now… Continue reading
Joe’s Joke
The old blue tractor scared my mules when it passed me on the gravel road. Right behind it, the black and white dog in hot pursuit. The next hill over, the tractor was parked by the road and a man climbed out of the cab. He had a grin as big as a round bale and so did I. That’s how I met Joe Stoll and his dog.
He spoke first.
Joe: “I was… Continue reading
Grain Bin Drowning Danger
How is a grain bin like an above ground pool? You can drown in both.
Last week the mules and I took a lunch break in the shade of an Illinois grain bin. I had the usual sardines and dry ramen noodles washed down with jug water. Then I strolled around the grain bin and discovered how it might kill me.
How I Met Young Captain America
The mules and I are in Quincy, Illinois today preparing to cross the Mississippi River in the next day or two. I’m sorting photos. This photo I took a few weeks ago caught my eye. I thought you’d enjoy knowing how it came to be.
I was holding Cracker in a Tennessee pasture and looked up and there stood young Captain America. Dressed in a red and blue… Continue reading
Welcome to RiverEarth.com
Howdy. This is where I (Bernie Harberts) post about my travels by mule, boat and bike.
To join me for an authentic mule voyage, check out the Lost Sea Expedition, the Rocky Mountain PBS series about my 14 month mule voyage across America.
Stream the series on:
My wife Julia’s take on things at Considering Animals.com.
Happy Adventuring!
Bernie
