April 26th, 2016 Chewelah, Washington

 I think Chewelah is even prettier now than it is in the fall.  Colorful  blossoms, both tree and flowers, decorate the streets, lawns are SO green and mowed.  Streets have a fresh clean look, (they did just have a full blown “clean-up day, every one was out.) I declared Chewelah a “Blue Ribbon Community” last year the story is in the archives.

Fran Genne has been kind enough to let me and my girls camp at her barn just blocks from the edge of town. Convenient enough for me to walk to stores, post office and of-course the library. I arrived April 17th after a full day of hauling. First a short skip with Ruth Ann Mclaury from Eureka, then a longer ride with Judith Hemphill from, Libby and finally a long ride with Gary Bellinger of Chelwelah. As most of you know I had ridden as far as Chewelah last fall…..from New York I might add.  So I had no desire to re-ride the same stretch as I have ridden it several times in the past. I then rode home in late October and arrived in the Trego area mid November where I wintered over.

So here we are back out ready to finish this Odyssey, it does seem like it, two years, goodness, 8000 miles~ I leave in the morning riding Hwy 20 across the mountains to Samish Bay, Washington, south of Bellingham.
Besides resting and preparing for the finally leg of this ride the following photos will tell you what I have been up to this past week.

Rode from Theodora's Garden on April 13th, cold and wet
Rode from Theodora’s Garden on April 13th, cold,wet day.
spent my first two nights at Glacier Ridge Ranch in Trego, mostly just sleeping
Spent my first two nights at Glacier Ridge Ranch in Trego, mostly just sleeping, Thank you Indigo and Paul!
first haul Ruth Ann drops me off north of LIbby. I wanted to ride the horses some they needed some road time
First haul Ruth Ann drops me off north of Libby. I wanted to ride the horses some they needed road time.
2nd hauler Judith Hemphill at the helm, in Bonners Ferry.
2nd hauler Judith Hemphill at the helm, in Bonners Ferry.  Gary Bellinger then picked me up in Sandpoint, Idaho at the fairgrounds where Judith had dropped us off..
Chewelah Library April 20th. Sarah English the librarian even wanted the horses so Gary attended to them as I gave the slideshow presentation.
Chewelah Library April 20th. Sarah English the librarian even wanted the horses so Gary attended to them as I gave the slideshow presentation.
l3
The horses were kind enough NOT to make any deposits (we were prepared however)
The horses were kind enough NOT to make any deposits (we were prepared however)
Cusick Library. nice turnout and librarian Pam Thompson even had a lovely assortment of coffee, teas and snacks for us.
Cusick Library  April 23rd. nice turnout and librarian Pam Thompson even had a lovely assortment of coffee, teas and snacks for us.
Cusick library following talk this woman had relatives in the Trego area.
Cusick library following talk – this woman had relatives in the Trego area. I did not have any photos unfortunately of my slide show presentation for the Northeast Washington’s Chapter of Back Country Horseman.
Last but not least. Stan Strikske is setting on new horseshoes from that Roger Robinson sents out from the Blacksmiith Shop,(see sponsorship page). I feel having a professinal farrier do the first shoeing of the year is very important. I do my own shoeing once I am out there. But it is like having a Vet Check every year it demonstrates a sincerece desire to take good care of those precious mares of mine.
Last but not least. Stan Stritzke is setting on new horseshoes that Roger Robinson sends out from the Blacksmith Shop,(see sponsorship page). I feel having a professional farrier do the first shoeing of the year is very important. I do my own shoeing once I am out there. But it is like having a Vet Check every year it demonstrates a sincere desire to take good care of those precious mares of mine.


Standing behind Stan is Gary Bellinger who has been with-out doubt the most helpful person I could have asked for at this point of my ride. He’s helped facilitate not only my haul over from Sandpoint, Idaho but has gotten me to my talks on time, set up a small corral for the horses, taken me out on a scouting trip – scoping the route and has offered oodles of encouragement when I have most needed it. Thank you Gary! This is not a long stretch – 750 miles – from here to the west coast, but the road (hwy 20, will be challenging.) I rarely have help like this. I rarely let it be so. But this time it feels right to have so many people assisting with this final 8000 mile journey I embarked upon 2 years ago. Chewelah has assured me of a party upon my return in June. I am taking the same route over and back and will not be going up thru Canada as I had originally planned.  The Long Riders Guild Flag will have ridden with me coast to coast when I arrive at Samish Bay.  I’ll take photos of course as I did on the east coast.

SO tomorrow we ride. I know Essie and Spirit are bored and ready to go. Northeast Washington is spectacular county with breathtaking vista’s in every direction. It is the grass that so captivates me. It’s just so luscious, so green and thick I want to eat it like my horses, roll in it, run my hands thru it. The horses will eat well on this stretch.

Happy  Trails, Bernice