TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

Eighteen days and more than 400 miles into its journey, the trio that left Bakersfield to ride horseback across the country has compiled quite a collection of memorable moments.

Tim and Lynn Tuggle, along with their friend Leif Martinson, have arrived in Fallon, Nev., and they sound just as optimistic as they did before they began their unusual journey in Fort Bragg, Calif.

"It's been absolutely awesome," Tim says.

The riders hope their faith-filled adventure will eventually bring them to New Bern, N.C., near where the Tuggles' son serves in the U.S. Marine Corps.

The people they've encountered so far have been extremely encouraging, Tim says, many of them offering lodging, food and supplies -- even another horse. On one of the first nights of the trip, the group was invited to stay at a stranger's cabin.

The biggest scare so far came on the way to Willits, Calif., when the legs of one of the group's horses slipped through a railroad trestle. Luckily for Tim, he was eventually able to help the horse back to its feet.

Since then, Tim says, the trip has gone more smoothly. They told their story at a church in Willits. They visited one of Lynn's cousins near Marysville, Calif.

They've crossed through forest terrain and slept under the stars, relying heavily on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches while laughing and enjoying each other's company.

One of the most difficult aspects of the trek? "How close the towns look on the map, and how far they actually are when you're riding the horse," Martinson says.

Plus, traveling with horses has its challenges.

In some cases, the trio has had to take extended detours to find paths suitable for the animals. In others, when alternative routes wouldn't suffice, they've accepted offers to be driven on a stranger's trailer from one location to the next.

On some days, Tim says, the riders have spent several hours adjusting the pack gear on their horses, compromising their progress.

The key, Lynn says, is "being very patient."

The upside? "It's almost beyond conception how kind-hearted, caring and loving people can be," Tim says.

To express gratitude for the ongoing support, Tim has offered his carpentering skills and Leif his horseshoeing expertise in the towns through which they've passed.

Initially, the trio had planned on being in Indiana by November for Lynn's parents' 60th wedding anniversary.

"We're never gonna make that," Tim says. "It's gonna take a lot longer than we thought."

Instead, the Tuggles expect to find a stable for their horses, fly to their hometown for the celebration and return to the animals to continue the journey after that.

It's the kind of modification that the riders expected when they sold nearly all of their belongings and hopped onto their saddles earlier this month.

"We're learning to stand still and listen for God to speak to us and let us know what He wants us to do next," Tim says.