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10/7/08, Port Byron, NY - This was a day of country roads, country stores and country folks.
In the morning, I spent some time fussing over the horses. Former teamster Dan joined me to help harness up the horses. Dan is now in his eighties, and spent many a day walking behind a horse in his younger years.
I was hitched and on the road by about 10 am. The first few miles were very pleasant country roads with nice stands of grain corn ripening rapidly after the first frost last night, I stopped to chat with with several people along the way.
A few miles down the road I pulled in to Jack’s Reef Market to pick up a few groceries. The team stood nicely while a went inside for a few moments.
A couple miles farther down the road, I met Ron and Don; friends and teamsters who have driven horses for a lot of years. Ron accepted my invitation to ride with me for the morning. He quickly mastered driving 4 in hand and drove for about an hour and a half, until we stopped for lunch.
After lunch, Don came on board and drove most of the afternoon. We stopped short of Weedsport and met Cathy, her brother Pat and her daughter. Cathy and her daughter hopped on board for a couple of miles.
I’m camped at Brenda’s diner in Port Byron. Brenda (Ron’s Daughter) treated me to a great meal and offered me a spot to camp on the grass behind the diner.
Everywhere I went today, I met some good country folks. Generous people with close ties to family, friends and their community. It’s an honor getting to know these folks.
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