30. October 2018 · Comments Off on Hermit Camp – Owyhee · Categories: Around The Campfire, Fun Rides

Laurie Bryan – Trail Log: 10-25-2018 HERMIT CAMP

  • Trail: Succor Creek Canyon Camp to Succor Creek
  • Miles: 3
  • Riders/Hiker: Self
  • Horses: Jack and J
  • Dogs: Shade and Hank

Notes:  Sometimes I just need to get my hermit on. It’s been a whirl wind year of shooting, IMO, work and just every day life. It was time to make one last hermitage into the Owyhee’s before winter. Destination: Succor Creek Canyon.

Trail Log: 10-26-2018 – Fisherman Rd. To Owyhee Reservoir

  • Trail: Fisherman Rd. To Owyhee Reservoir
  • Miles: 21.8
  • Riders: Self – Lee B.
  • Horses: Jack – J’Lo – Prince

Notes: Met Lee at the beginning of Fisherman Rd. bright and early. Needed an early start to make sure we were back before dark if possible. I’ve been wanting to do this ride for a long time. Lee has driven and hunted the route, but not ridden it. Fisherman Rd. goes all the way in and drops you down onto Owyhee reservoir.

Trail Log: 10-27-2018 

  • Trail: Lonesome Willow – Antelope Springs – Succor Creek canyon loop
  • Miles: 14.15
  • Riders: Self – Lee – Cynthia and Becky
  • Horses: Jack and J – King – Paint and Jude

Click here for full set of photos: Get’in my hermit on

Notes: Well, I thought the previous ride to the lake would have been the highlight of the weekend. I was pleasantly surprised to find today’s ride even better. I met Lee, Cindy and Becky at the head of Camp Hermit on Succor Creek Rd and followed them to a road above Lonesome Willow – previously known as the Bob Davis Ranch. The State purchased the old ranch and turned it into …pretty much nothing. Sure wish they would put it up for sale and let somebody bring it back to life. What an awesome place in it’s day.

30. October 2018 · Comments Off on Fall Ride & Potluck – Sweet/Montour · Categories: Around The Campfire, Fun Rides

Montour, Gem County, Idaho, USA sits at the base of Regan Butte on the Payette River. At an elevation of about 3300 feet, the peak of Regan Butte rises 800 feet above the small farming community below. Off not far in the distance a little east of north one can see the small town of Sweet, Idaho and off in the distance in the same direction just out of sight is Ola, Idaho. Looking just a little south of west one can see a portion of Emmett, Idaho. The Payette River wraps almost entirely around the butte, bordering about 3/4th of its base. 360 degree ViewIn the early 1860’s the first ranch was established at what is now Montour and it was used as a stage/mail stop along the road to the Boise Basin. Montour was officially platted after the railroad came through in 1911. Montour once vied for the Boise County seat but in 1915 it was incorporated into Gem County, Emmett being the County seat. In 1941 a new highway bypassed Montour which greatly slowed growth and shortly thereafter the school closed.

Montour
In the early 1860’s the Marsh-Ireton Ranch was established as a stage and mail stop along the freight road to the Boise Basin. After the railroad came through the Valley in 1911, the Montour business district and town were platted. They vied for the Boise County seat, but in 1915, the town was incorporated into Gem County with Emmett as the County seat. Dreams of prosperity faded, when in 1941, the new highway bypassed Montour, and shortly thereafter the school closed due to school reorganization.

The last store closed in 1968. In the 1970’s, ice jams along the backwaters of the dam flooded the Valley. The Bureau of Reclamation bought out the landowners and has since turned the area into a wildlife refuge and camping area. A natural landmark is the small butte, generally known as Regan Butte, named after the homesteader who ran cattle there in the late 1800’s.

Riders: Terry MacDonald, Mike & Karen Heilman, Carmen Tyack, Janelle Weeks

Sweet
During the gold rush to the Thunder Mountain Mines, Sweet served as an important freighter’s supply station. At the turn of the century, Sweet boasted of three hotels, three saloons, a bank, a newspaper, two lodge halls, and other business. It was named for the first postmaster Ezekiel Sweet. After the gold rush subsided and a series of fires in the business district, the town began to deteriorate, and was not rebuilt.

Potluck – Was held after the ride at the hobby ranch of Linda & Rob Adams located south east of Sweet. It was well attended by members and guest who enjoyed great food and interesting conversations.  Stories were swapped of our summer adventures and plans started to form for 2019.  No one went home hungry!

19. October 2018 · Comments Off on Trailer Doctor – Emmett Idaho · Categories: Around The Campfire, Current Events

Trailer Doctor, 1577 N Plaza Rd, Emmett, ID 83617
Contact: Mike NYCE    https://www.facebook.com/Trailer-Doctor-188801334530051/

I had Mike over to work on my two horse trailers.  My goose-neck trailer was in need of new brakes after ten year of hauling it all over the back country including a number of trips to the Stanley Basin.  My Green three horse trailer needed its bearing packed and to sort out an intermittent electrical problem.

Mike comes to your location and brings a complete shop with him!

The electrical problem with the green trailer was a broken ground wire. BUT, while confirming that everything was working we found out that the wire that enable the brakes had come loose so the trailer brakes were not helping the truck to stop. Lucky for me, I only carry one or two horses in that trailer and generally only on day rides. The fact I didn’t notice is on me!
I was pleased with the quality of Mikes work and I though he charged a reasonable price.

08. October 2018 · Comments Off on October 7th, 4 Mile Creek Wild Horse Area · Categories: Current Events, Education, Fun Rides

Sunday morning, October 7th, 2018 was sunny and crisp and had the look of a day for an almost perfect fall ride. The road to the packing area for this ride was still damp from the rain the day before, so no dust, and it had been graded recently so was pretty smooth. By 10:15 all the members who had signed up for the ride where finishing up getting their horses ready and by 10:30 we were heading up the left fork of the road to the gate that allows you to enter the south-west corner of this BLM area.

The gate was open, so we didn’t have to stop and the group spread out to climb up to the top of the first rise. There is no defined trail here, so members were picking their way up the hill side. Shannon, Nancy and two other riders were leading the way and Shannon’s horse wanted to lope up the slope. Shannon tried to slow her to a walk, but instead the mare reversed course and started loping down hill. This lope, turned more buck like and Shannon was pitched face first down the slope. Where she lay not moving. The group sprang into action, with half seeing to Shannon and the others catching her horse and holding the others. The first aid kit was taken off the back of Rob’s saddle and a patient assessment was started. Shannon was awake and aware and was able to tell us what she though was going on. She was able to set up after a bit and indicated she though she might have broken her arm or dislocated her shoulder.Under Shannon’s guidance for the most comfortable position of the arm, we used a down vest rolled up to act as a pillow and place it between her body and her fore arm which she was supporting. We then used her jacket and some vet-rap to fashion a sling. This arrangement allowed Shannon to walk back to the road while other brought her horse. By 12:00 Shannon was on her way to further medical care.  I talked to Shannon at 17:30 Sunday night, and she said that she had dislocated her right shoulder which had been restored to it’s correct location, but she had also damaged some tendon and ligament attachments which would require further medical attention.

The members who continued the ride saw a coyote, hawks, antelope and ten mustangs.

Secure dislocated shoulder, and get patient to a doctor
By Alton Thygerson – BYU

The shoulder is your body’s most mobile joint because it can turn in many directions. But this advantage also makes it easy to dislocate.

A partial dislocation (subluxation) means the head of the upper arm bone (humerus) is partially out of the socket (glenoid). A complete dislocation means it’s all the way out.

Both partial and complete dislocations cause extreme pain and unsteadiness in the shoulder. The shoulder muscles may have spasms from the disruption, and this can make it hurt even more.

Symptoms include swelling, numbness, weakness and bruising. Sometimes a dislocation may tear ligaments or tendons in the shoulder. Once in awhile, the dislocation may damage the nerves. The victim will guard the shoulder and try to protect it by holding the dislocated arm in a fixed position away from the chest wall. The victim is unable to touch the opposite shoulder with the hand on the injured side.

The shoulder joint can dislocate forward, backward or downward. The most common (90 percent) type of shoulder dislocation is when the shoulder slips forward (anterior instability). This means the upper arm bone moved forward and down out of the joint. It may happen when the arm is in a throwing position or held up high over the head, as in kayaking.

So what do you do if you come across someone with a dislocated shoulder?

1. Place an ice pack for about 15 minutes over the injured shoulder. (Unable to do where accident occurred)

2. Give the patient analgesics, such as acetaminophen, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, to help reduce pain. (We didn’t, but could have)

3. Stabilize the shoulder against movements by placing a pillow or rolled blankets or towels between the arm and chest to fill the space between the arm and the chest wall. Once the arm is stabilized in this way, the elbow can usually be flexed to 90 degrees without causing further pain. Apply an arm sling to the forearm and wrist to support the weight of the arm. Secure the arm in the sling to the pillow and chest with a swath made either from a folded triangular bandage or a gauze bandage. (We used Shannon’s jacket to secure her arm and shoulder. Leaving the left arm of her jacket in place, we used the right sleeve of the jacket, routed under the right arm pit then looped under her forearm and then attached to itself with vet-rap. A down vest was placed between the arm and her body acting as a pillow and supporting the shoulder. We could have use triangle bandages to also build a sling. Shannon indicated that this was the most comfortable position. Shannon was able to walk down the hill to the road and her truck, when Nancy drove he to medical care)

4. Check the pulse at the wrist for signs of circulation. If there is no pulse, medical care should be sought immediately.

5. Seek medical care. Transport the victim in a sitting or semi-seated position.

If you and the patient are in a remote location and far from medical care, an anterior dislocated shoulder can be put back into place (reduced) if you have proper training. It should NOT be attempted when medical care is near or when proper training is absent.

At the hospital or doctor’s office a doctor will examine the shoulder and may order an X-ray. It’s important for the doctor to know how the dislocation happened. Was it an injury? Has the patient ever dislocated the shoulder before? The doctor will place the ball of the humerus back into the joint socket. This process is called closed reduction. The severe pain stops almost immediately once the shoulder joint is back in place.

08. October 2018 · Comments Off on Next generation satellite beacons · Categories: Around The Campfire

Emergency Locater Beacons with bi-directional texting

01. October 2018 · Comments Off on Texas billionaires put gates on popular Forest Service road near Boise · Categories: Current Events, Public Lands