Vol. 15, Issue 3 May - June 2013 MOTHER LODE UNIT MATTERS P O BOX 2088 ELK GROVE CA 95759-2088 Backcountry Horsemen of California www.bchcalifornia.org PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE It is so refreshing to see so many new members. Our membership coordinator, Daryl Shankles, tells us we have 100 memberships now! Several of our members are taking cross cut saw and chain saw training in May. We hope to have opportunities this summer to practice our skills. We have tentatively set the th weekend of June 29 as our Tells Creek work party when we will clear the Two Peaks trail. Watch for more information about our schedule in the next few weeks. I hope you can join us in our Gentle Use Camp at Horse Expo the weekend of June 7-9. We will have Dutch Oven demonstrations as well as High Line and Knot demonstrations. There will also be a Kid’s Korner and Metal Mule Packing. I’ll be sending out a proposed schedule soon and hope you can sign up to assist during the weekend. th The weekend following Horse Expo will be our 40 Anniversary Celebration Wine Ride at Skillman. We still have room so contact Norma to make your reservation. The Wilderness Program Manager for the Pacific Ranger District, Jon Erickson, joined us for our April meeting. We hope to work with Jon in August and September providing pack support for a couple of projects he has scheduled. We will not be meeting in May as a number of our members will be attending Mule Days in Bishop. th Our next meeting will be on June 24 in the Red Hawk Casino Buffet meeting room. The meeting will begin at 7:00. Please plan to arrive no later than 6:30 to order your dinner. Remember to “Keep Your Leather Side Up and Your Steel Side Down”! God Bless America! See you on the trail . . . . Mike Kohlbaker BACKCOUNTRY HORSEMEN OF CALIFORNIA PHILOSOPHY AND PURPOSE To perpetuate the common sense use and enjoyment of horses in America’s backcountry and wilderness. To work to insure that public lands remain open to recreational stock use. To assist the various government and private agencies in their maintenance and management of said resource. To educate, encourage and solicit active participation in the wise use of the backcountry resource by horsemen And the general public commensurate with our heritage. MLU SPEAKERS AT MOTHER LODE RANCH by Lucy Badenhoop Julie Schmitz (a new member of MLU) requested someone from our unit speak to her 4H group on 20 April 2013 at their weekend campout. Two members (Carrie Johnen and Lucy Badenhoop) volunteered to speak to the group of 20-30 campers. The audience was primarily riders age 9-19 and some attending parents. Carrie spoke Saturday evening by explaining who we represented (BCHA, BCHC and MLU) and gave a little background about our work with public land managers and preserving equestrian trails. Then she launched into the concepts of gentle use and leave no trace. She passed out a tri-fold brochure downloaded from www.LNT.org which addressed the seven principles of outdoor ethics. Lucy spoke Sunday morning and focused on the youngster’s safety practices in the backcountry. She encouraged riders to carry a fanny pack with 48 hours worth of emergency supplies that stayed on their person if they lost their horse. She also emphasized the importance of everyone to carry a compass and a whistle, plus other ways to help searchers find them. She passed out a checklist of items to be included in the fanny pack. 1 Speakers (continued from page 1) Both speakers were enthusiastically received and it was impressive that such a large group of young people could maintain a 30-minute attention span quietly…..twice. live mules with a teaching assistant. Afterward, lunch was spiced with tall tales about packing mishaps. Dru Barner is located just above Georgetown and is heavily treed. The campsites are large, some with corrals. There are central water faucets, vault restrooms, trash bins, and bear proof food lockers. TRAIL RIDE AND WINE TASTING CELEBRATING 40 YEARS -- SKILLMAN HORSE CAMP JUNE 15-16, 2013 Limited to the first 56 horses. Rain or Shine. No Refunds. Horse water available. Participants should bring chairs. Reservation Deadline June 1, 2013 — No On-site Registration-Includes: -Nights of Camping (Friday & Saturday) — 7:30 - 9:00 am The Mother Lode Ranch is a spectacular setting for this type gathering. It’s a 300-acre cattle ranch in the foothills near Sonora CA with lots of oak trees. Don and Laura Rumsey graciously share their home almost every weekend with various non-profit groups wishing to conduct campout fund raisers. Don Rumsey has long been a supporter of trail preservation efforts in California. He also preserves the early modes of Western transportation with a collection of antique wagons in his massive carriage house. The collection includes a chuck wagon, stage coach, hearse, doctor’s buggy, 5 covered wagons, and several elegant carriages used for weddings, parades and other special events. DRU BARNER PACKING CLINIC & CAMPOUT by Lucy Badenhoop The monthly MLU horse campout regularly occurs on the third weekend of every month. On March 15-17 a packing clinic was added to the usual mix of camaraderie, potluck meals and trail rides. There were about a dozen campers who stayed the whole weekend, and another dozen came just for the Saturday clinic. — 4:30 - 6:00 pm (Includes souvenir glass) — 6:30 - 7:30 pm — 4:30—10:00 pm — 7:00 - 8:00 pm Cost per Person : With wine tasting $60, without wine tasting $45, Ten and under $20 Saturday Dinner only : (Not including camping, breakfast or ride.) With wine tasting $30 (Includes souvenir glass) ; Without wine tasting $15 Persons under 18 must be supervised by an adult. Participants must sign a Release of Liability Highway 20 ~ North East of Nevada City. Contact: Norma 916-424-8105 or Email: [email protected]. Frank Henderson shared his wealth of information on securing panniers using the relatively simple box hitch method. He was assisted by several experienced packers, like Jere Schaeffer and Randy Kirkbride who brought his metal mules. Mike Kohlbaker also helped, plus he brought his collection of panniers to demonstrate the wide choice of equipment. After the lecture and demonstration, there was a question and answer period, followed by an opportunity to practice on 2 GENERAL MEETING MINUTES SUMMARY APRIL 22, 2013 Placerville, California Introduction of Guests and New Members: Chet and Diane, Linda, Larry, Treva, Lauri, Valerie and Don. Jon Erickson, Wilderness Program Manager, Volunteer and District Trails Coordinator for the Pacific Ranger District, presented Forest Service Volunteer Badges and Patches to members of the Unit and discussed possible projects and expressed appreciation for our volunteer support. He is putting together a map of where the trail signs should go. Members interested in the MLU Youth Group should contact Cathy Andrews. Carolyn Gilmore reported that a display at the Kentucky Horse Park shows the amount of public land lost over time. She encourages members to be diligent and submit comments whenever possible to help preserve our land usage. It is important to ensure equestrians are included in the trail use on the trail going from El Dorado to South Lake Tahoe. Our 40th Anniversary Wine Ride Fundraise will be Saturday, June 15th and includes camping on Friday and Saturday night, breakfast and dinner on Saturday, and wine tasting Saturday afternoon. We will be soliciting donations of wine and would like members to solicit raffle prizes. A 40th Anniversary Banner has been chosen. The Jack Brook Horse Camp fundraiser will be held from Thursday, September 5 to Monday, September 9. There is a $25 reservation fee. We are charging more for non-members and converting their fee into a one year membership. The Unit purchased a screen and speakers for use with our projector. Loomis Basin Horsemen’s Association would like our Unit to give them a presentation. Anyone interested in going along should contact Mike Kohlbaker. Six members attended the Rendezvous in Norco in March. Next year’s Rendezvous will also be in Norco. Unit Funds – Legal and State Grants: (Mike Kohlbaker): Becky Wolk made a motion that the Unit place 10% of Unit fundraiser profits (including 50/50 raffles) into a Unit Legal Fund and that 5% of Unit fundraiser profits be donated to the State Grant Fund. Randy Hackbarth seconded and the motion passed. Chain Saw Training has been offered to us by the USFS through the Pacific Crest Trail Association, May 11th & 12th. Participants must have a valid first aid/CPR certificate and be pre-registered. Three of our members are attending. There will be a Trail Skills College near Quincy, CA, May 18th 19th. Go to www.pcta.org and look for Plumas Trail Skills College to register on line. On March 6th, Jere Schaeffer, Daryl Shankles, and Mike Kohlbaker attended a meeting of the Cosumnes River Horsemen’s Association (CRHA) and showed the BCHC video. A number of CRHA members joined MLU. BCHC Past President and current Membership Coordinator, Chip Herzig, has taken a board position with PCTA. Daryl Shankles reported our membership as 46 families, 43 Individuals, 8 Associates, 2 Benefactors and 1 Patron. Al Kaiser/Jerry Heitzler announced that clearing at Tells Creek will be June 29, if the snow is gone. The May ride will be North Bay Unit’s Spring Ride May 17th 19th in Potter Valley. Lucy Badenhoop has been writing the trail ride articles for the newsletter and requests that members share photos and names with her for future articles. A Western State Safe Trail Alliance has been formed to advocate for ensuring trails remain safe for hikers and equestrians. BCHC is considering support. This year’s Fun Ride at Dru Barner will be on May 26th. The raffle winner donated her winnings, $91, to the Unit. Our next meeting will be June 24, 2013 at Red Hawk Casino Buffet Meeting Room. Members should plan to arrive by 6:15 to have dinner prior to our 7:00 PM meeting. 3 PT REYES NATIONAL SEA SHORE RIDE LORI OLDFATHER (1962 – 2013) Lori passed away on March 14, at the age of 50 at her home in Lodi. She was a Game Warden for the California Department of Fish and Game for 25 years before her retirement. Her last assignment was as a K-9 handler. She was involved in “California Becoming an OutdoorWoman” activities. She loved fishing, hunting and all things dogs and horses. For many years Lori spent her summers as a backcountry cook and wrangler at Rock Creek Pack Station. Coast Trail, Pt Reyes We will be riding at Pt. Reyes October 18 – 20 and staying at Stewart Horse Camp. Stewart’s has flush toilets and hot showers. Water faucets for the horses are scattered around. There is room for portable corrals and you can highline from poles. You can ride from camp—there are many trails—or trailer to the visitor’s center and ride from there. We will be sharing the weekend with other clubs from the Sacramento area, so get your reservation in early. Pay when you get there. No dogs. Call Amanda at (415) 663-1362. She was a member of the Mother Lode Unit and we will miss her. SAVE TIME AND MONEY--SHOP ONLINE! Earn cash back while shopping from home! Search for deals such as free shipping, instant savings, coupons, and more by visiting www.zamzuu.com/bchc Some of the key features you’ll find on the BCHC shopping website include: Apparel and Accessories, Automotive, Electronics, Health and Beauty, Home and Garden, and Movies, Music and Entertainment. The Ultimate Shopping Experience! Please help make this exciting new program a success for the Backcountry Horsemen of California. Children Writing About the Ocean. If you are surrounded by ocean, you are an island. If you don't have ocean all round you, you are incontinent. (Mike, age 7) When ships had sails, they used to use the trade winds to cross the ocean. Sometimes when the wind didn't blow the sailors would whistle to make the wind come. My brother said they would have been better off eating beans. (William, age 7) Greenpicker Trail, Pt. Reyes Some fish are dangerous. Jellyfish can sting. Electric eels can give you a shock. They have to live in caves under the sea where I think they have to plug themselves in to chargers. (Christopher, 7) 4 WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Many of these folks came to us through our outreach to the Cosumnes River Horsemens Association (CRHA) or by way of our Pack Clinic. Jennifer Berz, Joe and Michael Ray Brown, Lola Drouin, Elizabeth Duthie, Cynthia and Dennis Eyler, Donna Jones Furlow, Leslie Graves, Linda Green, Randy Kirkbride, Teresa and Tom McGonigle, Kathy and Dan McPherson, Russell and Brenda Niesz, Jan Parigini, Jane Patterson and Dave Murray, Brittany Peasley, Mike and Kathy Reed, Janis and Richard Reid, Julie, Terry, & Justin Schmitz, Ruth Spindler, Lori VanArman and Joe Wisner, VISA AND MASTERCHARGE CREDIT CARD SCAM This warning is from www.Snopes.com. By understanding how this scam works, you'll be better prepared to protect yourself. The scam works like this: Person calling says - 'This is (name) and I'm calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My Badge number is 12460, your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I'm calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card which was issued by (name of bank). Did you purchase an AntiTelemarketing Device for $497.99 from a marketing company based in Arizona?' When you say 'No', the caller says 'Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching, and the charges range from $297 to $497, just under the $500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address). Is that correct?' You say 'yes'. The caller continues - 'I will be starting a Fraud Investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 1- 800 number listed on the back of your card (1-800-VISA) and ask for Security. You will need to refer to this Control Number. The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. 'Do you need me to read it again?' Here's the IMPORTANT part on how the scam works - The caller then says, 'I need to verify you are in possession of your card'. He'll ask you to 'turn your card over and look for some numbers'. There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are part of your card number, the last 3 are the Security Numbers that verify you are in possession of the card. The caller will ask you to read the last 3 numbers to him. After you tell the caller the 3 numbers, he'll say, 'That is correct, I just needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?' After you say no, the caller then thanks you and states, 'Don't hesitate to call back if you do', and hangs up. You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the card number. But after we were called, we called back within 20 minutes to ask a question. We were glad we did! The REAL VISA Security Department told us it was a scam and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase of $497.99 was charged to our card. We made a real fraud report and closed the VISA account. VISA is reissuing us a new number. The real VISA told us that they will never ask for anything on the card, as they already know the information, since they issued the card! A RUGGED ADVENTURE RECREATION SPORT By Don Hess, Mother Lode Member On Sunday, February 24, my horse Cody (a 10 year old Arabian gelding) shied while riding at the Sacrament0 Valley Conservancy's Deer Creek Hills and I sustained a 2 mm fracture to the distal portion of the ring finger of my right hand after the unscheduled dismount. On Saturday, May 4, we had 14 riders total - 10 riders and 4 docents including myself. I left at the 3/4 point as Cody didn't want to move out and was bothered by something. He stumbled on a different section of Deer Creek Hills and went down on his front knees then rolled onto his right side. Unfortunately, I didn't remove my boot from the stirrup. After I came off, another couple decided they wanted to go back early--which turned out to be a Godsend as I rode his horse and he led Cody who was fine. I gave Cody a bath back at the trailer, put him in, drove back to our barn, unloaded him, unhooked the trailer and went home to put my foot up with ice. Better living through radiation showed a fracture to the distal right fibula. So I have a cast on my right ankle for the next 6 to 8 weeks. Crutches are a drag. I'm using a travel type wheelchair right now and have a knee slider. (Wait until he puts a motor on it! He likes motorcycles, you know!). I get 6-8 weeks to ponder how I got this way. Cody is fine but I think he doesn't like my right side. I'm having a friend work with Cody to keep him going. I'm going to miss riding at Tells Creek this year but it's just too soon for Cody. . 5 2013 MOTHER LODE UNIT OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE Email: [email protected] BOARD Webpage: www.bchmlu.org Officers President V. President Secretary Treasurer State Director Alt. Director Membership Editor Webmaster Mike Kohlbaker (916) 424-8105 Kathy Goodrich (916) 835-8498 Norma Kohlbaker (916) 424-8105 Cheryl Kaiser (916) 687-7094 Mike Kohlbaker (916) 424-8105 Appointed as Necessary Daryl Shankles (530) 558-0060 Corky Layne (530) 589-6914 Carrie Johnen (209) 245-5617 Board Members At Large Bob Gilmore Jere Schaeffer (530) 620-4994 (530) 919-6019 [email protected] Cathy Andrews Mike Kohlbaker Ron Akers Bob Gilmore Carolyn Gilmore Cordell Van Rees Mike Kohlbaker Kathy Goodrich Mike Kohlbaker Jere Schaffer Becky Wolk Al Kaiser Jerry Heitzler (916) 358-6179 (916) 424-8105 (916) 965-4023 (530) 620-4994 (530) 620-4994 (916) 956-4657 (916) 424-8105 (916) 835-8498 (916) 424-8105 (530) 919-6019 (530 )622-1907 (916) 687-7094 (530) 391-6822 [email protected] [email protected] Committee Chairs Education Horse Expo Public Lands Rendezvous Rides Trail Projects [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] COMING EVENTS (You must be a current member of BCHC to participate in any unit’s activity involving animals.) 5/21-26 5/26 6/7-9 6/14-15 6/24 6/29-30 7/6-7 7/12-27 7/19-21 8/16-18 9/5-9 9/19-22 10/18-20 Mule Days, Bishop, Fairgrounds. The Veerkamp’s will host a Friday Night Ice Cream Social. ML Fun Ride, Dru Barner Horse Expo, Cal Expo, Sacramento (ML Gentle Use Camp) ML Wine Ride Fundraiser, Skillman Horse Camp. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. Contact Kathy Goodrich ML Red Hawk Casino Buffet meeting room. Order dinner at 6:30, meeting at 7:00. ML work party at Tells Creek (assuming no snow.) Call Al Kaiser or Jerry Heitzler. Poker Rides, Weaverville. Contact Dorothy Foster (530-589-4624) State Fair, Cal Expo, Sacramento ML Tells Horse Camp ride/camp out ML Robie Park weekend ride ML Fundraiser Ride, Jack Brook Horse Camp . Contact Norma Kohlbaker. RESERVATION REQUIRED. Draft Horse Classic, Nevada County Fairgrounds, Grass Valley ML Pt. Reyes Ride, Stewart Horse Camp. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED: Amanda 415-663-1362 6 Mother Lode Members relaxing at Dru Barner Horse Camp MOTHER LODE UNIT BACKCOUNTRY HORSEMEN OF CALIFORNIA P O BOX 2088 ELK GROVE CA 95759-2088 TO: This is the official publication of the Mother Lode Unit of Backcountry Horsemen of California. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the board. Your articles, comments, and suggestions are solicited. 7
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