On The Trail with Long Rider Bernice Ende

Last week I posted the story of Tim Cope who is nearing the finish line on his 6000 mile journey to ride his horse from Mongolia to Hungary. A journey that has taken him nearly 3 years to complete.

Today we have the tale of another Long Rider by the name of Bernice Ende. Bernice set out from her home in Trego, Montana last year to explore the Western United States on horseback. Like Tim, she is on the down side of her 5000 mile journey, but has managed to blog much of her adventure writing about her experiences on the trail, and the wonderful people she has encountered along the way.

Bernice set out May 5th of last year with the intention of riding East to Minnesota. From there she would turn back to toward the South West, and ride to Las Vegas, Nevada, then on to the Pacific Crest Trail, which would take her back North to Washington, and the mouth of the Columbia River, before turning East once more to return where she started in Trego. Her last posting had her in Lacrosse, Washington, and heading toward Idaho, so her journey is nearly finished. All told, when she's done, she'll have spent 18 months on the trail accompanied by her horse, Honor, and her trusty dog Claire.

I'm still reading through much of her trip reports, but it interesting to see how many good people she has met along the way that have lent her a helping hand with food, water, and other supplies. It seems her time on the trail has been enhanced by the generosity of others, who no doubt with they could follow her off on her adventures.

You can learn more about Bernice by clicking here and even more about Honor and Claire as well, both of whom have their own story to tell. There is also an excellent FAQ with some great information on the entire journey and more, and for those who are into riding, her equipment list can be found here.

There is definitely a certain romantic nature to reading both Bernice and Tim's stories. Who hasn't dreamed about saddling up their horse, and hitting the trail for some remote region of the World? Just you, your trusty steed, your dog, and miles of open country. What more could you ask for?

Thanks to my brother Jeff for sending this my way. He's probably already planning a long ride of his own as I type this. ;)