ONCE AGAIN BACK Country Horsemen Peninsula Chapter’s informational booth was at the Railroad Bridge Park earlier this month for its 20th Riverfest Celebration.
The festival opened in the evening with a community night celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Dungeness River Management Team on Sept. 27, followed by a full day of activities Sept. 28.
Chapter members were on hand to help educate and encourage youth to learn more about the jewel in their greater backyard — the Olympic National Park and Forest.
As always a big hit for the kids was getting up close and personal with Murphy the Donkey, owned by Tony and Kat Sample.
Powell Jones, executive director of the Dungeness River Audubon Center, said close to 350 people attended Thursday night and Friday about 850 students and 350 adults.
The Peninsula Chapter has been very busy this year.
In addition to trail rides, work projects included replacing the Gold Creek foot log bridge that was washed out by a storm 10 years ago.
I’m told that budget cuts to National Parks and National Forests have severely limited the resources and manpower needed to maintain trails and bridges, and for reasons that aren’t clear to me there is a push among some park officials to close trails that have become impassable due to weather damage and overgrowth.
Most find it surprising to learn that trails on the Olympic National Forest — whose boundaries interlock with Olympic National Park — are maintained solely by volunteers.
The Peninsula Chapter coordinated the project with the U.S Forest Service and worked with other Backcountry Horsemen of Washington members, along with the Gray Wolf Trail Crew, Pacific Northwest Trail Association, Washington Trails Association, Klahhane Hiking Club and the Quilcene Ranger Corps, a summer youth group, to complete the project.
Peninsula Chapter member Tom Mix started working on the project seven years ago.
While scouting the area, he found a 200-year-old cedar tree estimated to have fallen down 10 years ago.
After removing the limbs all they had to do was drag the tree through the forest and lift it across the river.
Easy right? Not.
First, it took the next seven years to do the paperwork to get the permits, approvals and grant money needed to proceed with the project.
When the work started, they first leveled the walking surface using cross cut saws, pulaskies and chisels.
Then PC member and master rigger Del Sage set up a complex system of cables, pulleys, grip hoists and a Lewis winch to move the log across the creek.
Finally a handrail was crafted and installed.
PC member Linda Morin said she hiked in one work day to bring the group lunch.
“I couldn’t believe it when I saw this big log flying in the air to cross the river, and then I saw Megan high up in a tree helping with the rigging.”
Forest Service employee Meghan Fluharty, wilderness and trail coordinator, was there working with the QRC students.
In the end it took two dozen volunteers, three mules, four trail associations and two dogs to complete the project.
Fish stock
If you’ve ever wondered how fish get up into those mountain lakes, you might be interested to learn that in September Sage and Mix met with Tokul Creek fish hatchery personnel to pack 3,020 cut-throat trout via horseback and mules to four lakes north of White Pass.
They traveled more than 28 miles on nine different trails in just four days. Wow.
I cannot express how much awe and appreciation I have for the long hours and dedication of folks like Mix and Sage.
They’ve done so for a great many years, and now, as they get older, I’m putting the call out to younger ones they can mentor who would enjoy working outdoors in the wilderness.
In fact, anyone of any age is welcome to join the group.
If working in the wilderness isn’t your thing, not to worry. Most of its members join for the trail rides and friendship.
“We’d love to see more families join and take part in the fun,” Morin said.
Trail rides and other fun get-togethers almost always include a potluck meal or big barbecue, too.
To learn more about the Peninsula Chapter, call Morin at 360-775-5060.
Hay mites
Ouch! I’ve been bitten by the bugs in my hay.
It’s not unusual for me to get a few bites occasionally when I throw hay to my horses.
I figured they were caused by tiny spiders, but I’ve yet to see any pests in my hay.
But boy did I get a rude awaking to the amount of seemingly invisible creatures that can reside in hay after experiencing a rash (literally) from a ton of orchard grass hay I bought that came from Eastern Washington.
It occurred after feeding my horses flakes taken from the middle of the first bale I opened.
About 10 minutes later I found myself repeatedly scratching my elbow.
Upon further examination I noticed a great many tiny red spots centered around my right elbow and then up under my arm to my shoulder.
Suddenly I felt as if I were itching all over my scalp and even in my ears.
Immediately I threw my T-shirt in the washing machine and slathered coconut oil over my arms and head (thinking it would smother whatever was biting me).
Still itching, I took a hot shower, washed with anti-bacterial soap and then reapplied the oil.
I have no idea if that was the correct thing to do, but it did help.
A week later, though, my elbow still itches.
Then I went on an internet search where I discovered hay mites.
Species include the straw itch mite.
Humans are bitten when they have contact with straw, hay, grasses, leaves, seeds or similar materials harboring the mites.
The mites are very tiny and cannot be seen by the human eye.
When itch mite populations explode, people and other animals might receive numerous bites.
Fortunately, the mites cannot live on humans, do not survive indoors and are not known to transmit disease.
Now before feeding I put on a long-sleeved shirt, which I’ve spray with mosquito repellant and thoroughly shake off before re-entering my home.
I’m not sure if it’s psychological or not, but when I’m done feeding I still feel as if I’ve got something crawling all over me.
And it feels yucky.
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Karen Griffiths’ column, Peninsula Horseplay, appears the second and fourth Sunday of each month.
If you have a horse event, clinic or seminar you would like listed, please email Griffiths at kbg@olympus.net at least two weeks in advance. You can also call her at 360-460-6299.
