Kickstarter

California’s 21 missions were founded by Spanish missionaries and built by Indians of highly diverse tribes during the Spanish colonial era. Dotting the coastline from Sonoma to San Diego, these missions form the state’s first and most significant historic backbone.

This project will connect the missions of California on horseback. Our core team of riders - see their fascinating and electic bios below! - will film life and land along the mission chain from angles rarely appreciated since the advent of the automobile. Along the way, we’ll meet archaeologists, artists, soldiers, park rangers, monks, marine biologists, organic growers, school kids, earthquake specialists, Indian Elders and Tribal Council Members.

These and other Californians will join us at each mission for special events that are open to the public. Together, we’ll uncover surprising historical threads that braid the past into the present. And we’ll find out which of these are most likely to shape the future of Coastal California as well.

The resulting documentary film will follow the horseback team; introduce people, places, and discoveries on their trail; and offer a fresh and timely look at an influential and fast-changing part of the world.

Tracing the trail of the California Missions on horseback is ambitious…and expensive. Numerous people are generously volunteering time for the project. But we still have significant costs for trail scouting, project management, insurance, basic equipment, trailering, and permits and fees.

Donations of any size will help us realize the project, and are greatly appreciated!

The first part of our ride (this project) is from Sonoma, on August 18, 2012, to Mission San Miguel on September 16, 2012.

NOTE: This project is not affiliated with any religious group.

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Meet our team!

GWYNETH HORDER-PAYTON - Rider and Filmmaker: Director of television shows including Sons Of Anarchy, The Shield, Criminal Minds, Once Upon A Time, The Walking Dead, Battlestar Galactica, and many others.

LESLIE DUNTON-DOWNER - Rider and Writer: Harvard PhD and educational speaker, author of The English is Coming! How One Language is Sweeping the World and other works, including TV documentaries in the U.S. and abroad.

ROD RONDEAUX - Rider and Wrangler-Farrier: A Crow-Cheyenne Indian, Rod is a horse trainer, actor, and extreme stuntman appearing in dozens of TV shows and films, from The Wild Wild West and Comanche Moon, to 310 to Yuma and Meek’s Cutoff. His current movie project is The Lone Ranger, with Johnny Depp.

TROY van GORDER - Rider and Wrangler: A horse trainer and riding teacher with over 30 years experience in Equitation, Dressage, Natural Horsemanship, and Medieval Equestrian Competition.  Specializing in a unique mix of Centered Riding®, eastern martial arts, and Alexander Technique, as well as jousting and mounted sword fighting.

DAISY PAYTON - Rider and Twitter Queen: A Junior at Santa Cruz High School, Daisy has been riding horses since she was a toddler. She is also an award-winning contemporary dancer.

MYSTERY RIDER - Currently acting and riding horses on the set of The Lone Ranger, starring Johnny Depp.  To be revealed on The California Mission Ride website on September 17, the day before the ride begins!