Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
counts they gave the newspapers of their adventures, made me feel as if I had only been on a
Sunday school outing. I saw an Italian 'cowboy' from the 'Wild West' who was on his way
from San Francisco to New York on a mule and, as he had no money and as I felt sorry for
his starving animal, I gave it a feed of hay and oats. Another fellow was pushing a golf ball
fromNewYorktoLosAngeles,andsoonafterwardsanelderlymanpassedus,marchingfrom
coast to coast, playing a violin as an advertisement for some make of boots. Later I saw one
on roller-skates, then one on stilts, and others who were merely tramping and 'sponging' their
way through.
We stopped in beautiful Indianapolis for a few days and then proceeded to Columbus,
Ohio. Unfortunately, the governor of the State was absent, but I shall always keep his warm
letter of welcome to the city as one of the most treasured souvenirs of the whole trip. I was
splendidly entertained bythe different riding clubs that flourish there, andwasglad tosee that
riding is again on the increase in the U.S. In most towns of any size and importance riding
clubs exist, and the numbers of members are fast increasing; obviously people realise that a
daily ride is not only a wonderful recreation, but also a great health-preserver.
Somefarmershaveformedasociety thataffordsmutual protection incaseoftheft,andthe
notice of membership which those who belong to the society have fixed on their gates rather
amused me, for it read: 'Member of Horse-thief Association.' I have an idea that all horse
thieves in America are on the list of unemployed, unless they have taken to easier and more
profitable occupations, such as bootlegging or kidnapping.
After Columbus we made for West Virginia, where we arrived immediately after crossing
the Ohio River, and where we again made excellent friends who could not do enough to
make our stay as pleasant as possible. The hilly country around these parts is charming, and I
was taken out for long drives through the Eastern panhandle of West Virginia, which is very
mountainous and beautiful. The 'mountaineers', as the inhabitants of these very wooded hills
are called, are surprisingly conservative, and in many cases even bordering on the primitive,
which fact is all the more surprising when one considers that they are within a stone's throw
of the large cities of the East.
WecrossedoverthewoodedCumberlandmountains,whicharesometimescalledthe'Blue
Ridge', a ride I enjoyed thoroughly. Mancha often lost his footing on the slippery concrete,
especiallywheredowngradesweresteep,butafterIhadhimshodwithrubberpaddinghehad
no more difficulty in keeping on his feet.
In many places the road was fenced in on both sides, and in one of these (to horsemen)
dangerous traps we nearly had an accident that might have ended my ride when we were so
near the goal. Notices are placed for the benefit of the few who walk along the highways, ad-
vising them to keep to the left side ofthe road, or,in other words,to face the traffic. However,
I found that my horse shied at cars that came speeding towards him, and often passing close
to him, so I kept to the right where the traffic overtook us from behind. Even if a car or bus
almost 'shaved' us, Mancha took not the slightest notice of it, and continued calmly jogging
