Five horses laden with packs and gear, two men, a woman and a dog rode east out of Fulton through green, swaying grass under a bright blue sky Tuesday morning.
It would have looked like a scene straight out of a John Ford film, if it weren't for the rumbling semi-trucks passing by on U.S. 54.
Tim and Lynn Tuggle, originally of Fort Bragg, Calif., have been living the lives of modern cowboys since late 2010. They have been traveling by horseback toward North Carolina on a riding missionary tour, "Disciples of Jesus Horsemen," stopping in towns to rest and help the local community along the way.
They stayed in Callaway County for the winter, stabling their horses, giving sermons and working with troubled youth at Timberline Stables in New Bloomfield.