trekking through Ohio...West Virginia is around the corner!

9/21/10

Bob back in Carlisle, Kentucky

We've crossed into Ohio and are heading today to a town called Rutland here in a minute. We have had many days in the saddle so I am a little backed up on experiences. I'll post some photos here and add captions to try and do a quick catch up before heading down to the barn.

We usually ride 3 days and then take one day off, but we are pushing through those days off a bit. We'll rest once we get just East of Parkersburg in a few days and land in West Virginia. Today is only 17 miles, but then we have a 30 mile and after that a 33 mile day before taking a day off.

Sojourner is doing great. Platinum Performance sent us a gift of these sort of power bar like things that have helped with his energy and also a joint supplement. He has only been on the supplement for a week, but I can already feel a difference. He just has a lot of pep in his step. We are averaging 5 miles an hour daily which is pretty good for him. Sometimes we are as fast as 6.5 miles an hour. For such long days that's a pretty good clip.

Yesterday morning when we went to feed him and he did a little hop and through his head around when he saw us. The camping has helped a lot. We all seem much more in tune with one another, much more relaxed, and just seem to all be feeling good overall. The weather helps a lot. The days are still pretty warm (high 80's-mid 90's), but the air is so much drier than it was in the summer which makes a world of difference.

This is Daniel Boone's cabin. He helped to settle Kentucky. Most of us know him as the guy who wore the coon cap.

The Rough Riders:

Kirk

This little rider took us around on his pony. Later on he unhitched the pony, put a saddle on, and rode 'em!
"How long have you been riding?" I asked him.
"Well, I've been ridin' since I was...well....since I was six and a half months old."

Before going to the Rough Riders get together we ate at a little roadside cafe with Kirk.

The couple in the background was eves dropping a bit. They would comment on a lot of the things we spoke about amongst one another. My cream curdled in my cup so I went to the counter and asked if I could just have some water instead.

"What's the matter?" I heard him ask.
"She didn't like her coffee", she said.
"It's because of all that stuff they put in it now a days."


I always have to throw a puppy shot in every now and again. Kirk got two puppies for his grandson to play with on the ranch.
After the Rough Rider's event we went back down to the river and set up camp. Walter's friends who were in town, Jake and Jordan, both came and we all played cards. It was good craic.

Before the boys got there I was set up by myself with this little office in the woods. It was very nice. :)

Early in the evening these little rascals pulling these nice men came down to say hello. The man on the left with one horse is the Grandfather of the little rider who took us around in the buggy pulled by one little pony.



Jordan. Walter and Jordan met a year ago in Alaska.

This is right before I yelled for the boys to come see the deer. It was swimming right there behind the tent. Oh, it was so amazing.


Leaving Kirk's ranch

Shot on Clairebrook Farm back in Carlisle, Kentucky

I have become curious about the Amish and how they live. We have been going to Amish bakery's. The bread is incredible!! So much for a gluten free diet...not when you're in Amish country!! I think I am going to drive a horse and buggy in the future. No joking...I'm going to teach Soj.

One day I was riding along thinking about the olden days. Sometimes I think I should have been born a long, long time ago. Just as I was thinking about this an old car came around the corner and waved to me. It was really weird. It wasn't this car, this was another day. It was an old Model T.

Hmmmm.....

We passed these two horses in a man's front yard right on the side of the road. There was just a small electric fence close to the ground so it didn't look like they were fenced in at all! They started coming for Soj and I and Soj got a little worried because he couldn't see the fence. The old man who was sitting on the porch went to get grain to call his horses back. If you look carefully you can see him coming with his bucket of grain.

Jordan and Walter set up lunch and waited for Soj and I to show up. I pulled around the corner and saw the boys on their star blanket. They laughed telling me the story of how a couple of men came down an old country road in a pick-up truck and asked them if they needed any help. They said they were fine, just enjoying each other's company!
How lovely. The star blanket also folds into a sweet little carry bag or pillow. :) Goodness.

We have definitely earned these beautiful days and gorgeous countryside to ride through after so much heat and so many twisty, narrow roads. What a relief! We all just loved every second of the last couple of days. Ohio has offered some wonderful country roads.


We decided to cut through some fields as a short cut. I was happy when I finally found this opening! I was starting to worry we would have to go all the way back to the road. You can see us way off in the distance.


We are now in Ohio staying with a wonderful couple in Bidwell. They have two little pups, Fluffin and Muffin, and this big Saint Bernard called Bang.

Before riding to Bidwell we stayed a night in a town called Oakhill at The Royal Oaks Farm. We met with Evan and Elizabeth who own these two sweet donkeys. They wanted to eat as you can see. Very much so.

Saying goodbye to Evan.

Dewey morning

Drying out the tent