Two Roseau men aren’t heading through a desert on a horse with no name, but they are traversing northern Minnesota in a covered wagon.
While Clayton Skoien and Ernie Meyers may not make it quite as far as the iconic American Old West, the duo were in the middle of their journey Monday in horse-drawn covered wagons.
“It is something I’ve wanted to do for many years,” Skoien said of the idea behind the trip.
After retiring from Polaris Industries in Roseau a few weeks ago, Skoien seized the opportunity to check the trip off his bucket list. This spring, he built the covered wagon he is traveling in, complete with a generator-operated refrigerator and microwave.
“Once the bugs weren’t as bad, we took off,” he told The Journal this week. “We’ve been on the road about a week and two days.”
As of Monday, the wagon already had 150 miles on it, but Skoien said it’ll be a shorter trek home.
“When we came up, we went through Littlefork,” he said. “I know a lot of people over there so Friday when I came through we all got together and had a bonfire.”
Skoien said he used to show horses at the Northern Minnesota District Fair in Littlefork, and is no stranger to the Borderland area.
“I did that for many years,” he said of showing horses. “That is how I know everybody up here.”
Skoien said he approached longtime friend Meyers about accompanying him on the journey.
“We spend a lot of time together,” Skoien said. “I’m really happy he is with me. It is better than doing this all alone.”
Meyers said he agreed.
“I’m having a great time,” he said. “Plus, (Skoien) needed someone to haul all the feed.”
The pair praised the weather, especially since the cooler temperatures are easier on the horses.
“We did hit some rain,” Meyers said. “That wasn’t too enjoyable.”
Next year, Skoien says he hopes to extend the trip down toward the Bemidji area.
“This is something I hope to do every year,” he said.
The pair kicks off their daily trek around 6:30 a.m. with the goal to be on the road by 8 a.m.
“We go until about noon and then we take a two-hour break,” Skoien said. “Then we go until about 6 p.m.”
Of course, the trip wouldn’t be possible without the help of four very important engines. Skoien rides behind “Belle” and “Beauty” and Meyers travels with “Louie” and “Lulu.”
“It is definitely cheap on gas,” Skoien laughs.
Both Skoien and Meyers agreed the people they have met along their journey tops the list as “the best part.”
“Everyone waves,” Meyers said of passing traffic.
“You get to visit with everybody,” Skoien said. “People have been running out to the road and calling their friends and family before we get to places. It’s been great.”
