The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America

During the year that Annie was on the road, the country continued to transform around her. As she had seen, the country’s transportation infrastructure was being rapidly redeveloped, making US towns more interconnected and travel more fast-paced. The media quickly expanded as television became more accessible to everyday viewers, and the civil rights movement was beginning.

Annie was featured on TV; Linkletter had arranged for some of her journey from Redding to Los Angeles to be filmed. In addition, newspaper reporters also continued to show interest in her travels and featured interviews with her. Annie was riding south on Highway 99, which she found had heavy traffic. She had not encountered this many cars since she was in New Jersey over a year earlier. However, Annie felt more confident than ever as her destination drew close. Unfortunately, one morning when a car drove into a broken crate on the road, it spooked her horses and injured Rex’s hoof. Annie reached the town of Atwater, where a stable worker took a nail out of Rex’s hoof and deemed him fit to ride. He seemed better, so Annie continued. Two weeks later, however, Rex became irritated and had strange symptoms. A vet told her that his accident had caused him to contract tetanus. Rex’s only hope was that a tetanus shot would save him, but the chances were slim given that it was administered so long after infection.

Annie felt guilty and foolish about what had happened to Rex and distressed that she did not have money to pay the vet. She felt especially bad since Rex was an expensive gift from kind strangers. Fortunately, the young vet, Lionel Brazil, offered to treat Rex for free. However, Rex’s condition worsened: The tetanus resulted in lockjaw, so he could not eat. Eventually, Rex died, and Annie grieved deeply, thinking of how far he had taken her. She realized she had to continue her trip with only Tarzan and Depeche Toi.

Now penniless and depressed, Annie lingered at the stables. When she went to sell autographed pictures, she now felt like a beggar rather than a proud traveler. No longer excited about reaching her destination, Annie struggled to make a plan. Two things boosted her spirits: a new horse, King, which Art Linkletter gave her, and the many letters from her new friends across the country. Hearing from her hosts made her recommit to completing her journey for their sake.

Annie and her animals hit the road again, making it to San Fernando, just 15 miles from Hollywood. Art Linkletter kept his promise and put up Annie and the animals in a luxurious, modern hotel in Hollywood. Along with Depeche Toi and her new horse, King, Annie appeared on Linkletter’s show, People Are Funny, where he interviewed her and presented her with a check for a new saddle. The money was enough for Annie to provide for herself for several years.

Annie received additional attention and honors from Equestrian Trails Incorporated and Groucho Marx’s show, You Bet Your Life. The book argues that Annie’s journey was a success because she appreciated the little things and focused on what she had rather than what she didn’t have. Most importantly, Annie’s deep-seated trust in other people was rewarded again and again.

Annie fulfilled her dream of seeing the Pacific Ocean and continued to travel throughout California. Sadly, Tarzan was fatally injured in a traffic accident in Santa Barbara, and Annie lost him after five months of caring for him. She decided to return to Maine by bus with Depeche Toi and sold King to a loving home where he could continue his service as a parade horse. After her adventures, Annie did not settle down again but moved from place to place. She was proud to visit her old town of Minot wearing fine clothes and feeling confident. Over the years, Annie kept in touch with the people who helped her on her travels, especially Mina Sawyer and Jean Lane. Annie defied expectations up until the end of her life: She lived to the age of 88 and was buried in her family’s plot in Mechanic Falls, Maine.