Premodern transportation for fantasists

[fidelioscabinet]

This post continues on from this conversation, and this follow-up post of mine. The inciting spark, of course, was hawkwing_lb's comment: I'm beginning to think that writers of epic fantasy and SF should be required to learn about the anthropology of material culture.This is about transportation. It's a topic where I have a slight advantage when it comes to

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[fledgist]

My father took part in the last mule drives in Jamaica. My paternal grandfather bred horses and mules, the latter for export to Colombia before they were replaced by trucks in the 1930s. As a boy, in the late 20s and early 30s, my father helped drive the mules to harbour for export.

I've ridden in a mule cart on a rough road myself, forty-odd years ago.

The longest walk I've done is fifty miles in 17 hours (9 a.m. till 2 a.m. the next day). Followed by another five miles of uphill walking without any sleep intervening after having had breakfast and "borrowed" some money from a friend which allowed me to take buses an additional twenty-six miles. I then slept for ten hours from sheer exhaustion. I was 22. I don't think I've ever done anything as foolhardy since.

[fidelioscabinet]

My feet and legs ache thinking about that, just in case you doubted it.

Also, the thought of attempting to herd any number of mules in excess of a single one astounds me. I know they did it, but all the same!

[fledgist]

I'm amazed at how they did it myself, especially at the thought of my father at 9 and 10 (in 1929 and 1930) taking part in the exercise. Yet I know he did. Some of his descriptions of herding animals long distances as a boy boggle my mind (his father would pull him out of school, and when the teacher would enquire about it would say that he was lazy and playing truant resulting in his being flogged for it).

[fidelioscabinet]

Also, Clausewitz was right! You can walk fifty miles in a day, you're just not going to be doing anything afterwards for a while!

[fledgist]

Not too much. Of course, soldiers would be inured to it and in better shape than I was at the time. They'd also have slept through most of the night, which I didn't on that occasion. On the other hand, they'd have been carrying more than I was.

[neddy_s]

I keep saying (to myself) I'm going to do this 24-hour walk on the longest day of the year:

http://www.lykewake.org/route.php

and then not doing it--I'm not getting any younger, so I'd better get cracking.

[fidelioscabinet]

I won't say pics or it didn't happen, but if you do make it I'd love to see them.

[neddy_s]

Not this year--the weather's been more than reasonable, but I've had too much going on to get much walking in. Maybe next year....