Jake Harvath hugs his mother, Leah, as he arrives at Sage Creek Equestrian in Charleston, Utah, on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, completing a 6,000-mile, 14-month ride around the U.S. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)
Slow and steady, 25-year-old Jake Harvath rode his trusty white mare, Bella, down Highway 189 toward Charleston, Utah with his other two mustangs, Denver and Eddy, in tow.
Motorists roared by in the comfort of their modern modes of transport, but the trio clip-clopped along unphased, not even by the loudest semitrailers. They were on their last leg of what’s been a 14-month, 6,000-mile journey across the country. Just three more miles along a highway was nothing compared to what they’d already overcome.
They dipped down side streets and neighborhoods wherever they could along their route to avoid the busy highway, but got help from a police escort along Main Street in Heber City, where traffic was most hectic for three horses and one cowboy.
After passing through 25 states — from Utah to the coastline in New Jersey and back — braving busy roads, navigating remote backcountry trails, trudging through blizzards, even taking a harrowing swim across the Delaware River , and at times knocking on doors to ask for safe places to sleep and eat, Jake and his horses’ ride was almost at an end.