mule ride
Black Birch, Cool Air, and Four Seconds on the Virginia Creeper Trail
Hey, you’ve got a few seconds (4) for a mule ride, right? Today, mules Brick and Cracker and I are riding up the Virginia Creeper Trail. I came to this beautiful spot in the trail where the air felt cool and the black birch leaves were wiggling overhead and I want to share the moment with you.
Click on the video and let Cracker take you for a ride up the Creeper Trail.
Read more posts from this ramble: Virginia… Continue reading
Full Mule Moon
Last night’s super flower blood moon was accompanied by an eclipse in some parts of the world. We didn’t get the eclipse but caught the beautiful sight from between two pairs of mules’ ears. Just on dark my wife Julia and I rode our mules Brick and Cracker to the top of the mountain behind our cabin. Here are some photos I though you might enjoy.
Hill Top Sunday Morning
Sunday greetings from high above the Shoe Box Canyon. Yesterday, my wife Julia and I rode to the top of the mountain behind our cabin. I thought you’d enjoy some photos of the ride.
Julia rode her pony Pie. I rode my mule Cracker. From the clearing high above the cabin, we just looked out over the Brushy Mountains to our South. We listened to the “chimp pang” call… Continue reading
Ride a Humpy Mule: Weekend Plans
Want to attend a Dog Hair Cutting Festival with my wife Julia and me this weekend? How about a Mule Ride. You might get a good one. You may not. Fun like Russian roulette!
You can tell Julia and I have a little too much time on our hands this weekend. She wrote an invitation to our neighbor P to join us for any or none… Continue reading
We’re Off! Join Our Virginia Highlands Mule Ramble.
We’re off! Today (Friday), Julia and I swung into our saddles and began our mule ramble. Today we’re riding to the Happy Valley Fiddler’s Convention (Happy Valley, NC). The 10 mile ride should take about 4 – 5 hours. Yeah, the first days of a mule journey are slooooooow. I look forward to posting photos and… Continue reading
Sought: Lodging for 3 Mules
Julia and I are riding our mules across the Appalachian back roads. It’s noon. The sun hangs plumb above our heads before starting its slow descent to the wooded horizon. The mules throw fat shadows, a set of stumpy shadows walking beside their real legs.
The sun slides down the other side of its daily arc, toward the… Continue reading
Keeping Up with the Mules: Morning Exercise on the Road
Our mules are working hard carrying us over hill and dale. It’s only fair we keep in shape ourselves. Here’s what our morning workout looks like.
Julia documented the whole ramble on her blog Saddle Under the Stars —
August,
September,
and October.
Her posts are worth your time and will give you her side of the experience.
Looking for Eustace Conway by Mule
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
What the Sign Said: Mule Ramble Through Todd, North Carolina
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. Mules 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
Waiting Out the Storm: Mule Ramble Camps in North Carolina
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. We’re holed up waiting for the storm to pass. We’ll resume the ramble as soon as the weather settles.
Julia documented the whole ramble on her blog Saddle Under the Stars —
August,
September,
and October.
Her posts are worth your time and will give… Continue reading
Shelter from the Storm
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. Mules 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
Riding the Mule Wave: Highs and Lows Near Todd, North Carolina
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 on her blog Saddle Under the Stars —
September… Continue reading
Carpe Cool: Morning Mule Rides in North Carolina
Shadow cast: Left to Right they are mule Dusty, Julia, mule Brick, me and mule Polly.
Carpe Cool. Julia, the critters and I try to be on the trail first thing in the morning while the western North Carolina trails are still cool. Here, we’re riding out behind our house. We try to spend at least one or 2 hours in the saddle every day (Monday – Friday). This helps the animals’ hides – and ours – toughen up for… Continue reading
Catching Brick: A Mule for the Road
A few days ago I wrote how I was going back to the “old ways.” Of just heading out the front gate with my mule and finding out what lies up the road. Turns out, I first had to catch that mule. Her name is Brick. She’s the mule I plan to ride on the “Ride Out the Front Gate” trip. I’ve only owned her about a week and here’s how our first meeting went. Talk about a flashback to… Continue reading
Woody and Maggie Reach the Pacific: San Diego, CA
After thirteen months on the road, mornings start like this.
I draw the needle from inside my hat band, thread it with dental floss (waxed) and suture the newest rip in my britches’ seat. Then I tuck my shirt in with greatest care, making sure the tail reaches well south of the repair in case of floss failure. I’ve long given up underwear. I’m down to an extra blue shirt, two bandanas and a pair of socks, none… Continue reading
