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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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)
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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.
.
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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
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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.
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