pack saddle
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.

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

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