The July 25, 2014 Volume 2 Country Editor Number 14 Just good reading Delivered by the U.S. Post Office to over 26,000 homes in Herkimer County each week Journey Along the Erie Canal - raising awareness with every peddle by Al Dorantes Fortune 500 companies, schools and years ago. “It’s something my wife and their group of 12 riders. The group sol- When someone asks you to go on a other organizations across the coun- I can do together.” Doug explained that diered on; proving their point. bike ride it is usually not a 360 mile try, and around the world. John, Doug some of their obstacles along the way Journey 3 trek across the State of New York. Hamlin, a quadriplegic, and a team included weather and nine flat tires for Some riders regularly participate in consisting of family are tackling the rides including some who make the 360 from Tonawanda to Albany. trip from Buffalo to Albany as part of John and Doug are not alone on the Cycling the Erie Canal Bike Tour. their trip. They are joined on the ride But two intrepid, disabled riders, John by their families as well as other rid- Robinson and Doug Hamlin are push- ers. Along the way many ARC groups ing the envelope even farther with their have joined to peddle in support. Kevin Journey Along the Erie Canal. Crosley, President/CEO of Herkimer The Journey Along the Erie Canal ARC explained that the journey crosses New York along the Canalway received great support from NYSARC trail. Starting in Tonawanda and end- because of its 65th anniversary. It is ing in Albany John Robinson, Doug also Herkimer ARC’s 45th anniversary. Hamlin, and their team are biking the Both groups sponsored the Journey. 360 miles to prove that there is ability Crosley said, “The Journey Along the in each of us. The goal is to raise local, Erie Canal is a great opportunity to regional and national awareness and show how people with disabilities can to raise funds for adaptive sports, edu- participate in everyday activities. It’s cation and employment support for all about a mindset and positive atti- people with disabilities. John tude.” Robinson was born a congenital Doug Hamlin explained that his amputee and his inspirational story recumbent bike’s 30 gears and cus- shows cements what is possible for tomized fiber seat by Invacare allow people with disabilities. John is a moti- him to average 35 miles per day. Doug Hamlin cruises into Rotary Park at Little Falls Harbor. vational speaker and has spoken to Hamlin discovered bike riding a couple Photos by Al Dorantes me that, “old dogs often wander off to die.” Alice but standing up looked painful and now much more A chance to say walked down the road to Patches’ pond but she didn’t of a chore. He could no longer be let out by himself. I see anything. Several hundred yards behind our hooked him to a long rope but he managed to get it house there’s a deep ravine that carries a creek that wrapped around everything in the yard. I realized that good-bye runs into the Hyder. If Rufus had walked that far and while the ground was still soft it was time to say good- Ed. note: Part one of A chance to say good-bye was slipped into the ravine he’d never have the strength to bye. He had some good meals those last few days: sar- printed in the July 18, 2014 issue of The Country climb out. I didn’t think he’d wander that far but it dines and scrambled eggs and pork with gravy. I took Editor. was a possibility. him for a long slow walk through the fields and sat by Terry Berkson At the ravine, the first pass I made was along a with him for a while when we got home, feeling guilty A couple of times in the night I thought I heard barbed wire fence where I could see part way down to about times I had ignored him. Rufus bark but when I went to the back door he was- the water. I didn’t expect to find my dog there but to The weather was still warm and wet and the ground n’t there. In the morning it was colder and still rain- be sure I climbed through the fence so that I could see was soft as I began to dig a grave in the hedgerow in ing. Once again I put on my poncho and went out all the way down to the bottom. It began to rain hard- back of the barn. I dug down deep past the loam and looking. Alice retraced my steps from the night before. er as I walked along the wall of the ravine. It was slip- fat granddaddy worms. That night I clipped Rufus’s We thought by now that our dog was gone but still we pery and I kept losing my footing and falling to the nails and cleaned his ears as he lay still and obedient had to find him. ground. Something down below and across the creek for the thousandth time. The next day was a Tuesday With his weak caught my eye. It was a fair, dog-sized heap lying in and heavy rain was forecast for the afternoon. hind legs I the dark wet leaves. As I grew nearer I saw that it was I didn’t want to be burying my dog in mud so I thought he might Rufus. He had died out here in the rain lost and alone. called our vet, Pam Lea, early only to find that she have slipped I had missed being with him at the end. It seemed was closed that day. With the rain coming I didn’t down a steep crazy but I started whistling as loud as I could as I want to wait so Alice called and made an appoint- bank and didn’t walked toward him. When I was about 20 yards away ment with the vet in West Winfield. have the strength Rufus raised his head and I hurried to him. He was to climb back up. soaked and exhausted just lying there without A chance 4 There were three enough energy to wag his tail. I hadn’t been optimistic Customer Postal possible places enough to bring along a leash so I took off my belt and Local with that kind of slipped it under his collar. I hoisted him up and prac- terrain. While tically dragged him across the creek, up the side of *****************ECRWSSEDDM**** checking the first the ravine and through two hay lots to the house. a neighbor saw When inside I dried him off with towels and dressed RETAIL EDDM me walking in the two deep cuts he must have gotten passing through PAID rain and joined in barbed wire. He could hardly stand up to eat but POSTAGE U.S. the search telling when he was finished he went to sleep for a long time. ECRWSS After a couple of days Rufus regained some strength STD PRSRT A2 • July 25, 2014 THE COUNTRY EDITOR THE COUNTRY EDITOR July 25, 2014 • A3 Little League Baseball: developing major-league people for 75 years (NAPSI) — Here’s intriguing news for parents, their League Baseball and Softball can proudly say it young athletes and anyone interested in America’s develops major-league people,” said Stephen D. past and present: The world’s largest youth sports Keener, Little League President and CEO. “We are so organization is celebrating its Diamond Anniversary. thrilled to be celebrating the 75th Anniversary of From its humble beginnings in 1939 in Williamsport, Little League and look forward to continuing our PA, with 30 players to today’s reach of more than 2.4 legacy of helping children develop strong character million players and 1 million adult volunteers in on and off the field.” every U.S. state and more than 80 other countries, The anniversary will be celebrated at the 7,000 Little League has continued to thrive by sticking to leagues around the world, and the millions of volun- its fundamental values-community, family, friendly teers, alumni, families and players are encouraged to competition, and relationships that last a lifetime. share in the celebration on social media with the offi- To celebrate, the organization is rolling out an cial hashtag: #LittleLeague75. This year also marks exciting slate of programs beginning with the Little other major milestones, with the celebrations of the League Big Legacy Project. This creates a unique, 40th Anniversary of Little League Softball, 25th digital baseball mosaic with images spanning 75 Anniversary of the Little League Challenger Division years of Little League memories. and 15th Anniversary of the Little League Urban “Over the course of our rich 75-year history, Initiative. Little League founder Carl Stotz (middle, back row) through the many life lessons learned on the dia- For more information, visit www.LittleLeague.org and the Lycoming Dairy Little League team pose for monds, from notable athletes to incredible entertain- or see facebook.com/LittleLeague or their first team photo in 1939, Little League’s inaugu- ers, writers, philanthropists and citizens, Little twitter.com/LittleLeague . ral year, in Lycoming, PA. Harley helps put electric motorcycles in spotlight PRINCETOWN, NY (AP) — of-the-art electric motorcycles optional. Harley-Davidson’s unveiling of on the West Coast. There are no tailpipe emis- its prototype electric motorcy- A recent study by Navigant sions, no clunking pistons, no cle LiveWire is likely to give a Research anticipates sales of crankshaft, no oil leaks, no boost to smaller companies electric motorcycles worldwide vibration and virtually no already producing plug-in will grow to 1.2 million this maintenance save new tires bikes.