Too Proud to Ride a Cow: By Mule Across America

What if you let go of your fears and did that thing you always wanted to do? Bernie Harberts' "thing" was to ride a mule across his home state of North Carolina. He set off from Oriental on the coast with an opinionated mule named Woody, an old cavalry saddle and some homemade gear.

Woody and Bernie didn't get far before Woody had a near-death experience. Then he got so attached to Bernie that he couldn't leave Bernie alone even when he used the bathroom. Enter Maggie, a lazy children's lesson pony who becomes Woody's companion and Bernie's pack pony. Four months and 600 miles after setting out, Bernie, Woody and Maggie arrived at the other side of North Carolina. Their journey had only just begun. Bernie decided to continue to California.

A shy man, a mule afraid of plastic bags and a pony that would rather lie down than walk are transformed on the ensuing 3,500-mile journey across America. The three cross the Rocky Mountains in winter, visit the Official Center of World and are helped along the way by fascinating people like a lady poacher, a rat rancher and Leonard Knight, the creator of Salvation Mountain.

Woody, Maggie and Bernie's journey proves that circumstances don't have to be ideal to set off on a life's dream. They just have to be good enough to start. "Too Proud to Ride a Cow" is perfect for anyone with equestrian interests, enjoys adventure stories or is on the verge of answering the call of a dream.