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8/19/12, Mt. Vernon, OR, Tonight, I’m two miles east of Mount Vernon on US 395/12. 

This morning, I hitched up Bill and Doc for an easy pull down Beech Creek. Before noon, they had pulled the fourteen miles to the town of Mt. Vernon. They could have easily pulled the wagon through the town of John Day, only 8 miles further up the road, but I need to stop at a feed store. Since it is Sunday, one would probably not be open by the time I reached town. Instead, we settled for a good camping spot on the John Day River.

At one of our many stops on the way to Mt. Vernon, the boys got some pets and treats.  I think Doc is a little jealous that Bill is getting some attention from a pretty girl!

My ace team kept up a 4 mph pace until we pulled into the US-395 Mini-mart in town, where I unhitched the lads for lunch. After tanking up the horses with water, I filled the empty water jugs and gave them their oats.

Pretty soon, the crowd started arriving. It wasn’t long before there were more than enough people to give all the guys some attention.

Doc felt much better after getting a pretty girl of his very own!

In the next hour, my gentle giants worked their magic for about 30 or 40 people.  I think there will be a lot of little girls that will ask Santa to bring a horse on Christmas morning!

Bill and Doc didn’t get all the attention. Bob got his share as well.

I think there was some Crazy Glue on the bottom of this girls P.J.’s.  She stayed on Doc’s back for at least 15 minutes.

A little frightened at first, it didn’t take these girls long like ‘Ol Doc.

After lunch, the boys and I headed east towards the town of John Day.  Two miles out of Mt. Vernon, and still six miles short of John Day, I found just what I was looking for. There was a large piece of public ground next to the bridge where the highway crossed the river. To make it even better, there was enough green grass to pasture the horses too.  Plenty of water, green grass and a nice place to park the wagon - ‘yup, that will work’.

It looks dry in the foreground, but the lads had quite a bit of green orchard and quack grass in their corral.

I had several groups of nice visitors this afternoon/evening to top off a really good day.

Tomorrow, I’ll drive into John Day, pick up some supplies, then head south down US-395.  A few miles out of town is the base of a very large hill. If I can find a good place to camp at the base, I’ll leave the 5 or 6 mile ascent for the cool of the morning and a fresh team of three horses.

Mom and daughter enjoying a little quality time on Doc.

This picture was taken a few days ago by Ellen, on her way to fight a wildfire in the southern part of the State.