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Parkton North Carolina

The First Thing We Ever Overtook: Woody and the Steamroller

Woody the mule next to a Slow road sign during road repairs in Parkton, North Carolina, 2004
“It gets slower than me, mule Woody…?”

It’s a blast being escorted through road repairs on a mule.

Outside Parkton they were giving the highway a new coat of asphalt. They had the usual guys in safety orange spinning their “Stop” signs to “Slow.”

Woody didn’t mind those but what did catch his attention was the steamroller.

I call them steamrollers for want of a better word. Have you ever felt them? I mean really felt them up close on… Continue reading →

Address It “Attention Woody”: The Mule Who Killed the Red Tip

The struggle to keep our hosts’ shrubbery upright continues.

Springtime is the hardest season for Woody to contain his urge to crush. New hair follicles are pushing out old. His coat is ragged with great patches of experience.

Woody the mule in winter coat on a training ride in Southern Pines, North Carolina, before the Atlantic to Pacific mule ride, 2004
Winter snows have taken their toll on Woody’s coat. I took this photo on a training ride in Southern Pines, NC, the winter before we took off on our trip.

The hindquarters are checker-boarded with bite marks from old paddock mates. His… Continue reading →