Lost Sea Expedition
Meet Mule Polly and Watch The Lost Sea Expedition at FENCE House in Tryon
Ever squeezed into a 21-square-foot wagon that crossed America?
Come take a wagon voyage across America with mule Polly and me! On Wednesday, September 30, Polly and I are bringing the Lost Sea Expedition program to FENCE House in Tryon, North Carolina.
Come meet Polly. Squeeze into the Lost Sea Expedition wagon. Then settle in and watch The Lost Sea Expedition, the documentary about our 3,500-mile, 395-day wagon voyage across America.
REIN Fundraiser Poster for FENCE Event September 30
Join mule Polly, Julia and me on September 30 at FENCE (Foothills Equestrian Nature Center) to raise funds for REIN (Rescuing Equines in Need) Rescue. I’ll be screening the Lost Sea Expedition, the movie about my 395 day wagon voyage from Canada to Mexico with my mule Polly. Come meet Polly, check out the Lost Sea Expedition wagon and travel across America with me. This is the perfect get-away-from-the-screen-into-adventure outing for families, adventure lovers, hiking and camping enthusiasts and anyone… Continue reading
The Lost Sea Expedition — Finally, the Whole Story
Twenty years ago, I built a small wagon in my friend Mel Wyatt’s garage, hauled it and my mule Polly to Neptune, Saskatchewan, hitched Polly to the wagon and headed south. My dream was to follow the path of an ancient sea, the Western Interior Seaway, from Canada to Mexico. I’d film the whole voyage myself. That meant no crew, no drones, no AI, no cell phone and no GPS. Just some paper maps, two movie cameras, Polly, and our… Continue reading
Building a Covered Wagon in Southern Pines, NC
Note: Originally published January 25, 2006
Recently, I’ve been reorganizing the RiverEarth.com website. It’s twenty years old and has over 800 posts. Over time, links break, which means when you search for them, you get those annoying 404 errors. This is one of those articles whose link needed repair. Yeah, it’s a blast from the past.
At the time I wrote it, I was living in Southern Pines, preparing for what would become the Lost Sea Expedition. But like many… Continue reading
The Creston Dinosaur: Bernie Harberts on the Atlas Obscura Podcast
In 2008, my mule Polly and I traveled from Canada to the Mexican border in a homemade mule wagon. I interviewed folks along the way, and one of the favorite characters I met wasn’t a person. It was a giant green cement dinosaur outside Creston, South Dakota.
Flash forward to now. Recently Atlas Obscura, the website dedicated to obscure Americana, contacted me about doing a story about the Creston dinosaur. I… Continue reading
Is a Mare Mule or Horse Mule Better?
A lot of folks I know that have experience with mules prefer mare mules over horse mules. A mare mule is a female mule, also called a “molly” mule. A horse mule is a male mule and is also called a “john” mule. So what’s better for you, a mare mule or a horse mule?
Mare mules have a reputation among old-timers for being a little easier to handle than horse mules. When I look at the mules that my… Continue reading
I am Heart Broken
Today protestors stormed the Capitol Building. I see images of bearded men waving flags and clubs and security forces with guns drawn. I am heartbroken.
I have walked to the four borders of my beloved United States with my mules, from Atlantic to Pacific Oceans and from Canada to Mexico. I was helped out by hundreds of people whose political views I agreed with and just as many that I did not.
Did Anyone Find My Tumbleweed Message?
“Did you ever hear back from the tumbleweeds you launched?” I get that question a lot, especially from folks that have watched the Lost Sea Expedition, the Public TV series about my mule voyage across America. Stream the Lost Sea Expedition free on YouTube.
Okay, let me set this up for you a bit.
The Lost Sea Expedition
The Lost Sea Expedition… Continue reading
Hawk Hucks, Woman Watches Movie
When the mules sull up and my pen doesn’t want to scribble I think of comments like Patty’s. They keep me going. Seems Patty was up late with her sick dog Hawk watching the Lost Sea Expedition.
Patty writes: Wow! Thank you for sharing your amazing lives with others. Love this blog and your show which I stumbled upon late at night when my… Continue reading
“On a Mule Bound for Triumph” Article in Eye on Sun Valley (Idaho)
Mules Brick and Cracker are having a restful day off after walking 2,400 miles from North Carolina to Hailey, Idaho. Enjoy this Sunday read that came out this week in Eye on the Sun in Sun Valley, Idaho.
BY KAREN BOSSICK
The snow was starting to stack up on the streets of Hailey when Bernie Harberts dismounted from Cracker his mule at the Hailey Coffee Company.
He sipped the steaming cup of coffee that owner Santos Serva handed him. Then,… Continue reading
“Man and His Mules Cross America on Path Set by Dental Floss” Douglas Budget (Wy) Newspaper Article
Here’s some Sunday reading for you. It’s a story that Mike Moore of the Douglas Budget wrote about our current mule voyage. Thanks for the great article Mike (links to article below).
- By Mike Moore Glenrock Independent Via Wyoming News Exchange
- Aug 31, 2019
GLENROCK — A sizeable chunk of Bernie Harberts’ year was determined solely by – what else – a single strand of dental floss.
Hyannis at Last
Three weeks ago I arrived in Plattsmouth, Nebraska. I set my sights on Hyannis, 350 miles to the west. Yesterday Brick and Cracker and strode in to the town I was aiming for.
Hyannis is deep in the Sand Hills of Nebraska. The past week, I’ve been traveling… Continue reading
Greetings from Mountain Time
What used to be 10p is now 9p. We’ve fallen back an hour, like losing Daylight Savings Time. The mules Brick and Cracker and I have entered Mountain Time Zone.
Today (August 2) the mules get a well deserved day off – along with grain and a double dose of carrots. Tomorrow we head toward Whitman.
Broken Bow 4-H
11 years ago, almost to the day, I passed through Broken Bow with mule Polly the our “Lost Sea Expedition” voyage. Today, I rode in through the front gates and received the same kind of generous welcome I received over a decade ago.
The fairground was packed with trailers, horses, parents and kids. All setting up for this coming week’s 4-H show. Despite… 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
