This is a picture of Shalako San and I, from Saturday 22 March 2008.

Pemmican

In the same thought stream(s) that took me from camping gear to molasses, I also came across pemmican. I will definitely be making some of that this week. Of course, being at the top of the food chain, I will not be eating the new vegetarian version of this.

There are quite a number of recipes for this food staple. I even found meat and meatless versions on a fitness website. They bill it as the perfect food. I will make their version of the staple, as well as one I found from a native peoples website, and a mountain man website. I will see how they come out and report back here. It will be really interesting if my daughter likes it.

Live free or die trying...just be happy while you do it.

-GW

Blackstrap Molasses

I was doing a search for lightweight camping gear of different types, to minimize the weight I will be carrying. Some how or other I burrowed so deep into this today, that it is now midnight, and I am looking at blackstrap molasses.

I am not sure how my mind gets to these places, most of the time.

At any rate, blackstrap molasses seems to have redeeming qualities that other sweeteners do not. I remember when I was younger, my grandmother had molasses on the table when she made biscuits. I do not even remember what molasses tastes like. I also read from a couple of different sources that when you mix milk with two tablespoons of molasses, it not only tastes really good, it acts as a cleanser to you digestive tract. Supposedly it works in two hours. I am not sure that I need to be cleaned up/out, but if I did...

I am trying to locate a good, inexpensive, supplier of unsulphured blackstrap molasses just to try it again. If nothing else, I am sure it will be good on biscuits. Once I taste it I am sure some old memories around my grandparents' breakast table will come flooding back. I would try if for no other reason than that possibility.

Oh yeah, I was also looking for smaller size cast iron cookware. I am not having any luck with that, so if anyone knows of some please let me know. I know I can get lighter cookware (and I do have some already), but it will stand up to some serious abuse that my anodized cookware will not.

Be happy, being free.

-GW

Conditioning Begins

My farrier put iron all around on Shalako this past week, so I started the conditioning for myself and Shalako yesterday (Saturday).

We did five miles, which he trotted most of the way. I let him have his head for the most part and he wanted to trot. Of course, trotting is what he grew up doing, to round up cattle in West Texas (big ranch). Myself, I sit a trot, not post. It is just the way I learned to ride.

Today: I AM SORE. Good gravy people. No soreness in joints, just muscles. Sore muscles include: upper back between shoulder blades, inside of thighs, back of thighs (just below buttocks), and abdominals. I guess that is good.

I used my daughter's Dakota roping saddle, instead of my heavy Billy Cook rancher saddle. The Dakota saddle weighs about 30 lbs, versus the 50 lbs of the Billy Cook. Her saddle is definitely not as comfortable as my Billy cook. My knees hurt pretty good when I dismounted, but the pain disappeared by the time I cooled him down and washed him. I admit I was a little concerned about that. I cannot believe the difference in the two saddles. I guess that explains the difference in the price...you get what you pay for.

I have been looking at a Hope Style saddle. They were also called Texas style, and are a hybrid between the stock saddle and the early Mexican saddles. They are half seat saddles, and the one I am looking at is 22 lbs. A good weight for the Long Ride, and yet still functional as a roping saddle. It basically has less leather than modern saddles, and more comfort. I am going to try to find one to use before I buy it. They cost as much as my Billy Cook (about $1,600).

Live free. Be happy.

-GW

Bear Attacks & Prevention

In my endeavor to plan as much as possible I have been reviewing two things:

1. Where have most bear attacks occurred.
2. What measures can be taken to prevent becoming a meal.

In response to question number 1:

List of fatal bear attacks in North America, listed by decade.

In response to prevention, I have found that scientists and backcountry outfitters are using portable electric fencing. Since I will be carrying a pack animal I can carry the electric fence items. I am trying to find take-down, step-in, poles, so I can carry something shorter than 4' in length. I don't think a longer post would carry very well. I may have to make something, or have it made, from fiberglass.

-GW

Feed and a mule makes two...

A long rider that myself and a mother-daughter team from New Mexico have been corresponding with, gave his opinion for feeding during a long ride. He said that he fed 20 pounds of feed per day, with free choice hay. I will not do that.

All horses are different, therefore the feed, and frequency you provide it, will be different. I have asked life long horse people their opinion on the above mentioned feeding schedule, and it was dismissed immediately. After talking with a friend of mine, I think that the thing to do is to work up to a week or two short ride. By riding everyday for a week or two, I will find out if I need to adjust my feed. If you have a horse that is an easy keeper, there is a difference.

I am still going to talk to a nutritionist and see about getting oats and a supplement concentrate of some kind. I am thinking oats due to the ability to get them most anywhere, as opposed to having different brands of sweet feed and pellets wherever you stop. I do not want to take a chance with colic by switching feeds every few days. I know this particularly long rider said it is not a concern when the horse is working as hard as they are on a long ride. I cannot find anyone that will substantiate that statement.

On another subject...I might have found a mule. I talked with someone today who has mules, and some folks board others with him. It seems that an 8 yo John mule, boarded by someone, may be available for trade for a registered QH mare I have. I will be calling him tomorrow to find out.

Live free and be happy.

-GW

Now We Have Dialog

I received an email from Howard Wooldridge today. Howard is an accomplished long rider who has ridden 3,100 miles across the US. He is also a retired police officer from Michigan.

Howard did his long ride on a single horse: a paint named Misty. He said that traveling without a pack horse is doable. I believe that is possible. I received an email from Melissa Long yesterday, and she and her daughter are traveling from New Mexico to Washington DC. They are only carrying the two horses they are riding on.

Being responsible for only one horse is appealing to me; however, I would like to do a bit of "roughin' it" on the way. I will need a pack animal to carry food fixin's. I also want to carry a food concentrate that the animals will get the best use of, without the usual filler, and therefore added weight, found in regular feeds.

I wrote to Howard that I may pack it up to Montana, then single it back to Georgia with just Shalako. Of course, the success of this ride, either with or without the pack animal, depends upon the funds being raised to complete the trip and provide for my daughter while I do it.

Be happy. Live free.

-GW

Emails from Long-Riders and Those To Be

I received an email from Basha O'Reilly. She sent me some information on a gentleman from England who will be starting his US long ride in August. He called ahead and arranged for overnight stays for his entire journey, except for two nights so far. Now that, is planning! Amazing really. I wonder how long it took to plan all of that. I need to firm up my route before I can do something like that; although, I think being spontaneous will add to the adventure. I'll make a decision on that in a few months.

I also received an email from a lady and her daughter, who are going to ride from New Mexico to Washington DC. What a strong relationship must exist for these two. I wish them all of the best.

I still have not heard from the couple of folks I emailed that are ex-military. I am not sure why I haven't, but it really doesn't matter.

What a great thing is happening with the long riders. Maybe we can get more horses on the road than cyclists. Wouldn't that be great!

Find something to do that makes you happy, regardless of the money. Find your American dream and live it!

-GW

Public Lands - Federal

The image above shows where the public lands are, which are now referred to as "federal". As you can see, getting west of the Rocky Mountains is impossible without crossing public lands. With the environmentalists' incestual relationships with OUR congress critters, horseback riding now takes a permit, where other activities, including motorized access, do not require these permits in most locations. Which has less environmental impact? Logic and reason is not allowed into this debate. Part of my pursuit of freedom will be to try to navigate through the Rockies without encroaching upon OUR government's land.

Not long ago, I heard a commercial that states something to the effect that people have forgotten that the air waves, like our national forests, belong to the public, not the government. That is such a true statement.

I am, we the people. Are you?

Be happy and free.

-GW

Travel Journal

I received a copy of "The Horse Travel Journal", by CuChullaine O'Reilly. It is a nice book, but I have observed some improvements that can be made to it. Most notable of these changes is that it should be spiral bound, for ease of use. When traveling, and subsequently camping out, a firm, just-the-right-height, surface will be hard to come by. The standard book binding, which this journal has, makes it hard to write near the center. With this in mind I have created a template in MS Word and converted to Adobe PDF format. I will be taking this file to a printing shop and have it printed and spiral bound.

In addition to the binding issue, I have added some additional categories to the individual day's entry possibilities. These categories are: 1) lessons learned; 2) # of days ridden; 3) purchased items; and, 4) items received.

Lessons Learned: There is a category for "Preparations for next day's journey", which I decided needed expounded upon. I could always put lessons learned into the actual journal part of this; however, the same could be said for any other category. I just thought that lessons learned would need to be a quick reference item, like the other categories.

# of days ridden: There is a category for "# of days on journey", but this is not the same as days in the saddle. I have seen an instance of a Long Rider that had in his ride synopsis about # of days ridden. There was a significant difference and I want a line to take this into account. I will be stopping to rest horses for a couple of days at a time, at a minimum, and I am sure there will be longer layovers as Murphy's Law will dictate this.

Purchased items: I am giving myself a year to plan this trip. With this in mind I believe I will forget something, or an item will break and I will have no way to repair it, etc. I am interested in my planning abilities for something that I have never undertaken. This category will be a reality check.

Items received: During the course of reading about other riders' expeditions, there are always people that bring out food (for horse and rider), water, a homemade pie, or other such nicety. With my horrible name recollection of people I actually see on a semi-regular basis, I wanted a place to write their names down, so that I will remember to mention them, or simply to send a thank-you card. There is a place for the item and then the name and address of the provider. With the current feelings of "entitlement" in this country I believe it will be appreciated. I will also want to write a thank you note to people who have generously given of themselves, regardless of how large or small the gift. I know I would like to receive one. Of course, I may not receive any offerings or help, but I have hope. If not, I would be even more concerned about the state of our great country.

Find your happiness.

-GW