saturday escape

Bruce Monroe and mother Ms. Cooter trucked Walter's heaviest saddlebags ahead today, to friend of theirs they'd arranged for us to stay at.

AND they took with them the little hound dog who had been sticking with me and Walter for two days and 12 miles - a much-appreciated favor! We knew exactly what house it had come from. Nice little dog but it belonged to somebody else, and kept running out in the road nearly giving me several heart attacks.

Along Hwy 183, Sir Walter and I stopped briefly at Faye's Burger House. I had a nice chat with a cheerful young woman I guess was Faye (?). She keeps her 2 horses, a mare and filly daughter, in the pasture next door. When she called her mare's name the horse came flying from the back corner to greet her. Wonderful to see that kind of bond between human and equine! Faye and another woman sent me off with chips and well-wishes.

Up the road a spell, I saw a house, some kind of auto shop and a store that had an old soda sign out front and looked like something out of old Mayberry RFD. I saw somebody emerge from the store with an ice cream cone and the desire to make good time instantly took a back seat to the desire for ice cream. I stopped to let Walter graze while I scrutinized the scene for somewhere to tie him.

The family with ice cream spied us, big grins broke out and they came over to have the kids pet the mule. Suddenly it seemed the parking lot was filled with a nonstop stream of cars and trucks parking, kids tumbling out, parents waving and asking if they could take photos of their children next to Walter! At first he was afraid of the kids' excited energy, but once I showed them how gentle he is when approached quietly, everybody got it, the kids calmed down, and I swear Walter smiled and began enjoying all the little ones' petting and attention.

Then the owner of the store, Shirley Thompson (along with husband Tommy), who also writes for a local paper, came out with paper and pen in hand to do an interview and take notes! But I was just as fascinated by her and her store. Turns out Thompson's Grocery has been in business since 1949, the age of the building. Inside, between the register and the back case of cold cuts is a lounge with comfy couch and chairs, and behind it the ice cream bins, then the rest of all the stuff you'd find in an old country store.

Ms. Shirley gave me two ice cream cones - one for me and one for Walter - but Walt wasn't interested.

Before we left, I was approached by a smiling young woman named Nicole who was doing temp contract work on the local pipeline. She said Faye had told her about the mule rider and she had tracked us down. Nicole was wonderfully supportive and helpful, and offered to link to my blog on her Facebook account - thank you Nicole!

Walter and I finally left and continued along, turning at Hwy 134 to our next destination...

guest of the Masons extended family. They graciously put Walter in an old
dog yard. I saw him testing the weak wire fence and nervously hobbled him for good measure while I went inside to shower. Just as I was about to step into the tub, I heard, "Katie, your mule's loose!"
Walter had stomped down the weak spot in his enclosure and was hightailing it at an unbelievably fast three-legged run across the orchard toward the road.

Mr. Mike Mason, highly amused, shouted "Now you see how fast a mule can run!" as son Scott and I leapt into the truck to head Walter off. With help of his wife in the other car, finally caught and tethered my scared mule. Walter was none the worse for wear, but his hobbles did not fare so well.

R.I.P. hobbles

I tethered Sir Walter for the night, pitched my tent a few yards away to keep an eye on him. Needless to say it was a long night.... maybe I should start carrying an electric fence?