Horses have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. When I was a kid in the suburbs outside Washington, DC, I’d come home from a weekend at the barn and tuck my filthy jeans in my drawers so all my clothes could smell like horse. School and work distracted me for a bit. But, in my late twenties, I rediscovered the joy of riding and bought the first horse of my own, Gibby. She was cheap; probably, because she was eight and only green broke. She pretty much spent a year trying to kill me. She’s in her thirties now and grazing in the pasture I see from my kitchen — sweet old girl.

My three kids grew up like I’d always wished, with horses in the yard. Ironically, only one of them really took to riding. But, in those early days of being a working mom, that was okay with me. The less company the better. My rides were an escape … time alone, but not alone since I was with this amazing creature that let me climb on its back and leave my ordinary life in the dust for a short time.

Enter the cowboy, Kurt — a veterinarian turned politician (I mean, a barnyard is a barnyard). He’d spent 30 years looking up at his equine patients but very little time in the saddle. My herd had grown, as all herds seem to do, so we quickly got him in the saddle. Now, I have what few horsewomen get — a husband who shares my passion for horses and the world they so uniquely make accessible. We’ve travelled the globe; riding in Spain, Hungary, Croatia, Iceland, Ireland, India, Argentina.

A few years ago, Kurt bought a Mustang (Ford not equine) and needed to get it from Maryland to his home base in Oregon. We drove cross country in less than a week. We made a few key stops, but America was largely reduced to a blur outside my window. I realized I’d had much more intimate experiences seeing those other countries from horseback. So, I’m going to make that crossing again. This time, however, I’ll take my time and see America from between two pointy ears.

It’s October 2020. This epic trip is planned for August 2021. There’s so much to do! Get the right truck; get a trailer; train horses for loading and long drives; practice driving a big rig; set an itinerary, accumulate the right gear and pressure test all of this on smaller trips. This blog will follow my journey — the prep and the trip. I welcome insights, input, or just invitations for a cup of coffee or a beer when we pass through your town!