The Mysterious Night Horseman Riding Around Portland Has Everybody Talking
Never short on bizarre news, the city of Portland has been the talk of the town as of late. Our residents who enjoy the nightlife may have already seen this mysterious figure flash before your eyes once or twice. Galloping through the streets like something you’d see in a movie or post-apocalyptic video game, this curious night horseman has everybody talking.
This originally sparked interest on Reddit when one of the website's users asked if any other Portland residents had seen a man riding a horse while also sporting a lightsaber.
No, this isn't a story from The Onion. Unusual sights like this are surprisingly not that shocking to Portland residents. User yeksim posted in r/Portland about the strange sight just over one week ago. On their way to see a film the Reddit user and girlfriend all of a sudden heard galloping! It was when they were looking towards Madison Street that the couple saw a man, a horse and of course... a lightsaber.
It's no surprise that this wasn't the only time the mysterious night horseman has been seen riding through the streets of Portland late at night.
Another user on Reddit also claimed that he had once witnessed the horseman riding down Belmont Street at 2:00 a.m.. More people have also spoken out, saying they've seen the horse and lightsaber-toting mystery man late at night. Some have seen evidence of the horse in places like the Tillikum Bridge.
After doing some digging, Lizzy Acker of The Oregonian
discovered the identity of the unknown night rider.
Drumroll please! The mystery man that has been the talk of the town goes by the name of Joshua Dallman. The 36-year old is an average Portland resident, except for the fact that he frequently likes to ride his five-year-old horse Kelsey-Belle through the city streets while sporting a cape and custom-made lightsaber. I'll give you a moment to fully digest that sentence.
While recently many residents have seen Joshua and Kelsey decked out with an eye-catching lightsaber, Joshua says that he also will wear matching bandanas with the horse and has also dressed her up in other outfits as well. Once he even draped a fur pelt with horns over Kelsey, leaving onlookers completely curious as to what sort of animal he was actually riding!
Claiming to have no interest in being in the spotlight, Joshua stated that he enjoys helping Kelsey adapt to a wide range of stimuli.
Joshua explained in a comment on a friend's Facebook post that one of the reasons he enjoys taking these urban night rides with Kelsey is to enrich her life and keep her from being stable-bound. Acknowledging the dangers of riding within the city (like getting thrown from his horse onto the concrete), Joshua and his companion enjoy the obstacles that are presented to them during a late night adventure. Speaking of safety, this is where the mysterious lightsaber comes into play! With poor visibility during the night, Joshua carries the lightsaber with him because he knows people aren't expecting to see a man riding a horse bareback late at night through the streets.
Residents who have just learned of the mysterious horseman have embraced the unusual behavior, also stating that maybe Joshua should pair up with another well-known Portland figure.
The sound of a man riding his horse bareback through a city all while carrying a lightsaber may sound strange, but to Portland residents this kind of behavior comes as no surprise at all. Those who have been talking about the horseman online have even gone as far as to state that Joshua is the exact hero that 2016 needed to close out the year. Joshua also told Oregonlive.com that he would love to have more people to ride with and our residents immediately thought of the perfect person.
Also making headlines this week, The Unipiper of Portland has struck again with a unique performance! The Unipiper posted to his official Facebook page a video of himself in Christmas attire, riding around in the snow while majestically playing the Game of Thrones theme song on his bagpipes. Could you imagine seeing Joshua, Kelsey and The Unipiper all strolling down the streets of Portland together?
If you’re usually tucked into your bed through the late hours of the night, then you’ve most likely never seen the mysterious horseman for yourself! To see what it’s like to watch Joshua and Kelsey gallop by you, check out this quick but thrilling clip brought to you by Joshua August Russell on Vimeo!
It’s safe to assume the this isn’t the only unordinary sight that you’ve ever seen Portland. Do you have a favorite strange attraction or mysterious vigilante that you’ve spotted in our city? For more head-turning stories, take a look at these 12 Bizarre Roadside Attractions That Will Make You Do A Double Take!
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Writer for Only In Your State. Scribbling about all things New York and Buffalo related while also keeping you updated on the latest travel news! Inquiries: Lmonroe@onlyinyourstate.com
