Hello Everyone,

Okay, here is my miscellaneous (ignorant if you will) question of the day,
related to all manner of my relations before the 1920s, and the type of
question related to "what is reasonable courting" distance.

I am interested in how long it would take an average horse with rider to
travel under good conditions -- moderate temperatures, sunny, dry amd cleared
road, rolling, hilly countryside with no steep climbs, rural road, not a
major thoroughfare with congestion, lots of wagons, stream water available
along the way, etc. -- a moderate distance of about 10 miles at (1) leisurely
pace -- going to visit Aunt Jane and cousin Sally; and (2) emergency pace --
going to get midwife/Dr for accident, birthing, etc.

I have the same question if the travel was made with your basic farm wagon,
which I assume, perhaps incorrectly, would slow things down at the longer
distances in particular.

Since I know nothing about horse stamina, would a distance of 20 to 30 miles
be far enough to start to lower the miles per hour ratio?  By how much?

I know that at one point a while back this was discussed but I couldn't find
it (easily) in the archives, so apologize for the repetition.  Plus we might
have some new subscribers wondering about the feasibility of their ancestors
seeming to be in two distant places within a couple of days.

(Am holding in abeyance question on how long it would take one to sail from
say Mobjack Bay across the Bay to Cape Charles, and the reverse route, also
under ideal conditions with an average small sailboat in good condition --
but if anyone wants to hold forth...).

Thanks in Advance...

Best Regards,
Janet (Baugh) Hunter




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