Hittin' the dusty trail
By Cindy VotrubaArticle Photos
Up until 13 years ago, Vel Orth of Marshall would block off vacation days to be part of a wagon train that went from Pipestone to Madison, S.D.
But something would always come up. Either he wouldn't be ready horse-wise or he couldn't make the journey, and he'd have to cancel out.
But 13 years ago, he was determined to go.
"I didn't cancel vacation, I went," Orth said.
Orth has done the wagon train ever since.
Since 1976, people from Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota have been part of a wagon train that started as a way to celebrate the nation's bicentennial. Orth said the original wagon train traveled from St. Paul to Pipestone.
Since then, the route for the wagon train has taken drivers from Pipestone to Madison, just in time to be part of the Prairie Village celebration.
This year's wagon train started in Pipestone on Tuesday and ended in Madison on Friday afternoon.
Orth and his friend, Luther Tostengard of Dovray, have made the trip for the past few years.
They did something different for the wagon train this year - they hooked up a four-horse hitch of Norwegian Fjord horses. Neither of the men had driven four-up before, Orth said.
"We drove them four-up, which is one team in front of the other," Tostengard said.
Tostengard said there are four individual reins in two sets.
"You have to keep them all working together," Tostengard said. "If the front two (horses) are turning around and looking at you, you're in trouble."
"It was fun to do," Orth said.
But as far as driving four-up for an entire day, Orth said he wouldn't want to do that.
"It's a lot of watching and a lot of work," Orth said. He and Tostengard took turns driving.
Tostengard said there were 10 wagons on the first day of the wagon train. Orth said about 24 wagons made the trip during the three-day ride, along with several outriders, or guides on horseback.
"Basically everybody drives his own wagon," Tostengard said.
"This year there were more outriders than the last couple of years," Orth said.
The wagons travel at a speed of about 3 to 4 mph, Tostengard said.
The wagon train traveled 26 miles the first day, stopping at a truck stop in Flandreau, S.D., on the way to Colman, S.D., Tostengard said.
Tostengard said the wagon train stayed at Sioux Valley Energy in Colman the first night and was treated well.
"It's an ideal place for wagons, horses, campers and everything," Tostengard said.
The next day, the wagon train drove 13 miles to Wentworth, S.D. Tostengard said the last leg of the trip took the riders 12 miles from Wentworth to Madison. The wagon train joined two other wagon trains at Prairie Village in Madison and rode in the parade for the town's annual celebration. The wagons and horses are loaded on trailers for the return trip from Madison.
Tostengard said the wagon train stayed primarily on township roads, but there were times it ended up on state highways.
"We're not on the pavement that much and they have good shoulders all the way," Orth said.
Tostengard said other vehicles are careful around the wagons.
"We get a lot of respect," Tostengard said.
When the wagon train arrived at intersections, Tostengard said the outriders would get on the sides of the crossroads and stop traffic.
"They (vehicles) just give us a lot of room and come by very slowly," Tostengard said.
Orth said he never gets bored on the wagon train.
When one of his friends from Iowa had commented how the first day was 29 miles, Orth brought along some magazines to read.
"And I've never read a magazine yet, the day goes by fast," Orth said.
Tostengard said both young and old make the trip. Orth said people bring their spouses, even their entire families, on the wagon train.
It's the people that make the trip worthwhile, Orth said.
"I've got to know people from all over," Orth said.
"One guy commented this would be his last year (of bringing his horses)," Tostengard said. "He is 86 years old."
