Melissa A. Priblo Chapman is a freelance writer who has had work published in magazines including The Western Horse, Good Dog!, and Doggone. Her story “Gypsy, Cross-Country Dog” appears in the book Traveler’s Tales: A Dog’s World alongside the work of such renowned authors as John Steinbeck and Gary Paulson. Chapman has been a paid speaker to over 100 organizations in regard to her solo cross-country trip and is a member of the Long Riders Guild, a worldwide league of equestrian adventurers. Chapman is a married mother of four and lives in Upstate New York. She rides every day and continues to share life with her horses and dogs.
1. In preparation for our cross-country journey, Rainy and I conditioned on trails and back roads as often as possible, building up to riding for about six hours a day, six days a week.
Photo by Colin Moriarty Photography
2. My older horse Bo (left) stayed at home in New York State with friends when Rainy and I set out on our adventure.
Photo by Colin Moriarty Photography
3. Getting ready to leave on our very first day. None of us had any idea what we were getting into.
4. Gypsy was just a puppy at the beginning of our journey. She adapted very quickly to the tent and the traveling life.
5. After staying at her family’s farm in Springville, Pennsylvania, Julie Heitsman rode with us to Meshoppen.
6. At our campsite along the creek in Meshoppen. Gypsy was obviously a very tired pup!
7. Rainy and Gypsy “discussing things” during a roadside break in the Endless Mountain Region of Pennsylvania.
8. This picture in the Sunday paper in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, is the one that first resulted in people recognizing us on the road.
Photo from The Williamsport Sun-Gazette
9. On a lunch break in Dushore, Pennsylvania, a policeman came along and told us to put money in the parking meter!
10. One of the many articles collected by my parents. This one appeared in the Tyrone Daily Herald.
Photo and article by Mary Michaels and Peg Hurd
11. I really bonded with the girls from the Grier School, where we stayed for a long weekend.
12. At a campsite in western Pennsylvania.
13. At Louie’s Coral Lounge, where we found shelter from a storm. The restaurant owner and his family posed with us after the rain stopped as we were getting back on the road.
14. Almost to West Virginia! We quite frequently dealt with rain on the first part of the trip.
Photo by Kate Fagan of the Tribune-Review
15. A good view of the packs Rainy carried and how Gypsy rode across the front of the saddle much of the way. An estimate of the weight Rainy carried at this stage of the trip, including me, Gypsy, my saddle, and our packs is about 190 pounds.
16. We spent several days riding strip mine roads in Ohio.
17. With Butch and Nancy Goodman at a horse show in Lancaster, Ohio.
18, 19, 20. These photos were taken by a woman in Ohio who wrote for a gaited horse publication. She was nice enough to send prints and the article to my parents—although I was a little miffed to find she had written disparaging comments about doing a long-distance ride on what she called a “walk, trot, canter” horse like Rainy instead of a gaited horse!
21. Another photo taken by a reporter in Western Ohio.
Photo by DM Crawford of The Herald
22. I always asked reporters to send copies of their articles and photos home to my parents.
Photo by Virginia Peterson of the Wilmington News-Journal
23. Near the Indiana border, waiting for a group from the local boarding barn to join us for half a day’s ride. People always requested that Gypsy be in the saddle for pictures, although she grew to spend a lot of time roaming on foot whenever we were in safe areas.
24. In southern Indiana. I would just stop whenever and wherever it felt right to give the animals a break and find a little peace.
25. While staying the night in an old barn along Route 50 near Flora, Illinois, I put my sleeping bag on the top of an old picnic table because I could hear rodents (and other critters!) moving around on the ground. Gypsy jumped right up on the table with me.
26. Heading southwest across Missouri as we left Luxenhaus Farm near Marthasville.
Photo by Hostkoetter Photography
27. While taking a break after a discouraging day in the excessive heat, Good Dog Gypsy grabbed my hat to get me to play with her.
28. Rainy bravely crossed this suspension bridge in the Ozarks of Missouri.
29. Nannie Jenkins and Anthis Wright (with Anthis’ son, JT) on the farm in Wheatland, Missouri, that they ran on their own.
30, 31. It was a time of worry, caring for Rainy and waiting to see what would happen with his injury. Tom Kee (shown) and his wife Barb made us feel at home in Yates Center, Kansas.
32. Minutes after the first time Rainy and Amanda met at the Kees’ farm.
33. Back on the road with Amanda the mule sharing the load.
34. From an article in a Wichita paper. Amanda took right to the traveling life.
Photo by Bill Youmans
35. A reporter’s photo from windswept western Kansas.
Photo by Tim Stucky of The Kingman Journal
36. At an unplanned roadside stop that offered shade trees along Route 54 in the Texas Panhandle. We stopped and rested often during each day’s ride.
37. My typical view was from between Rainy’s ears. Here we are crossing into Mountain Time Zone in western Texas.
38. At this stage of our journey, the animals were so used to posing for the camera, they would stand patiently as I clicked shots at landmarks.
39. A news photo taken south of Albuquerque.
Photo by Barbara Beattie of the Valencia County News Bulletin
40. At first I used hobbles on Rainy to keep him from straying too far, but after a while, I knew he and Amanda would stay near our camp. This was near Prewitt, New Mexico.
41. A shot taken by a reporter along Route 66, nearing Gallup, New Mexico.
Photo by Don Armstrong
42. The intelligent face of Amanda.
43. Here you can see the neck rope my farrier back in New York made for me. It was attached to Rainy’s halter so I had an easy way to tie him on our trip. I rarely see them used anymore. (Gypsy snuck into the picture!)
44. With the guards at Fort Wingate in western New Mexico.
45. Struggling to get moving in the stunning red rock country near the Arizona border. I think Amanda was acting up in this picture!
46. I was able to get a few pictures, like this one in Arizona, by using the timer on my camera.
47. With one of my “Rest Stop Guardians,” west of Chambers, Arizona.
48. Gypsy at the edge of the Grand Canyon, staring down in awe, like all visitors do!
49. We all enjoyed the forest and meadow trails around Williams, Arizona.
50. Patrons and workers at “The Point,” an old-time honky-tonk on Route 66, where I had a great night.
51. Members from the Chamber of Commerce from Bullhead City, Arizona, and Laughlin, Nevada, found us on the road and presented me with a plaque and a medal to commemorate our time in the area.
52. Nearing the summit around Union Pass as we crossed over the mountains into Nevada and California.
53. Arriving in Needles, California, our end destination.
54. With Arlene Allison during the celebration in Needles.
55. Dan surprised me in California, showing up in a helicopter, looking smart in his suit!
56. The end of the trail. My animals posed one last time at the California state boundary monument. Doesn’t Gypsy look proud?
57. The final picture from the journey: Rainy, Gypsy, Amanda, and me, in Needles, California.
Photo by Judy Browder Photography
58. Shortly after moving to our own piece of land in New York State in 1984.
59. At home in the late nineties with Rainy, Gypsy, and Amanda.
60. With Rainy almost twenty years after our trip, in 2001.
61. My one and only selfie, taken with Amanda in our barn, thirty-five years after our trip, in 2017.