Journey Complete

I'm not going to bore you with details of my horrendously long journey to get out here, but glad to say I've arrived safetly, albeit a bit shell shocked ! In case anyone is wondering what the Knicker mention is all about ............. In their wisdom, at Washington Airport, Customs decided I looked like the typical middle aged drugs smuggler from England, and had a good search of my suitcases..........these had to be abandoned to their mercy, as I was in danger of missing my connection. All was well that ends well, and when I arrived at El Paso....lo and behold there were my suitcases safetly on the tarmac. What a fantastic view of El Paso, as you arrive on the rickerty 40 seater plane over the snow capped mountains. Although my heart was in my mouth, I had to keep on looking......... The passenger next to me sang hymns all the way over, which speaks volumes !!!!!


I've had a fantastic welcome from Candy, Bernie,Melissa, and numerous friends who have been looking after me fantastically well, as well as taking me out and about, and were waiting to meet me at the airport. Until Bob arrived, I stayed at the beautiful home of Bernie and Melissa, and their Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy,Kinja, who is an absolute sweetie...........I want to kidnap him and take him home with me, not forgetting to mention,Peaches, the smaller than life cat. I was totally in my element, playing with animals the whole time. I cannot thank Bernie and Melissa enough for all their hospitality........ they made me feel so at home, and even though I had never met them before, I feel as though we have made friends for life.


Anyway, enough about my exploits, and on to the important bits of the blog. Bob had been steadily riding towards his final destination when we last spoke, without mishap, and as I was unable to maintain any sort of contact with him before I left, information has been very sparse. Lois and John Carroll very kindly put him up for two days, as well as all the running around they had done prior to that .......thank you from the bottom of our hearts, we would have been lost without you. They had also been keeping me informed of his whereabouts, as had Chip, so I knew he was safe. I hope I can meet up with them before we return to England, as they have done so much for Bob.

Bernie and I drove out looking for Bob on 1 Dec, late afternoon, but had no joy for a long time, and it was dark by the time I spotted Cody and Tigers tied up next to Lois and John's trailer, with Bob cosily tucked up inside, down a dirt track. As there was no room inside the trailer, and it was freezing cold outside, we had a quick ten minute hello, and then went back to our home comforts. Bob looked well, and the horses looked fantastic, and we arranged a rendevous for the next morning when Bob was doing the final ride to the city limit .............needless to say, by this time, El Paso TV was on his trail, as were inumerable reporters.

On 2 Dec, we drove out out meet Bob late morning, and spotted the boys riding up the very busy Highway on the hard shoulder, pursued by the TV cameras and reporters. He was looking remarkably cheerful, and I've got to admit I shed quite a few tears when I saw them coming towards me. As Bob had to cross from one side of the Highway to the other, the El Paso police blocked the road for a safe crossing into the Sheriff's headquarters. The next hour or so were taken up with us being interviewed by the press and TV,and people milling around wanting to congratulate Bob. As the city boundary sign was about another half mile up the road, Bob then decided he wanted to ride up to that with Cody and Tigers.........I would mention that he was unable to ride right through El Paso, because of safety and traffic conditions, and we were planning to ride to the city boundary, and then ride from the Sheriff's Posse area, the following day to the border. Friends of Bernie and Melissa had brought their trailer along, and the horses were then picked up and we drove the remaining miles to the Sheriff's Posse area, where the horses were corralled, fed and watered. They will remain here for the duration of our stay.
Can I say a heartful thanks to Bernie's friends for trailering the horses for us, and Keith at the Sheriff's Posse Arena for all his help in looking after Cody and Tigers.I have taken loads of photos, and the cam-corder has had a lot of use, so when I have free time will be doing photos on the blog.


Bob and I were then taken to the Holiday Inn near the Airport, where we were given a fantastic courtesy room for the duration, with drinks and gifts in the room. Our thanks to the management and staff of the Holiday Inn for their generosity. That evening the Hotel held a reception for us, together with a competion to make the best Margaritas......Bob didn't win. Bernie and Melissa belong to a Western re-enactment group, called Six Guns and Shady Ladies, and a lot of their members turned up that evening to meet us. A good night was had by all, and thanks to everyone for a warm and wonderful welcome.

The following day, we decided to take it easy, and do the border ride the following day, so that we could both do catch up. So , on 4 Dec Bernie, Melissa, Candy and myself drove out to the Sheriff's Posse Area, saddled up the horses, and Bob and Bernie rode to the Mexican border. Due to the unrest there, the border patrols are in high profile, and would not let him actually ride over, but we both quickly walked over to take some photos, while the patrol car was out of the way. Just for the record, I had a quick "leg up" on Tigers, and we rode around for a while, but I decided not to ride him back to the Posse arena .........what a wimp I am ! Melissa and Bob did the return trip, and I think Bob felt quite emotional as this was his last ride on the boys.

I have been taking loads of pictures, and due to the time factor of downloading them to the internet and the blog site, am leaving posting them until I return to England after 16 December. However, I would like to put some on of the final miles, and everything that has happened since.

We are now busy looking for a good home for our boys, and have several people interested, so will keep you all posted on this........our concern is that they are homed together, preferably for the rest of their lives, and that they will have the sort of life they are used to .........riding in the great outdoors. Bob and I are quite choked up at the thought of saying goodbye to them, as we know it will be very difficult, particularly for him. When we go to visit them at the Arena, they are following him and watching him the whole time, and you can see the bond that has formed between the three of them. I dread the day they go, as I think we'll all be in tears, but we must think of them first.

Anyway, enough of all this emotion.I thought I would fill you in on a few things that have happened during our stay..... most importantly of all, we visited Rosa's Cantina, and what a welcome we had. The place was filled with people and they applauded Bob when we arrived...they were all taking photos and asking for his autograph, and a customer who had come in the day before had paid for our meal. Thank you so much to Mac and Enedina Snodgrass for your generosity. We were also given sweat shirts from Rosa's Cantina (not forgetting to mention sweatshirts from the University of El Paso, Texas,which we had been given previously.)
Needless to say, Marty Robbins was playing............ El Paso City. What a lovely welcome, and what lovely people.

I shall be blogging periodically with information for the next week until we leave America, and will let you know everything that is going on.......... I'm already feeling quite sad that it is all coming to an end. Roll on the next adventure, we can't stop here !

In the meantime, my sincere thanks to everyone in El Paso who has helped us so much, particularly Candy, Bernie, Melissa, Leesy and all the other people too numerous to mention that we have met, who have given us such a warm and openhearted welcome. Thanks, everyone who has been putting messages on the blog site, and for all the support we have been given throughout this trip. I love you all !

Keep watching, and I will post again with the closing entries before I leave America........pictures to follow from England. In the meantime we are sightseeing in El Paso and enjoying ourselves.

Message to my kids.Thanks for the e-mail, Liz. Cannot e-mail you back, as the hotel computer won't let me in to send e-mails. But everything is ok this end. See you on 16 December.

Goodbye England

Hooray, we're off.............speak to you next from El Paso

Bob has been spotted

Chip Clemmons who was on his way to El Paso kindly e-mailed me this morning to say he had met up with Bob. He found him near a ruined motel in the Guadaulpe Pass close to the Salt Flats, brewing a cup of tea.....and there's me thinking he's roughing it !

All three boys are fine, and Bob is looking forward to El Paso. The saddle seems to be bearing up, so let's keep our fingers crossed. It also looks as though Bob has got out of the mountains just before the bad weather hit.

Most importantly of all, Chip delivered him a supply of candy bars, so everything is fine, as long as Bob gets his chocolate buzz.

Many, many thanks to Chip for keeping our boy going. Have a good Thanksgiving, everyone we have met in America .........enjoy the Turkey.

Alos, many thanks to everyone who has helped Bob on the ride to El Paso........ I know the last part has ben quite tough for him,and he would have struggled without the likes of Lois and John....not forgetting Chip with the candy bars ! Bless you all.

Bob is fine

I'm unable to get contact with Bob....three days now ! Do you think he's been eaten by a big brown bear..............No, I've had an e-mail come through from Lois and John Carroll, who have been kindly driving up with their trailer every day, and also bringing water and food for the horses, to advise me that everything is ok with my boys. He will probably not be able to contact me now until after Dell City Junction, and by then I will be in El Paso.

The weather is very cold and windy, and I should imagine it felt even colder when he was in the Guadalupe Mountains. I don't know if the snow has materialized, but have been told by El Paso that an extremely cold front is moving in, so I'd better take my woollies with me. I thought I was going to get a bit of sunshine !

Chip Clemmons whom Bob met when he was in Dexter, is driving along Bob's route today, to meet with his folks for a Thanksgiving dinner and family get together in El Paso. He reckons he will be passing Bob, and after reading my blog when I said Bob had run out of candy bars, he has bought him a large stock to keep him going. He said he will also take some bad weather gear for him to wear, in case of need. We don't want my man freezing to death on the last leg.

Well, my last day.......tomorrow I drive up to London, and catch the plane out early Friday morning. So the next blog will come direct from the horse's mouth......El Paso. It's all getting very exciting now, and once I can get over the mental block of packing my suitcase (yugh, that means I'm going on a plane, which frightens me to death ), I will be ready to go.

Keep looking, as I should be able to continue with the blog soon, and hopefully catch up with Bob's news in the next few days.

Pictures of Bob sent today from Wray , Colorado

No news at all from Bob as cell phone reception is dead whilst he's in the Gaudalupe Mountains. I have received an E-mail from John and Lois Carroll, who have been kindly going out every day with their trailer for him, and feed and water for the horses , when necessary. They reassured me that all three boys are fine, and they saw them last night with the Park Rangers up in the foothills . Apparently the weather is very cold and windy now, and when I checked on the forecast, it looks like snow is on its way.


Plans are going apace in El Paso for Bob's arrival and Bernie and the gang there are currently trying to work a route for him through the city, with the help of the Border Patrol, Police and Sheriff's department. We have worked out which part of the border he is going to cross on, that will be away from the busiest parts .........trouble is, Bob doesn't know this, as we can't contact him !!!!!! Let's hope we can resume contact or we could be in one part of El Paso, and Bob in another.



Susie Bruggerman from Holyoke kindly sent me some photos that her mother,Dorothy took when she met him in Wray,Colorado, which are shown below. Thank you Dorothy and Susie.




I'm hoping that when I get to El Paso, I will be able to download some of the photos we take there onto the blog site straight away, so you can all join in the celebrations. I think Bob is getting really tired now, and he's having trouble with his back again, which makes it all a lot harder.

Last blog in England tomorrow.........El Paso here I come !

About 15 miles after Whites City

The weather was quite hot today (23 Nov), and by midday Bob was down to a T shirt, after wrapping in several layers this morning to keep the frost at bay.

The roads are pretty quiet now, so the journey from Whites City was uneventful, except Bob's back is giving him trouble again. The horses will have to be tethered tonight as there is no corral or fenced in areas. Bob has stopped near the entrance to some sort of oil place, that has a permanent guard there, who lives in a trailer there, and opens the gate to let the traffic in.

John and Lois Carroll arrived with their horse trailer, which has a bed in it, kitchenette, shower and toilet, which will be lovely for Bob, as he will be able to get out of the cold, and make himself hot drinks. Lois told me that it can get quite cold and windy there. They put the trailer in a wide ditch , so that it's off the road, and the horses were tied to the trailer. The man at the entrance to the oil place also gave Bob some chocolate cakes,books to read, and mango squash, which was very kind of him. Thank you very much. John and Lois are proving a godsend to out traveller, as they are making his journey so much easier. I notice on the weather tonight that snow may fall in the Guadalupe mountains.

Bob has now left New Mexico and is back in Texas. On the 24 November he starts riding into the Gaudalupe mountains, and will be in there for 2/3 days. It is possible I will not be able to contact him, but will find out tonight. When we spoke last night, we lost a signal 5 times, and I had to keep ringing him back.

Only three more days, and I will start my journey to El Paso to meet Bob at the end of his Long Ride.

Whites City, New Mexico

An early start as Bob had 22.5 miles to cover this day (22 November). Surprisingly, he was riding alongside a new 4 lane Highway, with very clean ditches, and not much traffic, so the journey was quite easy. The landscape along the way is very barren, the ground covered in praire grass, and not much else. There doesn't even seem to be much wildlife, as Bob has not reported seeing anything to me. The Guadalupe Mountains that he will be riding into in the next few days are now showing on the horizon, and I think he's looking forward to getting there.

Jim Ballard turned up during the ride with water for the horses, which was very kind of him. What would Bob do without these guardian angels ?

Later that day, Lois and John Carroll found him on the road. He is staying with them in Cornudas on 29 November, and they had been out looking for him the previous day, but where unable to find him. They are willing to drive out as and when it's necessary to ensure he has food and water for the horses, and have offered the loan of their trailer for Bob to sleep in when he's out in the open. People this way are so generous.

When I spoke to Bob in the early hours of this morning (my morning , not his)he had arrived at an empty house that Jim Ballard had arranged for him to sleep in. There was a cafe and small shop down the road, but unfortunately by the time Bob had seen to the horses, the shop had closed. He's now got withdrawal symptoms, as he' s got no candy bars left !!!!!!!!! Luckily for him, there is heating and electricity in the house, so at least he'll be warm tonight. As we spoke he was ordering some food in the cafe, as that was on the verge of closing for the day.

The Guadalupe Mountains are the highest point in Texas. As from tomorrow, Bob will be riding back into Texas, the last State on his ride.

My thanks to the person who sent the copy of the Dalhart Texan, with the article on Bob's long ride. I keep them all for him to read when he gets back.

Mine and Bob's heartfelt thanks to the wonderful people of New Mexico who have helped our Long Rider along the way. What would we have done without you.

CuChullaine from the Longrider's Guild had kindly forward a couple of photos, which link to Bob's long ride. The photo above is of Gary Davies and his horse Dandi, who has been an incredible help to Bob especially when he was setting up his long ride, in passing on his knowledge and expertise. Gary is a fellow Welshman, who had done extensive long rides around England and Wales in the 70's. He in turn was helped by another Welsh Long Rider Thurlow Craig, who spent his youth riding in Latin America, where he herded cattle, and took part in several mounted revolutions. A photo of him is below. Maybe there is another up and coming Welsh Long Rider in the making, who we will be able to help in turn.

I must say we both owe Gary, Allen Russell, and CuChullaine and Basha O'Reilly from the Longrider's Guild a deep debt of gratitude for all the help they have given us, not only at the beginning, but throughout the ride ...........without them we would have had trouble getting it off the ground, especially with our lack of expertise. Thanks fellow Long Riders. Also thanks to Sue, our friend in Tennessee, who pointed us in the direction of The Longrider's Guild

Here is Thurlow Craig on his Criollo horse , Bobby, in Patagonia.

Last Rest Day In Carlsbad

Bob went out with Harley and Debby Ballard for a steak last night, and then was offered a bed at their house for the night.

The following morning, 21 November, Bob went with Harley to his Bus depot at 6.30........... he runs school buses, had a cup of coffee, and then borrowed his pickup to go and grain the horses. Jim Ballard came round about 8.30and took Bob to see the Carlsbad Caverns, which are actually in Whites City. The Caverns are spectacular and really massive, with stalactites and stalagmites and stretch for over 100 miles.........well worth a visit. They are situated up in the mountains. The boys had a bite to eat, and then Jim took him for a drive to recce his way over the next few days. They drove all the way to the Frijole Camp site, which was good, as it's very barren along this way, not many people living there, and water is in very short supply. Bob made a few adjustments to his plans.

That evening they had steak done on the B'que, and Bob again slept at Harley's house. I think he's glad of a bed when he can get them now, as the nights are so cold.

When Bob was riding from Artesia to Carlsbad, he couldn't find any water for the horses, and eventually stopped a water truck along the way, and they kindly let him have a couple of buckets. It's a good job he wasn't down this way in the Summer, else he would have really struggled.

Harley,Jim and your family...you have done a really great job of helping Bob, and we would both like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Thank you so much.

Hooray we have Pictures !

Thank you Debbie for kindly sending me pictures of Bob arriving at the Fairground, and also of the evening gathering.

The second lots of pictures are from Bernie in El Paso, who is trying to impress me, by showing me what a marvellous rider he is.........don't know what happened to the pony!

Here is Debbie Bell, who kindly arranged Bob's stay at the Fairground, when he arrived in Artesia . I don't know who the dog is !

Our intrepid Long Rider arriving at the Fairground.

Winner of the most glamorous grandmother award, Debbie with two of her grandkids. She doesn't look old enough !

Bob with Debbie's family and friends at the Country Club.

This is Jole, Debbie's daughter, who runs the Country Club.

Bob entertaining the ladies. I don't believe for a minute that he's had a hard time on this long ride, with all the socialising he's been doing.

Thank you Debbie,Joel, Jole, friends and family for looking after Bob.

And this can only be Bernie from El Paso, doing his death defying horse riding trick. Bernie, please put the horse down !

And here is Melissa, who I think is Bernie's wife (correct me if I'm wrong, Bernie) attempting the same feat.

On a different note. This is Sue Ballard from Tenessee, a friend of Bob and mine, with her horse, Jazz

And here are her two dogs, modelling the latest in Doggy fashion.

This is "Bob the Dog". This is the stray that followed Bob on 14 October when he arrived at Sally and Mel Depra's at Big Bend, Wiley. Sally has been unable to trace his owner, and is looking for a home for him...........I want him !!!!!! She sent the photo, and said they had to call him Bob........I think he's better looking than our Bob, don't you ?

I bet you're wondering what this picture is all about. When Bob was riding to Sally and Mel's at Big Bend, he got soaked to the skin, because it rained so heavily. Sally said they haven't had a drop of rain since, and to prove it, here are the horses' hoofprints still in the dust.

Well, I think that's given you a surfeit of Pictures, so will continue with the blog when lord and master phones me later.

Carlsbad South , New Mexico

In a few more days, Bob will be heading back into Texas, and the last stretch of his long ride.

A very pleasant evening was had last night with Jim and his wife, together with Mr Ballard senior and his wife. As Bob didn't have so far to travel that day, he left a bit later. He was trailered back to were he was picked up last night.........we won't have any cheating on this long ride, and rode the 15 miles to Carlsbad, arriving at about 2.00pm. The weather has been freezing cold all day, and the ride was slow, as he was in the ditches and they are pretty rough. He tries not to ride on the shoulder of the road, as it wears the horses' shoes down very quickly.Bob was staying at the Sheriff's Posse Arena, and guess who was waiting for him as he rode up , but Mr Ballard, with a trailer full of Alfalfa for the horses. He is trying to persuade Bob to come back to his house tonight and tomorrow to sleep...........he might well be advised to, as it's freezing there tonight. mind you, it's not much warmer here in England ! He was going to come back later to pick Bob up and take him for a steak.

Bob is having a rest day there tomorrow, and will then be heading for Whites City. He has now done in excess of 1700 miles.

Artesia, & Brantley Lake St Park, New Mexico

As Bob had a long ride of 25 miles on 18 November, he was up at 5.00a.m., brushing down the horses and getting them saddled and packed for the journey.He has now got this down to a fine art........ remember when he started this long ride, it was taking him hours to get ready in the morning. He reckons he can do it in 20 minutes now !

He left about 6.30, and the morning was very cold. In fact he said most mornings there's a frost on the ground when he gets up. It gets warmer as the day goes along, and most days the temperature is in the 70's........but very cold at night.

When he had been riding for about 15 miles, he stopped at a house and they gave him water for the horses, and they chatted about his journey.

As Bob was riding through Artesia, he had a brush with the law. A Police car stopped him and told him he was riding on the wrong side of the road. However, they got chatting and he let Bob off without a citation. Not long after that an animal Inspector stopped his van to check out the horses, but our boys were fine.

When he got to the Fairground, Joel Bell husband of Debbie Bell who had arranged for him to stay there, arrived with a bale of hay for the horses, and later Debbie arrivedwith oats for Cody and Tigers. That evening Debbie had arranged a get together at the local country club, and when she took Bob there, he reckons there were about 30 people waiting. While he was chatting to people, one guy came up to him and said "You stopped at my Bosse's house to water your horses on the way here."

They must have had a good evening, as Bob didn't get to bed until 11.30.Debbie kindly e-mailed me beforehand to tell me what she was planning, and to say Bob had got off ok.

The next morning Debbie drove him back to the Fairground, which was about 10 miles from her house. Some friends of hers live next to the Fairground, and they supplied Bob with hot coffee and took loads of photos of him.......... I hope some will come my way to put on the blog site.

My sincere thanks to Joel and Debbie for your very kind hospitality, and Debbie I hope we can get together in El Paso for breakfast.

Bob reckons this ride was the toughest he has encountered so far. He left at about 6am, and the ride was 23 miles long. The ditches are very rocky, and the riding is slow, and he needs to be on the look out for Rattlers. He can't ride on the road shoulder as the road is too narrow and busy.
There were about 5 bridges to cross that day, which were a bit hair raising at times, as the cars make a lot of noise when they drive across. The road was called the Seven River's Highway, so that tells you a lot. Several times, Bob rode down into the river beds, as they were dry, as it was safer than trying to cross the bridge with the traffic. Obviously, this made the trip a lot slower though.

About 11am Jim Ballard, who was arranging a stopover for Bob, met him on the Highway to let him know a bed had been sorted for the night. He arranged to come back with a trailer at 4.00pm, and would pick Bob up wherever he had ridden to, and trailer him back to the house, which was some miles off the road.

Bob was taken to Jim's father's house (sorry I don't yet know your name), and was made very welcome. As usual, everything had been laid on for the horses, and they were corralled and fed, as was Bob..........although he had a proper bed for the night. Thank you so much Mr Ballard senior and Jim for looking after my special boys. Bob said quote "they're great people".

Hagerman,New Mexico

On 17 November Bob had a ride of over 23 miles to Hagerman. The weather that day was very hot, hitting 80 degrees, and there was no wind. There is no Alfalfa growing in the ditches now, and what grass there is , is very dry and yellow. About 8 miles out of Hagerman, Bob spotted an irrigation ditch and stopped so the horses could drink their fill. He rode through Dexter to get to Hagerman.

Bob was stopping at the farm of Gary and Vi Babcock, and when he arrived they were waiting with some friends. A corral was ready for the horses, together with hay and grain, and once they had been settled , they drove to Dexter for a meal and a few drinks. From what Bob told me, he had a very enjoyable evening. Thanks to Vi, Gary and friends for a great time, and for putting Bob up for the night.He said what a great crowd you all were.

Last Rest Day in Roswell

Bob's last rest day in Roswell before he hits the road again, and he's been having a great time with Rick and his friends, Mark ,Paul, and Ruby. They have all been taking it in turns to take him out and about ...........what great people.

I've had my hand slapped for something I had put previously on the blog site.When Bob stayed with Rick and Connie at Elkins, I had thanked Connie for doing Bob's washing. Rick was very insulted (I'm sure), as he'd done it. So grovel grovel to Rick , a man after my own heart, who will pitch in and help.............take note, Bob !!!!!!!!! Thanks, Rick, you've been an absolute treasure whilst Bob was in Elkins and again at Roswell , together with the Roswell gang.

That morning Rick and Mark took Bob to the UFO Museum, and later the horses had their shoes done. Bob is planning to bring the horseshoes back.......... he reckons he's going to hang them in the lounge. We'll see about that ! Later that afternoon, Paul and Ruby turned up and took him sightseeing round Roswell for a couple of hours. And finally that evening he went out for a meal with Rick, Connie, their daughter, and grand daughter.

My man has been treated like royalty while he's been there, and I can only thank Rick,Connie, and the gang from the bottom of my heart. If you ever come to England, there will be a bed at our house for you.

As a postscript. Bob forgot the horseshoes he was was taking back with him, and Rick drove out to give them to him, so he wouldn't leave without them.

Rest Days at Roswell

Bob is so used now to getting up at the crack of dawn, that he finds it hard to lie in, even on a rest day. So, he was up and raring to go at 7.00 am. His first jobs of the day are naturally to see to the horses, and then he updated his diary. He also seized the opportunity to clean the pack saddle and his riding saddle.

Later that morning, two of Rick's friends dropped in to see if he needed anything, and took him to the supermarket and Bank. The freeze dried meals have all but gone now, so he stocked up on "pot noodles" to keep him going, together with cookies, crisps and fruit. When I spoke to him earlier this evening he was chilling out, but was looking forward to meeting up with the guys and gal later that evening for another meal out and a few drinks.

Tomorrow, is another rest day, and he is being taken to the Roswell UFO Museum. Apparently, sometime in the past an Alien space craft is supposed to have crash landed near Roswell. He is also hoping to go on the computer tomorrow afternoon.

I shall be away from tomorrow until Tuesday, so will say my thanks to Rick and all his friends for helping Bob out so much. He has certainly been enjoying his stay in Roswell thanks to yourselves.

Happy riding, cowboy........the end is in sight.

Roswell, New Mexico

Our boys left at 7.30am for the 18 mile ride to Roswell on 14 November. As mentioned the previous night Bob had camped under the Bob Crosby Bridge, and that morning had to walk the horses across it to start off towards Roswell. Unfortunately, another mishap occurred with Cody as he was leading him across........ yet again, it concerned the expansion joint on the bridge which was metal ..... Cody slipped on it, skidded into Bob and knocked him flying, and while Bob was on the ground, stomped on his foot. He said the pain was excruciating, and although he can walk, the foot is swollen, but no broken bones( he thinks !!!!!).

Apart from that he had a very pleaseant ride, as he was on a side road which was very quiet, and the weather was good. Whilst he was riding along there a trucker stopped for a chat. He told Bob he had passed him quite a few times in the last few weeks, when Bob had been riding the main roads, and, as usual, was quite impressed with what Bob was doing. When he left he gave Bob some cakes and biscuits.

Bob arrived at the Fairground at Roswell at about 3.00 pm, and said it is a massive place. Rick had arranged for him to stay over in a trailer he had there, so, once again, our traveller is staying in the lap of luxury, with all mod cons. Rick wasn't there, but had sent along a welcoming committee of three of his friends, who all helped Bob settle the horses, and showed him where the trailer was. Everything was there for the horses....grain, hay and water, and around the trailer was fenced in, so the horses were allowed to roam free in there.

A little later Rick turned up with another friend, Mark, and they all went out for a sociable evening of steak and a few beers. Bob had a really good time........he's having a better social life than I am !!!!!...........and later he went back to the trailer and spent the rest of the evening listening to Country and Western on the radio.

Thanks everybody for helping him out, and giving him a great evening.

In the Middle of Nowhere

After a restless night, Bob was glad to be" back on the road again", and had a pleasant ride. whereas previously, he had been stopping after an hour's riding to let the horses graze, he is now doing about 6 miles before he stops. He says that everyone comments how well the horses are looking, and they are certainly performing well.

Bob arrived at his destination.......a distance of 21.5 miles, and he was sleeping next to the Bob Crosby Bridge. Apparently, Bob Crosby crashed his car into a draw ( I hope I got the spelling right, someone put me right if I didn't), which is a big dip in the road about a mile from where Bob was camping, and was killed. Rick had kindly dropped off a bale of hay at Bob's campsite, which was great of him, but Bob had plenty of water, as he was camped next to a river. There were trees there, so the horses were tied to them for the night, and out came the trusty yellow tent.

The only eventful thing that happened that day, was that Cody narrowly missed treading on a Rattlesnake in the ditch. He spotted it and sidestepped, at the same time as Bob heard it hissing. I think Bob will be keeping more of a lookout now for them.

On the Way to Elkins

Bob had originally planned to ride the 30 miles to Elkins in one go, but changed his mind , and split it into two days ride.

Lonny picked him up at 7 am and took him back to the Town Hall, where he had coffee with about six people, including Melvin. He had a great talk with them, putting the world to rights, and then set off again.

The countryside is very sparse now, just about enough grass for grazing, but very dry. There is hardly any traffic, but the road is very wide, which makes an easy ride. When he was talking in the Town Hall, he was told about a deserted bar at the end of his ride, where he could sleep under cover for the night. Sure enough there was his "des res", but not an ounce of booze in sight ! Later Lonny arrived with hay and 50 galls of water for the boys, and wouldn't take any payment for it. Lonny you have been a blessing .......thank you so much.

The horses were fed and watered and tied up to a billboard for the night, and Bob adjourned to his home on the concrete floor..........and yet another yummy freeze dried meal. He didn't have a good night's sleep, as the weather was freezing, and he got up at daybreak to discover the rats had been busy, and pinched all his fruit, as well as his bar of soap !

After he had sorted the horses and had coffee, he set off for the remainder of the ride to Elkins. The weather was quite pleasant that day, and as he rode towards the home of Rick and Connie Ford where he was staying for the night, Rick turned up in his pickup. Connie works as a school teacher, and Rick works at the Fairground at Roswell, where Bob is staying later.

Bob had a very pleaseant evening, and had dinner and chatted. Connie kindly did his washing for him, and when he told them about the rats the night before, produced another bar of soap for him. Thank God for that, or we would have had one smelly rider ! The horses were corralled for the night, with grain and hay, which Rick wouldn't take payment for. People are so kind in this great country. Thank you very much, Rick and Connie, for all your kindness. Bob slept in Rick's den for the night.

Elida,New Mexico

Bob was up at the crack of dawn, and left at 6 am as he had a ride of 26 miles to Elida. He rode through the back streets of Elida, which were very quiet at that time of the morning, and then out onto the main road. The ditches are a lot worse now, very uneven, and practically unrideable, so once again he rides on the side of the road. The weather is typical of this time of the year......cloudy,cold and windy..........sounds like England.

When he was about 9 miles from Elida, who should pull up in a car, but Lonny, who'd arranged to look after him there. As there is no water anywhere now on the ride, Lonny arranged for some to be brought out for the horses...........and who should turn up half an hour later, but Melvin from the local police to water our trusty steeds !

As Bob rode into town at about 3.30, there was Melvin again, waiting to show him the corral for the horses, which had been loaned from someone. There was hay and water for Cody and Tigers, and they were settled for the night. Our friendly policeman then took Bob to the Town Hall where he met Sandra Monks, his original contact for the town, who had brought in the hay for the hoeses........and, needless to say, would not take payment for it. Thank you very much, Sandra, for arranging everything.

Bob had a bed for the night with a couple who were related to Bob Crosby, the 7 times world Rodeo champion, and he slept in an Adobe Cottage, which he said was really great ........had everything he needed. Later, Lonny brought him over a home cooked Steak dinner (from Lonny's own cattle), and he had a Peach tart made by Lonny's wife. Thank you to the couple who put Bob up for the night, and special thanks to Lonny and Melvin, who really put themselves out for him. It was much appreciated.

I know Bob really enjoyed his stay with the people of Elida, who he said were really great. Thank you for looking after my boys again.

Portales, New Mexico

Another early start, and up at the crack of dawn to get the horses fed, cleaned and packed. Today, Cody was the ride horse, and Bob left Clovis at 7.00am. The journey today was just over 18 miles, and the weather was sunny with not much wind in the morning, but picking up as the day went on.

The ditches were pretty well unrideable, and the road was very busy, so the journey was a lot slower , although both horses are rock solid in traffic, which is brilliant.

He arrived at the Portales Fairground about 2pm, and the horses were stalled, with hay. The man who opened the Fairground up for him, kindly went and got more hay, as Bob was staying for a further night, and there were only two bales there. He refused to take payment for the hay, and would not take the money Bob offered him as a tip and for his petrol. Thank you so much for helping Bob out. Our rider has got the luxury of a heated barn for the night, and is sleeping on a table again !!!!!!!

Whilst Bob was riding there, a car stopped and three very excited ladies got out, and were jumping up and down. One of them ran up to him and said "Are you Bob Jones from England?" When Bob said he was, she said "We can't believe we've bumped into you, as we saw you on television."...........They then took masses of photos with each lady in turn posing with Bob and the horses.

A bit further on, another car stopped, and two men got out to talk with him. It turned out one of them was Gordon Morgan, who was the candidate for the House of Representatives in the Elections that have just finished. He was heading off to Las Vegas with his friend for a holiday. He was thrilled to find out what Bob was doing, and when they finished talking, gave Bob his card (he lives in Florida), and said, "when you are next in Florida, come and stay with me."

When we spoke last night (8 Nov), Bob was slumming it in a Pizza Restaurant........don't tell me you're getting sick of steak ! He's resting over in Portales for 9 November, and will be back on the road to Elida on 10 November.

Thank you to Charlene Hardin, at the Fairground for organising Bob's stopover there.

Clovis, New Mexico

South of the Border, down Mexico Way.......... Well, not quite, but will New Mexico do ! Another State, but we're coming to the end.

Bob had a wonderful evening with Earl on 6 November, and set off for Clovis early morning, as usual . He reckoned the ride was ok, but weather very cold first thing in the morning, and windy, which seems to be the norm for this time of the year. The ditches were not good for riding, so most of the trip was alongside the road, on the hard shoulder. For a lot of the journey, the road ran alongside the railway line, and Bob reckoned that must have been the busiest track going, as there were constant trains passing through, all blowing their horns at the crossings. He said it was driving him mad, and he didn't know how the people who live near the rail tracks put up with the non stop noise. The journey was about 20.5 miles, and he arrived in Clovis late afternoon.

Bob was staying at the Fairground there, and the horses were fed and corralled. Bob slept under the grandstand in the little yellow tent, and when I spoke to him, was at K-Bob's Steak House........I guess having a steak for a change !

Thanks to Sue Ferrell at the Fairground for organising his stay, and getting hay in for the horses.

On Another Subject

Just back fleetingly in Bristol

My father passed away peacefully yesterday afternoon, with my brother and me by his side. Just want to say thank you to all the people who have been e-mailing me with their prayers and messages of support.

I will be away most of next week sorting things out, but keep watching the blog, as I will do catch up asap.

Bovina, Texas

Bob's last day in Texas for a while, and he had a very pleasant day's riding.......the weather was cool, in the 60's but very sunny. In fact he had to take his jacket off at one stage. Tigers was number one horse today, and the journey was 14 miles long.

Bob arrived at the Town and Country Vet Clinic at about 3 in the afternoon. Unfortunately, Brett Whitten the vet is away until Monday, but his father, Earl, kindly came over to show Bob where the hay and grain was for the horses, and also the corral. He opened up the barn , which has heating and a bathroom, so Bob will be fine for the night. He refused payment for the horses' feed, and offered to take Bob if he needed any shopping doing. Earl is coming back over later to take Bob back to his home for a meal.

Thank you for all your generosity and help, Earl, and also Brett for allowing Bob to stay over at the Vet's Clinic.

New Mexico here we come!

Heading for Friona and Bovina, Texas

Cody seems to have recovered well from his latest mishap, and is all for heading out for adventure again. The person who sorted him out at The Boy's Ranch was called John David Vaughan, and he doctored Cody's wounds, and also provided grain for them, when Bob had to turn back that day. We do appreciate everything you did, John, and it was nice to know that Cody was fit enough to carry on with the ride.

On 5 November, our rider had a journey of 24 miles to Friona. He rode through the streets of Hereford (pronounced Herford), as he set off very early, and it was quiet. A snippet of history......... some of the streets in this town are paved with bricks, and this was done after the Great Depression, in order to give people work. However, they are not very easy to ride on , and Bob said the horses were skidding all over the place on them. He was riding Cody, and his lameness has totally disappeared. The weather was very cold first thing, but warmed up as the day went on. However, he was again riding into a brisk south-west wind, which was quite unpleaseant. He arrived at the Friona Vet's Clinic by early evening, which was just outside of town. The horses were stabled at the clinic, and food was waiting for them. Gary Cash the Vet, took Bob into town for a meal which he insisted on paying for, and picked him up later and brought him back to the Clinic. Unfortunately, he had to go out of town the following morning so was unable to spend any more time with Bob. Bob slept in the Clinic, so he was warm and dry. Our thanks to Gary for looking after him and the boys.

On 6 November, Bob will be spending his last day in Texas for the time being, and will be riding into New Mexico when he hits Clovis.

As usual, we have been thrilled with the kindness and help he has received from everyone. Thank you to the good people of Texas. We'll be riding back into your State on 24 November, all being well.

Happy riding, and keep safe,Bob and the "boys".

Vega and Hereford, Texas

After yesterday's incident, Bob again dosed Cody with Bute before they left, and packed him that day (3 Nov). They left at 7.15 ...... Bob has to get up later now as it gets light later, and a lot of the time he hasn't got electricity to sort the horses out by.

The ditches are pretty bad now and can't be used for riding in, so he uses the shoulder of the road. There are a lot of trucks this way which are very big and noisy, but don't seem to faze the horses at all. The weather was fine and the ride uneventful, and Cody coped well ..... that is one good horse ! Bob arrived at the County Arena at Vega early evening, and Sheriff David Medlin met him there. Both horses were corralled for the night, and David had got in feed for them. He took Bob to a wonderful Western Cafe called Boot Hill , that had recently opened, and they ate together.

Thank you for all your help, David.........much appreciated.

The following morning, (4 Nov) Bob again checked over Cody, who needless to say was raring to go, and Bob decided to ride him for the journey of 29 miles to Hereford. The weather that day was pleasantly warm with a temp of 75 degrees, but a Westerly wind of up to 40 mph that Bob had to ride into all day. He did say it kept him cool, but I should imagine he got a bit of windburn. Whilst he was on the road, another reporter came up to him and took photos, but Bob couldn't stop as he had such a long journey, and would be in the middle of nowhere when he arived at Hereford. I was pre-warned that coming into Hereford can be pretty smelly, because there are so many feed lots there, with thousands of cattle.

Bob had arived at J & K Stables, which is on the outskirts of town, and had been met by the owner, Jimmy Payne. He had provided a lovely corral for our boys, as well as hay and feed, and wouldn't take anything for it. Bob said he has a lovely set up there, and apparently, he does leather work as well. Thank you very much, Jimmy, for helping the three boys on their way.

When I spoke to Bob, he was suffering a bit, as he hurt his ribs when he threw himself off Cody, and he's also developed blisters where he's walked so much, in order to make it easier for Cody. He was bathing his poor feet when we spoke, and was looking forward to a freeze dried meal and bed, as he was up at 5.00 that morning.

There's no gain without pain ! Keep going, my three boys .......... I'm proud of you all.

In a few more days, Bob will be in New Mexico.

Disaster again leaving Tascosa

Bob left the Boy's Ranch early that morning of 2 November with a ride of 24 miles towards Vega. He had ridden a few miles down the road and had to cross a concrete bridge, with an expansion joint in the middle. Stupidly, the expansion joint was only covered in a rubber strip, and when Cody crossed over it ......... Bob was riding him that day, with Tigers packing, his back leg went through it, and he buckled to the floor, with Bob still on his back. Bob threw himself off and bruised his ribs, and fortunately, poor Cody managed to get to his legs. Yet again, the poor horse is grazed and bruised, and Bob had to walk him back to the boy's Ranch.

The stable manager at the Ranch checked him over, and although he's sore, pronounced him ok, but Bob decided to rest him for the day, and ride Tigers the next day. His wounds were dressed and he was dosed with Bute. When I spoke to Bob, he was quite upset about the incident, as he's so fond of Cody, and he's such a willing horse, with a lovely temperment.

Unfortunately, this has happened at a bad time, as for the next few days, Bob has got long distances to travel.

Tascosa,Texas

Thank God Bob stayed for rest days here, as it's given me a chance to catch up on the site! Last blog of the night and then we're up to date again.

Bob has a very short ride on 30 October of only 12 miles........hardly worth the effort,Bob! Yet again as he left town, another dog followed him.......they must be passing the word along ..... follow this man, you might get a free meal! On the way, a guy stopped to talk to him, and yet again the dog was transported back from where it came. This dog had a real suicide wish, as Bob said a huge truck had to brake to avoid it and skidded across the road.

The land is becoming hillier, as through Colorado and Oklahoma it was extremely flat, but very desolate, and Bob is just about managing to find grazing for the horses when he stops on the way.
Whilst he was riding along a young guy of about 19 stopped to talk with him, and told him he was driving around looking for "cowboying" work. He had travelled from Wyoming, and said he would probably have to find work in the Feed Lots, although I don't think he wanted to. When he found out what Bob was doing, he was really envious, and said he would love to do the same one day. He told Bob he had a load of provisions in his pickup, and if there was anything he wanted he could take his pick. What generosity, when he didn't even have a job to go to. It speaks volumes about people, doesn't it ?

Bob was staying at The Boy's Ranch, and I will start by telling you about the history of this place. It was set up about 40/50 years ago as an orphanage, and is on the site of the old town of Tascosa. It is like a town in itself with a school, shops, cattle, horses, stables and housing, and was the brainchild of Cal Farley who built it in the 1930's. He was originally a World Welter Weight Wrestling champion, and then went on to play professional American Football. After that he became a business man, but was always interested in the welfare of children. He was given 110 acres to start the project off, and the Museum there is on the site of the old Court house. In its time Tascosa was the County seat, and the Court House would have served all the surrounding towns. Originally, Tascosa was a cattle centre, and therefore a cowboy town. Billy the Kid, Bat Masterton and Pat Garrett were all there at one time, and Bob went to see the big Boot Hill that is there. The town eventually became a ghost town as the Railroad never went through it. Bob spent quite a while in the museum finding out the history for me.

When Bob arrived a load of the kids came to see him, and the horses were stabled for him. David Hanzlick who's in charge of the stables, drove him round to show him everything,and was quite sad that he was away for the next few days, as I think he would have liked to have caught up on Bob's ride. He gave him a pocket knife as a souvenir.

Whilst he's been there, he has people coming up to him all the time saying "Are you the cowboy riding across America?" He's been issued with a visitor's pass, which means he can eat in the dining hall , and has been given a room of his own to sleep in . After he spoke to me Mike Pacino, who I think is the manager of the Ranch was going to pick him up and take him for a drive round the ranch. And guess what..... there's a BIG American Football game on tonight, which he's going to watch. I said "You don't know anything about American Football", and he informed me he's picking up the rules,and quite enjoys watching it.

Thank you very much everyone at The Boy's Ranch .........Bob had a great stay with you, and loved the history of the place.

Tomorrow he's heading for Vega, a longer ride of 24 miles. At least he's missing all the miserable weather we're having here.........freezing cold, gales and driving rain. What fun !!!!!!!!


Here are some photos that were kindly sent to me by C.F. David from the Boise City News, as Bob was getting ready to leave there.



Bob always tries to weigh his saddle packs to ensure they are as light as possible for the pack horse. He says he has spent a lot of time discarding things as he goes along. Always travel light.

Cleaning the horse's hooves before they set off. A job that's done every morning.

All bundled up and ready to go as Dawn breaks. Don't the boys look wonderful ( I'm talking about the horses!)

Channing, Texas

Today on 29 October, Bob was heading for Channing, again riding Tigers.... I bet Cody's getting fed up being pack horse all the time.

The weather is now very cold in the mornings and evenings, but around midday it hits the middle 70's. I can remember it being like that when we were in Texas about 6 years ago. As he was riding into town he was met by Sheriff Franky Scott.......He came to tell Bob he couldn't stay at his original venue, so had arranged an alternative for him. This was at the home of Frank and Moselle Shepherd. The horses were staying at a small arena on the edge of town, and as he was unpacking there, a man came by the name of Melvin Jameson came up and started talking to him. He offered Bob a bed for the night, which he had to decline. and then said he was off to play a hand of Poker, and Did Bob want to come along........Bob again declined.

Bob had a very interesting evening with Frank and Moselle. Frank used to do a lot of Rodeo riding, and he had a tack room full of gear from his rodeo days, which included at least 10 saddles. I think they had a good time chatting about his exploits in the saddle. Also Moselle gave him a Raccoon memento, which I won't say what it is, as we want to surprise someone with it when he gets back to England ! A big thank you to Frank and Moselle for their hospitality.

Keep them horses heading West, cowboy

Hartley,Texas

Another short ride of only 16 miles on 28 October, again riding Tigers. Bob said the ditches are not so good for riding in now, so he tends to ride on the shoulder of the road. But, unfortunately, it's taking its toll on the horses shoes, and they will need re-shoeing by the time he reaches Dalhart.

As he was riding out of town, two dogs followed him, one wearing a collar. They followed him for miles, and he was getting quite worried about them as they seemed to have no road sense. When he was a few miles out from Hartley, Deputy Chanze Fowler came out to meet him, and took the dog with the collar back home. When Bob reached Hartley, the other dog just went off. He said there are a lot of dogs around that seem to live on their luck, and will follow you given the slightest encouragement. I would be adopting them all !

Chanze Fowler had arranged for Bob to stay with Ed and Nan Webber, who kindly gave him a bed for the night, as well as a shower and meal. The horses were corralled just out of town. Thank you so much Ed and Nan for helping Bob out.

Dalhart,Texas

On 27 October Bob had a short ride of 14 miles to Dalhart. On all of these short trips he rides Tigers as he's more of a plodder than Cody. He left at 9.30, and said the morning was very cold, with 1/2 inch of ice on the water and a cold wind blowing . He rode into the wind for the whole trip and it didn't let up until he reached Dalhart.

He was staying at the Dalhart XIT Rangers, and as he was riding through Dalhart en route, a man stopped his pickup to talk with him, and when he learnt what Bob was doing insisted on giving him a good pocket knife as a memento. As he was riding by the Feed Lot (where they fatten up the cattle, prior to slaughter) a cowboy, Joey Esquilzel stopped to talk with him, and gave him a present of gloves and a scarf. I can't believe how generous people are.

Upon arrival at the XIT Rangers, he was met by Peggy Minnick, who I think helps run the stables, and the horses were given a really nice corral for the night. Bob slept in a building on a table........I asked him why he doesn't sleep on the floor, and he said there's a bit more give on the table ! Don't quite follow that. Peggy kindly made him breakfast the following morning before he set off again. Thank you kindly, Peggy, for all your help.

Bob was telling me some of the history of the XIT Rangers. The original Dalhart Ranch that was there before, was the biggest ranch in the world, with 3 million acres. Sometime in the past the ranch owner had made a deal with the State, and the ranch owner paid for the building of the State Capitol building in Austin at a cost of 5 million dollars, ( I've seen it) and in turn they were given a vast amount of land by the State.

Here's a nice quote for you......
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."

State Line, Texas and 20 miles on

Here we are again, reporting for duty, and bringing the blog site up to date. Sorry for the breaks, but it's unavoidable at the moment.

First of all I would like to say a big thank you to the people of Boise City, Oklahoma, for giving Bob such a good welcome.............apologies for putting Boise City in Colorado.......have now rectified that on the blog site. Woops !

Once Bob left Boise City he was riding along the State Line between Oklahoma and Texas for a journey of 19 miles. The trip was pretty uneventful, but grazing is getting more difficult for Cody and Tigers, as it is far drier now. He arrived at about 3.00pm at the home of Tom and Debra James, and had a comfortable bed for the night as well as a lovely meal. When he left next day, Debra provided him with sandwiches, home made cookies and cake for his lunch. Thank you so much Tom and Debra for all your kindness, and for fattening my man up........he's getting far too skinny !

Tom was telling Bob that they have been doing their family tree. Their relatives originally came from England and Ireland, and they are distantly related to the outlaw Jesse James.........isn't that great !

The following morning Bob had a ride of 20 miles to Richard Avila's Dairy. Bob said it is a fantastic set up there, and when he arrived there was grain and hay waiting for the boys, as well as a corral. So once they had been put to bed, the manager of the Dairy, Victoria Deleon, showed him where he was staying. Richard was away for the day. He slept in the Dairy Office, where he was able to have a shower, and Victoria had kindly provided him with a mattress,blankets and
pillows, as well as a meal that evening. The following morning Richard Avila came by to visit with him before he left.

Thank you very much, Richard for allowing him to camp in your office, and grateful thanks to Victoria for sorting everything for him.

Bob is now in Texas, and has done about 1400 miles.

Do you remember Taylor Hendrick, the little girl who was doing her first trail ride with Bob on 3 October as he was heading for Wauneta. Her mum , Patty kindly sent some photos of them on the ride together.

Obviously, this is Taylor, and I guess she's wearing one of the belt buckles she won in her horse competitions. Isn't she cute ?

Bob and Taylor on the road to Wauneta, Colorado.

Apparently, Taylor's ambition is to ride in the rodeos. We wish her luck. She has won quite a few competions already....not bad going for 81/2 is it ?

Away again

I'm away again for a while, but keep watching. Will update ASAP

Bob and Rocky's Ride

Have received some more lovely pictures of Bob at an American Football game, and also of Bob and Rocky on their ride. My thanks to The Boise City News, C.F. David and Don Scearce. Also Rocky who sent some great pictures of them both today.

Here are two of the cheerleaders at the American Football match. On the left is April Layton, and then Lacy Wilson. Bob met her grandparents in Campo.

This the local team, The Wildcats. Apparently Bob brought them luck and they won their game that night. Here we see them breaking their banner.

The Wildcats in action. A bit different to British football !

And now we have some photos that Rocky sent through today of himself and Bob at Campo and Boise City......also that horrendous gale force ride.

The two Long Riders together. They've even got matching gilets !

Bob stopping for a rest at the Comanche National Grasslands


Bob and Rocky socialising at the Campo Community Centre. Bit of a sour face, Bob !!

Our Long Rider giving a talk to the residents of Campo.

Two very wet riders stopping to let the horses graze. Notice the lack of trees.

Oh, for a nice warm, dry bed.

Photos from Colorado

People have been kindly sending me lots of pictures, which is great. So, I'm devoting one blog to a picture gallery. This is the typical flat landscape of Colorado that Bob had been telling me about.

A lovely old building, which (and I'm only guessing from the silos behind) I think was in Holyoke.

Gathering for the "pot luck" at Holyoke.

Here's Taylor Hendrick who joined Bob on the road into Wauneta on 3 October. She's only 81/2 and a brilliant rider.

The long and not so winding roads of Colorado.

Bob's luxury sleeping arrangements when he was in Barns or buildings.....preferably with hay !

Talking with the kids at Boise City Elementary School.

Bob and Rocky braving the elements on their ride from Campo to Boise City

My three wet boys!!!!!

An equally wet Rocky !!!!

Just a quick thank you to Karen Towns from the Stratton Spotlight newspaper, who kindly sent me a copy of the paper through the post, showing the article on Bob's long ride.

Whilst I was doing this blog, Bob phoned to tell me about his day. He is currently staying at the home of Angela Legrand and her daughter, Kayley who is five, and her sister, Cindy. he is chilling out after the bad weather they have had, and spent today, cleaning out the horses' corral and feeding and checking them, as well as writing up his journal. When I spoke to him he had a little white kitten licking him on the chin !!!!

Due to change in hours from mountain time to central time, it does not get light until 8.00am now. Central time is only 6 hours behind us, whilst mountain time is 7. To further confuse matters, clocks go back an hour in America on 2 November. Bob will be riding back into mountain time on 5 November. Work all that out if you can !?!

A big thank you to Angela, Cindy, and not forgetting Kayley, for looking after Bob, and giving him a bed for the time he was in Boise City.

And, finally, another snippet of information.......Campo was the centre of the dust bowl that swept through Colorado in the 1930's, removing all the top soil.

Boise City, Oklahoma

On 22 October, Bob and Rocky bid a fond farewell to the people of Campo and set off on the 27 mile ride to Boise City.

Bob reckons it was the toughest ride so far of his trip. Besides the weather being freezing cold in the morning, the gale force winds did not let up all day, and the going was very tough. However, they still made good time, sustained by the goodies given to them that morning and arrived in Boise at about 5 o'clock.

Theresa, from the Police department had arranged hay and grain for the horses, which was waiting at the Fairground, and when they rode in the Fairground was opened up for them. Thank you so much for your help, Theresa. I bet the horses were ready for that feed after a tough day.

As Rocky used to live in Boise, He stayed with his Aunt, and Bob was fixed up with some people nearby, just up the road. Sorry, I don't yet know their names, but will find out tonight.

On 23 October, Bob gave a talk to the local children at the Elementary School, and I was kindly sent some photos of this, which will be put on the blog site shortly. There were about 60 kids there, and Rocky was present. Rocky and Bob went for breakfast that morning, Bob stocked up on his chocolate rations ........he said he lives off this when riding !!!! and they went and checked the horses were ok. Later that afternoon, Rocky, trailered his horses, and the two bid fond farewells, before he set off on his long journey home. It was great to meet with you, Rocky, and I hope for some photos of you both together soon to put on the blog site.

"Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can."

Keep riding, Cowboy !

Campo, Colorado

At this stage of his journey, Bob has now done in excess of 1200 miles.

Rocky and Bob set off early as usual, and today the weather was quite pleasant, so they made good time and arrived in Campo about 4.30 that afternoon. Travelling is quite easy in Colorado unless the weather is bad, because the land is so flat, and usually the roads are quiet, as they tend to ride the dirt back roads.

They were met by Ray Johnson, who is the Mayor, and the horses were safely corralled and fed. Ray had arranged a pot luck dinner at the local community centre, which was attended by about 30/40 local residents and Bob said the food was wonderful. Ray had provided b'que Beef, which Bob said had a smokey flavour, and melted in your mouth. Why didn't you ask for the recipe, Bob ? He also gave a talk on his travels.

Rya had also arranged for them to sleep in an empty house, which was a luxury......bed for the night and showers!

Apparently Ray is in the process of opening a Barbecue Cafe in town.

The weather forecast for the next day sounded terrible........40 to 50mph gales, and freezing in the morning, but our intrepid heros were up at 5.30 am to carry on the ride. They had been invited to the local cafe for breakfast, but had declined because time was of a premium. But lo and behold at 5.30 am some kind person brought them coffee, biscuits, muffins and cookies to sustain them on their trip from the cafe. Thank you so much......they were much appreciated whilst they were on the ride. Also when they had packed and were riding out, about 4 families came out in their cars to wave them off. People are so lovely.............. you wouldn't get me out of bed that time of the morning!!!!!!

Ray drove out to say goodbye to them and saved the day........because the wind was so bad, he gave them both silk scarves to wrap around their faces for protection. Bob said they were a godsend.

Ray, you were marvellous with everything you did for the two travellers. Thank you so much. I know they enjoyed their stay and meeting yourself, and the folks of Campo. We may be back next year to visit that B'que Cafe you're setting up.

Springfield, Colorado

The next day, 20 October, Greg drove Bob and Rocky back to the barn where the horses were stabled, and they had another early start as they had a 24 mile ride to the Springfield Fairground.

They were forced to ride alongside the main road, in the ditches, and Bob said it was the worst road he has had to ride along so far. Apparently, it's the main road to Amarillo, and is used by all the trucks, so it was pretty horrendous with four horses, especially when they had to go across bridges.

They arrived at the Fairground without mishap, and Deborah Lester had arranged feed for the horses to be there. Thank you very much, Deborah. They slept in a building there that night. The Fairground was about a mile from the restaurant, and just to show how kind people are, a lady gave them a lift there, and said "when you've finished eating, give me a ring and I'll drop you back". And she did. Thank you for your kindness.

They dined on steak and prawns that evening. All right for some, isn't it !!!!

24 miles South of Lamar

A very early start today, on 19 October, as this was going to be one of Bob's longest rides......29 miles to his next stop. The weather was fine, very cold in the mornings now, but as he heads south it should pick up again. He was riding on a back road, parallel to the main road, and about 5 miles from his destination, late afternoon, Rocky Woolman met up with him, in his trailer. Rocky was the Long Rider I had mentioned in a previous blog who had just finished an epic ride earlier this year. He had arranged to meet with Bob to ride part of the way with him to Boise City, where Rocky used to live. Believe it or not, he had driven 600 miles to meet up with Bob !!!!

As he was unloading his horses from the trailer, Lynn and Rod turned up in their pick up with Bob's pack saddles and gear, which they were transporting for him to his next stop. Rocky had brought a pack horse, and they pushed on as it would be starting to get dark within the next hour. They arrived at the home of Greg and Valerie Emick, and the horses were corralled about 6 miles from the house and given plenty of feed. Greg drove them back to his house, and Lynn and Rod also arrived, and they all ate together.

A snippet of information, of interest. On Greg's land, he has 120 wind Turbine windmills, gigantic things , and each one produces 1.6 MW of electricity.

Also another thing of interest. A lot of people in the countryside raise cattle from calves, and then send them to the feed lot , where they are fattened on corn, prior to slaughter. People then have their own beef, and don't need to buy any. Also Hamburgers are made from REAL meat, not like the rubbish we have in ours, and they quite often use meat such as Buffalo and Elk in them.

Thank you very much, Greg and Valerie, for helping not only Bob, but also your hospitality towards Rocky.

Lamar, Colorado

On 16 October Bob had a ride of 23 miles to Lamar, and to the home of Lynn and Rod Schwarz. Sally and Mel had kindly arranged to drive his gear over there, so his pack horse (Tigers) had an easy ride that day. The weather was fine that day, and he was travelling over flat terrain on dirt roads, with no traffic, so there were no problems. Would you believe it, Sally and Mel drove out with lunch for him on the way. They are so kind.

When Bob was half way to Lamar, a stray dog started following him, and came with him for the rest of the journey. Nobody seemed to know whose dog it was, but I believe that Sally was going to take it home with her. I was worrying about the dog when Bob told me about it the other night. But he was not thrilled when I suggested perhaps we could have it !!!! A companion for Jess, our Labrador !

That evening there was a pot luck supper at the Vaqueros Saddle Club, with about 30/40 people there, and Bob gave a talk afterwards. Do you think I can book him in for speaking engagements when he gets back , for a nominal fee ?

On 17 October, Sally arrived at Lynn's to take Bob back to the Chiropractor for further treatment. He didn't want to take payment and would only charge Bob a low fee when Bob insisted on paying. Perhaps Sally or Lynn could express our appreciation to him, as he certainly eased Bob's discomfort. Later that day, Bob did an interview for the local paper, and then Pat, who was at Sally's home the other night picked him up and took him to his girlfriend's home. Pat restores old waggons, and took Bob to see them where they are housed in a barn at the Fairground.

The following day, a friend of Lynn and Rod's, Evan, came and reshod and pared the horses's feet, and that afternoon, Rod drove him the route he was taking the next day so that he could suss it out. That evening, Evan and his wife came round for drinks and a chat, and I think quite a good evening was had by all, as Bob told me they had a late night!

Thank you so much, Lynn and Rod for putting Bob up, and looking after him so well, not to forget Pat and Evan as well. He certainly enjoyed meeting you all.

Wiley, Colorado

Well, we're now in catch up mode, so here goes. I spoke to Bob tonight and spent over an hour taking notes.

He left Eads early on 14 October to ride 23 miles to Wiley, and Bruce who had so kindly helped him whilst he was in Eads came out to say goodbye. The weather was terrible, raining non stop all day, and he was soaked to the skin. When he was about 3/4 miles from his destination, the home of Sally and Mel Depra, he spotted a large wooden barn and decided to take the horses in there, so he could have something to eat. No sooner had he sat down than Sally and Mel pulled up in their car. They must have been driving out looking for him !

When he arrived at their home, he had a hot shower, and Sally kindly washed his clothes. Pat, a friend arrived, and they all sat down, had a good dinner, and a relaxing evening, chatting.

The next day, 15 October, Sally drove him to the Chiropractor, as his back is still giving him trouble. He had treatment and was told to return on the Friday for more treatment. Sally also drove him to his next destination by a different route to the one Bob was intending to take, so that he could avoid riding through Lamar. It will be a slightly longer ride, but worth the trouble. The evening was spent having a nice meal and chatting.

I really must express mine and Bob's appreciation to Sally and Mel for being such wonderful hosts, and looking after my three boys so well.

We're still around

Everything is going well with Bob's ride. Due to me not having been around , I'm frantically trying to get together information for the last week, and will, hopefully, be updating the blog site within the next few days.

Bob has now left Colorado and is in Oklahoma just for a few days, until he crosses the border into Texas. Thank you so much, all the great folk in Colorado, for giving him such a fantastic welcome and for keeping me informed of his whereabouts. We both really appreciated all your kindnesses.

Keep watching, I'll be back soon !

Eads, Colorado

Sorry, folks, for the big gap when I have not been reporting back. Have now come back to Bristol for a few days to catch up on everything.

After Bob left Kit Carson on 13 October, he had a ride of over 20 miles to Eads Fairground, and arrived there at about 3.30pm. Bruce Fickenscher, who had arranged the stopover for him , came out to meet him as he rode into town, and he had also arranged hay and grain for the horses.Cody and Tigers were safely corralled for the night, and then , surprise surprise, Bruce had arranged for Bob to have a beautifully comfortable room at the local retirement home, which is only three years old. The room had its own kitchen and bathroom, and there was a swimming pool and hot tub on the complex, which Bob had the use of. He had to borrow some swimming trunks, and had a wonderful time relaxing after his journey. Not content with all he had done for Bob, Bruce had also arranged a complimentary meal for our rider. Sincere thanks to Bruce for all his help. You went far beyond the call of duty !

Bob was telling me a bit of history again, which I like to put on the blog. As the land round here is very dry it has to be irrigated by pivots, which throw 1000 gallons of water per minute onto the fields. When we were looking at Google Earth last year at Colorado before Bob went on his ride, we wondered what the circles were that showed up everywhere. Now we know. The whole of Colorado is above an aquafer, which is a body of water underground, and this has to be pumped up in order to irrigate the land. Because the water level of the aquafer is dropping, people in this area are now limited in their useage of it, which is pretty tough when they rely on it to water their crops.

Another snippet of information. The Sagebrush, which is a low growing shrub and grows everywhere, was used by the Indians in the past as a medication.

Life is for living................ live it to the full !

Away for a while

All is well with Bob, and his ride is progressing well. But I have been called away, due to a family emergency, so there will be no blog for a while. Will update you on Bob's progress as soon as I can

Cheyenne Wells and Kit Carson Colorado

Well, another day, another blog !

When we last spoke Bob was awaiting his ribs from the barbecue. He said they tasted absolutely delicious.I expect when you've been living off freeze dried meals, it must be heaven to have something like that. He had a great evening with Tyson Pharo, and his friend Mike, and rounded off with a few beers. Bob had lost his sweatshirt on his travels (dementia setting in !), and Mike went out to his truck, and gave him one of his. The next morning he had a cooked breakfast, and set off on the road at 7.50am. Thanks to Tyson and Mike for all your help.

He was now heading for Cheyenne Wells, a distance of just over 17 miles, and the weather has certainly changed now, very cold, drizzly and overcast. He was riding Tigers, who hasn't got the "umph" of Cody, so it was a pretty slow ride. The landscape is very open, nothing much around, and the roads are quiet. People still stop in their cars, as they have done throughout his ride, to talk with him, and even offer him places to stay. When he rides past a ranch, they invariably come out to see if they can help.

Bob arrived at the Fairground in Cheyenne Wells, to find that Vicke Nestor had kindly got him in hay for the horses. Many thanks, Vickie. Hardly had he brushed them down, fed and corralled them , than Phil Doddery who lived about 1/2 mile from the Fairground arrived. Mike from the previous night had told him about Bob, and he'd been looking out for him. He took him back to his house, fed him a wonderful steak, and gave him a bed for the night. Thanks so much for your kindness, Phil.

On 12 October, Bob was up at 5.30 am, and on the road at 7.10, heading for Kit Carson......... I just love these names, they sound as though they are full of old cowboy history. That day, he saw drastic changes in temperature on his travels. He couldn't ride in the ditches, as there had been heavy rain during the night, and the horses were sinking into the ground there, so he was forced to ride on the road, something he doesn't do out of choice. Very slow progress was made that day. In the morning he was riding into a strong South wind approaching gale force, with a temperature high of 60 degrees. But around noon, the sky started getting darker and darker, and within seconds the wind had changed to a North wind , and the temperature dropped by 15 degrees.

When I last spoke to him, he had just arrived at the home of Jack and Marcia Wilson, and had stabled the horses for the night. He had seen the Wilsons' on the road that morning, as they were heading out for a convention, but had not yet returned when we spoke.

I've just checked out the weather for Eads, where he is heading tomorrow, and see that snow is forecast !!!

Bob has now completed well over 1000 miles, and has about another 8 week's riding to go.

Bonny Lake State Park and Burlington

On 6 October, Bob rode the 17 miles to Bonny Lake State Park. The weather was very windy, which made it hard going, as the dust goes in your eyes. Apart from that the journey was uneventful.......Kevin, whose land he camped on last night, stopped to say hello on the way today.

The Campground is very nice, with all mod cons, showers, toilets etc, and the horses were corralled. Darby at the ground had got in hay for Cody and Tigers, for which they were very appreciative. Many thanks. There was only one camper van on the site, and Bob was listening to their radio for the weather. The couple, Norman and Betty Kramer, live 10 miles east of Burlington, and they offered Bob a meal and bed for the night on 8 October, which he gratefully accepted.

He had a shower and a gert lush freeze dried dinner that night, and an early night.

As he had a 25 mile ride to Burlington, Bob was up at 5.45 on 7 October. He got away on time, and was met on the road by a reporter, who interviewed him and promised to send me a copy of the paper. He arrived at the fairground without mishap, and the horses were corralled. Jerry Mangrass, the feed store owner, turned up with 4 bales of hay and grain for the horses, as they are having a stopover here for three nights. The Fairground is on the edge of town, and Bob reckons it's very nice. He's sleeping on a little bed in a building, and has his own shower and RADIO there. He was listening to a Country and Western Station when I called , which comes from Burlington.

Jerry and his wife Cindy gave Bob a lift to the Restaurant, and joined him for dinner, which Jerry paid for. Thank you so much, Jerry and Cindy, for your hospitality. They later dropped him back at the Fairground, as he was meeting another reporter for an interview at 8.00pm.

For the next two days Bob is resting over at the Fairground. David, the Caretaker, came over to check everything was ok, and that evening Norman Kramer picked him up to go to their place. He had a very pleasant evening, with a good dinner, with Norman, Betty, and a friend. Thank you both for feeding and giving Bob a bed for the night.

When I spoke to Bob on 9 October, he was bored !!!!!! He'd written up his journal, and I think he was fed up chilling out, and needed some action. Freeze dried meals that day, and a load of chocolate to give him a buzz.

The weather now sounds as though it is very similar to the U.K. Very chilly first thing in the morning, and the same as the evenings draw in .He's now needing to wear several layers of clothes at night. I think the days are a lot warmer than ours though. He has been slightly disappointed in the sleeping bag, which wasn't cheap, but is not as warm as it claimed it would be.

When I spoke to him last night, he'd ridden just over 22 miles past Burlington, and was stopping at the ranch of Tyson Pharo. As we spoke, Tyson was being the genial host and cooking spare ribs on the barbecue. A friend of his was coming over, who is a farrier, so no doubt he will check the horses over for Bob.

The weather is not looking good for tomorrow, storms are forecast, and the temperature is dropping dramatically. Bob was saying that were he is in Colorado is apparently a bit of a cold spot, but the temperatures will pick up again further along the journey.

Keep 'em riding, Cowboy.