1 man, 1 donkey, 1 mule, 1 message

Travelers on Highway 18 in northwest Iowa were treated to a unique sight last week.

Perched atop his mule with a donkey as his wingman, Mike Siddall plodded his way across the plains. His main objective wasn't a destination, but rather to spread awareness about an issue most folks don't think about.

Siddall's wife, Anita, started the nonprofit organization Toothbrushers and Balaam's Donkey in 2018. The group provides oral cleanings and screenings to people with self-care deficits, like residents in nursing home facilities or individuals with special needs. The Siddalls are hoping Mike's unprecedented journey from the Big Sioux River to the Mississippi will make folks more aware about an issue they believe is widely ignored.

"Some day when you're laid up in a hospital and an oral care aide comes to your bedside, you'll remember you met or saw those people that started that initiative," Anita said.

Mike's journey began April 30 and he intends to wrap it up before the calendar flips to June. He arrived in Hartley last Friday, where he called it a day after riding from Sheldon. On Saturday he picked up where he left off and rode to Spencer.

Though he can't do anything about the wind and rain, Mike knows when he's had enough for the day. He is rotating between three mules to prevent fatigue during the trip, and Anita picks him up with a truck and animal trailer at the end of each day's ride.

During the first leg of the trip, the couple stayed with family at George each evening, where there was pasture set up for the animals.

"We have to ride every day to get it done," Mike said. "The Lord says don't worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. We just take it day by day."

Highway 18 runs approximately 312 miles across Iowa. Mike intends to touch the waters of the Mississippi River at Guttenberg.

The primary goal of the journey has already been partially realized, as media coverage has followed Siddall nearly every day thus far. He had reached Ruthven as of Tuesday.

Though he won't be ridden during the trip, Mike's donkey companion serves as the nonprofit's mascot.

"The donkey has served man since the beginning of recorded history and is a symbol of servitude," Anita explained. "That's our mission – our ears hear and our hearts serve."

Anita said the experience has been a special one and was hopefull more people would learn about Toothbrushers and Balaam's Donkey. She said the organization's goal is to place oral care aides into every healthcare team nationwide and bridge the gap between healthcare and dental care while improving oral health and overall wellness.

"When everyone expects an extra provider, it's really going to help us," she said. "Right now people don't know what they don't know.

This steed-led journey across Iowa is the first one for the Siddalls, and they were unsure if another trip was in store next year.

"I have to get a hip replaced this fall, so next year I'll be even better," said Mike. "Who knows where the road will take us."