Man touring the country via horse and wagon comes through East Texas - KTRE.com | Lufkin and Nacogdoches, Texas

Man touring the country via horse and wagon comes through East Texas

By Holley Nees - bio | email

KENNARD, TX (KTRE) - What do you do if you're retired? Build a wagon, get a horse, and tour the country.

"I struck out in my wagon and I'm touring Texas and Arkansas, maybe New Mexico," said James Newton.

The decision to take to the road came easy for Newton.

He reminisced, "My grandpa and I would go to town on an old iron wheel wagon on Saturday to get block ice and he'd buy me a banana nut ice cream cone and I can still hear that old wagon crunching on the gravel going to town."

Now, that gravel, is the endless blacktop of the highway ahead.

"I'm just taking it real slow and day by day and I'm just having a good time and meeting people. It's super," Newton said.

He plans on circling the wagon to see family in Lindale and Sulfur Springs and he gets by with his load of supplies.

"I got some canned goods like pork and beans and spam and stuff that'll keep," he said.  "I got Buster Brown, he's the wagon master," he petted his dog.

He did leave a few things behind. "I thought about bringing a cellular phone and I though, nah, just something else to carry," he said.

Newton has met a few bumps in the road, like when part of his wagon broke.

He prayed, "Lord, I sure could use a little help right along now, I said I'm in bad shape, I need a welder. So, I just got a little ways and saw a great big sign, welding shop."

And he's not worried about the heat.

"Kind of a breeze blows through this wagon it's not good for my horse, but it's good for me, " he said the weather does him good.

"Golly, yeah, all this fresh air and all the relaxation, I don't have [a] water bill, or rent, no wife," he said.

So, how long does he plan on blazing the trails?

"A few years, not too long," he laughed.

Going wherever the heat waves take him.

"I go about three miles an hour. Burning the road up ain't I?" Newton smiled.

Newton said he does have a little money in case an emergency comes up, and he plans to keep going while he's in good health.

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