Brick and Cracker
Listen to Two Mules to Triumph on the Creative Spirits Unleashed Podcast
I recently had the pleasure of being a guest on Lynne Carnes’ podcast, Creative Spirits Unleashed. Lynne and I spent nearly two hours discussing my 2,300-mile journey across America with my mules, Brick and Cracker. Click on the player for all the adventure without the saddle sores.
Note: the audio of my voice is a bit muddy at the beginning of the podcast because a connection issue on my end. It improves as the podcast goes on.
There’s a lot… Continue reading
Clotheslined in Steffenville: “Two Mules to Triumph” Excerpt
Enjoy this outtake from my upcoming book “Two Mules to Triumph” about traveling from North Carolina to Idaho with my mules Brick and Cracker. The Steffenville I’m referring to is in Missouri.
There would be no… Continue reading
Photo of the Day – A Saddlebag Full of Greens
Ride a Mule Across the Second Oldest River in the World
Howdy Sunday. I hope you’ve having a good weekend. I’ve been posting the last few weeks about my mule ramble up the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail, which runs from Elk Garden to Ivanhoe on the New River. Most of those posts and videos showed my mules Brick, Cracker and me traveling through the forest, from old growth white pine groves to controlled burns.
Mules Brick and Cracker Groom Each Other on the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail
While riding my mules Brick and Cracker up the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail, they had to get used to being away from their pasture mates. They groomed each other with their teeth more than usual, and I was happy to let them stop and tend to each other a little.
Read more posts from this ramble: Virginia Highlands Horse Trail — A Mule Ramble.
A few years earlier, my wife Julia and I rode a good stretch of the… Continue reading
How to Take Big Trips in a Small Way — My Offbeat Life Podcast Interview
I love taking big trips in small steps: pedaling an old bicycle long distances, walking through the woods for hours or traveling by mule (like my latest ramble). What’s even more exciting is sharing what I’ve learned about traveling this way with folks who dream of taking an adventure of their own.
This week, I had the pleasure of being a guest on OffBeat Life, a website dedicated to online jobs and location-independent work.
Virginia Highlands Horse Trail: Mule Ramble Wrap-Up
The other day, I accompanied my wife Julia to one of her Two Step Way sessions. The husband and wife she was working with met us at their barn, and the husband gave me a confused look. “Hey, I’ve been following your mule ramble on your website,” he said. “I thought you were still on the trail.”
Hoof Boots on the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail: Mules Brick and Cracker at 80 Miles
I recently wrote a post on how my Renegade hoof boots were performing on the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail is rough in places, littered with rocks, logs, mud, puddles, boulders and yes, the occasional horse shoe that was ripped off a horse or mule’s hoof. My hoof boots did great. Here’s a short video of how they performed on a flat but rocky section of the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail.
I’m proud to report that after 80 miles of sometimes… Continue reading
Losing My Mule Cracker While Riding the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail
I recently committed a major blunder. I let go of Cracker, one of the mules I was riding up the Virginia Highland Horse Trail. Here’s what happened next…
To be continued tomorrow.
Read more posts from this ramble: Virginia Highlands Horse Trail : A Mule Ramble.
A few years earlier, my wife Julia and I rode a good stretch of the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail together. That became its own adventure. Julia documented that ramble on her blog Saddle… Continue reading
Mules, Mud and Fallen Trees on the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail
The Virginia Highlands Horse Trail runs 83 miles from Elk Garden, Virginia to Ivanhoe. Though a lot of the trail is wide enough you could ride two horses side by side, many stretches are rocky, muddy and feature fallen trees. I recently shot some video of how my mules navigated one of these rough spots. Enjoy!
Read more posts from this ramble: Virginia Highlands Horse Trail — A Mule Ramble.
A few years earlier, my wife Julia and I… Continue reading
What It’s Like For a Mule to Nibble Your Beard
One of the best things about being on a mule ramble is to have time to hang with your mules – really hang with your mules. In some cases, they interact with you in ways that they don’t back home. In this case, mule Brick decided she wanted to nuzzle my beard. She’s never done that before. It tickles and it would be great if, once in your life, you could experience it, even if you don’t have a beard.… Continue reading
Virginia Highlands Horse Trail: A Hand-Drawn Map and Trail Friends
Hey, I drew you a map of my first five days riding my mules Brick and Cracker up the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail.
I sketched the map into Katie’s notebook. Her parents, RJ and Christina, invited me for supper while I was camped at Fox Creek Horse Camp. Here are some photos of our time together.
Grayson Highlands Mule Camp: Scenes from the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail
I recently wrote of catching up with Badger, the Baron, Jimmy Dean and Sleeper at the Scales camp on the Virginia Highland Horse Trail. They taught me how to speak AT lingo. Here are some more photos from that gathering you’ll enjoy.
A Fly Joins My Mules on the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail
My mules Brick and Cracker are riding the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail. Meet my new neighbor Ms (or Mr?) Fly. How could I ever get lonely out here?
Read more posts from this ramble: Virginia Highlands Horse Trail — A Mule Ramble.
A few years earlier, my wife Julia and I rode a good stretch of the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail together. That became its own adventure. Julia documented that ramble on her blog Saddle Under the Stars and… Continue reading
How to Speak Appalachian Trail Lingo With Sleeper and His Tramily
What’s your trail name? Who’s in your tramily? Mules Brick, Cracker and I had a damn amusing encounter with some hikers on the AT (Appalachian Trail) this week. Meet Sleeper, Jimmy Dean, The Bard and Badger. They’re going to teach you the lingo you’re going to need to sling if you ever hike the AT.
AT Lingo With Sleeper, Jimmy Dean,… Continue reading
