3000 MILES on HORSEBACK, A TRIP THAT CHANGED the HORSEWORLD!
In 1982 Len Brown and Lisa Dawes left on a horseback trip headed to ALASKA. They had prepared for this trip for 1&1/2 years. LIVING OUTDOORS for 8 months, they had to revise their saddles and struggled with a packhorse going off a bluff while falling hundreds of yards down into a canyon. This is an overview of their trip with many difficulties,good times, and many stories of the good people they met throughout the WEST.
4 of 5 HORSES and LEN, The 1st DAY, of the TRIP.
Jerry Miller and Len at 1st camp with GEAR.
Tres Piedres, Our first visit to civilization in NM
LEAVING THE LOGINITIS AREA OF NORTHERN NEW MEXICO
WE HAD WAITED A WEEK FOR THE SNOW TO MELT, IT DIDN'T WORK. ON TO CHALMA, TO THE WEST. THE W. DELORES RIVER IN SPRING RUNOFF. ICY COLD!
THE SADDLE I MADE FOR THE TRIP, My 1st & hand-sewn. I made it and rode it at the same time. FINALLY, IT WAS RIGHT!
GRITS, FRESH TROUT, HAM, A GREAT LATE BREAKFAST! 5 DAYS RIDING, 2 DAYS REST, WE ATE WELL ON THE REST.
S.W. WY. CEDAR MOUNTAIN PLATEAU, RED DESERT AHEAD. ONLY A HIGHWAY MAP TO GUESS WHERE HOW TO GET TO MOUNTAIN VIEW WY.
COMING TO WHAT LOOKS LIKE > FLAT DESERT AHEAD. THIS DESCENT WAS NOT AS STEEP AS MANY WE RODE THRU IN THE DESERT.
NEAR THE BOTTOM, YOU GET LOST IN THE DESERT. YOU CAN WANDER A MILE UP & DOWN A GULLY FINDING A WAY OUT!
WE'RE NORTH OF FT. BRIDGER NOW, HEADED SAWTOOTHS. AN EVENING CAMP, WATER & GRASS, RIDE TILL YOU FINED THEM.
Len on the right VIETNAM VET RECLUSE on the left. BRAIN AND SMOKE TANNING BUCKSKIN & 55lb Osage Orange Indian Bows Len had just made.
WE MAKE CAMP AFTER CROSSING THE GREEN RIVER. NOW WE CLIMB INTO THE 11,000 FT WIND RIVER RANGE.
WE START THE CLIMB INTO THE WIND RIVER RANGE. OUR GOAL WAS TO RECOUP & VACATION FOR 2 WEEKS HERE.
JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE CLOSE TO THE TOP? A LONG CLIMB AND WE FIND WE AREN'T EVEN 1/2 WAY THERE.
AN EASY TRAIL BUT GREAT BACKGROUND OF THE MORNING. IN CO. WE RODE TRAILS MUCH WORSE, NOT BAD HERE.
A LITTLE MOONSCAPE WITH SNOW. TIE A HORSE TO WHAT? LATE AUGUST, DESERT BEHIND US, IT'S ANOTHER WORLD HERE.
WE CAMP JUST OVER THE HILL FROM HERE ON CLEAR LAKE. NEVER LOST A SHOE OR HAD A LAME STEP. NEXT, YOU SEE SHOWING UP HERE.
ANVILS COME IN ALL SIZES, CARPENTERS AXE ON SHOES. LEN SHAPED TILL ALL HOLES LINED UP. NEW NAILS> OLD HOLES. NO CHOICE, EVERY WEEK SHOES CHANGED
HORSE'S HOME FOR 2 WKS. WE CAMPED HERE. A 2 DAY HAIL STORM CAUGHT US HERE, MET SOME NEW FRIENDS THOUGH.
2 COWGIRLS; SADDLE & RUTH ANN FROM COLORADO. THEY'RE PACKING THE NAT. FORREST FROM CA. TO CO. PLAYED POKER DURING HAIL STORM IN OUR TENT.
LEN RE-SHAPED, PUT LEATHER SKIRTS ON PACK SADDLES. 500 MILES INTO TRIP THE PACK SADDLES WERE REBUILT BY LEN.
SOME HORSE'S DON'T WANT TO FOLLOW THE LEADER? THE SADDLEBRED EVERY TIME. LEN & LUCKY HAVE AN ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT SESSION
IN DESERT SW OF WIND RIVER Range IS BOARS TUSK. A WEEKS TRIP ACROSS DESERT TO SUPERIOR WY. WE DID IN 3 DAYS RIDING.
15 degrees, 30mph head-wind, W.Kansas, Nov. 1982. ALL GARB LEN DESIGNED for THIS & MADE THE RIDE POSSIBLE & BEARABLE in BLIZZARDS & RAIN.
19 MI & HOME, NOV 21ST 1982 RIDING 10 DAY SOLID. 2 DAYS BEFORE THE WORST ICE STORM OF THE CENTURY.
Trip of A Lifetime
Dropped into the Carson National Forest of NEW MEXICO, in early April 1982, THE TRIP OF LIFETIME BEGAN. Len had liquidated his dozer business and left the family Ford Lincoln Mercury Dealership he had worked at for years with his father. He walked away from 21% interest on the heavy equipment, 2 years of Midwest drought, a divorce he instituted, and a life he felt was ruining his health via NERVES and STRESS. Add the future business climate that hurt many in the Country at that time, Len felt it better to get away. A long way away; with a young lady he'd met while working at the Car dealership in Nevada, MO. She was the HORSEWOMAN. Len had only briefly ridden in the past. Follow the learning process Len went thru and glimpses of their life-changing trip.
When Len did anything he studied it and the history of what he was about to do. Growing up in the country he was also an Eagle scout, hunter and fisherman. A craftsman since grade school, Len did hand work and mechanics that people couldn't believe. He was a Jet Engine Mechanic in depot level Overhaul in the Navy. He spent 2.5yrs. as an Apprentice Mortician while in high school on a special state occupation training program. Many interest's, many talents, 2.5 years of college with no major, Len had never found any one thing to challenge all his talents and to keep his intrest focused. Never did he dream it would be the horse and Saddling. HE WAS FACINATED WITH THIS YOUNG LADY AND STARTING A LIFE THAT WAS MORE REWARDING.
SO LEN SOLD EVERYTHING HE COULD, PAID ALL HE COULD AND HE AND LISA LEFT ON HORSEBACK FOR ALASKA. NO SET CONTACTS, NO ITINERARY, JUST GETTING "THE HELL OUT OF DODGE" !
WHAT IT'S LIKE TO RIDE AND PACK 5 HORSES FOR 3,000 MILES.
In preparation for this adventure, I made my own Bowie Knife, Saddle, Osage Orange Indian bow & arrows, and a 52 Caliber 6 shooter Colt Walker pistol (for the Grizzly Bears). Our leather clothes and Indian "muk-luk" Boots were also handmade. Every morning we'd be up before dawn; that is if the horses didn't all thunder off at 2AM in a snowstorm. Lisa, my partner on this trip would cook breakfast and break camp while I tracked our horses from the night before. Whenever I returned bareback with 4 horse's, tied head to tail behind me, she would help me with their feed sacks. I then had to check every foot, and replace any bad nails or shoes worn in-two at the front. Shoes only lasted, on average, one week before they wore in two. I'd take each side off, shape another shoe on a rock, Nail back in every hole. After while I'd have to drive above the previous exit of the nail. I never lost a shoe and 6 nailed , not eight. (Never had a lame step either.)
Lisa would cook breakfast and start breaking camp as I was tracking the horses. After a quick breakfast for the horses and ourselves, I started weighing packs with a scale in order to balance the loads side to side, and to balance the packs for the horse's to even out the load per horse. Feeding out 30 lbs. of grain was done daily. Packing 575 lbs. of gear (including our riding saddles) was done next. The average time allotted each morning was 5 hours of work....... I wouldn't stop riding until we put 8 hours in the saddle. A 30 minute stop for lunch was done for lunch. Often a batch of cake batter mixed with eggs, eaten raw & off we'd go. Then we would ride until we found water and grass. (I lost from 225# down to 170# in 2 months eating all I wanted.)
An 8 hr ride often turned into 10 or 12 hours and then a midnight flashlight task of un-packing, feeding, setting up camp & stake out or hobble the horses.
A shot of Whiskey every night in the tent was our necessity before passing out from the 18 or 20 hour day. Every week the same: another 5 days of riding and 2 days of rest. We never did less than 32 miles per day, and often over 50. It was like a brutal boot camp.
My tough horse, " Run-away Charlie, did a 4.25 mph walk uphill or down. Many friends were made. We had many experiences unknown in today's world. No radio, no phone: we could tell you where we rode, who we met, what eventful happened for every day at the end of the first six months. In order, or by event, or place; we could tell you 6 months one day at a time. Ever wonder why your Grandpa or Grandma could tell you so much detail about the old days? Life was slower and the little things became bigger. Or you could just say; "Low entertainment threshold!" I'll add more to the trip part of the site a little at a time. Len