During this time I also kept researching camping gear and everything else I would need. I needed to keep the weight down in all areas. But somethings were absolutely necessary, like water and horse feed.
I’m also doing alot of researching on what the pioneers went through. Some of the books I’ve read are, the Wagon Travel hand book by David Grant, The Oregon Trail, a new American adventure, by Rinker Buck. Aimé Tschiffely who rode from Argentina to New York City,  on two horses. I’ve read the Free range rodeo blog by Sea Ryder who rode from CA to Maine. I bought The Prairie Traveler, a handbook for overland expeditions by Randolph B Marcy. The Last Saddle Tramp by Messanie Wilkins. To Proud To Ride a Cow by Bernie Harbert, http://www.riverearth.com. Why by Lou H Alwood and many more .
I’ve tried to read all I could about this type of trip. But two things all the people have said in these books is, first you will never be ready to do this type of trip so go before you are ready otherwise you will never go. And the second thing was that most people that you’ll meet on the road are friendly and will help you.

Do not be afraid—I am with you!
I am your God—let nothing terrify you!
I will make you strong and help you;
I will protect you and save you.
(Isaiah 41:10)

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I pray that Christ Jesus and the church will for ever bring praise to God. His power at work in us can do far more than we dare ask or imagine. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20)

As we travel slowly across America we plan on stopping and talking to local people and explaining why we are traveling the way we are. We will call ahead to see if the papers of the local communities would be willing to talk to us and do up an article.
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> We are also going to try to find a local charity contact and see if they want to set up a event like a local trail ride and or BBQ with us or even have some of the rider’s in the community ride alongside of us for a day or two to raise money for local needs.
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> As we ride we are hoping that the national news will start covering us. Raising the awareness to a national level.
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> Horses can only travel 15 to 25 miles a day for three to five days before they have to take a rest day. We will try to schedule these rest days in conjunction with interviews and other events. I’ll be starting this exciting Trek in July of 2018.
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> There is exciting times ahead and I hope you will join us in Raising Awareness for the Hungry Children of America
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http://jesuswashomeless.org/JWH/

I started calling wagon makers and kept getting told that 1400 lb empty was about as light as I was going to be able to get. But that was not light enough I needed no more then 500 lb empty weight. So I decided to build one. I studied and talked to people about my ideas and kept getting told I couldn’t do it. Frustrating to say the least. My horses weigh in at 1100 approximately, so my wagon fully loaded shouldn’t out weigh them by much. So I kept thinking and researching.

Then I found David Grants book, The Wagon Travel handbook. David Grant drove around the world in seven years with a horse and wagon, with his wife and kids. In his book there was a picture of a light weight wagon that Jean Marston had built for a trip she was planning. That trip never was started but the name of the person she had worked with was there. So I contacted him and ask if he knew who now owned that wagon. He said yes and gave me her name and contact information. I contacted her she said she loved it and wasn’t interested in selling it. But it gave me an idea if what I needed. Please remember that this wagon isn’t the one I’ll be using it just gave me an idea of what I would like.

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By this time it was November 2015. So I again contacted Peter Von Halem who was the original builder. He informed me that yes he could build another one and gave an estimate of $9000. But I could tell he wasn’t enthused. So I kept looking for a builder that would work with me. Emailed every builder of wagons I could find. Sent pictures of Marston’s wagon and kept getting answers back that either we don’t build that type or yes we’ll build it but the price they asked was very high.

I just about gave up on using a wagon even though my dreams kept on insisting for me to use a Wagon. So I keep looking for one  and then I found a builder in Greer South Carolina who said he could.build  a wagon with harnesses  for me for around $6000 and that was with all the bells and whistles. I was excited but I just couldn’t seem to come up with the amount of money.

So again was I just about to give up and go with my original idea of horse and pack horse. Before I gave up though I asked for guidance and help because my dreams were of me with a wagon. That was when I found Facebook Market. There it was  The Wagon it will need some modifications and my friends Debora and Terry said they would be able to help with that actually they will do most of it. So I have my wagon now it just needs to be modified. Below is the wagon before it is modified. The large seats will be removed, the box will be made higher and bigger and  hopefully I will be able to find smaller, lighter tires.

All the stories I’ve read all say the same thing in the end. When you start out and you and your horses are fresh the urge to push and make miles will be there. But all agree that in the beginning try not to make that mistake. Do no more then 8 to 10 miles for

the first few weeks then move them up a little each week till you are doing anywhere from 15 to 20 miles a day. Don’t be pushy if you find a good place to camp at 10 miles take it. They also said that the urge to push hard will take you at the half way point because at that point you and your horses are fit and seem able to go on for ever. But again don’t push. Same as near the end if the Trek, at that point you start thinking that you’ve made it and you want to get to the end. That is when your horses are the most vulnerable because they are tired and are easily pushed to hard.
The idea behind my Trek isn’t the destinations end. The destination is the mission and the experiences on the way is the dream. The hard part will be remembering that.

Please remember that these routes are not set in stone. I’ll be going in the general direction but will go where I am sent and where  I am needed. Also it’s very important to remember while it say 24 days for the first leg. The map means 24 hours a day walking, not the 8 hours I’m planning.  The first leg will take about 15 weeks. Then I have to add in the time that will be spent resting the horses. Which will add an additional 4 weeks to the time.  I’ll leave Science Hill KY in July and reach Emerald Isle Nc in October then Jackson TN in December. And that is if I have no major problems. The health of my boys is very important to me as they come first.

So first leg will be around 5 months.

Second leg will be approximately 7 months

Third leg will be approximately 9 months.

This is going to be a great trip. Please stay with me as I explain my plans. As time passes I’ll be putting updated information on my blog.  Alot of studying and preparing has gone into the planning of this Trek. Thank you for reading my Childhood Hunger American Trek.

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