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Tractor Tire Mule Haul

Mowing the mountain top apple orchard I heard a “wobble, wobble, wobble” and the steering of the tractor went all wonky and I looked down and saw the front tractor tire had come off the rim.

Damn. A half mile of mountain trail separated me from the barn. We don’t own a four wheeler, spare tractor or four wheel drive truck.

Flat tractor tire on the mountain top orchard
Bummer: a flat tire a long way from home.

Down and Up

By chance, our forester Andrew Casey was… Continue reading →

The Night Before Riding Away on my Mules

It’s 9p, Friday night. I’m in the cabin alone. This will be my last night in my bed for many months. In the morning, I will saddle Brick and Cracker, ride out the front gate and head west. I will Mules Brick and Cracker loaded with gear on final 10-mile trial run before Two Mules to Triumph departure

Brick and Cracker. This is how they looked the day before yesterday on their final outing before leaving. They’re loaded with the gear we’re taking on our trip. We traveled 10 miles just to make sure everything held together okay.… Continue reading →

Mule Pack Saddle Bags: Good Enough to Get Out the Gate

Long Rider Bernie Harberts fitting Army surplus pack saddle bags on mule Polly for the Ride Out the Front Gate trip, North Carolina

Mule Polly rockin’ her new (to us) pack saddle bags.

In starting mule trips, good enough gets you out the gate and perfection keeps you at home. This week I’m fitting mule Polly with bags for her pack saddle. They’re not new. They’re not perfect. But they’re good enough to get us out the gate. At least they don’t smell like vomit.

Julia and I are 2 weeks away from heading off on our mule ramble. I’m calling the caper… Continue reading →