Sunday, July 29, 2012

Final Trek Data - Days 8-16





Tuff Enuff Gals
From Central Oregon’s
La Pine Country
Oregon to Wyoming
2012 Horse Trek

July, August & September, 2012
Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming


Check out the postings for Day 8 to Day 16. I kept them chronological.
Also, if you have PowerPoint programming, I have pics and an overview in PowerPoint that I believe I can email.

SANDY AND JUDY WANT TO THANK YOU for your support and interest in our ‘Tuff Enuff Gals’ three- month, cross-country Horse Trek!

                It looks like we were about one-month too early to start the Trek.

While resting up in Walla Walla for a couple of days, we checked in with the Umatilla Forest Service Headquarters regarding their suggested planned route. We were told, and they verified with other Forest Service offices, that our Forest Service Road route in Oregon still has several areas with 12’ drifts of snow/ice and is impassible for at least another three to four weeks. They were kind enough to call into Idaho and got the same report in the Lolo Pass area – and beyond. Through Idaho and western Montana, we are climbing in the Rocky Mountains with even higher and colder elevations.

S-O-O-o-o-o! Considering our options, this is what we came up with:
·        Come back home and start again in three or four weeks
·        Layover in the Walla Walla area for three or four weeks
·        Continue the general journey by hauling Hank around unavailable Forest Service roads using the maintained highways. Sandy can ride Hank where the terrain (no big rocks to walk over) will allow both vehicle and horse traffic.

We have been on the Trek for seven days and have had much distraction:
Day 1 ~ Sandy rode Hank one day in the Ukiah section and decided he really needed shoes after the rocky Pendleton Wagon Train Event
Day 2 ~ Trailered from the Ukiah area to Pilot Rock, met a horse Ferrier at Ellis Hunting Ranch – Ellis’ were kind enough to allow us to set up and spend the night. Ellis’ and the Ferrier approved our plotted Trek route
Day 3 ~ Rode south back through Pilot Rock and out five-miles toward Indian Lake where a young man allowed us to set up camp on his 5 acres
Day 4 ~ Rode and trailered Hank to Indian Lake’s Indian Reservation Camp Grounds for another beautiful evening
Day 5 ~ Rode over large rocks on forest roads toward Kamela for about an hour – Sandy knew she needed to trailer Hank over the large rocks to safer sites. On the way out of the forest we broke a trailer jack wheel on a washout, met a log truck who graciously backed-up and parked on the road-side, and flagged a limber guy who stopped his project to let us drive on the road unscathed. A very interesting and beautiful day! With local consultation regarding the trails ahead – MORE BIG ROCKS -, we chose to head to Walla Walla (with Hank in the trailer) about 10 days ahead of schedule. Yeah - for Sandy’s cousins Linda and Doug’s gracious spirit, home and pasture for Hank’s and our recuperation
Day 6 ~ Took care of business, including a visit to the Umatilla Forest Service (see above), visited ‘Aunt’ Lucille, and saw a mural in a historic Walla Walla hotel painted by Sandy’s cousin ‘Vineyard VanGough’.
Day 7 ~ catching up with laundry, re-organizing totes, computer projects (first day with the computer’s internet), and Sandy’s host family won the Baseball Tournament and are headed home by tonight.
Day 8 ~ Host Linda drove us over the next several days of our planned Trek – finding major trees in the road, recently melted snow and traffic leaving deep ruts and only one major narrow rocky cliff area that our 102” wide trailer likely wouldn’t make it through. We enjoyed absolutely beautiful scenery in the Table Rock area east of Walla Walla.
Day 9 ~ Forest Rangers are not encouraging about useable FS roads. They do not have the staff to maintain the roads. Dayton, WA to Promeroy, WA is not in condition for getting through. Promeroy, WA  to Lewiston sounds o.k. Idaho’s Lolo Pass is not useable to horses as it is along the highway - only about 15 miles could be accessible to horses.
Day 10 ~ Washed the car, gased TEGR, bought food for our ‘Thank You dinner’ and built a PowerPoint presentation.  Forest Rangers are not encouraging about useable FS roads. They do not have the staff to maintain the roads and said, “Dayton, WA to Promeroy, WA is not in condition for getting through. Promeroy, WA  to Lewiston sounds o.k. Idaho’s Lolo Pass is not useable to horses as it is along the highway - only about 15 miles could be accessible to horses.
Day 11 ~ Did our speaking and PowerPoint presentation for Lucille’s Odd Fellows Retirement Home. Prepped for continuing the journey by trailering to Pomeroy to talk with the Forest Service Personnel about their local trails.
Day 12 ~ On to Pomeroy WA, Forest Service volunteers were helpful and encouraging about FS Roads through the forest and into Asotin & Clarkston WA…it sounds good! We spent the night in great accommodations at Garfield County Fairgrounds so we could Trek the whole day on the 13th.
Day 13 ~ Trailered Hank through high-prairie farmland where we saw an Elk and then on into the Umatilla Forest. Sandy mounted and rode Hank over steep hill and dale for several hours going past the Clearwater Look Out. Difficult cattle guard fence took a couple hours of our time and we waited for help to close the gate – then loaded Hank to find an appropriate campsite for the thunder-lightning display that was emerging again. A range cow and Forest Ranger Austin visited camp after we got set up. Pomeroy roads have good surfaces for riding and low traffic. Wonderful scenery and birds were abundant. So far, it’s our favorite spot.
Day 14 ~ Sandy saddled up and rode on toward Asotin WA with rain, thunder and lightning. We left the high forested and prairie hills for a deep drop to Lick Creek Canyon which ran into Asotin Creek. Sandy spotted a green section along the road for Hank’s corral – no highline for Hank in the rocky cliffs and scrubby trees along the creek. We could hear a rig crossing a cattle guard just around the corner so walked to check it out – a total fence job to undo and redo tomorrow morning.
Day 15 ~ Sandy walked Hank to the cattle guard, opened/closed the gate and tried to mount Hank for 20 minutes. He is getting tired of this loading, unloading and mounting game. On down the road with several more cattle guards, loose horses, past a shooting range and our road intersection. All was fine until the LAST cattle guard had no pass through – NONE!!!
            Sandy quietly and emotionally said, “This is it! I’m done! Hank is tired and I’m tired of loading and unloading in order to trailer Hank, fighting with the hay tarps and wet (now molding) hay and impassible cattle guards. I didn’t plan to trailer Hank through this Trek. Idaho Forests aren’t working out either. I’m done!
            So, we unloaded the sleeping quarters, loaded Hank, reloaded the sleeping quarters and drove on to Asotin (cute town but no restaurants), on to Clarkston where we crossed the Snake River, into Lewiston and found a nice restaurant for lunch. On our way home, we then continued back to Walla Walla Fairgrounds for a Hank break, then made arrangements with Sandy’s Pendleton Wagon Train friends (Jim & Carol Kessler) to set up camp at their ranch in Milton Freewater.
Day 16 ~ Left Milton Freewater after camping at Jim and Carol Kesslers’ and headed to Wasco, OR to exercise Hank and visit with Norm and Sandy’s friends Sam and Carol over lunch. Now we were on our final leg to home!


    
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Sandy Jansen will be leading the horse ride with Judy Keller bringing the Suburban and horse trailer with our gear up to the next campsite. 

Our Horse Trek will be on Forest Service Roads, secondary highways and private land.

     The plan is for two or three days of rest each week and a days riding distance to be determined by the terrain and weather.

OUR ANTICIPATED ITINERARY
Heppner/Ukiah OR
Walla Walla, WA
Lewiston, ID
Superior heading to Missoula and on to Pony, MT
Gillette and on to Glendo State Reservoir, WY

We are looking for riding partners
 in this adventure.
COME JOIN US!!!

Contact SANDY JANSEN
541-815-7206

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TUFF ENUFF GALS

Rules and Regulations (Our Expectations)

This three month horse trek from Ukiah, Oregon, to Glenco State Park Reservoir, Wyoming is our dream-come-true adventure for those of us who have been hard at work planning this trip. It is a time to be out with our horses for an extended period. Our first consideration is for our horses...their safety, their comfort; the second is for our own. We invite (or welcome) you to join this exciting time with us; we ask you consider these Rules of the Ride
1.    All participants are asked to help clean up the campgrounds before leaving. This includes scattering manure and leftover hay. “Pack it in, pack more out.”
2.    Don't litter on the trail
3.    A parent/legal guardian, or a responsible adult with a signed medical release form must accompany anyone under 18 years of age
4.    All participants will be responsible for getting to their starting point and returning home on their own
5.    No personal recreational vehicles allowed, such as bicycles, motorbikes, four wheelers, etc.
6.    NO RECREATIONAL DRUGS
7.    No drinking on the trail; no excessive drinking in camp
8.    No stud horses
9.    All horses must be secured at night
10.  A kicking horse must be flagged
11.  All horses should be vaccinated
12.  For safety reasons, we ask that riders wear appropriate western attire...No tennis shoes in the stirrups
13.  Ride with consideration for others and their horses. This will be a long trip for those going for three months, this is not a race to get to our destination quickly
14.  No fires – a likely summer ruling by Forest Service
15.  Certified weed free hay and feed
16.  Need contact numbers
17.  Supply your own and horses food, equipment, etc.
If interested in joining any portion of our trip, e-mail us your rendezvous information. You need to be flexible in your planning. You can follow our trip on our blog at www.2012HorseTrek.blogspot.com . We will try to give you an accurate arrival date for the next point, but will only be an estimate as timing can be affected by weather, travel conditions, etc.     TuffEnuffGals@gmail.com             www.2012HorseTrek.blogspot.com

TUFF ENUFF GALS – OREGON TO WYOMING 2012 HORSE TREK
BIOs
Sandy Jansen
Since I was 7 I was hooked on horse books, western movies, horse statues, and anything with a horse picture on it.  As a teenager every weekend my mother would take me to a stable for a 1 hr. rental trail ride.  I would spend summers visiting cousins and riding their horses with them in Walla Walla, WA.  I was 30-something when my dream of living in the country finally came true, and Mom bought me my first horse she had always wanted, but never been able to afford before.  At 40-something, I, along with a girlfriend, formed and wrote drills for a competition drill team.  That was the most fun ever! 

Now, at 60-something, I am fulfilling my lifelong dream of an extended ride -- three months, Oregon to Wyoming horseback.  The catalyst for this trip was August 2010 when, after reading Jody Foss' first book on her horseback trip from Park City, UT, to Spokane, WA, I finished her second book about her mule ride from her home in Idaho to the Oregon coast.  That did it!  My adrenalin started pumping, I couldn't sleep, I was going crazy!  After meeting with Jody, breaking the news to my husband, Norm, (thank you, Norm, for your support in allowing me to follow my dream),  hooking up with Sandra Russell, Judy Keller, and Linda Phillips, the major planning process began.  We leave July 1 from last camp after spending 5 days on Pendleton Round-Up Wagon Train somewhere between Heppner and Ukiah, OR.  Our first major stop will be a couple days rest in Walla Walla visiting family, including my 93-going-on-23 yr. old cousin, Lucille Nelson.. 
Believe you can and you're halfway there.
                         -- Theodore Roosevelt


Judy Keller
My horse experiences were when we had teenage children in 4H projects during the 1970s. My passion for this journey is being in the wilderness with minimal convenience for an extended period of time. I am thrilled to know that I am also able to assist in a ‘dream come true’ experience for my friends by driving the ‘home base’ from camp to camp. Our environment is reasonably safe with a well-thought out plan. What a fulfilling experience we are creating.


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2012 HORSE TREK DONORS
By Sandy Jansen - As of 6-7-12

Judy and I do want to give special thanks not only for cash donations to date but also to Eldy and Carol Swendsen for allowing us to use their beautiful setting, equipment and facility for the event and their food donation, Desert Sage Band, Jessy Sanchez & Friends for musical entertainment, Jim Huntington & Linda Martin for hours of patient sound tech work for the band both before and during the event, Alex Dreyer, Mike Wolfgram & Bill Sherman as the expert parking crew, Books, Boxes & BS for the big map of our intended route, Teri Myers, Bill & Vivian Sherman, Larry & Joanne Collier for the yummer desserts, Harvest Depot, Brian's Shell Station, and Shop Smart for ice, Ya Ya Sisterhood for soda, Bob & Judy Keller for Isagenix nutritional products for the trail, Ken & Linda Herb for tons of homemade beef jerky for the trail, Darrel & Jeanie Fugman (Darrel donated back his 50/50 winnings), Norm Jansen, Cat Sayer, Vic Russell, Alex & Sandy Dreyer, Casey & Terri Jones & Ron & Lynne Kay (who also all helped endlessly setting up and breaking down the event & Casey filling in for Sandy on the bass), South Valley Bank, Greg & Gina Roush, Rex Lesueur, Melvin & Kerri Emert, Gordy Wanek, Florence Neis, Patti Starkey, Carol Brewer, Vivian Cooper, Mike & Marina Wolfgram, Marc & Robin Mirrasoul, Larry & Mitzi Dungey, Bob & Terri Denend, Ron & Donna Sohler, Earl & Judy Leach, Pat, Marcia & Jessy Sanchez, Martha Bauman, Stevan & Sunni Rounds, Steve & Sharon Small, Carmen & Paula Sorvilla, Tony Smith, Gayla Hays, Gerald & Ann Gawith, Gary & Haysel Pankey, Larry & Diane Pearce, Dave & Jan Ott, John Huddle, Joey & Eden Martinez, Carolyn Marstall, Jerry & Susun, Tony & Kim Wyse and daughter, MJ Hare, Dan & Janet Varcoe, Charla & Craig Kriz, Don & Connie Sealey, Dan & Misty Cram, Lee & Paula Russ, Kent Meisenheimer, Tina & Greg Held, Jerry & Mary Shires,Tom Bradler, Larry & Kathy Keller

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TUFF ENUFF GALS – 2012 HORSE TREK
Central Oregon’s La Pine Country
 July, August and September
By Sandy Jansen and Judy Keller 

Horses can’t be in most campgrounds - unless designated as a horse camp -
          So we dry camp and use a pit toilet
Summertime in the prairie or mountain woods is not campfire time –
          So we use a white-gas, antique, Coleman camp stove and candles
No motel in a reasonably close proximity –
          So we set up our cots in the horse trailer and use a propane heater
No refrigeration -
          So we eat dried foods, peanut butter, Isagenix, IsaFruits and IsaGreens
No running water or water heater -
          So we use a water filter and a wilderness solar shower bladder
We are traveling in cougar and bear territory -
          So we have a gun, knife and bear spray
Our horse needs water and feed –
          So, on top of the horse trailer is hay storage and a 120-gallon water tank

However, this is a ‘DREAM COME TRUE’ trip for these ladies who are throwing caution to the wind picking up the spirit of the ol’ west! Each lady has done trail riding, just not to this distance or through such a varied terrain. The anticipated itinerary:

“Work hard!  Take chances!  Be very, very bold!”
These ladies are getting wild and trying something new! There are more excited horse riders joining us. They are also ready to forge new friendships and connections at various sections of the journey while exploring new frontiers.

Following the end of the Pendleton Wagon Train on June 29 - Judy Keller is joining Sandy Jansen and any accompanying riders to begin the Trek to Walla Walla, WA on June 30. Safety technology is in place:
  • S.P.O.T. – programmed to send ‘checking in’  or ‘Doing Great!’ messages
  • Satellite phone – batteries updated and instructions in-hand
  • G.P.S. – albeit is an older model – batteries are new!!!
  • Cell phone – Verizon tells us we are covered
  • Computer – it even had a check-up – so we can send Trek Updates
  • TEGR – our Suburban has been checked and re-checked by Sandy’s Husband
  • Horse Trailer / Housing is so handy with many added ‘Trek’ features

Professional guides are volunteering their time to map our new terrain or will be leading us through some sections of the trek. We will travel several days with a couple days off each week - miles covered in a day will depend on the terrain and weather. Maps have been checked and are being rechecked for available Forest Service Roads, secondary highways or private land. In locations where we need to be on a paved roadway, the truck and trailer will follow with a caution sign: “Warning – horses in roadway ahead”.

Sandy Jansen is forging ahead while leading the riders while Judy Keller is driver of the truck with the horse trailer. Each lady is responsible for her transportation, food, supplies and sleeping arrangement. Riders are responsible for their own horse, feed, water, supplies and transportation to and from location.

The Tuff Enuff Gals will be donating a portion of their collected and any residual funds in support of La Pine non-profit organizations.

                   What an awesome and fulfilling experience:
                                                From planning, packing and promoting –
                                                                        to the journey and returning home!



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TUFF ENUFF GALS UPDATE FROM THE SUPPORT DRIVER
Three-Weeks to Departure
By Judy Keller - June 7, 2012

This week, I need to practice up on maneuvering a trailer. It’s less than two-weeks to load my gear. In three-weeks, Bob will go with me to catch up with Sandy in Ukiah, OR. And, we begin our Trek on June 30. With the cost of fuel, maps, forest fees and expenses along the way, we are figuring about $500 per person. We are also providing our individual food and camp gear.

You would love to meet our ‘TEGR’ – the ‘Tuff Enuff Gals Rig’! TEGR is a Teal colored, 1995 Suburban 2500 (3/4 ton) with an automatic transmission, gas engine and a new radiator. Oh, and the side steps were found ... TEGR is too high enough for this Grammy to climb in and out of very often. Norm and Sandy Jansen bought and are preparing TEGR especially for the TREK.

Sandy and I both appreciate the encouragement and support of our husbands, without which this dream could not come true!

You would also be impressed with our horse trailer – I need to get pictures of this beauty! Sandy’s husband, Norm’s metal fabrication is on display with a ladder going up the side to the rack on top which holds hay, a three-section tool box and a 100- gallon stainless steel water tank. At ground level we have a gauge to see how much water is in the tank and a hose to hook up for filling. It is a three-horse trailer with the horse-tack and feed area in the front.  As you know, this will be our sleeping quarters on the Trek. Sandy has grass carpet for the entrance and I picked up a rug runner for inside between our cots. We can close it at night.

Saturday evening, June 2nd was our Social Event Fundraiser for gas to ‘BRING THE GALS HOME’. The 65 folk’s who came for our Trail Chow and Beverages, listened to the bands and obviously enjoyed chatting with old and newer acquaintances.

As the driver, I’ll have lots of time for projects: Picture taking; sound recordings; videos (if I learn how to use the gadget); charging our phones, computer, etc. as I drive the 15 or so miles a day; journaling the Trek; updating our blog and checking email as we have internet signal; camp chores; and walking exercise – likely road walking. I do have my safety supplies: Bear Spray ($50 for 7 seconds of spray – but it does have a holster!); Wasp Spray (shoots 27 feet); Knife; Snake bite kit; and a whistle. I also found a folding and padded camp-chair with a head rest and lumbar support. For hot, windy days - a shade and wind shield, floored, half-tent.

My personal projects will be working family pictures into PowerPoint programs; devotional writing; working on my memoirs; organizing, dowloading and backing up my computer hard disk; and organizing my ‘Buddy The Church Mouse’ series for submission to publish. My head is swimming with story ideas for TEGR: ‘Sage Jumping’, ‘Mountain Climbing’ and…. Can’t you just imagine?
The theme we picked up sort of says it for us Tuff Enuff Gals:

 “Work hard!  Take chances!  Be very, very bold!”

Judy Keller – 541-610-2960
Sandy Jansen – 541-815-7206

Thank you for your prayers for ‘God’s presence and protection’!
We will be soaking in HIS Spirit and in HIS nature!

Do follow us on our blog.
We will update while on the trail as we have internet availability.

“Work hard!  Take chances!  Be very, very bold!”