num_pages: 216
description: This is Dylan Winter's uproarious account of his quest to retrace the cuts made by the first wagon trains that headed west on the Oregon Trail during the 1800s. It is an account of heat, sweat, dust, and blister. The London Times called Winter a "chronicler whose company it is impossible to tire." As a travelling companion on his 2,000-mile journey, Dylan chooses Rocky, a mixed-up Appaloosa with a fear of bridges, bin liners, and heights. Before long, however, Dylan realizes that horses are not ideal companions for long-distance travel. After a few days in the saddle, he realizes that he has been talking either to himself or the horses. By the time he reaches Nebraska, the horses seem to be talking back. Human company becomes essential, so he joins a wagon train. Inspired by the struggles of the early pioneers and a lifetime of western movies, Dylan sets out with his unlikely team of horses to recreate the trip of the pioneers of the American West. Having traveled over 2,000 miles of inhospitable terrain with no help from modern technology, he recounts the problems he encountered, obstacles he overcame, and friends he made. On his travels, he discovers ghost towns and tractor graveyards. This is a view of the American West that most people—including Americans—never the bygone wild frontier.
language: English
title: A Hack Goes West: On Horseback Along the Oregon Trail (Old Pond Books) A Trip Across America, Inspired by the Struggles of the Early Pioneers and a Lifetime of Western Films
titlecomplete: A Hack Goes West: On Horseback Along the Oregon Trail (Old Pond Books) A Trip Across America, Inspired by the Struggles of the Early Pioneers and a Lifetime of Western Films
ratings_count: 5
publisher: Old Pond Publishing