Customer Reviews

The Long Way to Los Gatos

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NOT ONLY THAT, IT WOULD MAKE A KILLER ACTION FLICK OR TV MOVIE! We've known author Verne Albright for years as the affable and articulate announcer at our Peruvian Paso horse shows. And yes, we knew that he rode two Peruvian Paso horses from Peru to the United States in the 1960's. But we didn't know the whole story. What it was REALLY like. Braving vampire bats! Cholera! Typhoid! Malaria! Bubonic plague! Crossing the Matacaballo (Horsekiller) Desert. Or the Andes! The Peak of Death, where the weather is so extreme that people often freeze to death standing up. And the little human problems: The revolution in Nicaragua. Normal anarchy in Colombia. The ever present banditos. Border guards. Logistics: Trying to find food for his horses where there wasn't any. Also horse shoes and vets. (Though he did find a witch doctor. Who cured the horse.) Verne keeps traveling, surpassing one obstacle after another after another until the reader feels like tearing his/her hair out and murdering most of the officials in South America! My God! I was in a state of anxiety the entire time I read this book-- which fortunately wasn't very long. I couldn't put it down. What a tale! Even has a bit of romance. Verne Albright should be a nationally known action hero. Why did he do this? A good question. He was a young guy in his 20's. Seemed like a good idea. He wanted to promote the Peruvian Paso breed. And also, the ride seemed like a good way to condition one of the mares for the Tevis Cup (the 100 mile endurance race) in Auburn. Yeah. Riding her from Peru should do it. If you like horses, horse stories, adventure yarns, tales of bureaucratic despair, and romances, this is the book for you. It's better than most action fiction out there.

If you ever wanted to take an adventure, "Start Here"! It's fun, stimulating, wonderfully illustrated, and beautifully presented. It's a "Genuine" adventure! It will keep you on the edge of your seat, as you climb up and down each page. When you reach the end of the last chapter, you will want to go back to the beginning and start the journey again. If you have the spirit of adventure in you, "This is too good to miss"! Climb on your horse, your adventure is waiting!

Mr Albright is a long-term authority on Peruvian Paso horses and has done a great deal to promote the breed in the United States and to see that it receives the respect it deserves. The journey he made as a young man was a mission with this purpose. I'm not a horse expert, but I was truly gripped by his story. He writes in a highly readable style and describes the many people he met, good and bad, with great gentleness and humour. The quality which is foremost in my mind after reading it is persistence. Considering the formidable obstacles he met with daily on his trek - harsh climate, lack of suitable feed, bureaucrats and bandits, he overcomes all of these by enormous dedication, strength of will and courage. This book deserves a much wider audience. I found it truly uplifting.

Although the book is non-fiction, it reads like fiction. His story is so vivid that I feel like I'm right there with Verne experiencing his adventure. There is always something happening that keeps you turning pages. The previous reviewers pretty well cover what the book is about. I think, as an author, it is well written and Vern is a talented writer. As a reader I know both adventure lovers and horse lovers will enjoy this book.

We've known author Verne Albright for years as the affable and articulate announcer at our Peruvian Paso horse shows. And yes, we knew that he rode two Peruvian Paso horses from Peru to the United States in the 1960's. But we didn't know the whole story. Braving vampire bats! Cholera! Typhoid! Malaria! Bubonic plague! Crossing the Matacaballo (Horsekiller) Desert. Or the Andes! The Peak of Death where weather is so extreme that people often freeze to death standing up. And the human problems. The revolution in Nicaragua. Anarchy in Colombia. Banditos. Trying to find food for his horses where there wasn't any. Also horse shoes and vets. (Though he did find a witch doctor. Who cured the horse.) Verne rides from Peru to California, surpassing one obstacle after another after another until the reader feels like tearing his/her hair out and murdering most of the officials in South America! I was anxious the entire time I read this book-- which fortunately wasn't very long: I couldn't put it down. What a tale!

Why did he do this? He was a young guy in his 20's. He wanted to promote the Peruvian Paso breed. And also, the ride seemed like a good way to condition one of the mares for the Tevis Cup (the 100 mile endurance race) in Auburn. Yeah. Riding her from Peru should do it.