Man & Horse: The Long Ride Across America

by John Egenes

In 1974 a disenfranchised young man from a broken home set out to do the impossible. With a hundred dollars in his pocket, a beat up cavalry saddle, and a faraway look in his eye, John Egenes saddled his horse Gizmo and started down the trail on an adventure across the North American continent. Their seven month journey took them across 11 states from California to Virginia, ocean to ocean.. As they left the pressing confinement of the city behind them, the pair experienced the isolation and loneliness of the southwestern deserts, the vastness of the prairie, and the great landscapes that make up America. Across hundreds of miles of empty land they slept with coyotes and wild horses under the stars, and in urban areas they camped alone in graveyards and abandoned shacks. Along the way John and Gizmo were transformed from inexperienced horse and rider to veterans of the trail. With his young horse as his spiritual guide John slowly began to comprehend his own place in the world and to find peace within himself. Full of heart and humor, Egenes serves up a tale that's as big as the America he witnessed, an America that no longer exists. It was a journey that could only have been experienced step by step, mile by mile, from the view between a horse's ears.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Horses, Animals, Travel, Adventure, Biography Memoir

290 pages, Paperback

Published August 24, 2017

About the author

John Egenes is the author of “Man & Horse: The Long Ride Across America”, and "The Marfa Blues".

Having done pretty much whatever it takes to get by, John Egenes has been a musician, a saddlemaker, a submarine sailor, a dog catcher, a taxicab driver, and a university lecturer, among other things. John has ridden the freight trains he describes in “The Marfa Blues”, and has seen the mysterious Marfa Lights described in his book.

Born and raised in California, John's misspent youth included hitchhiking and riding freight trains back and forth across America. He finally settled in the high desert of Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he spent more than three decades, as a musician and a saddlemaker.

His book, “Man & Horse: The Long Ride Across America”, is the story of his epic 1974 journey across the United States with his horse, Gizmo. The book was featured in the movie, “Barbie”, with Ryan Gosling.

John now makes his home in New Zealand.

Reviews

[Warren Walter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice book. As someone that works with K-12 students, I am always looking to find books that will interest young adult male readers and this is one that I will recommend going forward. In an age of constant connectedness and devices, this book does a great job of helping readers envision a time when the world was simpler and what it would be like to exist for long periods of time without human contact. The bond between the main character and his horse, Gizmo, is well written and helps the reader understand how both characters guided each other through this journey.

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily the best book I read in 2017. John Egenes rode his horse across America, West to East, in 1974. He was nearly struck by lightning in the desert, hit by cars in the Smoky Mountains, locked up by a Boss Hogg-style hillbilly country politician, courted by maidens, and feted by a celebrity. While those things happen to him, the real story is his relationship with his horse, Gizmo. I am not a horse person, but I cried for the love John had for his horse, and the way they learned each other and kept each other going through this adventure cum ordeal. Fantastic book that I'm pressing into the hands of everyone I talk books with.

[Neil Copeland · Rating 5 out of 5]

My wife Sandra gave me this book as a wedding anniversary present, in the paperback version, autographed, with a personal message from John. For me, it hasn't just been an absorbing account of an impressive and epic journey, but an insight into the mind of a personal friend, one I've respected for as long as I've known him as a very fine musician, an astute and often counter-intuitive thinker, and an all-round good guy, with a sense of humour that is sharp and insightful, but at the same time gentle and generous.

I enjoyed seeing into a side of the man that I knew existed, but had very little idea of; getting an idea of what it means to have a horse in your life, taking the reader past the dictum "look after your horse before you look after yourself", which was about the limit of what I'd gleaned from many western movies in my childhood and teen years.

I've been bemused by one or two reviews (otherwise favourable) that describe the end of the book as "anticlimactic". What were these readers expecting? I assumed that the story would end with man and horse arriving at their destination, and that they would then go home, by whatever means. This happened. Climaxes are for fiction, and if this were fiction, the climax would involve a love interest, but for the non-fiction writer, if it didn't happen, you can't write it. Be satisfied with the completion of the journey on its own terms.

For all the people I know who know John, this is a must-read, and a five-star read for anybody.

[Lindsey Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read! I love stories of long journeys, and this one works for me. It's a tale of adventure and a kind of coming of age that could maybe only happen in 1974 - and perhaps only be written now. The world has moved on and we have changed. The author looks back on this rich journey across his native America with the perspective of time, exploring his early life, from learning to be alone to the growing impetus to to take on such a momentous ride and beyond. As he relates his tale, with anecdotes that sometimes put you in mind of listening to a cowboy by the campfire, Egenes flicks easily between times in the past. Populated by myriad characters and other living creatures (not always friendly) in the changing landscape, his account is interspersed with personal philosophy and hung on the backbone of his relationship with the wonderful Gizmo.

[Christine Meunier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow!

[E.P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think most of us horse people have harbored fantasies of taking off across country on horseback. John Egenes actually did it.

"Man and Horse" is the story, told by John himself, of how he, as a callow 24-year-old, and his Quarter Horse Gizmo, as an even more callow 4-year-old, rode from California to Virginia in seven months. Why? Why not. Because they could.

The book alternates between chapters about the journey, John's backstory as the son of a single mother with money troubles, and musings on life and philosophy. All parts of it are fascinating, although as a former teenage girl myself I found the bits about the inherent wisdom and power of teenage girls to be a bit amusing. Ah, men, men...

Anyway, we learn how John grew up a loner with a penchant for wandering and a love for horses, and how he developed an obsession with making a ride across America in his teens. Instead of giving up on that obsession, he decided to turn it into reality. The ride with Gizmo was his second attempt at it, and his first successful one; he'd made an attempt with Gizmo's dam earlier but had to turn back.

The descriptions of the difficult terrain they cross, including the Mojave, the Sonoran, and the Painted Deserts, and the people they encounter along the way, are fascinating. If you have a thirst for adventure and a desire to explore America, you are likely to enjoy that part of the story, whether or not you're a horse person.

But if you are a horse person, then the stories about Gizmo and the other horses that John encounters along the way are what will really shine. Gizmo comes across as a delightful and fully-fledged character, and John gives him full credit for his part in their mad adventure, along with expressing reservations about the trials he put Gizmo through in his quest. A quirky and quintessentially American story that will appeal to horse lovers and adventure lovers alike.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable memoir! Easily the best self-published book I've ever read and a great one for reading aloud with feeling. It wasn't long before my husband and I were completely engrossed in this story. A lonely, neglected child becomes a humble, respectful, and remarkably talented and resilient young man determined to follow a dream. After considerable forethought and careful preparation, with only $100 in his pocket, he and his heroic companion on the trail, a lovable, faithful, curious 4-year-old quarter horse named Gizmo, set out on April 3, 1974, from Ventura, California, bound for Virginia Beach, planning to cover 20 miles per day. The first major challenge is crossing the Mojave Desert. Finding, water, shelter from heat, sun, and storm, and sustenance for Gizmo are major concerns the whole way. Avoiding urban traffic, finding horse-friendly routes and privacy add challenges as he moves east. The story is also a tribute to America in all its beauty and varied landscapes and to the generous, admiring well-wishers who help man and horse along their 7-month journey from ocean to ocean. We read of harrowing close calls, heartwarming moments, some good for a hearty laugh, others that will choke you up. It was easy to forgive the lapses that a copy editor could have fixed and hard to lay the book down. I am grateful to my fellow Goodreads reviewers whose praise prompted me to buy it. I commend their reviews to you as well.

[Jennifer Macaire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I started the book - but I was soon caught up in the story. Having grown up in the 60's, the story of travelling across the US in the 70's brought back many memories. The prose is clear, the story entertaining, and I fell in love with Gizmo (sorry, John, lol) right away. This is a fascinating tale about a man's voyage across the country, but it's also a story of growing up a loner and trying to fit into a fast-changing world. Full of interesting characters and beautiful descriptions of storms, deserts, and mountains - the story took me on a journey that I won't easily forget.

[beth sommer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life is a journey

Great story. Loved the friendship between horse and rider. I have been lucky enough to have two lovely horses in my life, one who was a lot like Gizmo and also a quarter horse. I loved the journey, and the exploration of being alone and his focus on the care and trust he felt for his companion. Both of my horses are gone now and the ending made me remember my lovely horses. Thank you for this book.

[Debbi · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1974, John Egenes rode his horse Gizmo over 4,000 miles across America. This is his story. Really interesting, if a bit slow in parts. Gizmo was quite a horse. One of the most interesting things to me was the fact that John never used a bridle/bit on Gizmo. He'd never had a bit in his mouth in his life. Instead John used two pieces of rope clipping one to each side of his halter and that's how he guided Gizmo all across America.

[Frank Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I suspect most of us share the dream of taking a trip across country by walking, bicycling, motorcycling. With me would be horseback. In my case, as I suspect it is with most of us, it never happens. Real life gets in the way: jobs, families, debts. One has to admire an individual like John Egenes, who actually makes a dream like this happen in 1974. He tells his story in MAN & HORSE THE LONG RIDE ACROSS AMERICA.

Actually, however, it is at least two stories entwined. One is about the trip when he was a young man. The second is about the older man that the young man has become as he looks back on that trip. The result is greater than the sum of its parts.

Egenes tells the story in first person, though from perspectives of different times in his life, including excerpts from his log book (diary).

The first logbook entry he cites:

“First night on the trail. Made it to an old one room schoolhouse that isn’t used anymore. We’re camped behind it, off the road and out of sight.”

He elaborates from that simple start:

“The third of April, 1974, our first night on the trail. Gizmo and I are camped behind an old one-room schoolhouse, a dilapidated wood frame building with a severely pitched wood shingle roof that no longer keeps the rain out. A derelict bell tower clings to the roof's ridgeline at a slight tilt, fighting a losing battle with the elements…”

And then he looks back at the ride many years later:

“When it comes to following a dream sometimes you get lucky, but most times you make your own luck. I was certainly young and stupid when I dragged Gizmo out of an innocent adolescence and onto that long trail across the North American continent. I don’t think of myself as a wise person, but I know I’m wiser today than I was back then. I think I’m a bit wiser than I was yesterday. I hope that tomorrow I’m wiser still.”

Perhaps the most poignant observations to me, perhaps because they are close to my heart, are about that which we have lost:

“Today, after all these years, I look back upon the wildness of the great Mojave Desert that Gizmo and I experienced and realize that it is all gone now, destroyed by the pressures of the expanding urban population and landscape. The same is true for much of the rest of the great southwestern deserts in the United States, which exist in the states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and small parts of Colorado and Texas. There are some places you still can’t drive to in your comfortable sports utility vehicle, but those that aren’t on Indian reservations or protected lands have pretty much disappeared. Things were different in 1974.”

And:

“In 1974, riding a horse across the continent was both a reason for, and a method of, disconnecting from society at large. It was a physical disconnection for Gizmo and me. I wanted to divorce myself from my culture on purpose. Today’s digital ecosystem doesn’t allow for that. Smart phones and internet connections insure that a traveler today is always connected—daily, hourly, and minute by minute—to friends, family, and anyone who subscribes to their social network pages and feeds. It doesn't matter if the horse and rider don’t have a smart gadget and an internet connection. Passersby will certainly have them and make sure the pair are always connected by posting pictures of them and commenting on social media…”

In my case, I suppose a part of me still yearns for that imagined trip in which I cross country on a grand adventure. Am I too old? Maybe. Maybe not. But perhaps the world has changed too much?

Egenes suggested:

“Attempting a long ride today would still be a long and difficult process, but being truly alone is no longer possible. Forget about privacy and seclusion. Technology has left its footprints on our reasons for following our dreams and has even altered the dreams themselves. We no longer have a say over that part of it. One can be alone, but one can no longer be in the wilderness… You could still get away with stuff in 1974. Not as much as you could have twenty years earlier, but still, lots of things slipped under the radar of the powers that be. You could drive a car without registering or insuring it (though you might get caught if a cop pulled you over for something). You could still sneak into a movie theater. You could still hitchhike most places. Sometimes I feel as though Gizmo and I got away with making the ride… The ten-year-old girls who wrote to me after the ride asking for pictures of Gizmo (never of me) are now in their fifties. We've moved on from 1974 and left that sweet, naïve innocence behind. “

Maybe that is a metaphor for all of us. Think about how he almost brings tears to our eyes when he tells about saying good-bye to Gizmo, his friend and partner, when age overtook him:

“I eased his head down as he gently settled to the ground, and I sat there cradling him as he died. I dug his grave and buried him there, on the high desert of northern New Mexico. As I shoveled the earth over him, dark clouds rolled in overhead and it began to snow lightly. But I didn’t see the coming storm as a dark sign or bad omen. The snow fell gently, in big flakes, and by the time I had finished burying him his grave was white. It was a peaceful scene. It felt like he was saying thank you.”

[Stormrider · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a rough country horseman and horse trainer. I do very long rides throughout the inter-mountain American West and follow Long Riders and their adventures. I am five years older than the author and the timing of his ride and many of his experiences growing up were very similar to mine. I completely understood his connection to his horse Gizmo and his love of the open spaces of the West in the mid-70s as well as his dismay at the destruction of so much of our wild spaces and the loss of most of the personal liberty we enjoyed in those turbulent days.
John’s ride lasted from April to November 1974, the exact time that I served at my last active duty station with the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Devens, MA and my relocation to Texas in November as a horse trainer for Elmer Seybold Quarter Horses.
John and I share similar passions of personal freedom, love of solitude in the rough and rugged reaches of the American West, reading, music, and most of all, horses.
That being said, I suspect our politics could hardly be more opposed. John is openminded, inclusive and has the distinct marks of the back to nature advocates of the period while I am a bit to the right of Darth Vader. However, we each come from a period where although we no doubt held different views of war, social activism, environmentalism and a host of other social, economic and political issues, our differences were matters of opinion and we were willing to listen to the other’s point of view, and , if necessary, agree to disagree. We both understood as did most American’s of the time that we were all countrymen and accorded one another the respect that citizenship demanded.
On a ride such as John’s, the differences that divide Americans then and especially now take a distant place because the endeavor was an exercise in physical and mental survival, but most of all, his energies had to be devoted to the welfare of his horse. There was little time or energy to be concerned with his own problems other than physical survival.
The uncertainties of travel by dead reckoning across over four thousand miles of the North American continent, the never ending stress of finding potable water and feed for horse and rider, lightning and weather extremes in the absence of shelter, concern with threatening environmental hazards such as venomous snakes and insects, mosquitos, dangerous terrain, unstable and possibly predatory humans, and the difficulty of getting man and horse across great rivers and through the chaos of dense urban areas - all of these elements combined to test the physical strength, stamina and resilience of both horse and rider. Such circumstances forced him to look inward for resources and to learn whom he was at his core.
John’s writing is clear, concise and conversational. The star of the story is, of course, Gizmo. John centers the book around this magnificent and special horse.
It is doubtful that John and Gizmo’s story will be repeated in the future. It is a look at the end of an era when this once great nation had hope in the future. It is a story of the loss of a beautiful country and a people that could disagree and still be friends. Most tragically, it is the story of the loss of liberty and the individualism that made America great. It is a tale of our past, and is sad for the loss. The bright spot for current and future generations is that they will not be sad or miss what is gone because they never experienced the freedom and hope for the future in the America John, Gizmo, and I grew up in. The tyranny of technology and political correctness will rest easy on their shoulders.

[Cheryl Gatling]

I read this book for the same reason almost everyone from 2023 on has read it: it was in the Barbie movie. Almost all the books about horses (or men) that Ken pulls off the library shelves are fake, mockups made for the movie, but this one book is real. There’s a scene where Barbie goes to Ken’s house, and he is reading this very book. That piqued my interest, and I ordered a copy.

It's the story of a young man who, in 1974, rode his horse across America, from California to Virginia. They traveled 4,400 miles in seven months. It really is a good story.

John writes about the people he met along the way: mostly kind strangers who offered him a place to stay for the night, a few dangerous men, and a handful of beautiful women who threw themselves at him. There were a few times he was discovered bathing naked in the open.

He writes lyrical descriptions of the beauty and harshness of the open desert. (He was bitten at least eight times by a Black Widow spider in his sleeping bag, and almost died.) He writes practical advice about finding water, and shelter, and about passing the time (he spent hours twirling his single-action Colt revolver). He philosophizes at some length about what makes a successful life.

He writes most about his horse, Gizmo. John was always looking out for Gizmo’s safety and health, trying to decrease the weight of the saddlebags, walking so Gizmo could rest. He praises Gizmo’s positive spirit and uncomplaining nature. The bond between man and horse is the shining center of the book, its sweet, strong heart.

1974 was a different time. Today, John writes, the west has already been greatly built-up, and his experiences of long stretches of solitude could not be had anymore. Back then there were no cell phones. There was no internet. He navigated using paper maps. He read paperback novels. Even when one wasn’t alone in the desert, it was a simpler time.

Toward the beginning of the book, John writes about his past. His dad left when he was a child, and his family went from comfortably middle class to poverty overnight. His mom had to support four children on minimum wage jobs. They did without many basics. He claims he accepted this without bitterness, and found refuge in books and music, figuring, “I didn’t have a lot, but I could know a lot. I could learn things, and no one could ever take them away from me.”

Later in the book he writes about the importance of curiosity, both for a horse and a man. He writes, “Gizmo was inquisitive. […] He was alert, observant, and always had his antennae up, listening for new things.” He says the same thing of himself. “The drive to know new things, to explore ideas and concepts, and to find out what the universe is made of allows you to […] look forward, rather than to dwell in the past.”

This is one of the things I found moving about this book (along with the idea that if you want to do something in life, you should just go ahead and do it). It does seem (although it may not be true) that there are too many people today handing out answers, and not enough lit by the fire of curiosity.

[Helen Lawce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Armchair rider here

John Egenes has the gift of living a full life, complete with music making, deep horse understanding, adventure, philosophizing, and most important, insatiable curiosity. He started off on this ride across the US with almost no money, a horse that was a few years too young for the trip, and a lot of USGS maps. But like him, his horse, Gizmo, was also keen to see over the next hill, and at about twenty miles a day, eating snickers bars, macaroni with or without sauce, and (Gizmo) cemetery grass when no other feed was around, they went from California to Virginia. Was it hard? Oh, yeah. Was it worth it? Assuredly, for both creatures. The book is full of neat pictures, and being a horse person, I enjoyed his gear descriptions, such as the different types of McClellan saddles, and the changes he made to customize both the saddles he used on the trip. How he sent the hackamore he started with back home and rode with a halter and lead rope (Gizmo never felt a bit in his mouth his entire life). His character descriptions of folks he encountered are excellent. His love of Gizmo and his appreciation of other creatures on the way, and his knowledge of the plant life resonate. His discussion of the press, which was just beginning to slide down the slope to infotainment at the expense of real news, is relevant. The press (print and film) greeted him along the way with ready made cookie cutter stories that left his real story out. Just add photos, and voila, news. It would make a nice movie, but John, having been approached by the script writers, declined in favor of moving forward in his life rather than being tied forever to the past adventure and required to relive it for everyone else. It was deeply personal. I think armchair adventurers like me will love this book as much as I did.

[Joe Ricca · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading this and reflecting a bit, I am certain that this feat could not be accomplished today. If you live in the continental United States you may not realize it but there is nowhere to go to be alone. Even out on such trails as the Appalachian or PCT, you will still hear aircraft and the sound of garden equipment. (Think weed whackers, leaf blowers, and lawn mowers) Undoubtedly, you are bound to run into a group of day hikers or weekend warriors.
John and his horse Gizmo went from California to Virginia in about 7 months. While traversing the southwest desserts they came across very few people, now much of that territory has been bent to the will and need of the masses. Millions of gallons of water are diverted to the make the area green and inhabitable.
His biggest obstacle after the dry southwest was crossing the Mississippi, with some cities possing an issue due to road congestion. In the twenty plus years since they made the trek road congestion has only become worse and I am quite sure John would find himself locked up and his horse confiscated, the powers that be screaming animal abuse.
It is, however, a terrific homage to what has been lost in this country and the world for that matter. The advent of smartphones has made everyone a photographer and videographer and by God, a man on a horse in downtown Nashville is something every single passerby would be compelled to record.
I think this book should be required reading for middle or high school kids, if only so they can see the drastic change in the pace of life since 1974. Maybe they will learn to slow down if just a little bit.

[Literary Classics Book Awards & Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Egenes was always a bit of a loner. He felt more at home hanging out in a stall with horses than he did with most people. Growing up in the 60s and 70s he was a musician before it was cool to be in a band and he would often hitch rides to neighboring towns, sometimes staying away for days at a time. So it was probably no shock to those who knew him best when he decided to travel by horse from the West Coast all the way to the East Coast. At a time when there were no cell phones, no GPS, and shamefully few reliable maps beyond those showing main roads and highways, Egenes set out, with a mere $100 in his pocket, to take on a grand adventure of epic proportions.

Man & Horse, The Long Ride Across America, is John Egenes' personal account of his experience traversing the United States on horseback. Weathering storms, drought, and a myriad of other natural and unnatural threats, he and his trusty sidekick made their way through some of the harshest conditions imaginable. His genuinely humble and introspective narrative makes for a fascinating and entirely enlightening read. Recommended for home and school libraries, Man & Horse, The Long Ride Across America earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.

[P Bernhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1974, John Egenes and his horse quarter-horse Gizmo set off from Ventura, California, for Virginia Beach, Virginia. Like the title says, this is his story of their trip. Yet, it's much more than that. It's his life story of how he got to that point. As a small child whose father deserted them, he was led or forced to the path of independence by his mother. She drifted through life looking for its meaning dragging her four children with her. He talks about the beginnings of his wandering by hitchhiking and train-jumping throughout the western United States. It seems that his path in life was leading to his trek.

The author's descriptive writing puts you in the heat of the desert, the cold streams, and the loneliness of the trail. It's a trip that, I don't think, could be made today. Many people walk, run, or ride bicycles across the country today, but I suspect the prairie is closed to wanderers, no matter how focused they are.

For the adventure-minded, I recommend John's story. My only reason for not giving him five stars is that he has a tendency to repeat himself.

[Malcolm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I loved this terrific book. It’s partly a travelogue, yet also a story of self-discovery. It’s partly a philosophical treatise on getting through the hardest, internal struggles of life, yet also a story of sheer, practical survival.

Unbelievably, this book was written 40 years after the events it describes, owing to the author’s carefully kept journal and photographs. The writing is simple, clear, direct, and ultimately, beautiful. Many passages are worthy of being read over and over. A few of the described adventures with nature and man, and woman, were page-turners for me and got my heart racing. I’m not a horse person, but John Egenes and his wonderful horse, Gizmo, gave me a wider appreciation for the big critters, and I came away from the experience of reading this book with a more tolerant understanding of horse-sense. I also learned something about the geography of the southern United States.

There is a reason this book is beloved by so many, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys memoirs, rugged yet quiet individualism, and an all-round great adventure story.

[Dennis R. Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Egenes has an easy to read writing style. He keeps the reader engaged by telling the story as
it happened. A lot of great experiences and insights into human nature help the reader gain more
confidence in the generally good nature of those with whom the author interacted. He also shares
great insight into the bond he enjoys with his horse.Gizmo. With the exception of a few exciting
episodes with mean-spirited vagabonds, John Egenes’ book elevates spirit and encourages us to
break out of our stagnant mode of living, and strive for something you may think is out of your reach. With a deep faith and love he shared with a wonderful quarter horse and good deal of
courage and stubborn patience John and Gizmo accomplished their goal, spanning the breadth of
our great nation from sea to sea!

[Barb Beyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unbreakable bond

This book was extraordinary in it's simplicity. Profound in an understated way. The author, John Egenes, and his loyal horse Gizmo, ride literally from sea to shining sea. From the Pacific to the Atlantic in a 7-month journey that could probably not be done in this day and age. The author is a salt of the earth kind of guy, a wise old soul in a young man's body. His horse Gizmo proves to be a wonderful companion and very worthy travelling partner. This book was delightful. I liked the author's simple way of describing the long, hard ride, and the bond it created between this man and his horse, who whinnied with happiness every time he caught sight of his riding partner. I really enjoyed this book, and highly recommended it

[Richard Rk · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Moving and Epic Journal of an Amazing Journey in Life

This book was founded by Rabbit, my wife, and she couldn’t have made a more appropriate choice and enabled a more moving literary experience. This book touched me on so may levels, most poignantly on being alone but not really, on account of the companion, a horse in this case. The story is epic; the ending lovely; the epilogue gut wrenching, as was inevitable. Recommended to all the almost-lost souls who find deep friendship in the domestic animal, appreciate the freely given good in fellow humans, who relish the journey more than the destination, and can look forward and back, upstream and down, with the same appreciation for the future and the past.

[Nancy Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and can't stop thinking about this wonderful journey. I was touched by
John's bond with Gizmo as I used to travel alone through the Western states with a very large dog so could share some of those feelings; the constant watchfulness and concern for their wellbeing, looking for places to spend the night where my dog would be welcome. John's adventure was great, as was the philosophy. I live in the country now, in Hawaii, am 85 and have smaller dogs. A kindred spirit, I reckon.
Guess I will re-read it now as I can't think of anything that would compare, and I don't want to break the spell. Thank you.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This memoir from a man whose dream was to ride across America on a horse is a pleasure to read. His journey is filled with peril, discomfort and amazing discoveries that he takes in stride. His horse Gizmo is part of the conversation and he takes great pains to care for him on their adventure together. The most important chapter for me was when he met a red-headed cowgirl who spent the day opening her heart to him as strangers do when they know they will never meet that person again. She determines that if he can have the courage to follow his dreams, so can she. It is what life is all about.

[Gretchen Blackburn]

I loved living vicariously through John and Gizmo. The stories were engaging and unbelievable at times. He really captured the essence of what it’s like to be on a long journey: the people who are kind beyond reason, the misfortunes that make you want to cry, and the times you’re all alone taking a quick bath and someone passes by with impeccable timing.

I listened to the audiobook (narrated by the author) which was engaging, but I’d recommend reading. There were a few chapters of the John’s musings (especially about modern youth and their “handheld electronic devices”) that I would skip next time around.

[Neil Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you liked Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, you’ll love this book. It’s Sen and the Art of Cross-country Horse Riding. John Egenes and his horse Gizmo take a four thousand mile, seven month trip from California to Virginia: ocean to ocean. It reminded me of the 1990s adventure: Tracks: A Woman's Solo Trek Across 1700 Miles of Australian Outback, by Robyn Davidson. Both were about a rider, whether on horse or camel, making a cross county journey that becomes an inner journey of self discovery, patience and persistence. Really worth the trip for the reader, too.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was not just the story of an epic journey on horseback. I felt John was poet and philosopher as well as a friend and kindred spirit. I had known of the Jeff Spivey trek and followed his progress and as a young and fanciful free spirit of the 70s I envied that partnership also. I believe the writing was improved by the many years that followed this amazing adventure. I truly loved every line of this exceptionally well written story. The beautiful sepia photographs helped bring the story to learn fe as well.

[Tom Schulte · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an affecting, sage, evocative memoir of the author riding Gizmo the quarter horse from California to the Atlantic Ocean in Virginia in 1974. Along abandoned stretches of Route 66, empty land, fenced in grazing lands, pipelines and more he witnesses a country changing post-'60s and moving uneasily into a future just as he travels surely to and through the densely populated east. I really did not want to get to the end of the small vignettes or recollections and musings - easy to read wisdom and travelogue.

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting book.

John had very good description of their journey. He made the Painted Dessert and other areas come to life! Even someone who isn't familiar with the trappings of a horse should be able to follow his description of how they go on the horse. I cried, laughed out loud and felt bad with John for certain happenings. I hated to have the book come to an end, although I was happy for John and Gizmo when the trip was over. He described the love and respect between man and horse. One of my favorite books I ever read.

[G. Sue Vasquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great!

I found this book to be very inspiring, informative, and interesting. He did not seem very ambitious at first. The more I read, the more I could see how is childhood influenced him. Too bad we can't see the future, or at least the education we eill have, while we are still young. I have the same "want to be in the back ground" personality as John. It's hard to get through life like that. I'm glad he wrote of his adventures. For this moment my life is better for having read it.

[L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1974 John Egenes, age 24, rode his 4 year old horse Gizmo across the US from Ventura CA, to Virginia. This coast to coast adventure took 7 months. I remember 1974 and it amazes me he did this without a cellphone, GPS and other modern technology relying on topographical maps and his own intuition. John's account seems very honest as he admits his guilt at putting his young horse through a long, very difficult trip yet with many really amazing experiences. Excellent writing making it easy to imagine this experience. Highly recommend.