The Mules had a police encounter today. The officer pulled up got out of his cruiser approached us said hi. We did the same. Wanted to know where we were going. The Mules replied we don’t answer questions. He then asked if the mule was okay we replied we don’t answer questions. He then asked if the Monk was okay. The Monk replied we don’t answer questions. The officer then said he got a call and somebody wanted him to check on the mule and see if it was okay. He then said have a nice day. We said the same and he left. The mules continued walking in anyone of all four directions how we choose when we choose one step at a time all day and most every day
Tag: 3Mules.com
Burbank, CA
The Mules had an encounter with Burbank Police yesterday. While walking on sidewalk along Glen Oaks Boulevard. a police officer pulled up in front of us got out of his cruiser. The Monk reached into his pocket and extracted his phone and took a picture of the officer. The Monk then asked the officer what was it he wanted he didn’t call 911, he didn’t ask for any help. The officer said oh no problem you’re not doing anything wrong you’re not being detained I’m just curious as to what you’re doing never seen a horse walking down Glen Oaks Boulevard in Burbank before.
The officer then started to ask questions where were we from where were we going the monk declined to give any answers. The officer replied that’s fine no problem. The officer then asked if he could pet Rosie and take a picture the monk said sure.
Before the officer left he did inform us that the Burbank municipal code ordinance disallowed leading a horse down the sidewalk we could lead the horse on the street but not the sidewalk. The Monk informed the officer if he walked Rosie down the street competing with these dangerous weaponized speeding automobiles he would have been injured or dead long before the officer made contact. The officer agreed he said that’s why he wasn’t going to cite us. He then said you need to keep going through Burbank because if I see you again on the sidewalk I will cite you and then he left wished us a nice day we did the same.
Pomona, CA
I’ve been stopped by Pomoma Police. I’m being threatened with arrest in jail. they stopped me and refusing to let me proceed. I’m not too far from the Pomona WinCo maybe about a mile they detained me illegally and have me sitting on the curb claiming I’m violating all kinds of municipal codes. I asked for a supervisor and we’re now waiting for one they’re claiming I’m in equestrian.
I’m not an equestrian. I’m not riding a horse. I’m leading a mule down the street down the road. They’re claiming I’m driving a horse. no I’m not driving a horse. I’m leading a horse. The horse is behind me. I’m walking the horse. walking. We’re in pedestrian mode. The complaints is somebody called and claimed I was walking a horse in traffic. Of course I’m walking a horse in traffic. Traffic is everywhere I’m on the side of the road. They’re claiming I’m somehow breaking the law and up for arrest.
After the police let us go they had to cuz you weren’t breaking any laws we went to WinCo and bought some groceries and found a place to go to sleep for the night
Brea and Fullerton, CA
Yesterday afternoon around 2:30 p.m. while walking along Imperial Highway the Mules sat down to rest take a break. While there we were confronted by Brea Police Department police. They had a friendly approach. We weren’t breaking any laws. They started to ask us a lot of questions we declined to give answers.
They switched their scheme to offering us help. They could direct us to a place where we could get free meals, blankets. The Mules declined. We didn’t need any of it. We didn’t call them and ask for any help. We told them if we did need help we’d give him a call. They were rather persistent in their offers of help but eventually gave it up went back to their cruisers and hung around for 30 to 45 minutes.
We believe because it was daytime and they couldn’t arrest us for anything. They passed the ball to Fullerton Police Department where they waited until we made a stop for the night and initiated the no camping law against us an a arrestable offense a misdemeanor jail and fines.
Rain Cover
MZ Equestrian, Vista, CA
City of Ventura Police Encounter
No sooner had the Mules got into Ventura then we were approached by police officer informing us he had gotten a call that we were scaring the school children on the other side of the fence. And we couldn’t stop here for any amount of time because we were on private property. I said no we are on a public easement. He continued to insist we were on private property. A school teacher came over and informed the officer she had followed us for years and we were perfectly okay where we were. He decided to leave and did.
Do City/County Parks Need to Be Closed to a Lone Traveler?
Do City county parks need to be closed to a lone traveler? Moving under their own power and their own speed whether by bicycle walking carrying a backpack or walking with a pack animal. The mules say no. A person traveling alone entering a park after dusk when Park is closed with the sole purpose of pitching a small tent. Then staying the night then getting up in the morning and leaving to continue their journey is a threat to no one. Parks are meant to be used by people engaged in outside activity the three mule journey is certainly doing that. The mules can see no good common sense reason to prevent us or anybody else like us from resting for the night in a park.
The Mules have received a number of comments on this post on our 3 Mules Facebook page. There seems to be a concerted effort to identify us with a homeless encampment people living on sidewalks packed into a small area with no running water no sanitation because they can no longer afford decent housing. The mules live on the move travel alone. Never stay on public space for more than 24 hours most often than not less than 24 hours. We present none of the problems of a homeless encampment. Yet by reading these comments they’re all trying to infer that we do. Well the mules think it’s absolutely mystifying that we’re still walking through in and around this extremely dangerous megatropolis how we choose when we choose. For a weak cowardly little man and one mule it’s truly a spiritual endeavor. When the time comes for our eternal soul to leave the body that we are attached to we will have no regrets.
Extensive Non-motorized Trail System
The California High-Speed Rail Authority in 2008 said the high-speed rail line would cost $33 billion and begin service by 2020. So far, only about 119 miles of the planned 776-mile railroad have commenced construction, and the estimated costs have soared to as much as $128 billion.
An inspector general report in February 2025 found the project was unlikely to meet its 2033 passenger service goal and identified a $6.5 billion funding gap for the Central Valley segment between Merced and Bakersfield.
An extensive bike path trail system for pedestrians, equestrians, cyclists connecting all communities to all communities all over the state could have been built for a mere pittance of what’s been wasted on this ridiculous high speed train.
The non-motorized travelers must be separated from the deadly weaponized automobile. The deadly weaponized automobile is killing non-motorized travelers at an ever-increasing rate each year. The idea that the two can coexist safely sharing the same space is proven year after year to not be possible.
Time to use California money for something worthwhile and valuable. An extensive trail path system for the non-motorized mode of travel.
Staying in One Place vs Being in Motion
SCHEME (1) You construct a shelter. Once done and completed you stay there you stay in one place. Your shelter can be a million dollar mansion or something as simple and inexpensive as a tent. The shelters, a mansion or a tent, differ in size and cost. But the people who live in them are basically living the same. They both leave their tent or their house then go places for varying amounts of time. Upon completing a task which draws them out of their house /tent they return. Evidence shows that both, the people who live in houses and those who live in tents, like to collect stuff. The people in houses fill up their garages and when there’s no longer space in the house or the garage they buy space at a storage facility. The people in tents because they have limited financial resources place the stuff they collect outside of their tent. Where it builds up and becomes an eyesore and objectionable to passers by. Because they don’t have the financial resources for storage.
SCHEME (2) You don’t construct a shelter you don’t stay in one place you stay in motion moving with the seasons. The Mules fall under Scheme 2, using motion and energy to provide us what we need as we migrate with the season. Rather than building a shelter with the intention of staying in one place, The Mules bivouac for the night, most often less than 24 hours. Then we get up, pack up and stay in motion until the sun sets once again where we will bivouac for the coming night. The Mules tend not to collect stuff for it would create an unnecessary burden on our mules and ourselves and hamper our ability to stay in motion which is so essential to our survival and the nomadic way of life which we and many others practice.
Most counties in California in which the Mules travel through on a daily basis have passed no lodging laws. California Penal Code 647(e) is a no lodging law, but it does not state the particular behaviors that the law is meant to prevent. Only using the word to “lodge” which is far too vague and unclear to enforce.
If the Mules and all others who practice this nomadic way of life on foot, bicycle, or pack mule, etc., are to be prosecuted using PC 647(e), those prosecuting us must prove that we are doing what this law was written, then passed, to prevent. Such as drug and alcohol abuse, violence, erecting tents and blocking sidewalks, etc. None of these behaviors are the mules guilty of. Obviously 647 (e) is not enforceable against the Mules.
The Mules