Thursday, December 29, 2011

Going to need help! getting around Knoxville.

Look at this and tell me what you think?

Please look at the active link above and see what you think... I am not sure how to navigate Knoxville, AND I am VERY worried about this bridge... I will have to Hand walk the horses over this bridge for MY safety! I would love to have a local or two STOP traffic if at all possible...

Bridges SHAKE/ MOVE as a car passes, a rock, bottle, or rubber from a tire could send a horse into ... another world.  I really need some help here! Please respond!

Anyone Out There?
It is either this bridge...
OR going right down town under 40 and under 640 ... I really don't want to have to do that!

HELP!

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

I'm starting Jan 3rd ...

Tuesday Jan, 3rd 2012  and as much as I hate to I am TAKING the horses to the YMCA in North Buncomb County... so I can get out of here without loosing a horse or my own life!  I hope to be there by 8 it will take me a good hour or MORE to get the horses loaded... and I'll head out.

It is an EASY route... as in ANY electronic map you can find...
YMCA, Woodfin Street, Asheville, NC
and from there... I go up US 25 / Weaverville Highway until I see New Stock road, which is on the left and no matter how complicated the details get I stay on New Stock till it T/Bones into Monticello (which there is NO SIGN anyway... at the T/bone take a right!(which is still new stock but not marked...)BUT THIS IS WHERE I HOPE TO STOP FOR THE NIGHT>>> THERE ARE PLENTY OF HORSE PLACES / DOORS TO KNOCK ON 

but to continue ...  follow Monticello/which is really still New Stock road but no signs to say either way...
back to US 25/ and 70 it is a HUGE 5 lane road with a CVS and a gas station on the other side... and take a LEFT at this light.  Now all you have to worry about is finding... Ivy ? something marked as Hill on the program I used but it's not... It's Ivy? something but also 25/70... NOT the by pass.  as I want to go right down town Marshall.... and there are signs that say as much... follow signs to Marshall and you are on your way.

I hope NOT to make it any further than Monticello and to find a place to STAY... BUT I had planned this route so long ago... I thought by this day, well into the trip I would be up to 14 mile days but I'm not going to be... So bear with me people... Again... 


Jane 3rd and 4th... DAY one and two...

The darker words above underlined are a link to an active map you can look as closely as you like!

I am not putting up any more maps till I get on the road... as people keep saying I thought you had left, I thought... but no one has been reading the pages that go with the maps... they were all posted to GET ATTENTION AND HOPEFULLY OFFERS FOR ME TO STAY SOME PLACE ALONG MY ROUTE... It did not happen so ... NOW that we are getting on the road this will be all automated as I have no one to man the site while away!

I will not have computer access! I will not have a phone signal most of the time! So... I will repost this ONE more TIME on Jan 3rd... and change it up a little on Jan 4th and then so on and so on...

I hope people read this instead of glancing this time!
Amber.

Life is great!

As of last night, Melanie (my most trusted side kick, right hand woman) and I drove the car from Asheville to TN.  Taking the exact route I will be riding!

I know I am all rewind and repeat! but... it was such a beautiful little drive! It was such a trip back in time... I can not wait for the slow beat of my horses hooves to count time

YES There are going to be dangers along the way!
One is a train track... While I have called for the track times I have yet to get any response.  I may have called the wrong number?
There will always be dogs along the way that will make my day (how can I say?) more adventurous! As my little car was chased by one of them last night.  Prompting Melanie to ask me what I WAS going to do about such things.  But the nice thing is... While Sweet Pea is terrified of her own shadow, she loves to chase dogs! One of the best things I did early on with my little girl was to show her she was bigger and she could scare the animal smaller than her, and she does this VERY well.  So well it makes me laugh every time! I'm all chuckles for 30 minutes after!

Navarre on the other hand ... it is one of the few things he is afraid of ... dogs! One got his back leg once catching him off guard... So it is going to be fun, it is going to be the adventure of a lifetime! And no matter what!!!! I'm going to play it safe, and have fun along the way!
Ask Melanie! she carries an air horn for bear... she aimed it at him one day to get him out of her space... (loud enough to make me jump!) he just sniffed at it, to see if he could eat it! (he is ALWAYS hungry) so she hit it again... a mere sniff, once again.
I've had him up against school buses, dump trucks etc... he's great with the road hazards... I could not do this trip without him!

we're getting close... and I'm counting down!
Much love to the world..
Amber

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

DOING it ALL.

At this point I am VERY excited about the trip.
I am adding / packing more and more emergency things for me and the horses.  Life is good ALL except the route out of Asheville.

Out of respect for my horses, Out of RESPECT for my loved ones I am contemplating having to trailer to the north side of Asheville in order to make this safe, and doable ...

The Blue Ridge Parkway has REALLY put a Pain in my ASS to put it nicely, as that is truely the ONLY 1/2 safe road out of Asheville.  Going down town even a week after Christmas is just going to be too busy, too many pieces of debris that could be tossed from a tire into me or my horses. I will not tolerate my horses being hurt for no reason.   There are also seriously restricted neighborhoods down town and around the city central that will not allow me to tie up the horses in a yard with out siting me for poop!   Of all things... POOP! And while I could really care less about this I have to make sure the horses are happy and can get settled on the road.  ME? I can camp on a gravel drive and not care... but it is them I am worried about.

I also bagged up 4 days of feed for the kids... Well ALL of Navarre's is going to have to be RE DONE... The entire reason I stared them on their ride feed was to see how Navarre PPSM would react.  WELL... NOT well!   It took 2 months for it to REALLY show it's ugly head but , That would have made his last of the trip that much harder for him.  So I have to RE DO ALL of Navarre's feed and he will get little to NO hay stretcher but lots more oil and I'm out to find bran mash I need at least two bags a week for Navarre and one bag a week for SweetPea... the only issue will be finding someone to boil enough water for me to give it to the horses... that stuff has to sit / stir and absorb water ... in the freezing cold... ONE good scoop should do it but two gallons of almost boiling water will be required to allow it to soak etc... before it can be served.

While I know this will not be an issue once I am in TN it is an issue here in WNC... don't ask me why! Sounds stupid but no one around here uses bran mash as a weekly preventative.  Only one of the few things that makes life more difficult for the kids (horses) here.

So Yesterday Melanie and I drove, observed, took notes, and thought of a few more little things.  But we both gritted our teeth at the thought of Tunnel Road at any point, any time... I hate it in a car... much less on two horses.  Figuring out 100th plan ASAP.  Hoping to finalize it today!

Wish us luck!
Much love to the world.
Amber

Monday, December 19, 2011

This is ALL my supplies I am taking with me.

Without going into DEEP details...
this is...
4 days of feed, for them and me
 1 DAY of hay,
an emergency rain coat, if someone starts to shake in a cold rain.
an emergency wicking/warming blanket if someone starts so shake in the cold rain or snow...
a week of clothes for me,
a two man tent for their gear to stay dry.
a bivy for me
an air mattris,
TWO sleeping bags, one 20degree , one ZERO.
a reading lamp,
an extra tarp for HEAVY down pours
ALL my tent supplies including a mat, tarp,rain cover etc...
a pillow
two changes of thermal gear for me
a hard horse brush, med, soft...
two hoof picks ... Emergency meds... for colic, bleeding, tape, scissors, etc... goodies for me
my tin can, and stove,
their water and feed containers....

AND so much more I can't think of everything but it's there!

and it all started with my little boy...



I can't live without my insulated overalls... Life is TOO cold without them... but was getting warm while loading it all on. 


Sweet Pea just stood there! she is NOT tied... just line thrown over rail.

''=
Why the hunch back? 
Because in my little back pack is... my rain layers, my EXTRA wind protection, my face,ear and head gear! all close so I can get it!  My little back pack is BLACK... I do not want something black on my back anymore than I would put a dark color on the horses! safe is safe no matter where you are. VISIBILITY is my only friend on the road.  

Although I do have a sticker that says... horn broken watch for finger! but I have not put it on the gear!  ha ha ha... not sure that I will but? one never knows. 

and on we go....

Sunday, December 18, 2011

almost!

After taking a load of supplies to the barn, Navarre will be carrying so much it takes me THREE trips in my little car to get it all there! 
a short trip in the car to find a way out of Asheville... I ran into three state troopers whom where a GREAT help! I enjoy it when you do things correctly / or with in the law ... and it pays off.  These guys were so helpful this morning.

After loading up the kids in full gear in just a few minutes (as soon as I get off this computer)  taking a photo or two for the local paper.... then taking them for a short / hard hike up the mountain.  I believe I'll go back out in the car for yet another check of roads they mentioned...

We may just have a new way out of Asheville, no thanks to the Blue Ridge Parkway... (Of which EVERY law enforcement group believes they are WAY out there denying me a short 15 mile trek..., but I digress again) but all thanks to the State Troopers this morning.

I'll let everyone know as soon as I can!

Love to the world.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Been a little under the weather.

I've been dragging!~ as if my family didn't expect it.
I've been very tired , but who isn't ?
I rarely get a good nights sleep, hormones (I am that age... or so the dr's tell me) and a husband that... well snores.  anything and everything bothers me now as where I used to sleep through a storm.

I work three jobs.
I'm packing, prepping everything for this ride and as my boss put it! I suppose I hit a wall.

went to the walk in yesterday.
the sent me to the ER ..
so ... two bags later I was feeling a little better.
Dehydrated,
low blood pressure.
low blood sugars...

but I'm back!

I packed up my clothes for the trip, and had plenty of room for the horses emergency blankets, one rain coat and one fleece blanket. Not sure if either will need it but I can't be out and not be prepared.

I'm getting more and more settled with the supplies and almost done.
This too I will take more photos this weekend, I'm just not home till after dark and leave before sun up! as I am sure most of us do this time of year.

Much love to the world...
Amber.

oh yeah... a positive... as of today, all the days get a little longer minute by minute... it will all start to add up!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

the mule pack

Why am I going with a mule pack instead of just saddle panniers?
Well because I have yet to find a saddle that fits my little boy perfectly other than my wonderful English saddle that I rarely use.  I normally end up riding my horses bareback, but ... NO ONE (who cares about me) would be happy if I wondered out hundreds of miles from home without a saddle.

SO ...
I purchased SEVERAL set ups but this one fits him better than the other two.

This is how it came in the box.

Having stated I purchased several... the next picture is hard to look at, and is a horrible site, but one can NOT return gear that is dirty or appears to have been used SO... I covered my little boy with layers and layers of sheets to keep the gear/ especially the pad as clean as possible.




The thing everyone needs to know about this pack system is... it does not work without ALL the parts.  So one can not choose and pick which packs to use, you must use them all as each supports the last till the very last / the rain cover is applied and it secures everything else.  

What IS nice about this pack is the harness system will actually allow me more AREA to put RED LED TAIL LIGHTS on Navarre!   Yep!  Jerry has always insisted I wear led lights when on the road and thus we purchased a few more to put on the "kids" horses... 



Saturday, December 10, 2011

Took out the mail box...

Today was a FUN day!
Got the mule pack set up on Navarre.  3 times... with Mike the first time, alone but with on lookers  the second ( Jerry showed up to take pictures)  , then finally I went back and did it all by myself.  It is SO heavy! I've had to break everything down in tiny steps...

Took the kids out for a spin... and took out the neighbors mailbox!   While I was worried how he would react ...It all worked out for the best...  I knocked on the door to tell him I needed to replace his mailbox and  he offered to come box scrape my barn yard.  Who would have expected that reaction?

I love my neighbors!  It also turned out to be the same neighbor that shined his spot light on me last week  (he was worried it was someone snooping around)  as I was walking through the woods to get to the barn.  It is too muddy to walk in the mud lot so late.

People in my little area are so great! they stop, talk, and ask questions, help out when ever something needs done, and they are always looking out for my horses and me... Almost feels like Joelton! (well not really ... I'm not related to them! and don't know their life history) but this is GREAT!


I'll post photos tomorrow!

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Feed,

I finally got some metal cans, some extra feed, supplements, and zip locks.
So tonight after making GS wings (don't ask) I put together 6 days of feed, hay stretcher, and dietary supplements for the horses.

My dinning room looks like a tornado hit it!

I've got to get another 6 days together, then I have to start set up how I am going to pack it into the mule pack for Navarre. (oh yeah... it came in today... but the safety gear from the UK still isn't in yet)  I am starting to get worried, but I have a temporary back up just in case!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

breaking news... ! Routes will change!

The Blue Ridge Parkway has denied me access to the 15 mile stretch I needed to make my exit from Western North Carolina safely.

For them it was "a safety issue" I see their point, also stating it is frequently used for commuting.

I accept their decision BUT that doesn't mean I agree AT ALL.
Safety... BRP is 35 or  45 mph never higher. the other roads will be 50 or 55
Safety... it is used as a commuter road so with in the time of year I am asking for it is NOT a highly traveled road in comparison to the others I will now have to use, not to forget there are no semi trucks, dump trucks or commercial vehicles allowed!  Or compared to any other time of the year, this is their slow season as well.
       Being a commuter road, we all have to watch for bikes, animals, and ? what ever else SO if any road were safer it would have been this one as we all work with the cyclist that are constantly on the BRP ... EVEN when cars are not allowed.  We as locals know there is going to be someone on the road, coming out of a trail, hitching a ride, or riding, pushing a bike!

His response was (as he explained extreme... but) if someone wanted to roller skate on a road ...
The difference is.... I have the right to have a horse as my transportation, and there are legal exceptions for federal properties, of which three others have given me access!   under a law that was intended to protect the rights of Mennonites and the Amish.  

So now my next few days will be tending to backing up, re accessing, and recalculating my route.  Wish me luck! AND any locals out there! HELP! I'm sure you know these roads better than I.

my hat is off to the Feds for protecting our lands... BUT the explanation and denial was not out of protection of me or the property.  It was their fear that is ... unreasonable considering all the bikes on that very same road, they are just not used to people who think out of the box.

Batteries

Well,
I'm a little bit of a safety person, so today I spent a little on batteries.
Batteries for the red lights that will go on Navarre's tail, and only one on Sweet Pea.
Batteries for the head lamp that goes on my helmet.
Batteries for the light I will use to put up the tent, check on the horses at night, and use for distance sights
Batteries for my emergency light that flashes like ... an ambulance!
Batteries for ankle lights (that go on me!)
Batteries for the light that goes on Navarre's pack!

and of course back ups for all of them.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Characters.

Characters are starting to come out of the wood work, little by little people are starting to talk to me about my little trip.

Melanie is going to be my main support person on the NC side....
David is hopefully going to be her back up.
Then Jerry if either of them can't take care of me.

Brenda and the kids said they will bring me a hot meal, have dinner with me one night and bring the horses some hay!   (this is a big deal and I am not sure HOW I will get hay for the horses at all )

Franklin stopped me at the grocery store, he's been reading up on other people whom have done the same, and wants to see me off as I ride the kids down the highway!

My dear step father called just tonight and mentioned how the trip was a conversation piece with ladies at church, I mentioned how I never see any comments on the blog so I figured no one was reading it! Still have no idea if anyone is reading the family blog or this one?

As long as the word gets out, as long as humanity opens it heart and hands as I walk down the road with my horses.

I think as time goes on people with start to ask me more, I can only hope while on my trip people want to help a little along the way!   I can only hope at this point, as little is in stone.

On the TN side I am hoping my Dad will be my main support, but I still have no real support for him either.  I have asked Troy, but getting a job is first on his list and I have not gotten in touch with Chuck, whom works a full time job and I can't ask too much of anyone! ? who knows... I may have to get support on the TN side but once a week.  If that is the case, so be it! I've worked it all out thus far, I'll work out more issues as they come up.

Friday, December 2, 2011

Day 19

active day 19

back road, back road...

Horse Supplies, Basics water and food.

OK... for the first post of horse supplies, lets keep it SIMPLE (it is NOT but I'll try)
Basic 5 day of feed is 80lbs! now I start counting grams, oz, and lbs for poor Navarre!


Water... While I will be having to beg for water at LEAST three times a day... I also had to have containers to put it in!   Horses are not going to drink from a faucet!
I have two folding / collapsing "kitchen sinks"

Theses things are so well made I will be able to hang one from the HIGH LINE (what I will tie the horses up on for the night) with out any issues for the horses.  They will be able to drink from it, but not get their feet in them if need be. !   this is thinking out of the box.  I have not seen a horse product made for this, or like this! IF anyone else has let me know so I can compare prices and quality to pass on the knowledge! 
These things are incredible as they can hold up to 20 liters of water for each horse. They weigh next to nothing and fold down to a 6 inch round one inch thick object.  ( so this covers the water containers) These things are available as camping sinks! and work perfectly as the water allows them to hold themselves open wider than a normal horse bucket!

Food... 
I will be required to carry 8lbs of feed for each horse as a BASIC ( basic is not going to be enough) for each day.
This is the base line of their requirements and will be increased or decreased (not likely) based on their needs, the weather, and HELP from people as I go along my route.  WHY 16lbs and How did I come up with 8lbs, for each horse?

Navarre ...
rice bran and hay extender with liquid rice bran oil, his vitamin E, his fly control ( I use it for my estate I'm not going to cause fly issues for people for next spring!)  his daily vitamin as his rice bran does not have enough for him. AND an apple electrolyte to keep him drinking! as he hates to drink cold water and colics on me every winter! only one of the FEW medical issues I have with this horse.

Sweet Pea gets the same amount of rice bran, hay extender but then gets low carb feed on top of that!   She literally gets TWICE as much food as Navarre.  I have her on CHEAP corn oil! as this oil burns hotter for the winter ( she NEVER gets a good winter coat)  she gets 1/2 the vitamins of Navarre as her feed as a better amount, BUT I do give her Vitamin E and Fly control.    Don't get me wrong I would love to leave out the rice bran for her but it is working so well ... I just do not want to change ANYTHING!   This is the first year she has not needed a QUILTED coat for the first cold rain / snow.  To me this is a big deal as I am not home to take the coat off as the day warms up.

I have two SMALL kitchen sinks to put the feed in so I don't loose it on the ground if it is wet, muddy, or deep with snow!

A horse getting TOO hot is as much of an issue as it being too cold.  They both cause Colic!

NOW! WE all KNOW horses need hay! well I can't carry a bail of hay a day... ( this is where I REALLY need the help!  If I can get people to bring me hay as much as possible on the road, drop some off ahead of me... what ever! it would help Navarre not carry so much and I would not have to worry about water so much, yes they still need water but hay creates saliva...pellet / compressed hay needs WATER for it to be processed in the gut properly! )   so I have to replace this with a hay stretcher!  Having said that I will need two more bags a day of the hay stretcher so each horse gets a little mid day to keep their gut going and gets one mid night to keep it going all night as well.  ISSUES>>> hay stretcher requires the horse to drink more water than normal SO I will have to have access to water that is NOT frozen for their late feeding!

Getting into the horses and their needs is where my story gets complicated.  I know what I need! I know what I can do.  Theses guys are at my mercy and are my number one concern!

So bottom line...
Water containers... DONE! now I just have to beg for water to put in them!
Feed... Four BAGS of feed each day each bag almost 1lb plus each, Navarre's are a little less, and Sweet Pea's a little more! but oz per oz it levels out to 2lbs each bag each feeding... 4 feedings a day times two horses .... is 16lbs for ONE day of basic feed only.

I will be preparing all the feed in my house, keeping it in a dry metal can and packing it into RIVER bags equal of each other and then putting it on Navarre.  so 16 times 5 is... 80lbs for only 5 days of the trip! 40 on each side of the "mule pack" That alone is a lot for me to get off and on him every day!

MY WISH is to have two flakes of hay per horse per night! but that is asking A LOT of anyone supporting me.  So I am at the mercy of nature.  
Sweet Pea will be allowed to eat grass along the way! Which will add to her roughage... But Navarre can not have grass unless it is BROWN like hay! and only very little at that point!

Navarre is PPSM... EPSM... ( like being Diabetic...) and can not have ANY grass/ sugar, Apples, Carrots, Peppermint! etc... HE is my problem horse!

Thursday, December 1, 2011

day 18

active connection to day 18

I am planning as in the past to stay on back roads... today I can get off the main highway and back into communities.
 know! shoot me... I left my drag on site.   go to the active link above if it bothers you!