He Lives His Life On The Road

He Lives His Life On The Road AG WORLD 33-4-21 Ever just think about leaving everything behind and hitting the road? Bob Skelding did just that, leaving New Hampshire last August in a home-built travel rig pulled by four Percheron draft horses. Things went well for six months and 1,800 miles until a full semi tanker hit him from behind. The wagon shattered into pieces, two horses were killed, and Bob ended up on a ventilator with multiple broken bones and internal injuries. It was a tough blow, serious, but not tough enough to stop Skelding, who hit the road again with a new rig and horses in June. "Every day is a unique encounter," Skelding explains. "Every day, I never know what's going to happen but I know it's going to be a great day. The good moments far outweigh any discomfort." With no particular agenda or destination, Skelding never knows where he'll end up. He has traveled up to 25 miles in a day, but 15 miles is more common. People often invite him to stay at their homes overnight and offer hay for his horses and a homemade supper. Most property owners welcome him to camp for the night. "I'd say 99.9 percent of the people are good. Most people are just fantastic," he says. "They feel part of the adventure. They all want a simple life in some way. They'd like to do something like this, to be free and able to travel." Skelding emphasizes he isn't traveling for a cause and never asks for help - but he accepts when it's offered and admits he seldom has to buy hay, though he keeps a supply of feed on hand. "I was sick of paying taxes and working at a nuclear power plant, so I quit my job and sold my house in Deerfield, N.H., to live life in the slow lane," he explains. "It's fun. No bills, no taxes, and I get to meet lots of nice people." Skelding built his insulated wagon on a 6-ton running gear with bolster springs, hydraulic drum front brakes, and mechanical rear brakes. He installed a solar water heater for quick showers, propane for cooking, a full-size bed, and storage areas for water, feed and hay for his horses. Because of the weight and slow speed, Skelding selects roads to meet his horses and wagon's needs. "It's not necessarily safer on dirt roads, because there's often no shoulder," he says. Skelding generally chooses state highways because they have less than a 7 or 8 percent grade. A couple of times he has had to find assistance because his horses couldn't pull the heavy wagon up steeper grades. For safety, Skelding has a slow moving sign and flashing yellow lights. Unfortunately, they weren't enough to catch the attention of the semi driver who slammed into him last January. Skelding's new wagon is smaller, initially designed to be pulled by two mules by another adventurer, "Bernie" (www.riverearth.com). Bernie and Skelding became friends as they traveled and communicated through emails. Bernie offered his unused wagon after Skelding's accident. Skelding worked with his new horses for about three weeks to get them used to highway travel before taking off for this year's Horse Progress Days in Odon, Ind., (July 3-4). He isn't sure where he'll go after that. Wherever it is, Skelding and his new, bright yellow wagon are sure to attract attention. Skelding appreciates evenings when he can relax in his wagon, spend time with his horses and savor the journey, which he records in a blog on his website. He invites those who can't take a road trip to ride vicariously along with him via the internet, www.wagonteamster.com. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Bob Skelding, 8502 N. 450 W., Milton, Ind. 47357 (ph 603 706-2114; bob@ wagonteamster.com; www.wagon teamster.com).

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