I Think I'm In love!

Have mule, will travel: Man rides mule from Minnesota to Wyoming in search of work


GILLETTE, Wyo. (AP) - He rode his mule into town looking for work.
No, it wasn't the opening scene of a Western movie. It was what Rod Maday did last week, ending a six-week odyssey from his hometown of Boy River, Minn.
``I've done about 1,500 miles and I've got the saddle sores to prove it,'' he said.
Maday said he lost his driver's license 10 years ago after he was accused in a hit-and-run, and was having a hard time finding work in Minnesota. He heard that Wyoming had plenty of jobs that paid well.
He set out with two mules. About a month ago, both mules got loose and one was hit by a car. It had to be euthanized.
Maday arrived at the Department of Workforce Services office on Friday morning wearing a torn shirt, dusty blue jeans, spurs and a cowboy hat. Astride his brown and silver mule, Henry, he caused several double-takes.
He didn't stay long. He said some teenagers had yelled ``uncalled for'' things at him while he was riding into town the night before.
``Gillette's nothing like what I had thought,'' he said.
He left Saturday morning, riding west toward the Bighorn Mountains.
``I could probably get a job and stay here, but I'm not willing to part with my mule,'' Maday said. ``He's my best friend and I'm not getting rid of him for nothing.''

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)