Mustang Journal: 3,000 Miles Across America by Horse

A remarkable story of a lone woman and her horse as they travel together 3,000 miles across the United States. An honest look at the goodness of strangers Lisa met on her travels, along with the not-so-good people. A wonderful adventure to enjoy! Well written.

Lisa Wood pens a compelling, colorful, and detailed story of adventuring clear across the continent on a castoff pinto mustang. With powerful, highly literate writing, she documents her sometimes breathtaking encounters with violent weather, unsafe roadways, scarce food,and no shelter. Balancing harrowing and heart-sapping experiences with those of joy and humor, she shows how determination and understanding one's horse can lead one through seemingly impossible barriers. Ms. Wood's accounts of the indifferent, mean and extraordinarily helpful people across the country also provide an update for de Tocqueville's study of the American character. As both a professional writer and avid player of polo, I recommend this book to anyone interested in adventure, horses, or discovering the new American spirit.

This is the story of Lisa Wood's trip by horseback along the old historic trails of the western migration. Starting from El Centro, California she follows the Kearny Trail to Santa Fe, the Santa Fe Trail, from there to St. Louis, the Old National Road from St. Louis to Pennsylvania and then down to Virginia. She shares her experiences, fears, problems, joys, and triumphs as she travels along on a somewhat nervous Mustang that is at times friendly and at other times much less so. The two appendixes have a few recipes and a very useful equipment list for anyone wishing to make a similar long horse trip. The equipment list is culled to the bare minimum by virtue of her experience. The book is written in a nice, easy reading style so that by the end you feel you have been on the long trip with a friend. Mustang Journal is a recommended read for anyone who enjoys personal achievement stories with a little history and geography thrown in for good measure.