By Dave Mast
While traveling the roads of Amish Country and seeing a horse and buggy isn"t an altogether odd sight, dozens of horses pulling covered wagons is.
But that was the scene this past week, when the Ohio Wagon Train rolled through Holmes and Tuscarawas counties on their annual trek.
A total of 270 club members driving 27 wagons and 50 outback riders on horseback made the trip, which wound through the country roads of Baltic, Farmerstown, Charm, Walnut Creek and Sugarcreek, taking in the sites, enjoying the company and answering questions from interested onlookers who parked themselves in lawn chairs and stood along the road to watch the spectacle pass by.
"The whole purpose of our trip is to emulate the old west," said Scott Byelene, chief scout of the trip and president of the club.
"We get to get out and travel across the countryside like they did in the old days. But it"s just as much about getting out and seeing your friends in the club that you maybe haven"t seen all across the countryside like they did in the old days. But it"s just as much about getting out and seeing your friends in the club that you maybe haven"t seen all year, and only see one time each year on this trip."
Each year members are asked to submit travel itineraries to the board, in order for the group to choose where they want to travel.
But if a member"s trip path is chosen, that is far from the end of their part of the planning stages.
They must figure out all of the routes for each of the days, they must find places to eat and to stay, and plan out places for the members to visit throughout the week.
This year that job fell to Wayne Miller of Sugarcreek, whose father Aden had planned the 2000 trip.
"It"s a lot of work, but it is very interesting trying to figure out where we can go, what routes are the best and safest to travel and finding places to stay," said Miller.
The covered wagons and riders began trickling into the David Yoder family farm between Baltic and Walnut Creek on Friday and Saturday before the actual week"s events kicked off on July 22.
On Monday, the cast of wild westerners got a police escort through the town of Baltic as part of their daily 15 mile excursion.
Tuesday"s trip took them through Farmerstown, while Wednesday is the annual Fun Day, in which they take a day off from traveling and conduct a host of enjoyable horse and wagon related events on the camp site.
The wagon drivers tested their skills with their team of horses in an obstacle course, log pulling contest, then it was on to the horseback riding, which picked up the pace and provided barrel racing, obstacle courses, the ribbon race and water relay and broom polo team events.
While everyone wanted to perform their best, it was a quite friendly rivalry that took place, as they all cheered on one another.
"It"s easy to root for each other because we"re all here for the same reason " because we love horses," said Miller. "There is a lot of fellowship that goes on every day. Even though we compete here, we"re all just having a good time."
On Thursday, the group hit the road again, touring the Sugarcreek area, while Friday found them roaming around Walnut Creek.
Each night was filled with good eats, music or a dance, and a campfire, where the members sat around well into the night talking, catching up on each other"s lives and reminiscing.
"You learn to get to know people over the years, and you always look forward to rekindling old acquaintances," said Miller.
The Ohio Wagon Train has been rolling since 1967, meaning there are plenty of old grizzled veterans who know the ropes.
But the ride also provides the perfect opportunity for the seasoned veteran travelers to show the youngsters the ropes.
"We"ve got all ages," said Byelene. "Trips like this really teach the kids responsibility, and they can see how much fun this is.
"It"s designed to be very relaxing, and the 15 miles a day is pretty easy on the horses. It"s designed to be a relaxing enjoyable time for everyone, and we make sure there is plenty of time to see other things too."
