06/14/2011 | Dunseith Alumni

Message numbers:

Yesterday’s message should have been 1205, not 1204. I posted it as 1205 on our Website, so today’s message is number 1206.

Folks,

Our travel agent just called to let us know she has our flights booked from Cebu to Miami for our cruise next February. She did well. We will be flying via Korean Air lines from Cebu to Las Angeles with a 4 hour lay over in Korea. We then have a 3 hour lay over in LA. In LA we will be going thru customs and transferring to American Air Lines arriving in Miami at 8:00 PM on Friday, February 17, 2012. With an arrival of 8:00 PM in Miami, we gave our selves and extra day in Miami before catching the cruise on Sunday the 19th. Travel time from Cebu to Miami is 31 hours. 24 hours air time. There is a 12 hour time change too. I remember the old saying back home, “If you drill a hole deep enough you will reach China”. Here in Cebu, if you drill a hole deep enough, you will reach Florida or the east coast.

Our plans following the cruise are to return to Cebu via Seattle. With this being February, I think we will fly right over ND. We will not have any winter clothes with us. We only wish this was later in the year so we could spend some time in ND.

Gary

Cemetery Contact update

From LeaRae Parrill Espe (67): Bottineau, ND

Hi Gary,
A week or two ago you listed the area cemeteries and who to
contact if one wants to make a donation. I just wanted you
to update the Rendahl information as Sharon (Eurich) Hanson
is now the treasurer.

Her address is Sharon Hanson
9644 27th Ave NE
Dunseith, ND 58329

Phone 701-244-5504

LeaRae, Thank you so much for this updated info. I have updated my master copy pasted below and the Dunseith Website. Gary

Urbain Cote

Reply from Allen Richard (65): Midland, MI

Thanks, Gary. The timing just seemed a little off — but so is my memory. Angela grew up on that farm so she might have more info. It is a pretty amazing place.

By the way — I heard that Urbain built an airplane in the lower level of his home and had to remove part of the wall to get it out. My Aunt Louise Horsman could have more info on that one, or better yet, I’m sure his kids would be able to enlighten us.

Fern (Lawrence) Cote Berube, Angela, Rachael, Robert and Muzette’s mother was a brother to Urbain. I remember them living on that farm when we were in High School.

I remember Laureus Cote, Urbain’s brother, telling me all about the Airplane that he built in his house. I have forgotten the details, but as I remember they did have to remove a wall to get it out of the house. I don’t remember the details of the test flight either or if Urbain was the one flying it?

Gary

PS – I just received a message from Angela about this barn. I am unable to open her attached files, so I will get back with her and between us we will get this all straightened out for tomorrows blog.

Mandolin Story – The rest of the story

From Dick Johnson (68): Dunseith, ND

Gary and Friends,

Gary, you are embarrassing me with the mandolin story. There is
what Paul Harvey called ‘the rest of the story’, and here it is. I was
in the second hand store for about the third time while it was open and
Lorraine Metcalfe Somers was looking at the mandolin. She very politely
asked the owner what the price was and he said it was $150. She then
asked if he might be able to take a little less? He answered her in a
sarcastic and belligerent tone, “NO, I won’t take any less.” Lorraine
then politely asked if he might then take a partial trade of some
exercise equipment she had that was in like new condition? He again
answered in a very disrespectful tone, “I don’t want any more of that
kind of junk!” Lorraine just looked at me with a defeated look in her
eyes and left the store without the little mandolin. OK, I was very
upset with the way ‘Doc’, the owner, talked to Lorraine and as I browsed
at the used merchandise I just got madder and madder about the deal and
how she was treated. I do LOTS of wheeling and dealing and always try
to be fair and honest in every deal but when something like this
happens, I have been known to smile and go for the throat. I went over
and looked at the mandolin. Right away he asked if I was interested? I
said I would be but not for any $150. I showed him the flaws and told
him it needed to have a lot of work and that he would be lucky to get
$50. for one in that shape. He turned back to his sarcasm so I hit it
again about how I heard he was moving to Minnesota and he would just
have to pack it up and try to sell it to some poor sucker there who
doesn’t know how bad a shape it’s in. He started to believe me and of
course asked how much I WOULD give him for it? I knew he had more than
$50. in it as it was worth lots more than that but I wanted his arrogant
treatment of Lorraine to cost him something. He tried the $100 tag and
I just set it down and smiled. He was now feeling like he had been
trapped by his mandolin. He said, “Man I have $80. into that thing.” I
said I would give him $80. and he wouldn’t have to try to pack it up.
I showed him the cash and he went for it. After I picked up the
mandolin and he had the money he said, “Are you going to try to play
that thing?” I said, “I don’t want to play it. I ‘m going to give it to
Lorraine.” The look on his face was well worth the $80. I walked out
feeling good and felt even better when I saw the look in Lorraine’s
eyes—priceless! Thanks Gary!

Dick

Pacific Crest Trail – http://trishwild.blogspot.com/

Update from Trish Larson Wild (73): FORT COLLINS, CO

Hi Gary,

I’m writing with an update and photos from the Pacific Crest Trail, for those readers of your blog that may be interested but don’t have access to Facebook or my blog.

I started out on the PCT at the Border of Mexico on Friday, the 13th of May. My riding partner and I had taken a good deal of time to shop for a good saddle horse for him and had finally selected a beautiful tall white Arabian – 16.1 hands tall. He named him Clover.

We had some wonderful adventures on the trail. The beauty of the PCT between Campo and Anza was spectacular. The trail runs high above the Anza Borrego Desert Park. The views pan away to vista after vista of that desert and the Salton Sea, Palm Springs, and other small oasis towns far below. We camped along the trail, finding rivers and other water sources for the horses, and usually pretty good grazing. We also carried alfalfa pellets and a senior feed.

We went slowly for the most part, as the Arab was getting used to life on the trail and we wanted to break him in slowly. My horses carried most of the weight in packs – including feed for themselves. Up to 220 pounds each when fully loaded. That weight would decrease as they ate their way through the feed – 24 pounds a day.

Water was an issue, but we managed to find enough. One of our stops for water was only a cache placed by “trail angels”. Jugs of water in cases by the trail. It was funny to see the horses guzzle from a jug, but they drank well and each downed four gallons before they were through.

Only about 10 days into the trip, one of the new steel shoes on the Arab’s front feet came off. I carry everything I need to trim and shoe, so was able to replace those shoes right away, but I was concerned to see that his hooves did not look great. The hoof wall was weak and separated from the sole in places, and chunks had broken off – especially the right front.

I was glad to get him shod, but didn’t shoe the hind feet as the steel shoes were still intact and the day was hot, the trail narrow, and it was time to move on.

I would come to regret that decision.

We kept on moving over rocky, steep terrain, enjoying the views and all the horses seeming fine. After about 140 miles, one of the back shoes came off, and before we noticed, most of his left hind hoof wall crumbled, down to the tender sole. I had nothing to nail to in trying to replace the shoe, and we were miles from the next town of Anza. Besides that, the horse would not tolerate my efforts to hold his foot and kept trying to kick – not me – but just would kick kick kick. I was worried he might injure me by mistake and I couldn’t get any hoof wall to nail to anyway.

My friend Chance took a backpack and ran down the trail into the small mountain town of Anza, while I stayed camped with the four horses. We thought it might be an overnight run/hitchhike to Temecula (50 miles away), but when he got into Anza (about 6 miles each way), he managed to find a couple of mounted Sheriffs heading to a parade. They gave him two easy boots (a rubber shoe/boot that fastens onto the foot with velcro) and Chance ran all the way back. When he got back, he had run for four hours.

We were able to get the horse safely back to Anza with the boots on, and found a place for him to recover with some friends. We started looking for a new horse, but after 3 days, realized that it was impossible to find a horse in condition to take on the rigors of the PCT without proper conditioning. At least not in our price range.

So my partner gave up on the ride, and suddenly departed. I bought the Arab from him, and I haven’t seen him since. I caught a ride back to Altadena to get my truck and trailer, and drove to Anza (3.5 hour drive) to pick up the horse. I took him to the farrier to have Eponashoes nailed on his rear feet. The shoes are fantastic – they are a thick polycarbonate shoe with a gel pad under the frog. He was comfortable right away, and the swelling that had developed in his leg started to reside right away.

Once we had him taken care of, I returned to Altadena with all four horses. Since my “partner” took off with critical safety gear like a water filter, maps, GPS, etc, I am now having to resupply to continue without him. It’s my own fault for taking a novice on a ride like this. I thought we’d be ok if we took it slow at first, but I was wrong. This trail is trecherous in parts, and requires an experienced rider AND horse. From now on, I’ll be riding solo.

So we are back in Altadena, and my good friends that live here (good North Dakota people!) have asked me to house sit while they take a trip to Arizona for a couple of weeks. They raise canaries and the baby birds are still hatching, so there is a fair amount of care involved. They also have a dog and cat I’ll be feeding.

The time here will give me the opportunity to get my 2002 Chevy truck a tune up, replace the windshield (I took a rock on the highway a month ago), repack, and gear up to head north. Also, it gives me a chance to get the Arab in better condition. He’s doing really well in his new shoes and easily did a three hour ride in the desert a couple of days ago.

I ride all four horses every day and there is a spectacular canyon with trails and a challenging ride to a waterfall right from the stable where I board, so it’s a good place to keep the horses in good condition.

From here, I plan to skip the Mojave desert leg of the PCT north of here and head to Lone Pine, an “Old West” town where a lot of Hollywood movies have been filmed. I hope to continue on the PCT as a solo rider. There are parts of the trail that are not passable by horses, and I plan to trailer around them. Not many people have completed the entire PCT on horseback, and several horses have been killed in the effort. My main goal, as always, is to keep my horses and myself healthy and injury free. It’s not the destination, it’s the journey, and the chance to live 24/7 with the herd.

This kind of life is not for everyone, but I am loving it 100%. I met a person who rode the entire length of the PCT (2700 miles) a few years ago, when he was 72 years old. His method was to put his horses at the place where he was starting, in the care of someone who could be trusted. He would then drive his truck north and cache supplies for himself and his horse, leaving his truck and trailer at a place that he would then ride to over the next few days. He traveled light, and did not take a pack horse. He tells me there are portions of the trail too dangerous for a pack animal. I’ll be taking his advice and will avoid those spots.

I plan to use his method of shuttling the vehicle and caching supplies, but because I have pack horses, I will carry more food and camping gear, and will be able to stay on the trail for longer stretches. I won’t be able to ride as far or fast per day as he did perhaps, but I’m not in a hurry. For me, it’s all about just being in the wilderness with my horses. The pleasure of riding and packing is hard to describe, but it’s a healthy way of life, and only a horse crazy person can understand the desire to travel this way. There are many other rides I want to take besides the PCT – including trails in Kings Canyon, Inyo, and Yosemite.

It’s the fulfilling a lifelong dream for me, only it’s better than I dreamed it would be in so many ways. The biggest thing for me is that my horses love the lifestyle so much. They seem to really enjoy being on the trail and having a job to do. We grow closer and stronger every day, and more cohesive as a herd. My mare is definitely in charge, and the 3 geldings are so in love with her, that they can be trusted to stay close behind her on the trail or in camp. It makes it easy to keep it all together.

Anyhow, I thought there might be someone out there interested in my crazy nomad lifestyle stories. I’m always happy to hear from anyone “back home”. I never get lonely, because I have my best friends with me, but sometimes it’s nice to know that people are rooting for you somewhere…

Thanks for the networking you do to make this all possible, Gary. The people from North Dakota are the best!

Trish Larson (73) Wild

The Equine Nomad

970-219-9154

trish.wild@yahoo.com

trishwild.blogspot.com

Joke of the Day

NEXT SEASON ON DANCING WITH THE STARS

For those of you who believe everything you see on the computer.

This is one of the best photo shop jobs I’ve seen… Too funny)