English trail riders make it to northern New Mexico

Last weekend, James Locke and his crew were staying at Conchas Lake in northeastern New Mexico. By this weekend, they hope to be near the New Mexico-Colorado state line. They took off in early April from Fort Belknap, a couple of hours west of Dallas-Fort Worth. They plan to finish in Montana in early October. About a dozen riders, almost all English, are rotating in and out throughout the expedition. Locke and company – they call their trek the Long Ride – are following in the footsteps of two Western pioneers, Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving. The duo blazed a cattle trail nearly 150 years ago through Texas, New Mexico and points north. Locke, who has led expeditions around the world for nearly 30 years, was intrigued about the Goodnight-Loving Trail after reading about the trailblazers and watching the Lonesome Dove miniseries. A driver of a supply vehicle quit after just a few days. "It wasn't his cup of tea," Locke said. One horse, suffering an injured hock, was sent back to its owner. A few riders have suffered heatstroke as temperatures have climbed as high as 115 degrees. Last week, a hail and sheets of rain pounded the riders. A nearby rancher rescued the riders and horses, but tents and photo equipment were damaged...more