Dudley, MA    June 11

The ride north out of Windsor Locks was yet more hills. There I was grinding up still another one, thinking good thoughts, when I looked to my right and saw a sign on a building: Serafin Sulky Co.

What? Sulkies are those small carts that drivers ride on behind trotters and pacers in races. What is a sulky maker doing in Stafford Springs, CT. Besides, aren’t sulky makers creatures of the past?

No they aren’t, said Michael Serafin, who is carrying on what his father started in 1933. “There were tracks all around here but they’ve closed so now most of my business comes from recreational horse driving enthusiasts.”

Serafin is the lone employee. From raw wood to finished vehicle, he makes every cart that leaves his building. He makes road carts, runabouts, pleasure carts, pony carts, show carts, surreys, easy entry carts, jog carts and more. He’s one of less than five in U.S. still making wooden sulkies and carts. The Chinese have moved into the business using metal for the shafts and stealing most of the racing sulky trade.

Later this month he’ll travel to Bird-in-Hand, PA to attend the Lancaster County Carriage & Antique Auction. There he’ll buy and sell carts. http://www.birdinhandauction.com/  

At 69 he’s dismayed that he has no one in training to take over the business. He doesn’t even have a Web site, just word of mouth.

My day ended on the shores of Baker Pond at the home of Gerry and Maureen Frank of Dudley. They’re members of http://www.warmshowers.org/, an international  hospitality Website for touring bicyclists. Gerry was hosted by Warmshowers members on his ride across the southern part of the U.S. last year with his daughter and her husband.

While Maureen, a retired school teacher, cooked a delicious dinner, Gerry talked about their charitable work to help Nepalese women.  He raises money to build schools (about $5,000 each) and works with a micro-lending program for women to start businesses. Gerry travels often to Nepal but Gerry had her first trip this past winter. Their daughter, who is now in her late 20s, went with her father when she was 13.  http://www.edwon.org/

They have also helped an entire Nepalese family to immigrate to the United States, where the two daughters are winning top honors in their schools.

To understand why I'm riding and raising money, please go to the first post--April 26.
To make a donation to the ALSA, please go to: http://web.alsa.org/goto/deirdresride