Rhode Island Wagon Train Route ,Day 2, Monday,Memorial Day, May 31,1976 .. 18mi

The route across Rhode Island was one of the best routes on the New England train. Traveling down the western border we were on a lot of dirt roads . When we left RI most of the route was on hard-top !!

These photos were taken on Rt.44,coming out of George Washington Management Area  headed to Durfee Hill ,where we spent the 1st night as part of the "Wagon Train" "!!

Settling in at Durfee Hill Management Area

Journal Entry Monday May 31,1976   18 miles 

 from  Durfee Hill Management Area, Rt.94,Reynolds Rd.

Started a little late (9 am) because we had to wait for water.  A peacock kept us awake all night-  Breezy wasn’t doing great so we hooked G in-- her first run—she did a couple of flip flops then she was fine- went great the whole day.

Late in the afternoon a girl on the Isthmus Rd put her car in the middle of the road and called Tommy Greene every name in the book , he took off after her on the “Dog”(his horse) right through the woods. She did come back and move her car so we could continue !! ( Tommy was one of the State Rangers accompanying us across RI )
 Ended the day at Whippoorwill Hill Family Campground,Foster, R.I.
First thing we did every day after un-hitching the horses was to wash them down and get them some water to drink. We always had people gathering around to watch this.

Starting the Journey !! Day 1, Sunday,May 30,1976....20 mi

The Bicentennial Wagon Train Pilgrimage was welcomed in to Rhode Island at the Wallum Lake Rod and Gun Club,Burrillville,RI

L-R:  Roger Morse,  Ast.New England Wagonmaster, Sheila Reynolds,Ast.RI Teamster, Dennis Murphy,Director ,RI Dept.of Natural Resources, LeGrand "Lee" Reynolds,RI Teamster, Bob Goden and family, Dr.Patrick Conley,Chairman, RI Bicentennial Commission,"PR" lady, Richard Fitzpatrick,New England Wagonmaster ( Richard "Dick" was not in good health and did not travel

 to Valley Forge.  He died later that Summer and many of us traveled to Mass. for his funeral )

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Journal Entry Sunday May 30   20 miles 

Got up at 6 am.  I was the first casualty in RI while watering Ann’s(Ann Stone) horse (Fred).  Fred banged me in the head with his head & the buckle cut me near my left eye.  Just about knocked me out-  After 1 ½ hours of an ice pack.  It wasn’t too bad.  Just bled a little all day- I didn’t even get a headache. 

 We used a butterfly bandage to close it so I

 wouldn’t have to go for stitches!!! 

Cathy Grady,Ann stone,Gary French, readying the wagon , photo credit Carol Tacy

  Readying the  wagon are my sister,Cathy Grady,Ann Stone and Gary French

  We met the “Maine Train” at the Uxbridge /RI line. Then we started off for the Wallum Lake Rod and Gun Club in Burrillville .

At the gun club there were many people, we met other  RI wagons and many riders on time .  Dennis Murphy ,Director of Dept Natural Resources,rode with us for a while.

I started out riding in the wagon but* KK and* G were not being co-operative following the wagon, so I ended up riding G bareback and Cathy and Tom Koczkodan took turns walking KK. Someone ?maybe Mike brought out saddles for us the next day.

     

* KK and G (Gamble's Got It) were our secondary horses for the journey. Lee had been working with them as alternate "team members" . The Official wagons were asked to have four horses on the wagons. We were preparing  to do this but it never did work out.  Most wagons could only use two horses because of the logistics of moving at a very slow rate.

Getting Ready !! May 1976

Journal Entry, Wed, May 26,1976

  Today was the beginning of the rush to get ready. I was supposed to go with Lee to Ch12 for the filming of a TV show (Front & Center to be aired Sat.,12:30pm ). But a party was planned for me ,much to my amazement, at the School( Ladd School) where I was working in the Lab !!

Mrs.Jones was very upset because she thought I would take the afternoon off. But I changed my mind.

 The party was very nice ,many people came. They gave me a great cake, $30.75 ( $7.75 in change, for the Laundry Mat!), A diary (this one) and Mrs. Richardson bought me a coloring book and crayons and some cards!!

 Tonight I spent some time finding a place to freeze the cake for Tues. continued packing, Also THE WAGON CAME TODAY !!!

(So I guess I have to thank my co-workers for spurring me on to keep a journal.

Here is a picture of the poster everyone signed at the party :

Journal Entry ,Sat,May 29

Baled Hay today & packed (300 bales) 

We were still using the horses to cut hay Here is the team, Thunder (L) and Breezy(R)  who would be the main horses to carry us to Valley Forge, cutting hay in Hope Valley,RI with his father's mowing machine that we brought down from Vermont. We needed to get the 1st cutting baled up before we headed out on the Wagon Train.

Got into Marty’s(Marty Allen)(the private farm we stayed at the 1^st night) at 3 AM (Sunday)

Slept on the ground next to the wagon-  Lee kept everyone else awake because of his snoring.   ZZZZZZ’s

 May,1976 we started to get ready for our journey !!This article is from the Times !!