San Diego residents may have recently spotted a man walking alongside a horse along the streets from Oceanside to Chula Vista and everywhere in between. He’s not lost, nor is he simply passing through - he’s living a way of life that predates freeways, smartphones, and suburban sprawl. The man is known as "Mule," and his journey is part of the decades-long 3 Mules Project - a nomadic mission through the American West to promote a life of simplicity, environmental awareness, and the sacred right to move freely across public lands.
Now in his late 70s, Mule (who also goes by Monk) has lived outdoors full-time with his mule companions for more than 35 years. Together, they travel by foot, covering 5 to 20 miles a day, depending on food, water, and terrain. They’ve migrated up and down California for decades, following seasonal cycles - south to San Diego in the winter, then back north through the Central Valley and up to Sacramento during warmer months.
Their presence may seem anachronistic, even eccentric, to passersby accustomed to the pace and priorities of modern urban life. But to Mule, his animals, and a growing number of followers (over 64,000 on Facebook alone), this lifestyle is a form of resistance against the encroaching sprawl he refers to as "the Megatropolis" - the unchecked spread of concrete, development, and car culture that has consumed open spaces and limited access to nature.
The 3 Mules Project isn’t a performance or stunt. Mule lives entirely outdoors, foraging for food, relying on donations of oats and vegetables, and sleeping wherever he can find a quiet place that won’t land him in legal trouble. That's harder than it sounds. California’s laws often prohibit overnight camping on public land, leading to occasional arrests and citations. He’s even been jailed and briefly committed to a psychiatric facility, as happened during an arrest in Gilroy. His mules were sent to a shelter, and he was locked up for six days before a patients-rights advocate intervened.
The 3 Mules Project isn’t a performance or stunt. Mule lives entirely outdoors, foraging for food, relying on donations of oats and vegetables, and sleeping wherever he can find a quiet place that won’t land him in legal trouble. That's harder than it sounds. California’s laws often prohibit overnight camping on public land, leading to occasional arrests and citations. He’s even been jailed and briefly committed to a psychiatric facility, as happened during an arrest in Gilroy. His mules were sent to a shelter, and he was locked up for six days before a patients-rights advocate intervened.
Still, Mule remains committed to what he calls the "sacred act of walking," which he believes is essential not just to individual well-being, but to the health of the planet itself.
Despite frequent interactions with police, Mule maintains that he never stays in one place for more than a few days. He doesn't set up permanent camp or collect garbage. "We’re not homeless. Our home is the Earth," he says.
Mule’s attorney, Sharon Sherman, has represented him pro bono, intrigued by the legal and philosophical implications of his way of life. "There is always a balance between people’s freedoms and the needs of a community," she said. "Mule really made me stop and think about issues I’ve never considered before."
For Mule, the right to walk freely is not just personal, it’s universal. "Why do you have more rights in a car than if you are walking?" he asks.
The San Diego appearance is just one stop on a continuous migration that Mule says he’ll continue "as long as he can." And while his mission is unconventional, its message resonates with timeless urgency: to protect the natural world, to move with intention, and to remember that freedom is not something to be taken for granted - it's something to be lived, one step at a time.
Mule travels with the help of his equine companions, most recently a sorrel molly mule named Rosie. Over the years, other mules - Little Girl, Lady, Little Ethel, and Leroy - have come and gone, retired or passed on, but each has been part of the journey. The mules carry gear and food and graze along roadsides and fields. Mule is careful to stay within animal welfare guidelines, ensuring his mules carry no more than 20% of their body weight and are well-fed, hydrated, and monitored for health issues.
Though many assume he's homeless, Mule insists that he's simply "from the outside." He doesn’t live in houses or drive cars. He exists in and with nature, embracing unpredictability, open space, and a sense of spiritual purpose. His lifestyle has drawn praise and admiration online, with thousands of followers tracking his movements and mission on the 3 Mules Facebook page and website. Some stop to offer food or water, or invite him to rest on private land for a night. Others report him to authorities, concerned about the animals or simply confused by his presence.
Though many assume he's homeless, Mule insists that he's simply "from the outside." He doesn’t live in houses or drive cars. He exists in and with nature, embracing unpredictability, open space, and a sense of spiritual purpose. His lifestyle has drawn praise and admiration online, with thousands of followers tracking his movements and mission on the 3 Mules Facebook page and website. Some stop to offer food or water, or invite him to rest on private land for a night. Others report him to authorities, concerned about the animals or simply confused by his presence.
He’s walked the boardwalks of Venice Beach, slept under BART stations in Oakland, and traversed vast stretches of wilderness on Bureau of Land Management territory, where he’s witnessed suburban sprawl eat into spaces once left untouched. Two years ago, Mule walked the 295-mile stretch from Las Vegas to Ely, Nevada, only to turn back west when he realized how much land was disappearing. That moment shifted his focus - from wandering the wilderness alone to speaking up about the loss of public space.
Despite frequent interactions with police, Mule maintains that he never stays in one place for more than a few days. He doesn't set up permanent camp or collect garbage. "We’re not homeless. Our home is the Earth," he says.
Mule’s attorney, Sharon Sherman, has represented him pro bono, intrigued by the legal and philosophical implications of his way of life. "There is always a balance between people’s freedoms and the needs of a community," she said. "Mule really made me stop and think about issues I’ve never considered before."
For Mule, the right to walk freely is not just personal, it’s universal. "Why do you have more rights in a car than if you are walking?" he asks.
The San Diego appearance is just one stop on a continuous migration that Mule says he’ll continue "as long as he can." And while his mission is unconventional, its message resonates with timeless urgency: to protect the natural world, to move with intention, and to remember that freedom is not something to be taken for granted - it's something to be lived, one step at a time.
For more on the 3 Mules Project, visit 3Mules.com or follow their journey on Facebook and Instagram.
Originally published on May 29, 2025.
