John Sears, 65, has given up life with cars and houses for life outdoors with a trio of four-legged equines.
For the last 10 years, the man who grew up in Bay Area suburbia now lives entirely outdoors, traveling the western United States in the company of three mules ages 13, 20 and 28 years old, respectively. They go by “Little Girl,” “Lady” and “Pepper.”
“We’re claiming our right to be outside,” said Sears, referring to a “we” that includes him, his mules, and “the spirits” – or the collective, living energy that surrounds them.
On Tuesday, he walked along Bolsa Road in Gilroy with a silver horseshoe – or rather, a muleshoe – in hand. He declined to share why he carries the shoe, but said he saves shoes that fall off during his travels.
Sears is a walking kind of man. He and his entourage have plodded through various states including Wyoming, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Kansas and Texas, regularly walking at least 10 to 20 miles a day. In the summer, the days are longer and the group walks further. In the winter, they scout out a place to camp earlier and don’t wander as far.
“Who are we? Where are we from? We are mules. We are from the outside. We live outside all day, every day. Where are we going? Nowhere,” states Sears’ website.3mules.com.
Sears bought his first mule when he was 36 years old. At the time, he ran a tree trimming service, lived out of a pick-up truck and traveled. When he turned 55, things changed.
“I said, ‘what the heck, I saved a little bit. At 55, you can get cancer and be dead in a few days, a few weeks. What the heck, I’ll just sell my truck and live with my mules,’” he said.
Sears keeps mules for the reason that most people keep dogs. He says their presence changes how the public receives him and his nomadic lifestyle.
For the most part, “people are pretty welcoming. They like seeing the mules,” he said.
Others, still, will call the police from time to time. About 10 days ago, Sears was arrested by the California Highway Patrol for walking south on U.S. 101. He did not see signs on the highway prohibiting pedestrians, he said. His mules were placed in the Santa Clara County San Martin animal shelter and he was placed in the County’s psychiatric ward for six days. He appeared in court Thursday at the South County Morgan Hill Courthouse in Morgan Hill, where the case was dismissed due to insignificant evidence.
While Sears was in court, Tara Taylor of Gilroy agreed to watch his mules as they waited in the parking lot for their owner. Taylor had previously seen Sears walking with the mules and thought he was a farmer, until her husband shared an article from The Atlantic, published on yahoo.com.
“I love horses,” Taylor said. “I must say, I’ve never met a mule before.”
Sears’ Facebook page, 3 Mules, has a Sept. 6 entry, which thanked some of the page’s 2,814 followers for donating towards the mules’ $705 impoundment bill at the animal shelter in San Martin after Sears was arrested by the CHP.
“They looked better than most of the animals we see,” noted Shelter Supervisor Brigid Wasson, who said the mules were in good condition. “They were actually a little chubby.”
Other supporters of Sears showed up to the courthouse, including Tiffani Ayres, 47, from Mountain View.
“I just think we need to support people who want to live independently,” said Ayres before walking into the courthouse Thursday. “He is not driving a car or a bicycle so it might be difficult for [law enforcement] to interpret.”
John McDonald, an independent filmmaker who has been following Sears since December, was also there.
“He just pulled up in his car and asked me where I was going and where I was from. I appreciated the conversation,” Sears said, of when he met McDonald. “I found out he was a filmmaker and was interested in taking photos and such.”
The two previously worked out a deal in which McDonald updates Sears’ website and Facebook page at Sears’ request. McDonald, in turn, films Sears’ travels.
All good documentaries require a good main character and a conflict, McDonald noted.. Thursday was about the conflict, which is why McDonald drove six hours from South Pasadena to film Sears at the courthouse.
“The whole issue now is $700,” Sears said to McDonald’s camera outside the courthouse. “The $700 bill for having my mules in the animal shelter while I was in jail- I shouldn’t have to pay that… I was in my legal rights where I was.”
Thursday was not the first time Sears has had to explain his nomadic lifestyle to a court.
A section of his website named “court case” includes information about a camping citation in Torrey Pines State Reserve, just north of San Diego. Sears is scheduled to appear at the San Diego County Superior Court on Jan. 29. The Facebook page also includes updates about other citations. Sears was arrested once in Napa Valley for crossing a bridge that said “no pedestrians.” He spent a few days in jail and the animals spent a few days in a shelter.
Sears isn’t the type to seek charity from soup kitchens or homeless shelters. He and his mules travel with a tent, water and food. Sears also has a cell phone and a computer tablet. He receives social security money which helps pay for basics, including oatmeal, postage stamps, trousers, coffee and peanut butter.
“Technology is very interesting. It takes up a lot of your time, a lot of your attention, but it gives you a voice,” said Sears. “It’s giving us a voice to say who we are and what we are doing.”
While Sears acknowledges many others opt to give up suburbia and head for the great outdoors, he says his story is different. While others sometimes make a one-time trip across the country, Sears says he is in this lifestyle for the long haul.
Living with the mules lets Sears feel connected to a greater presence.
“We just feel a presence around us that protects and guides us. We don’t feel alone at all. It’s more a collective sense of being… we’re wanderers, we’re nomads, we’ve been all over the place,” he said. “We are not interested in going to the moon or mars, this is our home… this is where we stay.”
Sears will be in Santa Clara County for the next few days, so if you see a man walking down a country road with three mules, cargo shorts and a map in his front pocket, it’s probably John Sears, the mule man.
To follow Sears’ travels, visit www.facebook.com/3Mules.
To learn more about Sears and his mules, visit 3mules.com.
