Uncovering America by Horseback Uncovering America by Horseback To Uncover America and document the adventure, horseman Bill Inman is traveling across America on horseback, slowing down the pace to find interesting places, individuals, groups and history that inspire pride or lift the spirit. This adventure will Articles
Union Grove, North Carolina
2008-04-30 19:57:00 The sky was cloudy, and the wind a bit brisk when I woke in New Hope. The threat of rain hung over us again, though nothing fell that morning. Its easier on the horse when its cool. After Bill made his coffee I got to making breakfast. I used my Colman stove to cook up some bacon, eggs, and toast. Aside from the hills this was an easy day, as Bill and Blackie only had 8 miles to reach the town of Union Grove , our next stop. Jonny and I drove straight to town to check out the Fiddler's Grove Campground. Before the trip I had researched possible places along our route to stop. I called the owners to ask permission to keep the horse there; they had no problem with the horse, so we drove down and setup camp. Shortly after Bill arrived we met with the manager of the Grove, who was a very kind elderly gentleman. We told him about the trip, and later he came back to refund our camp fee (nice! Every bit helps) and invite us to the Cookshack for some family style Bluegrass pick'n. Fiddle... More About: North Carolina , North , Carolina
New Hope, North Carolina
2008-04-29 23:18:00 We made our first stop about 11.5 miles from the Taylorsville Lions Club Fairgrounds. The numerous churches have been great places to stop my rig. There's one about every 10 miles or so and most have large parking lots. Theres no one around Linney's Mill, seems they are closed on Mondays, so we move on. When we reach the church in New Hope there is a gentlemen mowing the grass. His name is Jimmy; we tell him what we're doing and ask him if he knows who to talk to to get permission to camp. He drives down to Mr. Youngen's house for us and he comes down to see us. We get permission, and that night camp out near a graveyard. We don't see any ghosts. Bill arrives tired and goes to bed early. 04-21-08 read more More About: North Carolina , North , Carolina
Taylorsville Lions Club Fair Grounds, Taylorsville North Carolina
2008-04-29 22:05:00 The ride from the Peacock Inn to the Taylorsville was a little longer then we had expected. At the Taylorsville Lions Club Fair Grounds we met with Sonny Cook, President of the Grounds. Mr. Cook opened up the gates and restrooms for us. He chatted with us for awhile and we learned that there was going to be a wresting match that evening. The sky was clear and it was getting warm, so Brenda and I setup the canopy that Coleman had gave us, which was the first time in quite a while. In the afternoon we had some locals come by to visit. Hal Bond and Nathan Smart were the first to stop. They petted Blackie and talked to Bill and Brenda about the planed route. We also had the honor to meet J.C Elliott and Bill Ramllett; both men Vietnam Vets. Mr. Elliott is a Navy man, and Mr. Ramllett was in the Army. Bill told them about our trip across the country and showed them he newspaper clipping book. Milestone Championship Wrestling invited us to watch their event. I filmed some of the matches... More About: North Carolina , North , Carolina
Laurel Hill to Newton, North Carolina
2008-04-29 21:35:00 Mr. Green owner of Greens Cycles, and Billy Martin with the Lincoln County Sheriffs Department chatted with Bill while he got ready to ride for the day. At our first stop, while waiting for Bill, a local electrician by the name of Jonathan Fulbright stopped by to talk to us. We had stopped in the parking lot of a church and he stopped to see if we were the people riding across the country. When Bill arrived Jonathan and Bill got to talking, and not long after Jonny had began grazing Blackie, a few more locals stopped by. Jonathan later brought Bill a halter he had hand tied and a nice check book cover. Brenda contacted the Catawba Sheriffs Department, and talked to Major Reed who recommended that she call the Peacock Inn located in Newton , NC. The Inn was glad to have us, though they were getting ready for their big opening at the time. They had showers, electricity, and best of all (for me anyway) Internet. We first met Mike who took us on a tour of the nearly completed hous... More About: North Carolina , North , Carolina , Hill
Follow Up Status etc.
2008-04-24 16:31:00 Right now we're in Yadkinville North Carolina. Looks like its gonna be a late start today. We stayed at the Days in here in town so we could shower, get Internet and sleep in a bed for a change. Bill is resetting some shoes on Blackie right now. I guess the nails he used to put the last pair of shoes were inferior. Brenda is also taking this opportunity to wash some cloths; I washed my cloths last night. There seems to be something messed up with the truck or our 12v AC adapter, as my laptop is defiantly damaged. I managed to figure out a way to be able to hear sound; disable the laptop speakers in Windows, and plug in my headphones. Like this the on board speakers still play sound, even though they are disabled. The sound from them is trash. Headphones sound fine, so I'll use it like this for now. I tried using the AC adapter in the truck a few more times. There is a constant static feedback sound that isn't present when using battery or direct AC power. Our older laptop also... More About: Status
Golden Valley to Laurel Hill, NC - Day 4
2008-04-23 19:14:00 The weather on the forth day was a little cloudy, though it wasn't nearly as cold as it had been. Corporal Hardin and a fellow office arrived as we were preparing for the day. The Community Club door had been opened for our use, and I was preparing coffee and oatmeal. Corporal Hardin was unable to escort Bill out of the county, as he had a previous appointment. So another office was assigned. Bill and the officers were talking about the day ahead. No one was paying attention to tiger and somehow she slipped away; sneaky three legged dog! :( We searched the area and called for her but to no avail. There was only so long we could stay, and we told everyone we saw that our Tiger had gone missing. Bill had been gone about an hour before we decided we could no longer wait. Jon and I drove past Bill. Later Rutherford County Sheriffs Department had to break off at the county line. We stopped at a gas station that was closed, to wait for Bill. Deputy J.D. Owen with the Cleveland Cou... More About: Hill , Valley , Golden
Golden Valley to Laurel Hill, NC - Day 4
2008-04-23 19:14:00 The weather on the forth day was a little cloudy, though it wasn't nearly as cold as it had been. Corporal Hardin and a fellow office arrived as we were preparing for the day. The Community Club door had been opened for our use, and I was preparing coffee and oatmeal. Corporal Hardin was unable to escort Bill out of the county, as he had a previous appointment. So another office was assigned. Bill and the officers were talking about the day ahead. No one was paying attention to tiger and somehow she slipped away; sneaky three legged dog! :( We searched the area and called for her but to no avail. There was only so long we could stay, and we told everyone we saw that our Tiger had gone missing. Bill had been gone about an hour before we decided we could no longer wait. Jon and I drove past Bill. Later Rutherford County Sheriffs Department had to break off at the county line. We stopped at a gas station that was closed, to wait for Bill. A Cleveland County Deputy stopped to talk wit... More About: Hill , Valley , Golden
Rutherfordton to Golden Valley, NC - Day 3
2008-04-18 20:33:00 Tuesday morning was sunny and chilly. As we prepared to leave, Lt. Adkins arrived to take us to a place where we can get showers. A good hot shower is always welcome! Back at the church, Bill waited his turn and chatted with some folks. When Jon and I get him to go shower, we saddle Blackie and pickup the panels (Jonny note: gez Bill spent the whole time we where showering talking...). When Bill got back we were ready to go. Corporal Hardin escorted Bill on this day. The beautiful rolling hills and lush, green vegetation is quite a contrast to the brown landscape we saw in much of the west. We make our lucnh stop at Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church. Later we find a "Community Club" that we can stay at for the night. We setup our camp. Later that evening Bill and I are invited to a "pick'n and grin'n" with the Golden Valley Crusaders. I got some video of that so hopefully Jon can put something togather with that soon. Gallery Link --> read more
Tryon to Rutherfordton, NC - Day 2
2008-04-18 18:30:00 Since our first stop in Tyon, we have camped out everyday. We made our way down 108 on to Rutherfordton. Lt. Chris Adkins with the Rutherford County Sheriff's Dept met Jon and I at a gas station at the intersection of Hwy 9 and Hwy 108. The Lt. and I learned that the mounted patrol was planning to meet up with Bill at the Polk/ Rutherford county line. Bill only stopped for a brief moment; he took off before grabbing a bite to eat. read more
Day 2 through 5 Pictures; Stories Tomorrow
2008-04-18 01:36:00 Laurel Hill to Newton, NC - Day 5 - 35 items Golden Valley to Laurel Hill, NC - Day 4 - 6 items Rutherfordton to Golden Valley, NC - Day 3 - 6 items Tryon to Rutherfordton, NC - Day 2 - 19 items More About: Pictures , Stories , Tomorrow
Day 2 through 5 Pictures; Storys Tomorrow
2008-04-18 01:36:00 Laurel Hill to Newton, NC - Day 5 - 35 items Golden Valley to Laurel Hill, NC - Day 4 - 6 items Rutherfordton to Golden Valley, NC - Day 3 - 6 items Tryon to Rutherfordton, NC - Day 2 - 19 items More About: Pictures , Tomorrow
Sunday Ride to Tryon: DC Ride Day 1
2008-04-14 17:39:00 Sunday, the 13th of April, turned out to be a beautiful day for a ride, despite all of the weather forecasts calling for rain. When we arrived at our Starting point, Schroader's Honda, there were a few hardy souls who turned out to see us off. We were especially pleased to see Billy Cannon there. All of my aunts were there to see us off along with a few of our new friends. Larry and Cheryl rode with Bill down the mountian. They were escorted by Dottie,and law enforcement officers from Henderson and Polk county. Jon and I made our first stop in Saluda. By chance, Mrs. Arrington, a member of the Pisgah Trail Ride rs was in her realty office, right next to where we stopped! She came out to see us and chat for a few minutes. When the riders arrived with their escort, M. Snipes, of the Saluda Police Department, Mayor Rodney Gibson came to greet us. Bill had to replace a coulpe of loose nails on a shoe on Cheryl's horse. We had a light lunch and then they rode on to Harmon Field in... More About: Sunday
Sunday Ride to Tryon: DC Ride Day 1
2008-04-14 17:39:00 Sunday, the 13th of April, turned out to be a beautiful day for a ride, despite all of the weather forecasts calling for rain. When we arrived at our Starting point, Schroader's Honda, there were a few hardy souls who turned out to see us off. We were especially pleased to see Billy Cannon there. All of my aunts were there to see us off along with a few of our new friends. Larry and Cheryl rode with Bill down the mountian. They were escorted by Dottie,and law enforcement officers from Henderson and Polk county. Jon and I made our first stop in Saluda. By chance, Mrs. Arrington, a member of the Pisgah Trail Ride rs was in her realty office, right next to where we stopped! She came out to see us and chat for a few minutes. When the riders arrived with their escort, M. Snipes, of the Saluda Police Department, Mayor Rodney Gibson came to greet us. Bill had to replace a coulpe of loose nails on a shoe on Cheryl's horse. We had a light lunch and then they rode on to Harmon Field in... More About: Sunday
Mission Complete: Final Ride - Henderson, North Carolina
2008-04-13 05:20:00 This is the video of Bill and Blackie's final ride during their journey from Lebanon, Oregon. We met many kinda and generous people during the trip. On this final day Bill starts off riding with Cheryl. The two make their way to a place called the Opportunity House. When they arrive they are greeted to a crowd of people waiting to meet Bill. At this point more people join Bill, and ride with him to his final destination in Henderson, North Carolina . read more More About: Ride , Final
More Pictures
2008-04-13 04:42:00 Heres some pictures that haven't been posted yet. These where taken during the time we spent in Tennessee and North Carolina. Click the picture to goto the gallery --> read more More About: Pictures
Cowboy Rides into the City: Asheville, North Carolina
2008-04-13 02:43:00 This is the second to last day of the journey from Lebanon, OR to Henderson, NC. In this video Bill rides Blackie out of rural North Carolina and into the city of Asheville. read more More About: Cowboy , City
From Terrys to VFW Post 5154
2008-04-12 19:16:00 After our Christmas brake at Terry's place we contiued on. Terry rode with Bill the first day out. We meet some nice police officers in Vonroe and Terry came out to visit us on the road the next few days. read more More About: Post
Complete Brake Job Donated
2008-04-09 21:00:00 We would like to thank Mills River Quik Lube and AutoZone in Skyland. AutoZone donated rotors, pads, calipers, etc. while Mills River Quik Lube installed the parts at no cost. We would also like to thank Brenda's cousin Larry Davis for making it happen. More About: Complete
Journey to Washington D.C. Update: The National Memorial Day Parade
2008-04-09 20:04:00 The situation is already changing as we prepare to set off once again. Our arrival in Washington DC will be close to the date of The National Memorial Day Parade. As Bill is a Gulf War Veteran it seems natural that he should ride Blackie in the parade. Bill contacted the American Veterans Center and they expressed enthusiasm in his interest to participate. Right now Bill and Brenda are working on filling out the application to be in the parade, so we don't know for sure if it will happen. The person he talked to on the phone also suggested an additional mission: to receive letters of thanks and gratitude to be delivered to Vets. read more More About: Journey , Update
Best Bar None Ranch, Georgia - "Spring Works" : 119 Pictures
2008-04-08 19:59:00 The icon of the America cowboy represents a time when our country was rapidly expanding. These free spirits were hard working, determined individuals. The Americans of their time expanded our country through hard work and determination. The spirit of the America cowboy is still alive and strong even here in eastern United States. Everyday day American men and women work hard to provide for their families. Though times have changed, our spirits have not. With hard work and determination we will remain strong. Click the picture to go to the gallery --> read more More About: Pictures , Spring , Georgia , Works , Ranch
Best Bar None Ranch, Georgia - "Spring Works" : Part 2
2008-04-08 19:04:00 On the second day at the Best Bar None Ranch everybody got down to business. The team separated the mama cows from their calves. They then roped, vaccinated, castrated, and branded the calves. I did shoot video of the branding but desided not to use it, though there are some photos of that which will be on shortly. read more More About: Spring , Georgia , Works , Part
Best bar None Ranch - Karaoke Night - The Fireman
2008-04-05 15:33:00 In the evening, after moving the Best Bar None Ranch Cattle, Dr. Barnes brought everyone out to a local restaurant. We met J. Scott Thompson just before heading out to eat. Turns out Scott can sing, and although he had never tried karaoke before, it was obvious he had been on a stage before. Scott sings various genres but decided on "The Fireman", which is a country song. You can checkout Scott at: jscottthompson.com read more More About: Karaoke , Night
Best Bar None Ranch, Georgia - "Spring Works" : Part 1
2008-04-03 15:55:00 Last week (March 28th and 29th) Brenda, Bill and I drove to Georgia with some of Brenda's family: Larry, Dottie, and Cheryl to visit the Best Bar None Ranch . Dr. Bill Barnes Invited us and many others to participate in roping, branding and steering his calves. read more More About: Spring , Works , Part
Christmas at Terrys, Part 2: EtowahTennessee
2008-04-02 02:02:00 We spent Christmas with Terry and her family while in Tennessee. Although we had just met her she welcomed us into her home as if we were old friends. Part 2 read more
Christmas at Terrys, Part 1: EtowahTennessee
2008-03-31 17:33:00 We spent Christmas with Terry and her family while in Tennessee. Although we had just met her she welcomed us into her home as if we were old friends. Part 1 read more
Bill and Blackies New Mission: The Journey to Washington, DC
2008-03-21 20:31:00 The Uncovering America by Horseback crew will be setting off on a new mission; to carry the word of the American people to our representatives in Washington DC. Bill and Blackie will team up once again and carry letters in a bag, which contain your messages. 1. At this time you message can be sent to us via e-mail, or physically handed to us. 2. Your letter must be unsealed and cannot have postage. 3. Letters must have your name & return address, so the representative you wish to contact knows that you are a real person; You are responsible for what you write. 4. Letters must contain the name and address of the representative you wish to contact. 5. We will not edit your letter (though we may reformat it for the internet). We may post your letter on uncoveringamerica.com unless you request otherwise. Letters posted on uncoveringamerica.com will contain an individuals first name and last initial only (we will not post your mailing address, email address etc. on our website u... More About: Journey , The Journey , Mission
Leaving Crossville, Tennessee
2008-03-18 16:33:00 After staying with the Parson family a few days it was time to continue the journey. On this cold windy Tennessee morning the crew prepares to venture forth from where we last stopped. read more More About: Leaving
Weathertap Visit
2008-03-17 15:58:00 Rob Parsons shows Bill and I the WeatherTAP computer system. The crew stayed at the Parsons home for a number of days. We would like to thank this awesome family for sharing their home with us. read more More About: Visit
Bill, Blackie, and Crew are Planning Another Journey
2008-03-12 17:58:00 Uncovering America by Horseback Bill , Blackie, and crew are planning another journey from Hendersonville, North Carolina to Washington, D.C. The purpose of the journey is to lift the spirit, raise hope, pride and bring awareness to our government of the United States of America. April 1, 2008 (your welcome to become a part of this journey) Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country. All men are created equal. This land is my land this land is your land from California to the New York Highland. read more More About: Journey , Planning , Crew
Blackie Travels with a Draft Mule
More articles from this author:2008-03-01 21:45:00 We met a guy named Butch and he offered to let us stay at his place. The next morning a man with a draft mule showed up wanting to ride with Bill. They started somewhere near De Rossett. That morning we also met Jennifer and Sarah Parsons for the first time. read more More About: Travels , Draft , Mule 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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