Rancher cowboy rides from OK to WA

Who's going to write and sell this story about Mr. Ryan, Mr. Doodles, and Festus to a Western-focused magazine?

"A week ago we told you about the man people spotted riding north on the Snoqualmie River Trail on horseback, towing a pack mule with his belongings.

He set off from Oklahoma June 2 on his way to see a friend in Ferndale, he told delighted passers-by in Carnation and Monroe--and spent his nights with his animals, sleeping on the side of the road.

Over the weekend we heard two more reports of sightings further north. Looks like our cowboy--who a blogger says is named "Mark"--might have made it."

http://www.bikingbis.com/blog/_archives/2008/10/11/3925513.html
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/thebigblog/archives/151949.asp
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/thebigblog/archives/151990.asp

"Why not you? Puma"

I wish! But too busy--Mrs. stc insists I finish plowing the back 40, so no time.

--stc [who empathizes with Festus the mule...]

"You sound as if no one else on the boards is busy. We are - or at least quite a few of us are. But we manage to find a little time to cram in the writing we're doing and even spend a couple minutes on AW. If you think it's a good idea, I really think you ought to try it. Puma
PS - And fill out your profile."

BWAAAA...HA HAH HAH!....[on adjacent barstool, slapping hand on bar]...LOL!-- thanks for the chuckle, pard....c'mon, I'll buy you another drink. But first go out to your saddlebags and fetch your teeth and stuff 'em in. You're drooling in your sarsaparilla!

Anybody get the impression that someone's tryin' to pick a fight?

Tarnation! I thought we was all just hangin' around the saloon for a friendly chat. OK, for drinks too.

As the original poster, let me review:

I read a few brief stories over morning coffee about an Oklahoma rancher who rode a horse and towed a pack mule thousands of miles from Oklahoma to the Pacific NW. Nothing earth-shattering, no "incredible journey," just a quick fun read, human interest, thought others might enjoy. Maybe a good magazine story. Post a tip in the Free Lance forum? Wait--it's western-related, so post in Western forum. Give my pards a warm chuckle.

In grammar: I posted in the "indicative" or "declarative" mood--just pointing, here's something. I simply phrased it as an interrogative.

Looks like someone wasn't payin' attention and took it as an imperative mood, a command--YOU MUST WRITE THIS. Nope--wrong, sweets.

Now, my great-granny also had a hormonal imbalance that manifested as a mood disorder. One day she's the cantankerous-but-lovable Granny [Irene Ryan] on The Beverly Hillbillies; next day she's Mrs. Baker [Katy Jurado] in Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid--remember the scene?--Lifts a boot, kicks down the door, and blasts away with a double-barreled shotgun.

Other times she was a shriveled, sniffing, mean, bad-breath puckermouthed Miss Grundy, just looking for some offense.

We found great-granny some proper medication. She was a sweetheart.

Unfortunately, this kind of disorder afflicts many oldsters.

Now, having been raised in the respect-your-elders tradition, I'd buy this old gal a drink if I could, but instead let me offer other help:

Maybe you've been waaay up there high on that horse a bit too long, Vic. Sittin' in the saddle like that...causes chafing, makes body parts kinda...sore, y'know? Makes an old gal grumpy.

So if you're feelin'....crotchity...hop down out of that saddle and massage them sore body parts.

And that's imperative.

'Cause we know you'd never take yourself just a little too seriously, right?