America, by horseback.

Byline: Jack Moran The Register-Guard

LEBANON - Like journalistic legend Charles Kuralt and faux newsman Borat Sagdiyev before him, Bill Inman is embarking on a trip across the United States searching for the true American spirit, as well as for stories and people that aren't typically featured on the nightly news.

The most obvious difference between Inman, 47, and his predecessors is that the loquacious Lebanon resident is making his cross-country trek on horseback, with a videographer tagging along every step of the expected 32-week-long adventure. The journey began Saturday during Lebanon's annual Strawberry Festival parade.

From there Inman moseyed east along Highway 20 toward Sweet Home - the first of many small-town stops he expects to make between Oregon and the East Coast. If all goes as planned, the Inman expedition will wrap up early next year in Hendersonville, N.C.

Inman is hopeful that by then, he'll have compiled enough footage to piece together a documentary film or series that showcases a side of rural American life that he believes is generally overlooked by mainstream media outlets.

"I want to improve the image of 'real' America," Inman explained. "What they show on CNN isn't the America that I know."

The former rancher and military veteran said that taking the trip via horseback is the only way to truly appreciate and convey to others what the country has to offer. "It seems like most Americans are detached from their surroundings - detached from all of the beauty in this world," Inman said.

"They don't slow down enough to really see what's going on around them.

"I like to say that people are going so fast in their pursuit of happiness, that if they're not careful, they'll go right past it."

Inman's project is self-funded, with his support team seeking contributions and sponsorships from various businesses and organizations it encounters along the trail. He expects the trip will cost about $8,000 per month, with plans calling for camping out in tents most nights.

"We're not going to be staying at any four-star motels," he joked.

Aspiring filmmaker Dallas Pesola of New York City will be responsible for documenting the trip on video. His ultimate hope is that a movie studio or television network sees star potential in the good-natured Inman, who will interview regular folks on-camera throughout his journey.

"I think he's got some appeal," Pesola said of Inman. "He just kind of puts it all out there, and I think he has a good idea - uncovering the good in America. He's looking for the stories that make up the fabric of our nation."

An experienced horseman, Inman grew up in Texas, where he helped his uncle operate a cattle ranch. He married his wife, Brenda, in 1980, in a Tennessee hardware store ("I wanted the lifetime warranty," he quips). He joined the Army in 1982, working as a helicopter crew chief for three years before he was deactivated.

Inman returned to active duty during the Persian Gulf War, where he said he served as a squad leader, flying supplies to troops on the front lines.

Since then, he has held several jobs, including managing a ranch for the University of Nevada-Reno and running his own range-management business, which he sold before moving last year with his wife to a 2-acre plot outside Lebanon.

The plan to saddle up and head across the country atop his horse, Blackie, grew from an idea Inman had a few months ago to ride horseback to Reno to visit friends.

Inman said he is confident that opportunities will arise as a result of his unique cross-country trek.

"I have faith in this," he said, adding that his future plans "depend on how big of a hit we are."

Inman will document his trail tales and post photos of the horseback journey at www.uncoveringamerica.com.