Co-Mission Services

…Does not consist of day rides. Day rides are when you pull up in your trailer to a trail, unload your horse and ride out and back, load your horse back on the trailer or camp right there at the trailhead. The Pacific Crest Trail is a 2650 mile linear trail. You ride continuously north or south (I rode north through California and then south through Washington and Oregon).

…Is an extended camping trip with horses. I will not be in our bed inside our camper each night. A rough estimate is that I will be camping in my tent with sleeping bag on whatever piece of ground I can find 120 nights out of more than 180.

…I will be eating “camp” food, mostly dehydrated foods while on the trail. I have to conserve every ounce of weight that I ask the horse to carry and every cubic inch of limited amount of space in the packs. Weight and space are at a premium. Then there are the times when I not only have to carry my food, but also that of the horses. This adds tremendous weight and volume to the load. (I plan on walking alongside the horses when the weight is heaviest or the climb is steepest.) I chose to package much of my own food as I live on a farm and grow many fruits and vegetables. Some of the dried food I am carrying is apple, pear, peaches, blueberries, okra, and home made beef jerky. Back at the trailer will be frozen blueberries and blueberry jam as well as canned pears.

…Safety is the top priority and the care of the horses paramount. Without the horse the ride is over. Unlike the hiker that makes the decision where to put his/her feet, I depend upon my mounts to do this wisely. Jur and Harmony (Janice’s horses) have proven to be ready for this challenge but it will be a combined effort that will make it happen. I am feeding the best feed we can now because not only is feed weight limited so is the type. Many parks and National Forests do not allow any seed grain such as oats. So the horses will be on a pellet diet much of the time.

…I am also prepared in our communications and connections. It feels like we are carrying too many devises for communicating with our support team. Of course, that is somewhat an illusion as cell towers only reach so far and satellites have to be “picked up.” Besides “the team,” there is an incredible amount of support from Trail Angels and other riders who have drawn alongside us. This particular trip is not possible to do without support.

…Susan B. did much of the initial planning. Now that I am on the trail I am doing it day by day. Almost none of the initial planning is being used. Most zero days are spent preparing for the next ride. I have maintained the website and made contact with sponsors. Ralph is finding and contacting our next way stop and getting us there.

…is another great adventure! An incredible amount of planning and logistics goes into organizing two people and two horses 3000 miles away from their homes for over six months. The final month at home is full: veterinarian exams and health certificates for the horses, along with updating vaccinations, loading the trailer with the first month of feed for the horses and food for the people, taking “trial runs” (camping out with horse and gear to make sure we have everything and that it works), checking all the electronic gear after learning how to use it and packing back up batteries (chargers will be back at the trailer), rechecking that every item needed is IN the trailer, packing clothes in sets of two (one set to be worn and carried and one set being washed and repacked), paying up bills at home and getting all banking prepared for on line transactions, and making last minute changes to our route as we find out about trail conditions.

SIGNS OF THE PCT