THE HUMAN-ANIMAL BOND Together we CAN… Tracy Delp rides across the country for cancer awareness It was Christmas day, 1:30 in the afternoon, when most of us were preparing dinner in our warm homes and spending time enjoying our loved ones, that Tracy found the time to take my call. She was mounted upon her trusty steed, Sierra, and battling the elements in 20 degree weather conditions, yet she spoke as long as she could so that I may share her story with all of you… “It’s not the ice and snow that make it hard” she said in her strong, confident voice through the whipping winds, “but the cars that make riding the roads dangerous.” Tracy was heading to Chambersburg, Pa. on route 30 that day, and the blizzard conditions were hitting her hard. Where to next? I asked excitedly and she replied “On to the Appalachian trail from here! I try to
same courage and determination that she showed; to take on this ride-to emphasize what we CAN do.” Tracy left from Port Orchard WA on mother’s day 2011 to make the 3500 mile sojourn that is to end near Delaware’s Cape Henlopen State Park where she will “put her toes in the ocean”…she has just under 175 miles yet to go as of Jan. 4, 2013. Her promise? To “put the CAN back in cancer” and provide funding for treatments to those who otherwise could not afford it, both human and animal. Tracy’s progress has been a difficult one, and she has depended upon the kindness of strangers to help her complete her goal. She started out with 5 horses, a mule and her dogs. Sadly, in August, her dog Duke also passed from bone cancer; her black retriever Ursa still rides with her. Duke had begun the journey by her side, riding only in the truck, since he was 14 years of age, and travelled with her as far as Iowa…his ashes still ride with her. It was at this time that Tracy began to “lose time” and her focus became nothing more than getting from point A to point B. Shortly thereafter she was shown the way when a bout of noxious poisoning made her horse ill. She also lost her driver, but instead of giving up, Tracy took advantage of those three weeks Sierra needed to recover, and donated her time in New York helping the animals who were displaced from hurricane Sandy. Strength renewed, and only 60 miles from the PA boarder, with purpose even stronger in her heart, Tracy decided to travel alone and complete her journey. Tracy has been riding alone since Idaho, but despite the lonely nights, and hassle of sometimes walking back or finding rides to retrieve her truck, so the horse could rest, she pressed on. “This trip has changed me” she said and recounts how she now sees things differently, and takes each moment in for the gift that it is. “Every day is like Christmas!” Tracy says with her hardy smile, and finds comfort in the kindness of strangers; a kind word of gratitude often expressing more to her than any monetary donation ever could. Tracy never once complained about the nights she spent sleeping in her tent in the cold, and rides on for the cause she believes will unite people who have experienced these sufferings in their lives. If we only take one message from her efforts, let it be that we should never give up…
Who is Tracy Delp? My hero…
ride each day as far as I can, and I find that having a ‘topic’ for each day helps me press on” How does she do it? I pondered and asked what her biggest challenges are when she rides. She told me about the battles with the snow, and the ice pellets stinging her face, and how it was very hard to keep her phone charged because the cold temperatures drained the battery so quickly. More pressing was her concerns for the vehicles that could potentially slide due to those icy conditions and endanger her, and more importantly (as she expressed) her 13 year old mare Sierra. I was in awe of her concern for the animals over her own safety, and admired her fortitude to press on despite the obstacles that had befallen her. Who is Tracy Delp? My hero… Tracy is a 48 year old woman with a heart of gold; an internationally recognized meta-physician who lost her mother and several canine companions to cancer. “Watching her (mother’s) courage and composure made me very aware that a person CAN do anything; that there is always a choice even when you think there are none…Watching her has given me the strength to choose with the
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In early December Tracy made her way up Route 30 to Donegal where she was welcomed by our friend Pam Kalish to spend the weekend and rest at Hillside Stables; her mare enjoyed the company of Pam’s horses and a warm stall for the cold nights. She also found a new fan, Maddy, who is pictured here, and was so inspired by Tracy that she too wore her “cowgirl hat!” Maddy’s grandmother Laura boards an old horse at Pam’s, and Maddy has already learned to love and care for the animals, so Tracy was an instant role model hanging out there in her old worn chaps and boots. Tracy makes time for all of her fans, big and small, human or animal, and enjoys sharing everything she can with all of them. She has been the trail head for many rides out west, has donated time and effort at the Wolf haven, and even takes children on up to three day excursions on horseback to experience the feeling of riding the trails. Although she has no children of her own, she is like a mother to them all.
©Pittsburgh PetConnections
January 2013