“My last thought before falling asleep was that we are all a lot more capable of conquering obstacles and fears than we think.”
― Rinker Buck, The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey

As the trek begins, NYT best seller Rinker Buck is living the “research” for his next book. The yet-to-be-titled selection will be a historical non-fiction tome about little known facts of the Civil War. The beginning of this adventure was not without its obstacles…

A steep climb on day one, along with heavy rain, limited the distance to less than a 10K. But despite the slow beginnings, spirits are high for Rinker and his student intern, Will Thompson.

Narrow, winding, hilly roads were traversed as they departed from an Amish farm outside of Hartsville, TN, just south of the Kentucky border. Joined by friends along the way, Mike Binkley, of Life on the Mississippi acclaim, directed traffic as the mule team of Sox and Boots lumbered up the steep inclines and gingerly descended the other side.

A wagon cannot stop on a dime.

A late afternoon end to the day allowed for a good rest for all, as the rain drop’s patter lulled mule and man to slumber.

“Seeing America slowly was, in a way, like eating slow food-I wasn’t covering much ground in a single day, but I was digesting a lot more.”
― Rinker Buck, The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey

Next stop Portland, TN or thereabouts. There is no exacting precision with the starts, stops and distances traveled. The terrain, the mules, and Mother Nature will have more to say about that than any itinerary.

#SheepCamp2025

Matthew Thompson is a family law practitioner living vicariously through Rinker & Will’s adventure. Both parts jealousy and relief, that while he can visit and drop-in, he can also go home!