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| 5/11/2010 6:00:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article |
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Journal/Hope Nealson
A truck passes Bob Skelding’s horse-drawn trailer as he nears Mancos Sunday. Skelding’s loop has taken him through Texas, New Mexico and Colorado as he heads toward Utah, Wyoming and back to his starting point of Indiana, a 4,000 to 5,000 mile loop. Skelding has written a book about his horse-drawn journeys, called Wagonteamster, found on his website, www.wagonteamster.com. |
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Journal/Hope Nealson
Bob Skelding takes a breather near Mancos inside his wagon, which he traded for a biscuit. He said rather than Starbucks, he prefers Foldgers Columbian when taking a coffee break. |
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Horses lead man
to new vistas
Traveler makes his own wagon trail to SW Colorado
Hope Nealson
Journal Staff Writer
In an increasingly fast-paced world, one man has mastered the art of slowing down with the help of three draft horses, a trailer and a 19-year-old poodle.
Traveling 3 mph, Bob Skelding cruised into Montezuma County on Sunday afternoon on the shoulder of U.S. Highway 160.
"Americana at 3 miles per hour is a wonderful place," Skelding said during a break just east of Mancos.
As he talked about his travels, cars and trucks whizzed by his two Belgians, Bob and Bill, and Percheron Doc, while poodle Clementine slept in the back.
"In a normal existence, you have a pretty good idea of how your day is going to turn out," said the former nuclear instructor. "I never do. Every day I wake up, it's like Christmas. The day is a present to open up."
This is Skelding's third horse-drawn trip in two years. Starting Nov. 14 from his "barngalo" in Indiana, two of the horses have taken turns pulling the wagon while the third horse brings up the rear, "resting" from a lead rope.
Skelding has picked up a lot of friends in his travels. Sometimes he only completes 100 yards between curious strangers.
"I'm not in any hurry. I'm kind of aimlessly wandering. I enjoy myself and meet a lot of people on the way. I've learned that people are universally good. If there's bad people, they don't come near me," he said, adding he makes a point to stop at nursing homes and schools as a way to give back.
The wagon is equipped with tiny versions of a stove, refrigerator, sink, toilet and shower. A man sold it to him for a biscuit after learning of an accident that cut his first trip short in 2008. Skelding's heavier first wagon, which he built himself, required four horses to pull it.
In that trip, Skelding set off from New Hampshire in August, traveling 1,750 miles before the trip ended six months later in Mississippi after an 18-wheeler traveling 70 mph rear-ended his rig. Besides breaking Skelding's ribs, the accident killed his two Percherons, Dolly and Deedee, and severely injured Doc's leg.
The accident didn't deter Skelding. Three months later he was on the road with Bill and Bob, half brothers weighing in at about 2,000 pounds apiece and standing 18 hands high. The team traveled 1,100 miles from May to September in 2009 for the second trip.
Skelding said he wasn't scared after the accident. If anything, it made him less fearful to be out on the road.
"If it's not about world hunger or nuclear disarmament, I'm not worried about it," he said. "I don't sweat the small stuff. You have 50 years of life. If you don't enjoy it, you just blew it."
In this trip, he "ran south ahead of winter" from Indiana, picking up a rehabilitated Doc before traveling to Waco, Texas. From New Mexico he has ambled through southern Colorado, with his eye on Dove Creek and eventually Utah.
The toughest part of the trip so far has been outside of Durango, he said, up 2,000 feet in an afternoon into the La Plata Mountains.
Skelding has offers of meals and supplies around every turn.
"Me and Clementine were chewing on an old chuck steak, and I told her, 'You know, we have a filet mignon appetite and a chuck steak budget.' The next day an old guy with no teeth and a baseball cap asked if we wanted some meat and handed me a package of six filet migons with the bacon wrapped around them and all. That kind of stuff happens all time out here."
With 20,000 people following his trip updates from his website, www.wagonteamster.com, Skelding does partake in a little 21st century technology besides a Global Positioning System unit, his laptop.
Still, Skelding maintains the secret to life is slowing down and enjoying family and friends.
"Half the people you meet get it right away, and the other half never will," he said. "They're too wrapped up in their cell phones and making money to keep up with the Joneses.
"Southwest Colorado is one of the gems of the United States - not all built up like the East Slope. You got everything going right here, so spend time outside with loved ones. That's quality time. That's what life is all about."
Reach Hope Nealson at hopen@cortezjournal.com.
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Reader Comments
Posted: Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Article comment by:
Bonnie Kempf
Bob Skelding and his three amigos and of course, Clementine, the poodle, are the very exception to the rule. Bob makes it all look so easy and for him it is easy and he loves what he does. I took care of the three amigos for one week and it's very hard work. You too can follow his journey via his website and never leave your recliner chair. If you get a chance, go and met him and you'll never regret talking to a very nice gentleman.
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