The Mules posted if anybody had a stall Jack that they weren’t using and willing to donate it to the Mules. We want to thank all those who gave a positive response offering the Mules a stall jack. However, the folks at Wind Wolves Preserve offered to repair our old anvil we’ve used for so many years. Thank you Jesus, Alejandro, Alberto, and Landon for repairing our old anvil. A very nice job.
The Mules give thanks on this Thanksgiving Day. We thank all the people who follow our page contributing their energy and effort to this place of one human being alone, but never alone, walking with his or her animal companion peacefully and responsibly, carrying no weapons, but carrying the energy that has been created and harbored for hundreds of thousands of years by all those who have given and resided in this place understanding and knowing the absolute value of true human freedom as only it can be experienced and practiced on this earth. The Mules are happy on this day. We hope the same for you.
A comment was made on the 3 Mules Facebook page that a video was taken showing me/Monk beating one of the mules.
We looked up the definition of the word beat: “To beat a person with a hard, heavy object such as a club, steel rod, bull whip causing physical harm.”
Pictured is a light switch we made to carry over my shoulder as we walk along the public thoroughfare.
Question as to why? Answer as to why.
When either of the two mules get close behind me not leaving a space sufficient enough to provide the degree of safety necessary should either one of them get startled and jump in any one of four directions, this switch I made is used to remind them to keep the necessary space between us, stop at intersections or step away from hazards.
Mules can be stubborn and strong willed at times. I weigh 110 lbs. Frank weighs 1400 lbs., so a little extra persuasion can be necessary at times. This tool aids in protecting the team from harm.
Pictured is a 25 pound sack of Bob’s Red Mill Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats. I switched from the standard Old-Fashioned Quaker Oats to the Bob’s Red Mill Organic Oats because I became aware of a study commissioned by Environmental Working Group (EWG) that Quaker Oats and various other varieties are laden with the chemical glyphosate, an active ingredient in Monsanto’s weed-killing pesticide Roundup, due to farmers using Roundup to spray their crops.
Last month, a California jury ordered Monsanto to pay $289 million in damages to a man dying of cancer, which he says was caused by his repeated exposure to large quantities of Roundup and other glyphosate-based weed killers while working as a school groundskeeper.
In the EWG study, Quaker Old Fashioned Oats three samples registered up to 1300 parts per billion (ppb), while little to none detected in organic rolled oats tested. To reach this maximum dose, one would only have to eat a single 60-gram serving of food with a glyphosate level of 160 ppb. The majority of samples of conventional oat products from EWG’s study exceeded 160ppb, meaning that a single serving of those products would exceed EWG’s health benchmark.
The organic oats are two to three times more in costs than non-organic, but we felt it necessary to switch because we eat 15 to 20 pounds of oatmeal a month and that is a lot of Round Up to consume into one’s body every day.
We purchased a 25 pound bag of Bob’s Red Mill Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats for $72.40.
However, we have since found a 25 pound bag of GrainMiller Certified Organic Regular Rolled Oats that is sold at WinCo for $27 which we purchased.
The Mules would like to see a proper place for every horsewomen/horsemen to tie their horse in every shopping center, parking lot that serves the public and the Public Thoroughfare when coming to town to conduct business in that town. The Mules and all Horsemen and horsewomen are citizens of the United States. Our rights to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. The right to move freely in this country how you choose, when you choose, is that Happiness.
The relationship between man, woman, and horse is hundreds of thousands of years old, if not millions. It is sacred. The passage of any code, ordinance, law or the building of the Public Thoroughfare in such a way that interferes, curtails or prevents horsemen/women from using said thoroughfare or any venues connected to it is blatantly illegal and unconstitutional. The ages old sacred relationship between mankind and horse harbors the energy accumulated from a history spanning thousands of years. The energy of this relationship works relentlessly to protect and preserve its acquired place on earth. The Mules were born from this energy and our time on earth is to serve it.
The gentleman pictured in the photo above [link to the story here] the Mules believe is saying to the Privateer who owns the parking lot, you have not provided a secure place to tie/park my horse in your parking lot, therefore I am obliged to bring my horse in the store.
The Mules
The Mules don’t put their energy into buildings, nor do we place our energy into machines & as little as possible of our energy into man-made objects and products. Instead the most of our energy goes to the sacred act of walking and seeking and moving in harmony with the energies of the natural world. This is where we throw our chips. This is the wealth of our future.
Walk across your city, county, state, country.
Take your children in hand, sleep on the ground at night, let Earth’s energy revitalize you for the next day.
Use the public thoroughfare, public lands and public parks.
Awake in the morning, fix a simple breakfast for you and your children, set off on a journey through your town, meeting interesting and varied people along the way.
Give and receive energy from all around you. Be as you really are: a unique receiver, giver and distributor of energy that can only be done by yourself.
Create peace and freedom by the way you walk, the way you live, by the way you be.
The Mules know this that’s why we do this.
THE MULES
While driving along a country road in my automobile, we came upon a mule walking in a leisurely fashion toward us. Becoming immediately curious and disconcerted as to this unusual circumstance in which was approaching us, I stopped my automobile, got out and asked the mule what he was doing walking alone along the Public Thoroughfare.
He graciously replied that he had the same right as myself guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution, the supreme law of the land, to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness and that walking along the Public Thoroughfare in a leisurely fashion exercising his constitutional rights and his responsibility to do so as a citizen of a free country was his means of pursuing happiness.
After listening to his reply, I became angry, confused and disoriented. After all, I being a AAA-rated member of a trans-humanized robotic AI controlled Smart City (stack and pack), I was finding myself on a lonely country road, standing outside of my Smart Car, talking to a mule.
Leaving your Smart Car without prior consent from the AI is prohibited and I knew there would surely be a punishment upon my return. The energy and light surrounding this mule was so strong, I was drawn out from my Smart Car before I could realize the consequences of my actions. I had but a short time left before the Smart Car would request my reentry and return to the Smart City.
I asked the mule where he was going. He said Everywhere. I asked where was he from. He said no where. I then asked the mule where was he staying with the hidden hope I would somehow find this mule once again. His reply struck me deep and to the bone.
“We stay wherever our feet be at any moment of time. Our feet are here right now. This is where we stay until we move to the next place and the next and the next. The mules practice and live true human freedom as only it can be done on earth, a place like no other, in a way thats unique and peculiar to ourselves. We beckon you to do the same.”
I have heard freedom on Earth spoken of before, but not giving it much thought for the AI kept my mind full and not allowing room for anything else that might challenge its program. The Smart Car beckoned my reentry and my return to the Smart City. As I was ushered back in the Smart Car to the Smart City, I could think of nothing else other than meeting Frank E. Boy, the Mule, and I knew my soul would never rest until I found this mule once again wandering alone along the public thoroughfare in his own leisurely way on a Sunday afternoon showing me the absolute value of freedom and a strong connection to a strong Natural World.
So what did the Mules do in Bakersfield? Did we climb up a telephone pole with an M16 automatic assault rifle and shoot and kill motorists? NO. Did we enter a campus and shoot and kill students? NO.
The Mules entered the town of Bakersfield on foot leading our two mule animal companions Little Girl and Frank with our chins out, carrying no weapons to attack others nor for our defense. Instead, we carried the energy of our ancestors created, accumulated and harbored from living this nomadic ages old way of life. A life of love, respect and reverence for this precious one of a kind home, the Earth.
As the Mules wandered on the streets and through the neighborhoods of Bakersfield gathering supplies, we have no doubt that the energy we left in our wake made Bakersfield as well as other cities and towns in which we pass a better place to be a human being.
The above being said, it is interesting to note: The Mules were walking north on Coffee Road approaching Kern River. There was a Starbucks on our west side. We entered the parking lot, found a suitable place to secure Little Girl and Frank. Then the Monk went into Starbucks, bought a small cup of coffee, leaving room for cream, and was there for about 5 minutes. I went back to where Little Girl and Frank were secured and standing comfortably, sat down and slowly drank the coffee.
Shortly thereafter, in a prudent amount of time, a well armed security guard drove his vehicle, stopped in front of us and declared the Mules were loitering and must leave the parking lot. The Mules said no, we had bought a cup of coffee and weren’t going anywhere until we finished it and would leave in our own good time.
He said if we did not leave immediately, police would be called. The Mules continued to drink their coffee. When done, we left, never talked to any police while in Bakersfield.
The Mules will be returning to Bakersfield in 2 – 3 weeks to resupply and once again, stop at Starbucks, park the kids (mules) and buy a cup of coffee, maybe leaving room for cream, maybe not.
This parking lot, CALL-DUN-DRUM that the Mules are continually being forced to deal with must be laid out fully and all parts examined. All city, county, state roads belong to the Public Thoroughfare. When the Mules or a motorist or anybody else want to enter a store, they leave the Public Thoroughfare and enter a parking lot, park their automobile (in our case secure our mules to a fence, tree, light post) and proceed to enter the store.
Any law that allows an owner of a parking lot (privateer) to deny a citizen access to a store that provides the necessities of life, such as food, etc., must be changed, abolished. The United States is a free country with a constitution guaranteeing all its citizens the right of free movement and equal treatment and protection under the law. To allow a privateer to deny a citizen of a free country access to the necessities of life is Totalitarianism of the worst kind.
The Mules
On February 23, 2018, the Mules left Oceanside to go north to San Clemente taking I-5. Unlike cyclists and pedestrians, equestrians have no alternative route, no trails, no frontage road, for this nine-mile stretch from Oceanside to Las Pulgas Road trailhead. Since Camp Pendleton denied bike route access to the Mules which they’ve granted the Mules three times previously, the Mules used the wide shoulder of Interstate 5 (I-5) to walk north. We were stopped by California Highway Patrol (CHP) and told to go back to Oceanside. We refused on the grounds that since no alternative route existed we had every right to use the freeway. Since we refused, we were arrested and taken to jail. The San Diego District Attorney dropped the charges as they felt their case was not winnable with a jury.
Between March 5 through April 9th, the Mules had numerous back and forth emails and phone conversations with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and CHP requesting an alternative route that the Mules and equestrians can take or provide a motorized escort to get from Oceanside to Las Pulgas Road trailhead. Caltrans and CHP repeatedly said no to our request.
On April 23, the Mules received the following letter from Caltrans Interim District Director Timothy M. Gubbins:
The Mules believe that California Vehicle Code 21960 is unconstitutional. When there is no alternative route for a nine-mile stretch without walking excessive out-of-the-way-to-the-moon-and-back miles, the Mules and all other equestrians cannot be refused access to the public thoroughfare on the grounds of safety when the Mules offered a scheme by which a motorized escort could be provided by CHP and/or Caltrans. They do it all the time for assorted circumstances and ours would certainly be one of those. There is no reason why it couldn’t be done for the Mules and all other equestrians to go nine miles from Oceanside to Las Pulgas Road exit.
All laws are based on common sense. They start from that category and that’s what gives them a foundation for legitimacy, a common sense start. So we claim that to any common sense mind, equestrians have the same right to the public thoroughfare as any motorist, cyclist and pedestrian. We are legal citizens of the United States, we pay our taxes, and we have equal access to the public thoroughfare. And when our right to use the public thoroughfare is denied arbitrarily by the legislature picking winners and losers not on the bases of good common sense but on the bases of self interests, that is illegal. CVC Section 21960 was passed illegally and stands in an illegal condition.
Caltrans Interim District Director Gubbins stated “an alternative north-south equestrian route is the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).” The alternative route suggested by Caltrans makes no sense and does not get the Mules anywhere near San Clemente, where the Mules wanted to go.
On the 3 Mules Facebook page, we requested route recommendation from the local people that follow our page. A gentleman by the name of Thomas Firth who knows the area and the roads very well and is also an experienced horse person pleaded with us to not use the roads that would get us to the Pacific Crest Trail. He said that they were very dangerous and it was suicidal. As well, the Pacific Crest Trail is seasonal. It can only be traveled when the snow is not there. Firth wrote to us, “If your plan is to get to the PCT, you are not equipped for that trail at this time of year with your animal, as much of it isn’t navigable with stock yet, due to snow and downed trees over Mt. San Jacinto. If you plan on doing the PCT south, it is still closed, and doesn’t get you where you wish to go anyway, without dropping back onto 74. That stretch is suicide at best.” The PCT alternative route proposed by Director Gubbins was not a viable alternative route to get to San Clemente.
Gubbins further stated, “There are also several resources available online to locate equestrian trails, including National Park Service, California Trail Map, and Trail Link.” These suggested trails by Caltrans are recreational trails not anywhere near Oceanside and are not useful for equestrian travelers trying to get from Oceanside to San Clemente.
No National Parks exist between Oceanside and San Clemente. The California Trail Map shows that there are no existing trails to get from Oceanside to San Clemente for pedestrians or equestrians. The route that the Mules have walked through three times in the last five years was through Camp Pendleton from Las Pulgas gate to Oceanside gate on the Camp Pendleton bike route. This is the only route to get from Oceanside to the Las Pulgas Road/Old Pacific Highway Trailhead avoiding I-5.
On August 25, 2015, the Mules were going from Sausalito to San Francisco and had to cross the Golden Gate Bridge, which allow pedestrian access. However, we were stopped as equestrians were not allowed on the premise of safety. The Mules asked the Golden Gate Bridge District for an exception based on our experience but our request was denied. As an alternative, the Golden Gate Bridge District agreed to provide the Mules a motorized escort across the Golden Gate Bridge at their expense. Marin Humane Society, who contracts with the Bridge District to handle all animal issues, picked us up on the north end of the bridge in a trailer and dropped us off in San Francisco.
We repeatedly contacted Caltrans and CHP requesting motorized escort to resolve the I-5 CALL-DUN-RUM and was repeatedly denied. In the Oceanside area, CHP and Caltrans contracts with the San Diego Humane Society, as that is who picked up Little Girl when we were arrested.
Instead of transporting the Mules 7.9 miles to the nearby Old Pacific Highway trailhead where we were trying to get to, the State of California solution was to transport Little Girl 30 miles to Escondido and the Monk 15 miles to Vista and use up San Diego County time and resources processing the Mules.
A bus is provided for pedestrians to go from Oceanside Transit Center thru Camp Pendleton to San Onefre. Cyclists are permitted to ride thru Camp Pendleton and are also cycling on the shoulder of I-5. Similar to the Golden Gate Bridge solution in place for equestrians, a motorized escort for equestrians provided by CHP/Caltrans contracting with the Human Society of San Diego would be a temporary solution until the common sense solution of building a path, paralleling I-5 connecting Oceanside to Las Pulgas Road/Old Pacific Highway trail head, is constructed.
California Vehicle Code 21949 states that it is the “policy of the State of California that safe and convenient pedestrian travel and access, whether by foot, wheelchair, walker or stroller be provided to the residents of the state. It is the intent of the Legislature that all levels of government in the state, particularly the Department of Transportation, work to provide convenient and safe passage for pedestrians on and across all streets and highways, increase levels of walking and pedestrian travel…”
The State of California failed to follow their policy. The Mules travel by foot. The Mules have four legs and they walk, and the Monk has two legs. We have the same rights to access the public thoroughfare to get from Point A to Point B as any pedestrian, cyclist, or person traveling by wheelchair, walker or stroller. By excluding equestrians on the public thoroughfare, the Legislature/Caltrans is picking winners and losers and deciding that the Mules and all equestrians are losers and they have no rights to the public thoroughfare. This is unconstitutional and illegal. The United States Constitution, the supreme law of the land, grants equal access to free movement in this country to all its citizens for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Why do the Mules take the I-5 CALL-DUN-DRUM so seriously? The answer to us is obvious. The public thoroughfare must remain public. Any restriction of its use to its citizens is dangerous. The Mules have their feet on the ground all day every day. While most people are moving around sealed up inside their automobile with air conditioning moving from one building to the next, the Mules are out here on the road on the earth all day every day. We see what is happening. We know what is taking place. It won’t be long before equestrians will be relegated to moving around in a horse trailer going from one sawdust ring to the next. If you don’t like that scheme and continue to ignore what is currently happening and take no action by contacting your local, county and state policy makers, you will find that in the future your freedom to travel in the United States of America has disappeared. Good luck in getting it back.
The Mules
Thank you Jerrod Mayfield for shoeing Little Girl once again. Jerrod shoed Little Girl the last time we were in Bakersfield. He did a nice job then. He did a nice job now. The Mules will continue their job to walk freely in one of all four directions all day every day, one step at a time, to shine the light on those who try to stop the Mules from practicing true human freedom on Earth, which brings true human happiness on this Earth.
