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Pannier Load Balancing Tips and Tricks
Many skills are required to properly haul loads with equines. Knowledge of proper lashings and hitches seems to be a lost art. I've seen some crazy stuff when it comes to inexperienced people tying down loads. Whether it’s a box hitch, diamond hitch or squaw hitch, folks who regularly pack with broom tails will always have their favorite method. An old packer once commented about the controversy of which hitch is best: "If you get from the trailhead to camp without losing any packing gear or injuring humans or your animals, then you probably did something right." Although this has...
Introducing the Cody Pack -- A Compact, Versatile Day Pack
I had an idea to build a pack that would mount on my panniers and double as both a large side pouch and a small day pack. Whenever I design a new product, I always keep simplicity in mind. It has been my experience that some of the best made outdoor gear is overbuilt, not over-designed. When I finished the prototype I was satisfied that this pouch/day pack would stand up to anything the backcountry could throw at it. There was only one problem: what should I name it? I have four children -- three sons and a daughter. All...
Saying Goodbye to Hunting Season
The highlight of owning pack animals is to take them into the wilderness, making it possible for a more fulfilling backcountry experience, whether it’s hunting, fishing or just camping out with family. I am constantly planning and thinking about my next trip. When spring comes and the snow begins to melt in the mountains, I can hardly wait to hit the trail. When the packing season nears its end, I am often planning trips back-to-back, never wasting a moment. Without fail, the last one of the season is bittersweet. It was my second hunting trip of the season. I had...
"Donkeys Walk Too Slowly!"
I read a post recently on a donkey/pack mule online forum where a commenter listed various reasons why he did not care to use donkeys as pack animals. Among other things, one of the reasons he cited was that “donkeys walk too slowly.” Huh, I thought. That’s interesting. I don’t know where he would come up with that idea. First of all, on average, a donkey walks about the same speed as a man. Of course, there are factors like the weight of the load (and how it’s adjusted), the terrain, the weather, and in some cases, the animal’s mood which...
Jake Clark's Mule Days
Jake Clark’s Mule Days http://www.saddlemule.com/index2.html Powell, WYJune 15-19, 2016 Well friends, I had another exciting weekend out on the trail. This time, unfortunately, the trail was the highway in my truck hightailing it up to Powell, WY for a long weekend at Jake Clark’s Mule Days. But it was well worth it once I got there! For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the event, it’s been around since 1997 offering all kinds of fun, family-friendly events for anyone interested in learning about or just having fun around these cool animals. They also feature mules (and their owners)...
