On January 9 as the mules and myself were walking on Devonshire Street heading west, we stopped to take a break in front of the Chatsworth Fire Station. A gentleman named Bob approached and introduced himself. Bob had seen us the night before and had been looking for us. He told us that he boarded his horse two miles down the road at the Davis Ranch and invited us to refuel and rest there for the night. My feet were bothering me really bad, so we accepted his timely offer.
This area where we stayed was once the home of Roy Rogers, Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz and other Hollywood stars. The rocky hills in the backdrop were used to film Roy Rogers westerns in the 50’s. Now this ranch is one of the last horse facilities in the area.
The Mules want to thank the Dana for allowing the Mules to spend 3 nights/2 days here at her ranch. Thanks also to Bob for inviting us to stay here.
Last week as two major storms were about to hit California, Jill and Todd reached out and offered The Mules a place to stay on their property in Sun Valley to wait out the storm. We accepted and want to say thank you to Jill and Todd for the support you gave the Mules. It is very much appreciated. We enjoyed visiting the equestrian friendly town of Sun Valley, which seems similar to equestrian friendly town of Norco, CA.
On New Year’s Day, the Mules were in Pasadena to watch the Rose Parade. At one point, we entered the parade from a side street and walked in front of a float for one block for about 5 minutes or so. As we got to the end of the block, a police officer asked us to leave so we did and went about our way.
Yesterday, January 8, 2016, the Mules received the following e-mail from Pasadena Police Department Sergeant Paul Carpenter:
“Sir, my name is Paul Carpenter. I am Sergeant with the Pasadena Police Department and I work in our Event Planning Section which works to police special events in the city. I understand you inserted yourself and your mules in the Tournament of Roses Parade last week and that was not the first time. The Tournament of Roses carefully selects the participants that they allow in the parade and, as you can imagine, an unauthorized entry is a concern for me, from a security perspective. I am sure that you mean absolutely no harm to the parade or any of the parade goers, however we cannot have your, or any one else, inserting themselves into the parade.
If you have any questions or if you wish to discuss this any further please contact me at the email listed above.
Thank you.
Sgt. Paul Carpenter
The Mules do understand Sergeant Carpenter’s concern of the Mules inserting themselves into the Rose Parade. We respect the necessary job of police agencies. We will not insert ourselves again into the Rose Parade. That being said we feel it necessary to state the reason we did so.
The Megatropolis uses the Rose Parade to put its best side out for all to see and tell us all the great things its done and continues to do. However, there is two sides to every coin. The catastrophic consequences of what it is doing are not being shown.
The Megatropolis uses the parade to hide its tracks, the extreme destructive consequences of its activity on earth. Current examples of this destruction include the methane gas leak going on right now in Porter Ranch, California with 1800 people evacuated from their homes and the poisoned water supply in Flint, Michigan destroying lives of the future generations. Just the tip of the iceberg.
The Mules know they cannot just stand by and watch the destruction of life on earth. We are driven to do something, so we walk peacefully all day every day and carry and spread the message of the energy that surrounds us and envelopes us that the human race must create a new path and adjust its course if we are to live on this earth.
This is our fourth consecutive year attending the Tournement of Rose Parade in Pasadena, California.
If you have taken a photo of us at the Rose Parade, we ask if you would please share and post your photos using hashtag #3Mules #3MULES.COM #NomadicLife, so we can find them on Instagram, Twitter, Flickr, or please post or send your photo to us on 3 MulesFacebook page.
Sharing your photos helps spread our message that this beautiful earth, like no other, can only be protected by the way we live one day at a time. Happy New Year!
Little Girl, Babe, Monk and Lady [Photo Credit: Steve Hadley]
As I was making my oatmeal and the kids were eating their breakfast of alfalfa hay that Sofia brought to us last night, a whole lot of Whittier police showed up. They said that we couldn’t camp here. We said that we were having breakfast and will leave. The officers were all very friendly, asked the usual questions, took pictures and then left. We ate our breakfast, packed up and continued on our way to Pasadena.
A few days ago, the Mules stopped to talk to this gentleman named Davide Travelli riding his fully loaded touring bicycle south. We asked him the same questions that we receive all the time: “Where are you from?” “Where are you going?” He is from Italy and has embarked on a long journey across the Americas (North, Central and South). On August 13, 2015, he started cycling in Alaska and is following the 30,000-kilometers (19,000-miles) Panamerican Highway to Patagonia in the southern end of South America. The Mules wish Davide the best and plan to follow his journey on his website http://alaska2patagonia.com/
UPDATE MARCH 24, 2018: 954 days later, Davide has now reached Ushuaia, Argentina, in the southern tip of South America. Davide plans to travel through Africa next. The 3 Mules say thank you to Davide Travelli and his magnificent journey showing one and all true human freedom as it can only be practiced on this earth and not on Mars, moon or an astroid. Human freedom exists where human beings belong, the Earth.
This building is a testament to mankind’s ingenuity and cleverness but not a place the Mules would ever want to be. It harbors nothing for us but misery. This building claiming and providing space for those who seek comfort and ease of the man-made world (Megatropolis). The Mules claiming and then using the space for those who seek the beauty and magic of the Natural World.
Yesterday we were walking along the Pacific Coast Highway going towards San Clemente and a Lady slowed her vehicle and asked if we were doing alright. We responded we were. About thirty minutes later, Karen was standing on the bike path in front of us. So we stopped and had a friendly conversation. Karen said her grandfather had a mule and she loved mules.
Karen asked us where we were going to spend the night. We said we didn’t know. She said we could stay the night in her backyard. We said the Mules would tear it up if it was landscaped. She said her neighbor Debbie had eight acres and she would ask her. Debbie said yes, so the Mules walked a couple of miles to Debbie’s house and spent the night.
In the morning, Debbie and Karen went and bough the kids some hay. So the Mules say thank you to Karen, Debbie, Tiffany, Sabrina and Adam for giving their kindness and support to the Mules as they continue the journey of bringing the light, shining the light, spreading the light of the Natural World into the man-made world (Megatropolis).
Pictured is another stellar example of the Mules stopping to rest. All forms of life on this earth from the microbe to the whale engages in activity and rest through its lifetime.
For the Megatropolis (man-made world) to make up a law with the stroke of a pen that inhibits and prevents any form or way of life from engaging in this life-sustaining process is illegal.
The Megatropolis has enacted a law 647(e) penal code (the illegal lodging law) in the state of California which prevents the Mules from stopping to rest for any given night.
The Megatropolis is seeking without doubt to remove all other ways of living on this earth other than its most favored child – the suburban model.
The beauty, mystery and magic of our day in and day out relationship with our ages old companions, Bears, Wolves, Elk, Salmon and many others is now for the most part over. The Beauty now resides in the self-sustaining act of resistance.
Yesterday afternoon after we delivered the DOE to Lake Forest City Hall, we stopped on this little tiny dirt trail going down a canyon. With grass along the side and isolation from the traffic on the street, this was a good place to stop and make our dinner. As we were making dinner, a gentleman on the other side of the fence (commercial property not residential) approached and wanted to know what we were doing. We said we were traveling and stopped here for the night to rest. He said okay and left.
Shortly afterwards, a Lake Forest Police officer showed up. He was very nice and wanted to know what we were doing. We explained and gave him our information. He said said, “Okay, you’re just staying here for the night to rest, you’re not camping, right?” We responded yes, we will be leaving in the morning. The officer said okay and then left. These are photos of where we spent last night in Lake Forest.
