From the President
Busy! Busy! Busy! July is traditionally one of the slower months of the year at least in terms of horse related activities. Not the case this year.
The month was started off with a club ride at Zaleski State Forest. It was hot and rain was predicted for most days, but a nice group of hearty folks showed up to enjoy the trails and each others friendship. The predicted rain did come a couple evening but long after the day's ride was logged into the books. The trails at Zaleski were a little wet, but much better than had been expected considering the consistent rain we have been subjected to this summer.
One of my favorite things to do in July is pick berries as we ride. They end up in pies and jams. Sam Underhill shares the same interest. Sam and I both picked several quarts of raspberries at Tar Hollow plus Sam picked a nice batch of black berries at Scioto Trails. Sam kind of rubbed it in and posted pictures of a couple really good looking pie on our face book page. I guess my invitation to help eat them got lost in the mail.
Several of our members have been out and about riding. Kim and Bill Smith plus Art and Pam Crist spent a weekend at Salt Fork. Bill said most of the trails were ok to ride and the camp was very active with other campers. Sandy Sexton and Margaret Hite have ridden a couple time at Great Seal. Richard and Helen camped at Hocking for almost a week starting the 14th of July. Arguably this turned out to be the hottest week of the year up to this point in the summer. After hanging tough for 5 days, they finally raised the white flag and went home on Friday morning.
Tanna Rhoads has taken up one of the more interesting activities any of our members have participated in. She is training her horse and herself to shoot a long bow at targets while the horse is moving. There is actually competition for this at a facility near Canton. Tanna, get some one to video your next trip and post it on face book for the rest of us not so adventurous people to view. You go girl.
On July 21st Tom and I organized a work detail to erect the tie rails at Table Top Rock. This was part of a grant project for which we had received money from South Central Power to help with the cost. In addition to club members, the Rough Riders 4-H club from the Lancaster area provided volunteer to help with the labor necessary to accomplish this project. The main objective we all faced was moving the post, pipe, quick crete, water and tools needed from Big Pine road to the top of the hill where Table Top Rock rest. We were able to move most of the material 80% of the way by 4 wheeler, but the other 20% was by shear muscle power. Every one of the 4-H kids, their parents and advisors chipped in and were a tremendous help. Add in the club volunteers and we had close to 20 people which lightened the load for any one person. I would like to single out Julie McGuire's son, Corbin who moved almost all of the heavy quick crete bags and several of the post the final 75 yards up through Fat Man squeeze. Thanks Corbin!
In the end, the project took right at 2 1/2 hours to complete. IÂ need to recognize Jaime McGuire's son in law Shannon, a sales rep for Quick Crete for donating the quick crete we used in this project. Also a big thanks goes out to Chris Wentz and the Hocking Horse Trail face book group for donating $600 to our club for this and other projects we hope to accomplish at Hocking this summer. And again, thanks to South Central Power for their grant money to our club. I'm totally jacked up at how well this project turned out. Next time you ride Hocking, ride over to Table Top and check it out.
Larry Addington, Keith White, Bryan Black, Pam Dean and myself attended a chain saw safety class at Zaleski State Forest on Saturday July 27th. In total there was probably 16 or 17 people from 4 different OHC clubs in the class. I have run a chain saw for 30 plus years, but old dogs can learn new tricks. I came away from the class with several new techniques and ideas on better ways to use a saw. Thanks to our trail boss Tom McGuire and the Zaleski forest manager for helping organize this class. We as a OHC group have cleaned the trails at Hocking at least 3 times plus the forestry crew cleared trails another day. I hate to say it, but the trails at Hocking are in bad need of cleaning again. Several of us rode there last week and I counted 5 areas on major trails where trees are down. Most can be ridden around but a couple of them require an experienced rider and horse. As soon as I can find a day, we'll put our new training to use.
At the last meeting I asked if anyone was interested in a ride a Stone Church. The date has been set for August 9,10 and 11. I have been accumulating a list of those interested. There are only 10 camp sited available and I currently have 7 or 8 people committed. If you are interested, get word to me soon.
Looking further into August, our state ride at Scioto Trails will be here in just 5 weeks. Plans have been reviewed and will be firmed up at the August meeting. Check our web site for a flyer outlining activities. One of the big events of that weekend is the drawing for door prizes and the 50/50.Tickets for each are provided to each camper plus you can purchase extra 50/50 tickets. The door prizes are donated by those of us attending the ride. It is not necessary to donate to the drawing to participate in it, but most do. The items in the drawing range from home made crafts to high end horse related articled donated from local business. Give it some thought.
Love looking at our face book site to review what our members and friends are doing with their horses. Keep posting those pictures!
That's all I have for now.
Chris
July Trail Photos
