Posted 2009-02-11 2:29 PM (#99275) Subject: Fellow that was driving the country
Regular
Posts: 64 Location: Paulding Ohio
I just read about the fellow driving around the country has been injured in an Accident,,,it is on DreamHorse, dont know how to put on here, 2 horses killed he is in hospital, vet taking care of the others
Skelding was driving his team of horses on a stretch of road that had little or no shoulder, the report said. Two 18-wheelers traveling side-by-side crested a hill, and one of the trucks hit the homemade RV from behind.
Posted 2009-02-11 7:46 PM (#99299 - in reply to #99275) Subject: RE: Fellow that was driving the country
Regular
Posts: 72 Location: New Mexico
I have been following his blog since the beginning; just happened that I went to check out the FHOTD blog first before checking his today, had a TERRIBLE sinking feeling when I read her opening line-and to my deep dismay, found it was indeed Bob when I read the linked news story.
He was in Mississippi, not NH. The report first cited, of how it happened,was proven wrong by a gentleman who was right there, and saw what happened. There was NO hill; this gentleman, himself a tanker driver, saw Bob's wagon, pulled to the left and passed. Two semis from the same company were close behind him, the second following the first VERY closely. The first one pulled over to pass; the second did not;he hit the wagon and horses, demolishing the large wagon, killing two of the horses,and injuring the other two (all Percherons) and Bob. Bob is hospitalized, was originally critical, most recently upgraded to serious. The gentleman who posted stayed w/ Bob until the ambulance arrived; found his little dog Clementine...ended up taking her home to his wife, who took her to the vet, where it appears she will survive(she is an elderly smallish terrier)--and they will take care of her until Bob is able to reclaim her. The other two horses are in the care of a nearby vet.
Bob Skelding was living a dream, and had received the most extraordinarily welcoming reception on his entire trip so far(he started in NH, had been through there, VT, NY, IL, IN, KY, and then into MS(if I remember correctly), since his departure in late Aug/early Sept. His blog is at Wagonteamster.com(going from memory here, but you can surely google it)...I had SOOO enjoyed the quiet, everyday 'adventures', and the welcoming attitudes of virtually everyone along the way were so reassuring to me--that we haven't TOTALLY lost the kind of decency that I can recall being so much more widespread when I was a kid...and then, this. It just makes me SICK and sad.
This is clearly a kind and gentle man who attended to his horses with care and concern. Go to his blog and see for yourself.
He and the remaining animals are so much in my prayers, and in my heart.
Margo in New Mexico--who has lived long enough that when I was a kid, I could be gone ALL DAY on my horse and my parents didn't have to worry! How SADLY the world has changed...
(Came back to edit and add, from a driver on the CD-L, a link to photos of the remains of his wagon...he'd built it himself, it was literally a horsedrawn RV--horrifying how little is left.
Posted 2009-02-11 10:22 PM (#99312 - in reply to #99299) Subject: RE: Fellow that was driving the country
Regular
Posts: 64 Location: Paulding Ohio
Oh thanks for making sense of it,,,and having the news to tell it right,,, was from NH, but at least others are hearing of him and hope he gets better soon
Posted 2009-02-12 9:08 AM (#99345 - in reply to #99299) Subject: RE: Fellow that was driving the country
Expert
Posts: 2615
I wonder where Bob is hospitalized in Mississippi?
Sadly,not enough trauma centers in these rural states like MS and AR,ect.Looks as if he was in an out of the way location.
Hope that he is getting top notch care for his major injuries.Wish him all the best,and I know many prayers are being said for Bob and his team of survivors.
Posted 2009-02-12 9:13 AM (#99346 - in reply to #99275) Subject: RE: Fellow that was driving the country
Location: Central Arkansas
I had an email sent to me that said that he was in the best hospital in Meridian. We have placed him on several prayer lists and encourage everyone else to do the same.
Posted 2009-02-12 5:35 PM (#99394 - in reply to #99275) Subject: RE: Fellow that was driving the country
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1069 Location: MI.
He did something alot of us would have at least wanted to try in our life time. I can identify with his outlook on life. As I age, I invision a more simple life and a richer life by being surrounded by true family, true friends, and critters who are always there no matter what.