Cross State Ride Planning

Trip Details

What Makes This Ride Special

The Palouse to Cascades Trail is a former railroad converted to a long trail, which runs from Western Washington to the Idaho border. Once a year the John Wayne Riders form up a caravan and ride point to point. Camp moves each day and then you ride a section of the trail from that night’s camp to the next, heading from Easton in the Cascade Mountains all the way to Idaho. I completed the Easton to Beverly section with Tarma a few years ago, and fell in love with it.

We ran into our fair share of issues (she spooked herself while tied the first day, and the Wintec saddle we had at the time over five days and 75 miles travelled really sored her back) but she loved seeing a new section everyday and camped like a champ. I loved seeing the gradual change from mountains to farmlands to scrublands. This year, we’re back and much more prepared, and taking my son along for the ride!

Special Considerations

This is a through ride, so you have to be able to pack up and put up camp efficiently each day. It rides though a more rural part of the state and finding enough water for horses can be a challenge. It is a supported ride, with tons of folks around to lend a hand, drag riders to ensure no one gets forgotten or in too much trouble, dinner provided most nights, and a coyote rig (portapotties and water on a portable trailer).

We’ll be going for a week, so my rig needs to hold all of the gear and food for two humans and two horses. When I did this ride previously, I only brought the one horse, so I had the whole second stall of my two horse trailer for gear. This time around I’m bringing two horses, so all the gear and food will only be able to go in the dressing room and bed of the truck.

Additionally the footing is gnarly, chunky gravel, so the horses will need pretty hefty hoof protection, beyond their normal boots. I’m going to pop on some version of synthetic hoof boots with DIM filling (extra protection for their frogs), to absorb concussion and protect from the rocks day after day. This combo worked great for Tarma last time.

Packing: Horse Gear (everything on this list is either times two or times three, in case something breaks!)

    • Saddles
    • Saddle pads
    • Girths
    • Breastcollars
    • Bridles
    • Reins
    • Halters and lead ropes
    • Saddlebags
    • Spare tire hoof boots
    • Bell boots
    • Midweight blankets
    • Fleece coolers
    • Fly sheets and fly masks
    • Hi-tie ropes and neck collars
    • Fly spray
    • Grooming tools
    • A ton of buckets (for feed, for hay, for water)

    Packing: Horse Food

    • Weed free timothy hay: Three bales
    • Weed free alfalfa hay: Three bales (packed in waterproof hay bags)
    • Hay bags
    • Packer pellets: 1/2 bag
    • Beet pulp shreds: 1/2 bag
    • Purina Outlast and Replinishmash
    • Prepacked supplements for each horse in Ziploc bags: 1 for each night
    • Oil (for extra calories)
    • Carrots
    • Apples
    • Other treats
    • Electrolytes
    • Hose (for refilling onboard water tanks)
    • 48 gallon water tank (about two days of water for two horses)

    Packing: Human Gear

    • Helmets!
    • Gloves and hand warmers
    • Hiking boots (we both ride in hiking boots so we can walk when we need to)
    • Muck boots and camp shoes
    • Enough clothes for the whole time for us both
    • Comfy camp clothes/PJs
    • Every conceivable layer: Rain jackets, Artic Riding Skirts, vests, warm jackets, sun shirts and cooling vests
    • One more change of underwear and socks than you’ll think you’ll need
    • Cot, sleeping bag and extra blanket for Kade
    • Sheets and blankets for my bed
    • Camping mat
    • Table and chairs
    • Toiletries, bug spray and sunscreen
    • Mr. Buddy Heater and extra propane
    • Butane stove and extra butane
    • Kitchen supplies: Pots, pans, utensils, spices, French Press, bowls and plates
    • Extra battery banks and charging cords
    • Books and cards

    Packing: Human Food

    • Breakfasts:
    • Granola and yogurt
    • Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, creamer and honey
    • Thermos and mug
    • Bananas
    • Bagels and cream cheese
    • Oatmeal packets
    • Lunches and snacks:
    • Homemade rolls w. meat and cheese
    • Jerky
    • Fruit leathers
    • Sandwich crackers
    • Snickers bars
    • Chicken salad kits
    • Grape tomatoes
    • Pickles
    • Chips and salsa
    • Electrolytes
    • 5 gallon water containers
    • Other drinks

    Packing: Emergency Gear

    • Horse and human first aid kits: Stays in the trailer
    • Horse and human first aid kits: For saddlebags
    • Air compressor and tire chocks (for flat tires)
    • Multi-tool
    • Wasp spray
    • Bute and Banamine
    • Extra fuses (for truck)
    • Fire extinguisher (in the trailer)
    • Duct tape and WD-40
    • Tool kit
    • Velcro strips, baling twine, extra ropes and tie downs

    Packing: Saddlebags/Daily Carry

    • Water bottles or water bladder
    • Lunch and snacks
    • Horse electrolytes
    • Human electrolytes
    • Collapsible water bucket (for horses)
    • First aid kit
    • Multi-tool
    • Layers
    • Spare boots
    • Carrots and bag of pre-wetted horse feed
    • Baggie of extra ties, leather strips, clips to fix anything that breaks
    • Duct tape and vet wrap
    • Emergency IDs (on horses in case they get loose)
    • Wet wipes
    • Chapstick and sunscreen

    Packing: Everything Else

    • A sense of excitement, adventure, and roll with the punches flexibility!
    • Muck rake
    • Extra containment for Ralston camp: Strand of electric wire and charger/battery
    • Paperwork: Coggins and health certificates, brand cards, US Rider card, emergency contact card, horse and trailer insurance and registration
    • Extra cash
    • Lanterns and headlamps

    To Do: Preparation

    • Budget and register: Done!
    • Horses annual vaccines, vet visit and paperwork (Coggins and health certificate for cross state travel): Done!
    • Make a zillion lists: Done!
    • Truck oil change and safety check
    • Trailer: Repack wheel bearings and safety check
    • Condition horses
    • Condition riders
    • Get shoes put on horses about 5-10 days before
    • Buy horse feed
    • Buy human feed
    • Pack a million things by playing truck and trailer Tetris
    • Double check lists
    • Triple check lists
    • Start horses on Ulcerguard 2 days before trip (to help prevent ulcers from travel)
    • Start feeding horses soupy mashes a day before (to avoid dehydration due to travel)