The first
-090м
ond r«l«ri
сото
oround fhc bend
eorl»1 Sunday morning. Most wogon Iroin* ore
weekend offoirj, but one. in western North Coro*
lino, losts
о
week
The wogon troin trovels o»er 0 voriety 0* tcrroin, dirt
roods ond secondory paved roads — it wos
о
job, in
the eorly days, to get trom ploce to piece. The scene
here is neor Troy, in Montgomery County.
Piedmont Wogon Troin Association president
Carolyn Kinney, in old-toshioned "Sunday dress "
confers with wogon moster Fronk Sides, ond moscot,
"Scooter." Most of these wogons ho.c been rebuilt
ond refurbished Some folks spend doys polishing
harness bross, ond follow the wogon troin from ploce
to ploce, eoch weekend, lote Morch through
November. Visitors ore olwoys welcome.
"Wagons— Ho!"
Most weekends you ran join a wagon
train shoving off for somewhere in
North Carolina.
By GARRETT SUTHERLAND
Matt Dillon wouldn’t have believed
it. They converged from all directions
— Conncstoga Wagons, prairie
schooners. Amish buggies, surrics
with fringe on top. pony carts — drawn
by an assortment of animals: big Bel¬
gian mules, shaggy ponies, pony
mules, sleek harness horses with rib¬
bons in their manes.
The drivers wore everything from
long calico dresses with sunbonnets to
bib overalls to black Sunday suits with
string ties. A statuesque blonde on a
Tennessee Walking Horse rode with
babe in arms.
Many of the rigs wheeled in under
their own power. Those from afar were
vanned in. securely fastened to flatbed
trucks, with bales of hay for the
horses.
Wagon Master Garvin McNeil, his
arm in a sling from ”a disagreement
with a mule.” rode shotgun while his
partner handled the team of huge Bel¬
gian mules. Both wore plaid shorts,
khakis and heavy boots.
Any Weekend
What started 23 years ago as an Old
Fashioned Farmers’ Day Parade in the
small North Carolina town of Robbins,
has mushroomed into a grass roots
country- western festival-on-wheels,
which sets out from some point in
North Carolina nearly every weekend,
late March through November.
A schedule of dates and places is
available from Piedmont Wagon Train
Association president Ms. Carolyn
Kinney. Route #3. Box 285T,
Randlcman. N.C. 27317.
“At first there were only one or two
wagon trains a year,” she said. "Now
it's not unusual to have 40-50 wagons
and over 100 riders on any weekend."
"They come in late Friday after¬
noon. Usually there's a square dance,
or a blue grass band. Friday and Satur¬
day nights. The Wagon Master gets the
campsite, arranges for water for the
horses, food and music for the people,
and lays out the route for the wagon
train.
"There's always a parade (with
pri7.es for best wagon, best buggy, best
surrey, most unusual rig. best team of
mules, best pony mules, best saddle
horse, best parade horse, best harness
horse, best-dressed lady — old-
fashioned. best-dressed gent — old-
20
THE STATE. MAY 1979
