Category: Current Info

Website update July 2017

When the temperatures reach 100 degrees its far to hot for riding. We must be in the saddle by 5am and done by 11am. After leaving Carol Guthrie’s lovely home feeling encouraged and satisfied with our work on my book, I rode north back to Paradise for a return visit at Paradise Fjord’s – and new friend Nancy Beech, (see story in previous posting) Nancy not only owns Paradise Fjords but is an organic farmer and owns Mountain Spring Farms. She raises garlic, blueberries, cherries and potatoes, I know I am forgetting some of her produce. Here she is resting after a very hot day!

Riding through Plains became an event when I stopped for supplies and a host of women miraculously appeared from seemly nowhere. ONE OF WHICH was a long rider, well 150miles short of a long rider. She came walking over, long stride, cowboy boots and reached out for a hand shake and said, “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”

Sandy Spineler came walking over to the horses pushing her bicycle I am not sure how old she was but she said, “I’m in heaven,” when she gave Spirit a hug. She brought out photos of her as a 16yr old riding a big palomino horse in 1959.

Libby, Montana was dancing on its toes with summer tourist activities when I rode into town and settled down at J. Neils Park. I’d completely eaten all of my food before coming in so I swung down main street for Rosauers Grocery Store. While there 3 women came out with big smiles on their faces from the near by campground, “Are you Bernice Ende?” For 3 years they’d been traveling the United States. They were from Colorado and had been following my rides since 2007, I think they said. They held the horses while I dashed in for food, buying way too much, everything looked good!. THEN standing in the check out line a woman touches my are and said, “Do you remember me?” “YES.” I’d met them a few years earlier on a ride into Libby. She and her husband insisted on paying for my groceries.Here’s the carry out boy, Nate with a surprise on his face. “Have you ever packed a pannier?” I asked him. “AHHH No.” lots of fun.

The day before I rode into Libby I got a view of this. The LDS – Latter Day Saints were doing a reenactment. I asked one of the outriders on a mule what was going on and he said, “They were commemorating the 100 year date when they were run out of Missouri.” I would imagine if was for the polygamy practice.

Then, as I rode into Libby I rode past this…A group of workers from Habitat for Humanity, putting a house back together.
And I thought, goodness this is truly America and I feel encouraged and hopeful. But then I read in Libby’s local “Montanian” newspaper that huge budget cuts will be made to our libraries, NO. NO. I say.

When I rode thru Plains, Mt. (the first time this year) I spoke for a group of 6th graders on a field trip to the Bend Guard Station north of Plains about 30 miles. One of the projects they did was to make beaded necklaces. after they were done a young gal named Issy Crabb placed her newly made necklace around my neck. I added the coins. Sacajawea came from Burton Robson and Susan B. Anthony came from I don’t know where but I do like having the women around my neck.

Heading back north to the cabin, getting ready for the next jaunt east, Helena and back. Will visit FarCountry Press, the publishers handling my book.

Hot but all are well.
 

Here’s a cute story. Last year when I spoke at the International Fjord Show in Sandpoint, Idaho I walked past a woman and turned and said, “Don’t I know you from somewhere?” Something familiar caught my eye. “No,” she said, “I don’t think so.” Then again later visiting with the folks attending the show I said, “Are you SURE we have never met, you look SO familiar.” And again she replied, “No, don’t think so.”  Well she went home looked up my website, looked at where I had gone to school and well turns out Nancy Beech then Nancy Olsen and I had gone to all 12 years of Elk River Elementary and High School together. There is even a photo in our year books of us on the basketball and volley ball teams together. Good Golly Miss Molly!! And now here I am visiting Nancy in Paradise, Montana!!

How’s that for a cute story?

Rode over Siegel Pass 6300 feet, nice ride on my way to Huson, Montana where I have met up with Carol Guthrie author of  Glacier National Park: The First 100 years and other books on Glacier Park. Carol is putting the finishing touches on my book, “In My Own Skin” to be published by FarCountry Press released this winter.

Horses are fat and content. This is vacation riding, I’d never consider this “long riding.”

Little Liska Pearl’s report card

                                    April, 2017                                  June, 2017

Leading…………….. C _________________ B+

Bridling……………. D- ________________ B+

Hoof trimming……A ________________ A+

Shoeing…………….. F _________________ C

Standing still when saddling

                                       D-________________ B+

Catching …………..  C- ________________ B+

(she can sometimes “play” – smiles)

Backing ……………  D-_________________ C+

But Spray bottle…    F _________________ C+

Wearing fly mask… C ________________ A+

Picketing on rope skills.. F _________________ B+

Road skills………………….C+ _______________ B-

Brushing………………….     A ________________ A+

Friendliness ……………..    B ________________ A+

Eagerness ………………….. B ________________ A+

Willingness………………..   A ________________ A+

Beauty……………………….   B+________________ A+

I have taken to calling her Little Liska Pearl, next to Spirit she is little and seems so young and puppy-ish. They have taken on a definitive Big/Little sister relationship. They are a delight to work and live with.

I love watching the transformation from uncertainty to knowing to partnership to contentment. She’s a character, a little live-wire and trots everywhere she goes. She has developed a curiosity and attentiveness I would never have expected from her a couple of months ago.

The first ride out was hard for her, its always hard. But we traveled slow and after a week you could tell, you could just tell she liked it, she liked the travel, the grazing, the newness. She likes to move, she likes change. There is a brightness in her eyes, her ears, she has a lively step. She has filled in and rounded out with muscle….. AND Spirit likes her! I can picket Montana Spirit next to me and Liska Pearl will not leave! They scratch each others backs with vigorous bites and nuzzle  rubbing, accommodating from one side to the other. This afternoon Liska Pearl dashed back and forth with whinnies and bucks because Spirit wandered away from her and ended up on the wrong side of the fence. After our tragic loss of Essie Pearl this past winter I can only smile at the lovely transformation they are making, it’s a joy having them in my life. Leaving soon for Washington.

Should be out be next week. New shoes going on today.

When I am not long riding I am longing to long ride. smiles

WORKMAN AUCTION HOUSE OF EUREKA WILL BE OFFERING

LADY LONG RIDERS FIRST SADDLE

The first saddle Lady Long Rider Bernice Ende used in 2005 will be offered at the upcoming auction June 24^th  located 3 miles north of Eureka, Montana. The 40 pd Simco…. Saddle in good condition also comes with the following: an original hand-out card Ms. Ende used on the ride, a DVD “the first 10,000 miles,” photos and story about the ride AND a signed copy of her upcoming book “In My Own Skin,” when the book comes out this fall. Early bids can be submitted on line at……. Photos and contact information:

	Workman Auction
Auction Zip Auctioneer ID # 18263
Mike Workman PO BOX 1289 Eureka, MT 59917Phone: 406-889-3822 Email: Web: www.workmanauction.com

Getting ready to head back out.

This time we ride west for eastern Washington. The Okanagon Area.  Meeting up with Lynx Vilden for a short 2/300ride with her. The two of us are planning a 1000 mile ride in France next year. WE SHALL SEE. We shall see.

Reflections on this years first 300 miles

Poor little Liska Pearl was soft as butter when we left nearly 4 weeks ago. She is returning stronger and having acquired a fair amount of experience, she did well. The two mares have bonded in a way Montana Spirit and Essie Pearl never did. Montana Spirit has taken on the role of big sister, little Liska Pearl well she is of course the little sister. It’s a pleasure working with the horses when they are quiet together and not bickering.

While in Plains besides speaking at the Back Country Horseman meeting I spoke for the 6th grade classes, mostly about the long ride they were on, SCHOOL! I then had the pleasure of meeting up with the students once again on their class outing at the Bend Guard Station this is my reflection from that stop.

A Good Thing or One more reason to keep our Public Lands PUBLIC!

Two 6th grade classes, from the Plains grade School, 30 plus enthusiastic and rambunctious students on a class field trip swarmed the Bend Guard Station for two days. The restored historic Bend Guard Station also known as The Bend Work Center was once a Ranger Station for the old Cabinet National Forest. The original log ranger cabin which was constructed in 1911 is still on the site. It is located 25 miles or so north of Plains and graciously accommodated the lively, curious students.

In 1989 Jean Nemeth a teacher, forged ahead with her idea of taking the children on an outdoor hands-on experience. Now twenty-eight years later the 6th grade class continues making this yearly trek into the National Forest discovering, learning and growing in a classroom of blue skies and tall evergreen trees. With-out cell phones, I-pads, and social media conversations jig-jaged back and forth while a full moon enhanced the ambiance we all experienced. They were IN LIFE not just watching it. They learned survival skills, ecology, packing a horse, beading and roasted wild game while circled around a large fire pit. You could see it, you could hear it in their voices when they played a Native American game called the “screaming warrior.” You could feel their excitement of being so close to the earth. But there were also moments of reflection as they relaxed into a story told by Native American story teller Dennis Burt.

They quietly boarded the yellow school bus exhausted. It was as if they’d replaced the frantic life they came with – a life we are all to familiar with. They had replaced it with the calmness of cold creeks and wind whistling through tall trees. A bit humbled.

I say “Bravo” to Jean, Sandra and Lisa. To the school for encouraging and continuing the 6th grade outing and to the parents and volunteers that helped to make it happen. This is but one more reason to keep our public lands – public.