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12/4/08, Urbana, OH - I’m experiencing difficulties with the internet connection in this area of Ohio, so updates are difficult.
I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to this fine Midwest town. Shortly after leaving the tractor dealership, I stopped at a gas station to pick up a cup of coffee and a paper (I read the first page article about the wagon, but skipped the rest of the paper - I hope that’s not being too selfish of me.
While at the gas station, I nice lady asked me if I would like to visit a day care for developmentally challenged adults - about a half mile down the road. I accepted, as these opportunities to give back to a community are what makes this trip worth while. I really enjoy sharing the horses with kids, old folks and the disabled.
Situations like this are always when the horses are at their best. They love not only the treats, but also the attention. They’re always careful how they move when other folks around them. However, they think nothing of knocking me around when I’m harnessing them or just moving around them.
About a mile down the road from the adult day care, the ladies from the local Tim Horton restaurant braved the traffic to run across the road with another cup of coffee for me (pefect timing - my other cup gotten cold on my previous stop). Thanks ladies.
Another half mile down the road and I stopped to say hi to Bud - a WWII veteran and wildlife photographer that wanted to chat and give me three doughnuts (Bud, you sure know how to pick out the doughnuts - those were great!)
We stopped for lunch in Westville, where I also met a whole bunch of nice people.
Just after turning off Route 36, I met up with a couple of other carloads full of people. At this stop, I got some great fresh canned farm produce and an invitation to dinner tomorrow night.
I’m currently at Greg and Elisha’s place about a mile north of St. Paris, OH. The horses have pulled for the past 4 days, so they get a day off tomorrow. Greg works at the Case dealership I stayed at last night. The horses and the wagon are both inside a nice 1 acre fenced paddock. This is the first time on this trip that we’ve both been inside the same fence - tonight, we’ll see how many times they rub their necks on the side of the wagon. Knowing them, they’ll probably hatch a scheme to do it all at once and knock me out of bed!
If you get a chance, swing by Urbana, OH - I found it a right friendly place!
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