Gas gouged? Just ride your horse to school

Thursday, May 24, 2007
Jessica Spence (from left), Denise Spence, Harly Spence and Alyssa Garrison reach the intersection of College and Shadowlawn Avenues on horseback on their way to Tzouanakis Intermediate and Deer Meadow Primary schools Thursday.

With gas prices at an all-time high in the state, many people have been looking for alternative methods of getting to a destination.

And three Putnam County students have found the alternative.

But they had to leave a little earlier than normal.

Harly and Jessica Spence, along with Alyssa Garrison, all rode their horses into school Thursday morning as gas prices reached $3.58 per gallon in Greencastle.

Harly, 8, rode Windy while Jessica, 11, rode Stormy. Alyssa, 9, rode Cali from their homes, nearly five miles out of Greencastle.

Both Alyssa and Jessica are students at Tzouanakis Intermediate School while Harly is a student at Deer Meadow Primary.

Jessica Garrison, mother of Alyssa, and Harly and Jessica's mother Denise both said the children were riding the horses to school because of high gas prices.

They said they had to leave home Thursday at 5:30 a.m. in order to make it to school on time.

The girls' mothers accompanied them on their trip Thursday morning and they also received a police escort.

Alyssa is the daughter of Scott Cooksey.

Jessica and Harly's father, Ken, had planned to pick up the horses later Thursday morning.

As of Wednesday, Gov. Mitch Daniels had said despite record prices at the pump, he has not changed his mind about suspending Indiana's 6-cent sales tax on gasoline. However, his administration is attempting to determine whether he could if he wanted to.

The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in Indiana hit a record $3.34 Monday, according to AAA Hoosier Motor Club.

Former Gov. Frank O'Bannon suspended the gasoline tax in July 2000 when prices hit near $1.80 per gallon, which was considered expensive then. The late governor extended the 60-day tax suspension into September before lifting it.

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