Charles Hedge makes a stop at Bainbridge Grain to water and rest his horses Cocoa and Rocky before heading toward Fillmore. He is driving his horse and wagon from Raccoon to Martinsville partly as a protest against high gas prices. [Click to enlarge]

It took him about two hours to travel the 11 miles.

He was traveling by horse and wagon, and Bainbridge was the first stop on his planned two-day trip of 55 miles to Martinsville.

The sign on the back of his wagon says it all, "I'm saving fuel, are you?"

Hedge, who is retired, decided to take the trip partly as a protest for the high price of diesel fuel for his truck.

"This time last year I was paying $1.83 a gallon. Today it costs me $4.89 a gallon. I can't afford to drive my truck," said Hedge.

He has wanted to visit his cousin in Martinsville for a while, and decided to travel by horse and wagon. At the same time, he thought using horsepower would help make people aware that there are some alternatives to paying high prices for gas.

"If everybody would take their vacations within a 25-mile range of home that might help the government take notice. If the big tourist spots aren't getting business they are going to complain, maybe the government will listen to them," he said.

Along with his two horses Cocoa and Rocky, Hedge plans to take back roads to Fillmore today, spending the night in a grass lot so his horses can rest.

Both of his horses are good road animals.

Rocky has been with Hedge a long time and is used to pulling the wagon, being ridden and helping with farm chores.

Cocoa was always a working farm horse. When Hedge purchased the part Belgian, he had to work with her to get her comfortable on the road.

Now, both are road warriors.

Hedge lost another horse last summer when his wagon was struck in the rear by a car. Rocky was knocked unconscious and Hedge's wife Caroline had her leg broken. His favorite horse was killed.

Since then, Caroline doesn't really travel far in the wagon. She has on occasion ridden in the back of the wagon that has canvas sides, a water supply, bed and portable kitchen.

Hedge created the covered wagon by adding a waterproof canvas top and sides that he can close it in bad weather.

"If it rains, I'll get wet," he said with a laugh. "But I'll pull the curtains and everything inside will stay dry."

Some of the roads he will travel down on his way to Fillmore, Eminence, Paragon and finally Martinsville include Turkey Neck, Buffalo and Shoestring Roads.

Today he plans to arrive in Martinsville, where he will spend a few days visiting his cousin before heading back to Raccoon.

"I'm retired, want to visit my cousin and can't afford diesel gas for my truck so I'm going by horse and wagon. It's just a way to bring awareness to people about gas prices," Hedge said. "People need to keep protesting and not stop until gas is below $2 a gallon again."