MAN AND DOG VISIT 18 CITIES IN 22 DAYS ON HORSEBACK

CAIRO, Ill. -- Sundance is no stranger to horseback riding.

"We've been riding together since he was a pup," said Randy Scheidling.

Scheidling of Cairo was speaking literally.

Sundance is a six-year-old half Blue-Heeler dog, and he's as "at-home" in the saddle as he is sitting in the shade of the nearest tree.

Scheidling and Sundance will embark today from Cairo on a 240-mile cross-country ride that will take them horseback through 19 cities in three states.

The 22-day event, the "Always a River Ride," is designed to deliver invitations from Cairo Mayor James Wilson to mayors and citizens of the tri-state area to join in the festivities when the "Always A River" museum barge visits Cairo Sept. 2.

The museum craft 152 feet long and 34 feet wide features a theater and a variety of permanent exhibitions and local history artifacts. It left Pittsburgh, Pa., June 16, and is making its way down the Ohio River.

"We'll leave Cairo some time this afternoon on our cross-country route," said Scheidling. "We'll be holding a press conference on the First Bank & Trust Co. parking lot at noon."

Sundance rides a seven-year-old Appaloosa horse named "Swifty." Scheidling's mount is a nine-year-old quarterhorse named "Style."

"The route will go through the immediate Southeast Missouri area, Southern Illinois and West Kentucky," said Scheidling. "It will be a cross-country, pioneer style, old-west type horseback journey."

The duo will be in Charleston Tuesday at 9 a.m. and visit Sikeston about 4 p.m. They will be in Morley Wednesday, Scott City Thursday and Cape Girardeau Friday.

The Illinois portion of the ride will take the riders into Reynoldsville, Aug. 18; Anna, Aug. 19; and Cobden, Aug. 20. Other Illinois cities on the route include Carbondale (Aug. 21), Carterville (Aug. 22), Marion (Aug. 23), New Burnside (Aug. 25), Golconda (Aug. 27), and Metropolis (Aug. 28). Following visits to Paducah, Ky. (Aug. 30), LaCenter, Ky. (Sept. 1), and Wickliffe, Ky. (Sept. 2), Scheidling and Sundance will return to Cairo Sept. 2.

Long rides are old hat for Scheidling and Sundance.

"We've ridden over 2,000 miles together," said Scheidling. "The longest ride together was a 1,000-mile jaunt between Champaign, Ill. and Denver, Colo."

Scheidling acquired Sundance during an earlier horseback ride, from Cairo to California.

"He was a five-week old puppy at that time," said Scheidling. "His mother was a Blue Heeler."

Scheidling also fulfilled one of his fondest dreams during one of his treks West.

"I wanted to meet Louis L'amour, the western writer," said Scheidling. "On May 13, 1986, Mr. L'amour and his son, Bo, took me to dinner.

The "Always A River" celebration is a 981-mile, six-state festival to honor the Ohio River.

"Always a River, The Ohio River and the American Experience," was designed to interpret the history, industry and culture of the river. It is intended as a celebration that includes the barge-based museum exhibition, book discussion-reading programs, education programs and a watercolor exhibit.

The fifth of a five-part book discussion will be held at the Cairo Public Library at 7 p.m. Thursday. Jo Ann Nast, curator of history at the Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Museum, will present Thursday's program, titled, "Oral History For the Local Historical Society."

"The book programs were designed to stimulate local interest in the history of our region," said Cairo Librarian Louis Ogg. "Through the programs we have focused attention on the area, particularly that which pertains to the Ohio River."

The choice of a barge as an exhibition site has attracted large crowds at each of its ports of call, which started June 16 at Pittsburgh. Other stops have been made at cities in Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana.

The barge museum will be in Evansville, Ind., Aug. 15. During the final weeks of the tour, the museum will visit Henderson, Ky.; Mt. Vernon, Ind.; Golconda, Ill; Paducah, Ky. on Aug. 30, with arrival at Cairo, Ill., Sept. 2.