Living outside, being outside is now being put forth by the Megatropolis (the man-made world) and its agencies of enforcement as a criminal offense. Anybody doing so is subject to being cited with mandatory appearance in criminal court before a judge and heavily fined with possible jail time.
The Megatropolis is hiding this fact, keeping it under the table for now, but the laws are in place, and ready to be used on anybody exercising their God given and constitutional right to do so.
The Megatropolis is working to shape public opinion to accept the idea that the only legitimate way to be outside is in a recreational type venue and nothing else. Unless you are willing to conform to the blue print put forward by the Megatropolis of automobile use and living within the constraints of four walls, you will be declared a public nuisance, as I was classified in San Luis Obispo by the city manager, city council, police chief and San Luis Obispo Tribune.
As the Mules wander and roam outside in the Natural World, the inevitable consequences of doing so is to shed light and focus attention on exactly what is happening to our freedom and our connection to nature. The Mules show people on Facebook and the 3mules.com website in a real way what is being done and how it works, so that you become aware and can contemplate the consequences for yourself and your children.
For the 3 Mules, every day is Earth Day.
Lady and Little Girl – where we stopped to restWho Dee Doo, Lady and Little Girl
A few days ago, a California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer stopped across the highway (Hwy 150) from the Mules and told us that CHP was getting a number of calls about us being in the middle of the road. We said when there is no other place to go but on the road, we are going to use the road. He said you can’t be on the road. We said Highway 150 is a public thoroughfare that all venues have the right to use it be they bicycles, pedestrians, equestrians or somebody in a wheelchair. He said if he gets any more calls about the Mules being on the road and he has to come back, there will be issues. We said that we have the same right to the public thoroughfare as any high speed motorist.
It seems the high-speed motorist and the CHP have made an unholy alliance. First the CHP collects a number of calls from the high-speed motorist claiming there is somebody with horses on the road, then comes out using those calls as a justification to remove the Mules from the public thoroughfare.
2015 California Department of Motor Vehicle handbook page 62 andCalifornia Vehicle Code 21759 Caution in Passing Animalsclearly states “riders of horses or other animals are entitled to share the road with motor vehicles. It is a traffic offense to scare horses or stampede livestock. Slow down or stop, if necessary, or when requested to do so by the riders or herders.” The vehicle handbook does not say to call and scream to the CHP that there are horses in the road, come and get rid of them, they slowed me up.
Lady and Little Girl at one of many roadside memorials that we encounter while walking
The high speed motorist is clearly breaking the law. The crosses (memorials) we see along the highways are not there because of The Mules. The crosses are there because of speed by the high-speed motorist. For the CHP and its ally, the high-speed motorist, to try and shift the responsibility of its deadly excessive speed over to the Mules moving at three miles per hour doesn’t work. It can’t pass the test of basic common sense.
These pictures attest to the fact that there is often no choice but to be on the road, which in this kind of circumstance, the high-speed motorist must slow down, obey the California Vehicle Code 21759, share the road, and not call the CHP to demand removal of the Mules from the road.
You see the “Share the Road” bicycle sign occasionally. A feeble acknowledgement by the state of California’s Department of Transportation and California Highway Patrol, that yes, the Public Thoroughfare is not for the exclusive use of the High Speed Motorist (HSM). It must be shared by all venues. We saw the sign once on Hwy 150, and not at all on Hwy 33.
The sign on the left should look more like the sign that I drew, placed at the entrance to any and all dangerous blind curves and constricted passage ways! Keeping the HSM aware that it must reduce his/her speed and be ready to slow down or stop in these most dangerous areas. “You must share road with Bicycles, Pedestrians, Equestrians, Raccoons, Skunks, Deer and all others. Be read to stop or slow down.”
The HSM screaming to the CHP will not save anybody’s life. A concerted effort by the Department of Transportation to properly sign many of these and most dangerous roads traveled by the HSM will save many lives.
Getting rid of the Mules will not stop the carnage of the HSM. The crosses on the sides of the roads were there before the Mules and will continue to appear until the HSM is reigned in and made to obey the law.
For over a year, we’ve only been two mules (Lady and Little Girl) and the monk. Originally, Pepper, the third mule, traveled with us for 14 years, and did a very good job. Her tendon in one of her legs broke down and she was not able to do the job anymore. She had to be retired and currently lives as a pet on a property in Malibu with other horses and donkeys that she has for company. When Pepper retired, we were given another mule named Fred, who was injured and had to be put down. Thus for over a year, there has only been the three of us.
Who-dee-doo
This past weekend, we got a third mule in a magical, mystical sort of way after we were invited to spend a few days at the horse arena in Norco. While grazing up in the hills above the arena, it started to rain. Then all of a sudden, some ladies appeared coming up from down below asking a few questions and we gave them a few answers. Then they said, “Do you want a mule?” We said sure, even though we really didn’t. Moving and living in the Megatropolis with two mules is enough. Denise had originally bought the mule to be a riding mule, but found that he was a follower and didn’t like to lead. As well, the mule doesn’t have a left eye and only sees on his right side.
We considered the complexity in adding a third mule to the pack (need to find a place to stay, food, water, more horseshoes, and the new inter mule dynamics to name a few things). As well, we considered the dangers of the Megatropolis of having a mule blind on one side by not being able to see cars, light poles, and other obstacles. At 11 years old, the mule is strong, healthy and full grown. We thought that we’d give him a try and see what happens. We renamed the mule Who-dee-doo (original name was 9-to-5).
We take Who-dee-doo back to the corrals and start having second thoughts. Why are we taking a mule that has only one eye? It is hard enough to move through the Megatropolis with mules that have both eyes! Well, we got him now, so we better find out what he can do even though the negative voice within says no way will never be able to do the job.
Little Girl with Julie
While in Norco, Julie introduced herself to us and wanted to learn more about 3 Mules. During our stay, she got gasoline for our stove. As Who-dee-doo was being prepared for our next journey, Julie asked where we were going. We responded that we had to go to Thousand Oaks to get a saddle. Julie said that she had a saddle for us and brought it back with cinches, saddle blankets, straps, and a brand new proofer. Another gentleman approached us on his horse and joined the conversation. Asked if I needed anything. More horseshoes. He brought back horseshoes with nails. Unfortunately, I didn’t get his name or picture.
Tuesday morning, we left Norco on a bright sunny day filled with lots of energy acquired from the hospitality, kindness, and generosity of so many people, which we are very thankful. We met many people and we can’t remember everybody’s name to give them proper credit. We proceeded into the belly of the Megatropolis.
The Mules deliver the Declaration of Emergency to Riverside City Hall
We walked along the river before arriving in Riverside where Who-dee-doo clipped a telephone pole and scraped a fence. Since those two occurrences, Who-dee-doo has been moving around getting around as well as you could expect from any two-eyed mule. So how is this possible? We didn’t know. The Monk was setting up and Little Girl was grazing a vacant lot taking a break when all of a sudden Pepper and Fred, the two mules that are no longer with us, appeared in our minds’ eye together.
So there’s the answer as to why Who-dee-doo is moving around and getting around so well. Pepper and Fred have come from the energy to be Who-dee-doo’s blind side. So when you see this place of one human being and three mules (3mules.com) walking through your neighborhood, Who-dee-doo the one-eyed mule has brought a whole new dimension to 3mules.com.
