With a sore back from the previous day’s fall I rode out of Buritama. The temperature which just 2 days prior sat in the high 30’s, was now in the single digits. The cold did not help the pain and the drastic change, along with riding in the rain left me with a sore throat and runny nose.
Riding Life, we made our way towards the town of Birigui where we rested at a gorgeous ranch. The owner, a lover of cavalgadas, had an array of burros, mules and different horses on his property. After meeting all of the animals, he hosted us to a delicious dinner with some of his friends.
“We go on cavalgadas all of the time and the people host us so well, they help so much. When I heard you were coming I wanted to receive you with the same kindness we are welcomed with on the road,” he said as we ate our delicious steaks.
The next day we rode to the town of Gabriel Monteiro, population 2000 people. When I arrived, I was blessed with one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. As the sun dove towards the depths of the earth, the sky burned orange, bright yellow, pink and purple. It was simply breathtaking.
“I told all of my friends you were coming but no one believes me. Heck, I can’t even believe that the horseman of the americas (as I’m known in Brazil) is staying at my farm,” Jose Eduardo Bortolocci said to me shaking his head in disbelief.
As fate would have it, I arrived in Gabriel Monteiro two days before the annual horse parade.
“Please Filipe stay to ride with us, it will make the parade so amazing,” Jose’s friend Tiago said to me.
What I have learned on my adventures so far is that the greatest parts of a journey are the moments you didn’t plan or expect.
“Okay, I will ride out tomorrow, leave the mares resting at a farm and return to ride with you guys. Can you lend me an animal,” I asked them.
“Yes, yes you can ride my mule,” Tiago quickly responded.”
Two days later, there I was in the middle of hundreds of riders, parading through the small town. Elderly man, women and children rode their horses, mules and even saddle bulls, with so much pride. Banners were held proud announcing the name of different ranches and shirts were made to match.
Sitting atop a great big mule with a sound truck blaring music in front of us, I sang and laughed with my new friends. After the ride came to an end we enjoyed a delicious lunch in the main square as everyone tried to understand and make themselves understood with Mark. The “Canadian sensation,” as he is being called here in Brazil, has captivated the masses. Every small town, ranch and farm we get to, everyone wants to meet the real Canadian.
“O man Mark is so funny,” Jose said to me laughing out loud.
Mark speaks very little, I mean very little Portuguese and Jose doesn’t speak a lick of English, but somehow they became best buds. Using sign language and google translate, the two spent the entire afternoon entertaining one another like childhood friends.
I can’t thank my friends in Gabriel Monteiro enough for the way they hosted Mark, my mares, and me.
