November 11, 2005
Eric put on the new fuel pump yesterday and got the ‘49 started and pulled the maroon monster up next to the house garage. I came home last night about six and tried to move it into the garage (it’s supposed to rain), but it wouldn't start. I think I flooded it. Let it set for an hour or so, but no go. Got up this morning, and the same. Called Eric to come out and give it another once over. Forget driving it to work. I can’t even get it in the garage!

Got into work at 8:30. Worked on new scripts for the Westerns Channel. Here’s a sneak peek at one of the scripts I’m working on:

Paul Boord of Point Marion, Pennsylvania wonders about the endurance of the horses in the Old West. Paul wants to know "how far could a horse and rider travel in a day and, more importantly, how long could a horse run full out. In the movies they seem to go on for miles and miles."

Longtime horse trainer and cowboy Floyd Brooks tells us a horse in good shape can run full out for about two and a half miles but if you push them much farther they’ll tie up (get a Charlie Horse). On the other hand, Floyd tells me, if you know how to pace a horse, you can stretch that distance by trotting and loping, with short bursts. Floyd says a horse will regain its air as it trots. It will pick up more oxygen and regenerate itself. Riders with good horses, utilizing this technique, have been known to cover 50 miles, or more, in a day.

Floyd also told me that the idea of a cowboy busting out of a saloon and jumping on his horse and galloping off at a dead run is the biggest myth in Hollywood. "You have to warm em' up like any athlete,” he told me. “We move ‘em around, flex their rib cage, to get them warmed up. It looks good in the movies, but you do that to one of our horses and he’ll probably buck you off pronto."

Needs a little tweaking, and I need to run it by Floyd (he was off to a horse show today) for accuracy, but I think it’ll be a cool True West Moment especially if Jeff H. can score some good Tim McCoy footage of him busting out of a saloon, mounting up and galloping off. Or, better yet, Hopalong and a posse riding for mile upon mile at full gallop.

At 11:30 George Laibe and I had lunch with Theresa B. from Tri Star down at Keg Steakhouse at Desert Ridge. I had the steak caesar salad and an iced tea. Theresa had the chicken caesar and George had a big, ol’ fat burger (I picked up tab, $48 debit, includes tip, my card). Talked about leveraging my six Old West books into the upcoming Vegas SASS event and another one George is cooking up for Big Bend, Texas in Feb. Theresa was quite supportive (she always is) and committed to helping make the promotions successful. I signed two hardbound CGIIs and a box of Wyatts and softbound CGIIs.

Kathy called me during lunch and said the ‘49 carb was clogged because the gas had settled and congealed in the tank. Eric cleaned it out, parked the puppy in the garage and left a bill ($113.29).

Had a true life Maniac come in the office this afternoon. John Copsey, Maniac #36, from Carson City, Nevada came in and told me about how he found the magazine at a bookstore in Carson City, called to order a gift subscription for a friend and the woman on the phone here (probably Samantha) upsold him into being a Maniac. He was so proud of being a Maniac it made me proud to meet him.

In the next couple of weeks we’ve got some hard decisions to make regarding circulation and budget stuff. In the beginning it was tough, and I dreaded this kind of stuff, but these days I kind of agree with that little French guy.

"Nothing is more difficult and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide."
—Napoleon I