Welcome to Awe, Nice! where we highlight moments of wonder while working outdoors. My name is Maddy Butcher and this week we are giving another nod to the 2026 Lunar New Year, the Year of the Horse. I interviewed Robert Eversole, also known as the TrailMeister for his expansive horse camping and trail riding website and for his many clinics he holds on traveling safely with equines. Robert and his two mules live in Washington and here he describes an outing in the Pasayten Wilderness, in Washington, near the Canadian border. Elevation about 7,000 feet.

After recording, Robert and I talked about all the little details of knowledge that one needs to have to pack and camp well with horses. I think for outfitters who have been riding, packing, and camping for decades, the work has become intuitive. For the rest of us, I think we work through stages of competency. Have you heard of that? You start with unconscious incompetence (also known as "you don't know what you don't know"), work to conscious incompetence, then to conscious competence and finally, unconscious competence. It's a journey alright.

Awe, Nice! welcomes interviewees. If you have a moment you experienced while working outside and would like to share it, contact us here.

Our music is by my friend, Forrest Van Tuyl. You can find a link and a donate button here.

We'd like to thank Redmond Salt and Kershaw knives for their generous sponsorship. Keep your eyes, ears, and mind open. Until next time.