(FREE) 'ManQuest'
Story by Carey Head | Staff Writer
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It began as a homeschool homework assignment. Terra White, 41, and husband Josh, 42, were casting about for a project to help their teen sons develop into worthy men. Two years and well over 2,000 miles later, the assignment’s “grade” has gone beyond A+ to epic.
Ponca City Monthly caught up with the family on May 30 as they were enjoying a several-day stay at the 101 Wild West Rodeo grounds. The horses helped with mowing the grounds, while the guys helped the rodeo committee with repairs and preparations.
Levi, now 17, and Lucus, 15, had been homeschooled at their Elko, Nevada, ranch since fifth grade. With graduation on the horizon, the Whites wanted something to make a serious impression on the boys. Terra explains, “I said, ‘What do you want to do for Home School then if you don’t like my idea?’ and they said, ‘well, let’s ride across the country.’”
The idea wasn’t completely out of the blue. Eight years before, Josh had taken part in a grassroots campaign, Grass March-Cowboy Express, to protest federal land management. The 3,000-mile horseback relay ride began at Bodega Bay, California. Along the way, other grassroot petitions were gathered and delivered via horseback up Pennsylvania Avenue to the U.S. Congress. Josh was one of just a handful of riders that participated in the entire Cowboy Express. He describes it as “a completely political experience to bear an urgent message. I was asked to help carry it.”
The Grass March-Cowboy Express accomplished the ride using horse trailers, fresh horses every five miles and a pace equal to the Pony Express. He explains, “We rode 26 horses and two mules, 150 miles a day, from 4:30 in the morning to midnight every night, across America, and finished in 22 days in Washington, D.C.”
Terra remembers Josh came back from the trip a different man. “It gave me this perspective,” Josh says, “I don’t know how to explain it …,” his voice and gaze trailing away.
Levi jumps in, “He never stops talking about it, still talks about it to this day.”
As a result, Josh’s many stories from that 2014 experience had the family dreaming of making their own ride and creating their own stories.
Josh explains, “Happiness is best shared. And, for the boys, I knew that (a similar experience) would give them the sense of accomplishment that I had except they were doing it the real way, the actual way.”
“The Greatest Gift We Can Give Two of the World’s Best Boys.”
Dubbed “L & L Manquest,” the curriculum began with preparation. Levi and Lucus were to design the entire trip, from number of horses needed and supplies required, to routes and rest stops. As the parents boxed up their home’s contents for storage, enlisted a renter, sold the cattle, rehomed the goats, pigs and chickens, and found pastures with friends for what Josh describes as their “better” horses, the boys busied themselves with research and supply procurement.
“The boys completely designed the trip,” Terra says. “They had to distinguish between ‘pleasantry’ and ‘necessity.’ And we let them do that themselves. They had Xboxes and PlayStations, so we did the whole pawning experience. And, in return, they got survival stuff for the trip. Now, instead of sitting at home playing the video game, they became real players in their own action.”
Just like 99.9% of the traveling public, the Whites overpacked. “We started out with the horses and just the things we had around the house and things we thought we needed,” Terra says. “We left with way too much, of course. We were so overprepared. We actually ended up ditching a lot of it right away.”
Levi adds, “Actually, I think the only thing we have left from when we very first started is a saddle.” Broken saddles, worn out bridles, bits, hobbles and ropes are part of the trip’s many milestones. Even Lucus’ beloved R.T. Frazier saddle, 125 years old, had to be relinquished at Westcliffe, Colorado. Terra says, “we had to pry him out of that saddle,” as Lucus protests, “It’s still good! I can still ride in it. Just have to replace more stitching.”
Why Not Just Drive?
Terra explains one of the project’s goals was to slow down time and get to know each other. “We chose horses to slow down time.” ManQuest horses are rescues or former kill pen (unwanted or neglected) horses. Unused to car horns, unleashed dogs, blowing plastic bags and snapping flags, each horse had to be trained to do the road work without killing himself or anyone else.
Susanville, California, at the edge of the Sierra Nevadas, was chosen as the journey’s starting point so they could make the full trek from California to the Carolinas. The first week was chaos. “Horses were geekin’, buckin’, biting,” says Levi. “And those first eight miles just about killed us.”
It took an unusual milestone to create a team. Humans and horses learned to work together once the familiar was left behind.
Terra explains, “Once you get to that point when you yourself realize you have no idea where you are, and the horse realizes the same: they have no idea which way the barn is. Once you get to that point, then you start working together.”
Josh acknowledges there was more to working things out than just saddle sores and geeky horses. “We had a lot to learn about ourselves. And we were healing. Traveling, fighting, crying, you know.”
Terra adds with a laugh, “Yep. You learn pretty quick to get over being mad after galloping a mile ahead in a pout. There’s really no point.”
Benefits of this nomadic life are many. “We meet neighbors every three to 20 miles. When you stay the night with somebody – we will not trespass, we will ask for permission to enter private land to access water or to cross — we’re trying to make friends,” says Josh.
“We conquer fear of the unknown every day. It’s a strengthening of faith: Can I take a chance on myself?” he reflects. “At the same time, we are also getting peace of mind, blessed moment after blessed moment.”
He adds, “Every person should meet the world grateful for water. Not thinking Republican or Democrat. Just grateful for the person, and for water.”
Each day begins with a predawn assessment of the weather as horses are hobbled and loosed to graze. Morning devotionals over coffee is followed by breakfast. “Start time is 10:30-ish,” Terra says. “Getting eight horses in sync is a lot.”
Terra is the only one wearing a watch. She gives it a glance when asked by her sons for the time. They keep daily journals and want to note the time for each entry.
Life Under the Stars
It’s been two years — eight seasons — across the high desert and Rocky Mountains. They’ve learned to appreciate each season for the advantages it brings, like the ability to deep freeze milk and meat, melt snow for water and watch as the horses perform better in the cold. “I have a vivid, favorite memory of huddling under a cowboy rope, saddles and packs around to protect and provide windbreak,” Terra says. “Best moment in life. I could never have bought that, ever.”
After days of no cell phone service, the family rode into the former silver mining town of Pioche, Nevada (population 1,000; elevation 6,060), without realizing it was Thanksgiving. “We got so wrapped up in the environment,” Terra explains.
Then the Pioche folks wrapped their arms around the Whites. The town’s Thanksgiving welcome was a feast for body and spirit with their newfound friends.
The Whites are full of heartwarming stories from the trail. One such story is about the surprise vow renewal conducted at a bar in Middlegate, Nevada. Upon learning that June 15 was Josh and Terra’s wedding anniversary (this year was their 22nd), bar patrons joined the volunteer officiant for a celebration that included decorations and a wedding cake.
Along the way, Levi and Lucus have trained some 20 horses belonging to friends they’ve made on the road. Josh explains, “We quickly learned that this journey is not about us. I tried to quit one time, but my son came up to me and said ‘Dad, somebody in the next town needs us.’”
Today they travel with six geldings and two studs. Taking care of the horses is priority number one. Every day they check saddles, pads and cinches for stickers and wear. Despite the care, packs on pack saddles shift, weights change and under-skin abscesses lurk.
“Something about three minutes of the bags being on (a certain spot) can cause an abscess or sore under the skin and it will take a month to month and a half to heal. And then your constant awareness of your lack of diligence? These kind of mistakes? Those are learning experiences,” Josh says.
Terra adds, “You cannot not be lazy. Not even for a second.”
Levi says each of them are constantly checking each horse’s withers. “If any (wounds) start to develop then you cut that spot out of the pad to keep the pressure off. And you redistribute the weight and change the bag, or sometimes the horse and the bag it’s carrying don’t match. And, despite looking alike, all the pack saddles are different. We know which ones go with each horse.”
If the weather is cooperative and the horses are healthy then a traveling day easily covers 20 miles. And it’s not all covered on horseback. Everyone walks at least five miles each day at the side of their horse. This gives both horse and human the chance to stretch out.
Two years of traveling through some of America’s emptiest and wildest places saw the group learning to pack enough food and water to last over two weeks between towns. Since entering north central Oklahoma, Levi says, “It’s actually getting easier because the towns are closer together and food and water are right around the corner. We carry 50 pounds of food versus 200.”
Terra smiles, “We really love Oklahoma. You guys have grass. And a real, pure, calm, real accepting feeling. What we learned about Oklahoma in school was all about the Dust Bowl. In reality, the land is amazing. Storms are beautiful. Armadillos, possums, turtles, so many creatures we don’t see in Elko.”
Next obstacle: Suburbia. Eight horses are a lot to accommodate when rolling pastures turn into housing subdivisions. But Josh isn’t worried.
“We’re not in any hurry,” Josh says even as he admits they have two more years to go to achieve their goal of riding from California to the Atlantic Coast. Then he smiles at his sons. “I’m missing them already.”
For two years Josh and his family have trusted their faith to find a way. And they deeply appreciate the kindness of strangers. He even gives credit to drivers slowing down when they pass the group on the road, “I appreciate those people taking the time out of their lives to slow down for my family.”
Terra chimes in, “I think we’ve created a lifestyle.”
She could be right. It’s hard to imagine a day without a deadline when deadline-to-deadline is how we’ve become wired to operate. Some pine for this blissful, stress-free state. But do we really? Without a daily deadline to meet, how often do we invent one to feel accomplished (to-do list, anyone)?
The lifestyle which the White family has created for themselves is complete freedom. Freedom from checking a clock’s face or awaiting an alarm’s ping. Freedom to learn the lessons: Stay vigilant about your horse’s comfort. Be grateful for water. Give thanks for strangers’ friendships. Don’t put the food on the fastest horse.
Most of all: Take each day as it dawns. Tackle each challenge, if presented. And savor each triumph, because it will be achieved.
On your own time.
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