Nov. 3, 2011
****A Solo Woman's 1000 Mile Horseback Ride Honors Lost Promises and Louisiana Heritage***
Megan Dube' has embarked on a historic 1000 mile horseback ride through the Deep South to live out a dream of hers:
to honor a lost promise she made to her horse-and-old-west-history-loving father and preserve equestrian heritage.
Since 2008, Megan has been mentored by of the Long Riders Guild whose members are elected by the minimum
requirement of riding 1000 consecutive miles by horse. The Long Riders Guild is the World's First and only International
Equestrian Exploration Organization whose members are from 40 different countries. More information about Long Riders
can be found at www.thelongridersguild.com.
Ms. Dubé is an experienced equestrian explorer and the founder of Buffalo Moon Expedition, an organization that
preserves equestrian travel heritage and American history by horse. She has ridden out on several long rides before but
has missed that elusive 1000 consecutive mile marker in her first four attempts. Megan is not giving up though and is
mounting up this time to seek this milestone.
This particular ride was inspired by Megan's horse-loving father to travel together on journey like this with her step-mom,
Ruby. "Dad would take the wagon and ride with Miss Ruby and I would ride my own horse". Dube's father passed away
in 2007 before this dream of theirs came to fruition.
Dube' states, "My dad will be with me, right here in my heart, every hard earned hoofbeat along the way". Megan was
also inspired by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's Poem: "Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie". The Heroine of the Poem is
Evangeline who embodies experience, strength and hope for the Acadian People as well as for all people, in general.
This ride pays particular attention to Acadian and Louisiana Southern Heritage and History.
Ms. Dube' is riding parallel roads up the The Historical Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail to Alabama and then over to
her father's gravesite in the northeast corner of Alabama and back again to her home in on the Bayou in Southeastern
Louisiana. "I know when I get to my dad's gravesite, I'm pretty sure I will just break down and cry knowing how happy and
proud I would have made him for finally doing this. My next stop in a few days after that will be visiting Miss Ruby."
Megan chuckles, "My mom, Joyce, Is the one who always encouraged me to be whatever I want, stay positive and believe
that anything is possible! She is my strength. I'm pretty certain that equestrian explorer was NOT what she had in mind,
though!"
Megan's husband, Mark, an equestrian explorer himself, is very supportive of Megan to fulfill this dream once and for all.
Their travel style is similar to that of the old west. With less than 15 pounds of gear, the duo travels from town to town and
less than 15 miles a day. Their pace is a leisurely 4 miles per hour! You can follow her ride and read about their travels
on her website at www.buffalomoonexpedition.com.
Megan rides a Louisiana thoroughbred named Sophie. "Sophie has an history as a retrained Off the Track
Thoroughbred. She is bombproof," Dube' states, "and has been with me on a long ride before. Sophie has been with me
through thick and thin and helped me get through another 10 family deaths in 2007 after my dad passed away. Sophie is
also the therapy horse for my equine assisted therapy riding program, SaddleUp! for Life! - TM"
From her Pittsburgh, PA home, M. Bambie Goodall serves as Buffalo Moon Expedition’s Hospitality Planner. She
coordinates and contacts potential hosts up the road for the travelers and secures accommodations for them. Goodall is
an avid genealogist and has supported other Long Riders in this capacity before.
They welcome the help of hosts and sponsors as they venture the trail. They rely on the hospitality of kind strangers fthe
entire way. Hosts often help by taking gear to the next host,by giving them a place to stay, food, and shelter. For more
ways you can help, please go to their website and click “how you can help”.
Dubé emphasizes again….”It’s not the miles, it’s the meaning. This long ride is also for people to understand horses
helped humans carve out a civilization. To forget that is to forget our equestrian heritage as well.”
Megan said that Buffalo Moon Expedition does not accept monetary donations. She requests if you want to donate
money to support their ride, that you donate to a favorite Heritage charity of your choice.
This Long Rider plans to finish this 1000 mile journey by next year sometime .
-Copyright- Buffalo Moon Expedition- Oct 2011
Buffalo Moon Expedition 2011
Press Release
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