Covered wagon group will be out riding this weekend in Millville
A covered wagon train may be found touring the rural Millville roads this Saturday and Sunday. The public is invited to come out and catch a glimpse into the old-fashioned way to travel.
By Correne Martin
The Fair Weather Wagon Train is coming to Millville on Saturday and Sunday, June 26-27. Pete and Gail Langmeier will host the wagon train at 14232 Kussmaul Rd. (Mt. Hope address).
The Wagon Train is a group of over a dozen horse-pulled covered wagons and saddle riders who take to the roads of southwest Wisconsin one weekend per month, April through October. Established in 2002, the collective of mostly hand-constructed covered wagons, pulled by teams of horses, travel about 20 miles on Saturdays and about 15 miles on Sundays. Typically, they pull out around 9:30 a.m., and there can be anywhere from five to 15 wagons, as well as a few riders just saddled up on horseback.
The public is invited to come out and watch the wagons ride and take pictures. The rides usually happen rain or shine.
Curt Leis, the Fair Weather Wagon Train coordinator, of Ontario, has been doing this since 1989. He had a friend from Elroy who put on just a couple covered wagon rides per year. When he died in 2002, Leis was asked by another old friend to continue these affairs so they wouldn’t cease to occur.
“I have a list of people I call and whoever can make it, can make it,” Leis said.
He noted the wagons, horses and their drivers come from across the region for this leisure activity, hailing from Soldiers Grove, Viola, Ontario, Baraboo, Readstown, Liberty Pole, Muscoda, Waukon, Prairie du Chien, Dubuque and Janesville.
As first-time hosts to the Wagon Train, the Langmeiers have plenty of room for the wagon, horse and trailer entourage on their rural Millville property. The group will camp overnight and have a potluck both Friday and Saturday nights.
