mule trip talk: Sept. 5, today, north of Hollis OK

Highway 62 has a good shoulder, but highway riding is loud and disturbing, so once we got to Gould I cut south a mile to get back on the small dirt roads. I knew it'd be another scorcher day among the flat fields without shade or much water, but I figured if it got too bad we could just cut back to the highway where there were stops. It was only 8 miles as the crow flies to our next stop, a pen owned by Kris' brother, which Kris had called ahead and arranged (Thank you again, Kris!!)

I had learned from the past few days to stop at least every two hours at any property that looked like it might have water, and offer Walter a drink. Also, if he wanted to go slow, to go slow.

He did want to go slow. We plodded along. We stopped at a farmhouse and got water from a nice young man. Walter tanked up. We plodded another couple miles. I felt Walter struggling to get his hips comfortable. I got off and walked a mile or so. The sun was blazing. A man drove up in a cloud of dust, stopped his flatbed truck and asked us what in the world we were doing out there? Was my mule okay? Didn't I know it was too hot to be walking? Then he offered to turn on his well spigot, hidden in the ground next to a dry cattle tank a few feet from where we were standing. If the gentleman had not driven by at the exact moment we were by his tank, we would have unknowingly passed by the last source of water for the next five miles. Walter stood quietly in grateful bliss as I hosed him down after he had his drink.

We made it to Hollis, but it turned out the pen south of town was not situated for a two-day stay. I felt bad because Mr. H's hand, Lynn, had cleaned out and refilled a huge cattle tank, but after Mr. H. arrived and generously offered to put us up at his ranch house and pens north of town, Lynn not only volunteered to haul us there but even loaned me his extra car for the duration of my stay!

When we got to Kelly and Lori H.'s huge spread about 5 miles north of Hollis, Walter was tucked into bed for the afternoon/evening in a spacious comfy pen with shade, alfalfa and horses the next pen over. I was given a bedroom in the spacious comfy ranchhouse with indoor toilet, shower and laundry, all of which I have learned to greatly appreciate from time to time. We will be here for the next two days, for a much-needed rest after travelling in the heat. I'll have someone who knows more than I do look (again!) at Walter's hip while we're here.