OKANOGAN COUNTY BACKCOUNTRY HORSEMAN OF WASHINGTON NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2010

Transcription

1 OKANOGAN COUNTY BACKCOUNTRY HORSEMAN OF WASHINGTON NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2010 FROM THE PRESIDENTS CHAIR BY DAVE SWANBERG WOW!!! What a way for a month to end. Our Chapter was asked to host a VIP ride in the Loomis Forest with Peter Goldmark, Commissioner of Public Lands and other VIP s. So we did it and all of us are feeling very accomplished as I write this. On July 27, 2010, we all met at the Disappointment Trailhead. Trygve and Dave Sunde organized the ride and provided the required quantity of horses for our guest riders. Peg and I felt privileged to accompany this group on the ride. We left the trailhead at 9:30 AM and arrived at the Cold Springs campground in tine for the Dutch oven lunch. Gail Sunde and Janet Culp catered the affair with Dutch oven baby back ribs, salads, and pie for dessert. We returned to the trailhead via the Snowshoe trail and the Johnny Bell interconnect trail. The ride took 4+ hours and all the VIP s complemented us a very enjoyable and educational ride. The majority of the VIP s were not aware of the problems we have in the Loomis Forest, i.e., beetles infestation and general forest management. A very fine compliment included words to the effect that this ride would not have been possible three years ago had it not been for the volunteer work done by Okanogan Valley Chapter. I want to personally thank Trygve and Dave for all their hard work in organizing this very important ride. Trygve will have a more detailed article later in the newsletter. My final note, our annual Ice Cream Social continues to be a hit. We had a good turnout consuming all of the ice cream and necessitating a quick run to the grocery store to get more. That s all for now, Happy Trails, Dave

2 HORSESHOE BASIN NON-PACK-IN Things might have not worked out as had been originally planned, but that didn't deter 6 folks from making the best of the situation anyway. Of the 12 that had originally committed to do the pack trip. Teresa Naylor, Vicki Gish, Peggy Swanberg, Trygve Culp, Dave Sunde and Steve McKinney decided it was still worth the effort even though it was changed to car-camping at 14 mile Trailhead. The weather was perfect for camping and riding. On Tuesday the girls took a 4 hour ride to the upper meadows while the guys minded the camp. On Wednesday the entire group rode to the Disappointment Trailhead, on the Johnny Bell cabin, then to the new Johnny Bell cutoff up to the upper Cold Springs Camp Ground for lunch and view admiration. After lunch we picked up the Snowshoe trail and then back to Disappointment Trailhead and 14 Mile. It was a good warm-up ride for the Thursday ride to Horseshoe Basin. Thursday was the really big ride, 18.4 miles if Dave s GPS is correct. We made it through some snow, over Sunny Pass, down into the Basin and out on the Boundary Trail. It was a beautiful ride, the Basin was snow free and beginning to look like spring. We regretted that we had opted out of packing in, but a review of the snow we did cross and other important details reminded us that we would not have made it into the basin with horse feed and tents a week earlier as we had planned to do. It was a 2 adult beverage ride by the time we made it back to camp. We all took turns with meal preparation and clean-up and there was never a shortage of food. Teresa Naylor did her debut camping in her camper, Peggy tried out her itty-bitty tent and purple sleeping bag and found they were acceptable except for the 10 cent garage sale air mattress. Trygve and Dave brought their big tents so we had a sheltered kitchen and warm tent for morning coffee. If you want to know just how much fun we had, just ask one of us. It was a special trip and it has been hard to stop talking about how much fun we had. Send your photos To nrappe@wildblue. net Share the fun And help make The Newsletter Come alive. You may Also mail Your photos Or interesting Articles to Nora Rappe P.O. 453 Malott,Wa 98829

3 Vickie Gish and her Mule sharing the view with you from Horseshoe Basin ride NO-HOST DINNER SATURDAY, AUGUST 28 THERE WILL BE A NO-HOST DINNER AT OROVILLE PIZZA DINNER STARTS AT 6:00 P.M. PLEASE RSVP GAIL SUNDE AT gsunde@starband.net COMING EVENTS Sunday August 8 -Ride Boneparte, 4th of JulyRidge Trail, L1,L2,L3 Wednesday August Hangman Flats Work Party/Packin Saturday Aug 14, Barnell/Bailey Trail Ride L2 Sunday August 15 Barnell /Bailey Trail Clearing Monday August 16 Chapter Officer s Board meeting Wednesday August 18 Monthly Business Meeting 7:00 P.M. Tonasket Senior Center Saturday August 28 No Host Dinner, Oroville Pizza, 6:00 P.M.

4 Okanogan Valley Chapter VIP Ride with Commissioner of Public Lands, Peter Goldmark, and the 7thDistrict Legislators Trygve Culp On Tuesday, July 27 th, members of the Okanogan Valley Chapter hosted Washington Commissioner of Public Lands, Peter Goldmark and 7 th District Legislators, Representatives Shelly Short and Joel Kretz and Senator Bob Morton, for a ride and show me trip through the north block of the Loomis State Forest Natural Resource Conservation Area (NRCA). Also attending were Tim Vugteveen, Loomis State Forest Highlands District Manager and Mitch Friedman, Executive Director of Conservation Northwest. The ride had its beginning when Chapter Legislative Chairman, Dave Sunde, invited our delegation and the Commissioner to visit the Loomis Forest during meetings on Legislative Day in Olympia last February. The primary purposes of the ride and discussions were three-fold: To showcase trail capitol improvement projects made since the NRCA was transferred from the Common School Trust to Conservation Area status in 2000; To point out fire/fuels and other forest management issues that threaten or otherwise impact recreation improvements; and finally, To discuss State-level recreation funding during these austere times. Riding from the new Disappointment Trailhead, Chapter members and our VIP guests rode 4 miles on the Johnny Bell trail to the Cold Springs Vista viewpoint. Following a Chapter catered Dutch oven lunch of pork spare ribs, potato salad, jello salad and dessert prepared by members Gail Sunde and Janet Culp, the riding group returned to the trailhead via a sixmile loop along the Snowshoe and North Fork trails. Among projects visited were the three new, 5 foot wide, multiple user bridges; turnpikes, and rock causeways on the Snowshoe trail between Cold Springs and the Snowshoe Cabin. Turnpikes constructed by the Okanogan Valley Chapter and the recently completed, one and one half mile long reroute of the Johnny Bell trail between the Johnny Bell cabin site and Cold Springs Campground which was completed last summer by Washington Department of Corrections inmate labor crews were also visited. During the ride and at the lunch stop there were many opportunities to engage the Commissioner, Legislators and the WDNR Forest Manager regarding our other focus items. Our concerns about forest health as well as pressing fuels and fire concerns seemed to be universally shared. Prompt solutions to those problems are elusive though, given the areas management restrictions as a Natural Resource Conservation Area. Funding for recreation seems elusive, too. The Commissioner stated that he would again press forward with development (and implementation) of some type of user fee system as well as other ideas for recreation funding put forward by the Sustainable Recreation Advisory Group and others. Recovery of NOVA funding for WDNR is sort of the proverbial hot potato politically speaking. The Commissioner stated that NOVA funding should be reinstated; the Legislators although they agreed were not optimistic that it would happen given the current and anticipated budget woes. The consensus among our VIP guests was that recreation funding will probably become tighter- maybe much tighter - during the next budget State budget biennium. All in all it was a great day. Our guests seemed to be impressed with the collaborative work that volunteer groups, inmate crews and WDNR personnel have accomplished on the Loomis State Forest and we were thanked profusely.

5 JULY 11TH POKER/POTLUCK DINNER RIDE Was held at the peacock meadows with a beautiful sunny day, there were 31 people attending for the ride and or potluck dinner. The poker ride had 28 riders with 26 playing poker. Had a total of $ to split up in to 5 winning hands along with 5 beautiful T shirts, donated by the Okanogan Valley BCH chapter and embroidery work done by Kathy Stafford. The ride was just over 3 hours long with two groups of riders going out about 10 minutes apart. Everyone had a great time with no rider or horse problems. Half way through the ride we had some side entertainment, we had the experience of seeing a very large cinnamon bear. The bear sat in the same location waiting for both groups of riders, being very patient with us. After Frank tried to take some video shots of him, the bear decided he'd had enough and left. After arriving back at the trail head everyone turned in their cards, brought their favorite chair, visited and enjoyed a great potluck dinner, while waiting to see who the winners were for the poker hands. Winners were Marvel, Tom Tugaw, Jody Curry, Bob Quigg, and Peggy Swanberg. I want to thank everyone that helped to set up and put on this ride. It took a number of week ends and volunteers to get it all cleared and ready. So thanks to Sandra & Ernie Walters, Michael Hawley, Frank Oborne, Dave Sunde, and last but not least our great volunteer sign up ladies Gail Sunde, and our cook and lady embroider Kathy Stafford. I would like to see this a yearly affair... Linda O. Hats off to you Kathy Here is a lady that Loves what she does And it is a toss up between Her horses, sewing, quilting And taking care of Mr. Right Way to go Girl!!!

6 Pictures from the Lambert Creek Ride. Quote: When you get where you re goin, the first thing to do is take care of the horse you rode in on

7 LADIES RIDE OR LADIES CAMP-OUT September 8, Wilcox Trailhead,Upper Whistler Canyon This was originally a one day ride and it still can be, or it can be a camp-out. It is up to you. There will be a one day ride on the 8th whether we camp or not. RSVP if you want to do the day ride. And RSVP if you want to cmap. If we camp, there can be a second ride in the opposite direction that ends up on Dry Gulch Road, if you ride clear through to the end. Just let me know what you want to do, but won t be camping up there if nobody else wants to camp. I d be too scared in the dark. RSVP for whatever you want to do at davenpeg@gdimail.net On Saturday July 10, 2010 Peggy and I went up Road 150 to Antoine Trail and cleared the trail to thecabin Trail. We found that there were a lot of trees down at the upper end of the trail near the old cabin. With the Cabin and Antoine trails now cleared, riders can now make a loop ride from the 4th of July Trailhead. Dave Swanberg

8 SHOW YOUR APPRECIATION OF OUR SPONSORS

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10 GOODSEARCH.COM -Never heard of it???? It s a good thing!!!!!. Goodsearch.com is a search engine on your computer. An online product that helps charities and other non profit organizations. BCHA is registered as one of the above You can go to the website and register your computer.. BCHA will earn a penny for every search. And also on purchases. Download their toolbar and check it out. Dave Sunde tried it and said it works as good as Bing or Gooogle, with very little effort, it could mean $$$ in your treasurer. Get back to us and let us know what you think. Thanks TO all of you that Contributed pictures. It is so easy to do. Just them to nrappe@wildblue.net Lu Young enjoying that dessert

11 Directors Report July 2010 Try Trygve Culp, Director, OVC,BCHW I attended the 2nd Quarter Board of Directors Meeting in Ellensburg the 12th of last month. There was quite a bit of information that should be of interest to members. I will try and hit the high points in this report. 1. The special committee Chaired by former BCHW President Dave Jackson reported that a review of all available documentation-as well as interviews with former members of the Tri Rivers Chapter-led the Committee to the conclusion that the Chapter has been dissolved in accordance with that Chapter s by-laws as well as the by-laws of BCHW. A motion was made, seconded and passed to accept the special committee s report. As a result, the Tri Rivers Chapter ceased to exist. Former members of the Tri Rivers Chapter expressed a desire to form a new Chapter in Southern Okanogan County. Stay Tuned. 2. President Darrell Wallace appointed a Chapter Services Committee chaired by former BCHW President Bob Gish to assist newly formed Chapters-as well as established-with a variety of services including, but not limited to: assistance with by-laws, membership recruiting, assistance with IRS and treasury issues, and creation of an education and LNT program. 3. Treasurer Teri Stark recommended that BCHW banking services be consolidated and that additional signatories be added to the checking account. A motion to that affect was made, seconded and passed. 4. Ways and Means Chair, Dave Swanberg, briefed the Board regarding calendar sales. Over the years the calendar program has not earned the amount forecast; the VIP calendar give-away has been especially costly to BCHW with give always totaling nearly one half of what BCHW purchases each year. A motion was made and seconded and passed to charge production cost ($4.00 each) for all VIP calendars. I estimate that it will cost OVC about $48. a year to continue to give the number of VIP calendars that we currently do. Additionally, the Legislative Committee will be debited $800. and the BCHA Directors will be debited $200. for the calendars VIP that they give away each year. Dave also briefed the Board regarding the proposed calendar raffle for A motion was made,seconded and passed to conduct a calendar raffle in Jane Byrum, LNT Chair, briefed the Board on her trip to Washington,DC to receive the National Recreation Trails Coalition educational excellence award on behalf of the BCHW LNT Program. While she, Jeff Chapman and Louise Caywood were in the Capitol, they visited with Senator Murray and several members of Washington Congressional delegation to lobby for trail funding and equestrian access to public lands. 6. During the unfinished business discussion the subject of non-mission donations was discussed. Although BCHW accountant Ken Keddington has stated that Chapters can donate to equestrian activities and events, BCHW President Darrell Wallace cautioned Directors to review their Chapters donation policies carefully as any non-mission donation could draw scrutiny from the IRS and could possibly endanger our 501c3 status. 7. The 2011 Rendezvous Chair Dave Swanberg gave an update on the 2011 event. The name B HW Rendezvous will be used henceforth as the name of the event. If directors or members have vendor suggestions they should contact Vendor Chair Dick bailey at (360) or dbailey@scattercreek.com. Dave also stated that more activities for members will be included at Rendezvous. Stay Tuned

12 VIP ride into the Loomis National Resources Conservation area Among those pictured Are Peter Goldmark Joel Kretz And Other Dignitaries Trygve Culp and Dave Sunde provided The animals used by The visiting VIP s Pictures were Provided by Peg Swanberg

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