December 2010 - Allegheny West Magazine

BY KILEY BRADYPHOTOS BY G. PAUL DEBORwith a horse.“Part of the fun in developing an idea like this was having a style ofadventure in what people traditionally conceive of in wilderness, anddoing it by walking through suburbs and roads people use every day,”Jen explains.Jen, who says she was born with a horse-loving gene, began ridinghorses at 11-years-old at the Wissel family stables in Imperial. She laterboarded her 24-year-old Appaloosa, Rex, at Rock’n V Stables inMcDonald.She originally planned to hike cross-state with Rex, but she nixed thatidea after he began having eye problems typical of older horses. Next,she considered making the excursion with a friend’s mule. But he wasless interested in making new friends, let alone traversing the state, so itwas on to Plan C. Jen borrowed 10-year-old Geronimo from a friend,and he proved to be the perfect companion—except for constantlynudging her for carrots!Jen began preparing for the journey about one year before theirdeparture. A self-declared map nerd, she says the trip gave her an excuseto delve into maps and Google Earth. She planned her route accordingto boarding homes, farms, campgrounds, and horse-friendly bed andbreakfasts where she knew they could stay. About one month beforethey set out, Jen and Geronimo readied for their travels by hiking andcamping in local parks.On October 2, Jen and Geronimo began their 33-day journey at herhome near Center City in Philadelphia. The excursion would lead themfrom urban streets and suburban neighborhoods to side roads and ruraltrails. Along the way, they encountered livestock, including sheep, cattle,llamas, and longhorn cattle. Geronimo was especially curious aboutllamas, but he was terrified of the longhorn cattle.The traveling duo also met many people along their journey,one of whom mistook Jen for a homeless woman and offered hera $20 bill! For the most part, Jen says people were curious aboutwhat she was doing and why. Some people even chased herdown to give her muffins or apples for her and Geronimo.Many people warned Jen of the dangers of traveling alone, butshe says she was never afraid. She found it ironic that peoplewould warn her about ‘stranger danger,’ while generously givingher homemade treats.“The only palpable risk was when I was walking on busierroads,” Jen says. “I saw this whole gamut of incompetentdriving!”Geronimo’s daily intake of grains increased from just a few cupsto five to six quarts a day and he had access to all-you-can-eat hayat the farms he stayed. Jen survived on oatmeal she cooked with acamping stove, PowerBars, cans of Ensure, chocolate milk, andmeals provided by her host families. They stayed hydrated withwater from boarding homes, which Jen mixed with powder Tangfor a sugar boost for herself, and Geronimo drank from streamsalong the way.Jen’s daily schedule consisted of waking up around 6:30 or7 o’clock, feeding Geronimo and then feeding herself. Aftergrooming Geronimo and loading the packs onto the saddle, theteam started on their way around 9:30. They walked an averageof about 17 or 18 miles per day, taking breaks to eat and drinkevery four miles. Around four or 5 o’clock they arrived at theirdestination and settled in to eat dinner and spend time withtheir host family. In the evening, Jen checked the weather andmap for the next day’s journey. Jen and Geronimo walked for30 days, interspersed with three days of rest.THIS PAGE: Wilson Elementary fourth grade students JessicaCollins and Nick Faulk hold up a map of Pennsylvania so Jen canshow the students the route she traveled; the travelers are greetedby family, friends, and neighbors as they arrive home; Jen andGeronimo by a special sign made to greet them as they completedtheir journey.