This message is from: "Les D" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Joels story about " no brakes " reminded me about a job I did in Downtown Los Angeles 26 years ago. I was giving free rides in a VERY steep part with a all oak and steel wagon ( about 2500 lb. empty ) that we could get about 24 people on. I was pulling it with a nice, well broke, 4 up of P.O.A."s that I had started myself. I had a person riding and heading on the back seat. My plan was to work across the area so that I did not have to face the hills ( not up or down ). Every thing went well tell we turned on this one street and I came to the end where it hit a one way street going down hill. I had no choice but to turn my horses down hill. The horses were great at holding this wagon back but there is limits and our brakes were not working. I had to let them go and hope to pull them in at the bottom of the hill. The next problem was at the next cross street was 2 men in 2 cars talking in the middle of the street, I yelled at them and they disappeared. Next problem the bottom of the hill was one of the main streets in L A. . We hit it just right and slipped into traffic. I looked back and all the people had that wonderful smile of a great " E " ride but I needed a clothes change. My helper was not a horse person so even she was happy but didn't know the truth. The horses were barefoot so we were though for the day. It was one of the scariest rides of my over 30 year pro work no one got hurt but the wheel team did not need trimming for a while ( no horse was sore ). Brakes are the only way to go with a heave wagon or??. Les & Margaret H. Callahan,Ca
