Sunrise Ranch, Father's Day and Fun in Arnold

At the beginning of June I spent a week in Washington.  Due to the economic downturn Cascades Camp has decided to close Sunrise Ranch for a few years.  This is a program I spent many years of my life at.  I first started at the Ranch at the age of 17 as a wrangler.  At the age of 20 I became the Ranch Manager and left the program in 2013.  My very good friend, Rowanne has been running the program for the past few years and I was blessed to be able to spend a week supporting her as she started the closing down process.  I got to ride my favorite horse, Elska and say goodbye to some of my favorites.

Orion

Kenya, who was born at the Ranch while I was there(she's 17 now)

Riding Elska

Elska

While I was there Rowanne and I got to go for a trailride with Tom and Michal Kays who started the Ranch program at Cascades.

Elska and Kenya running up to the pasture

Ringo 

Maya(Kenya's Mother)

Also during my visit, David and Kiki came for the day.  So good to see some Ranchies.  

We have had some fun around Hartland.  Zane got a big wheel so he and Casey had to try it out.

Pushing Pops

Riding double

Zane zooms all over 

The tree house is coming along

Playing with friends at the creek

Playing in the creek

Playing in the creek

For Father's Day we did a drive through the National Forest on some back roads we hadn't explored before.  We found a really nice spot next to a creek for lunch, so Zane could play in the water after we ate.  During lunch I just happened to look over my shoulder and up and there were twin bear cubs up a tree!!  So we packed up very quickly and jumped back in the Jeep.  As we started to drive forward we spotted Mama bear on a rock.  Really cool to see bears but a little scary to know they had been watching us for about 15 minutes while we were eating lunch.  

Twin cubs in the tree

Mama on the rock

We also got to check out the Chicago stump.  This tree was first known as the General Noble Tree, but was cut down for the 1893 World's Fair.  It was cut into sections and shipped by train to the World's Fair.  But every one that saw the stump thought it was a hoax, because it was too big to be believable.  It is thought to be the biggest tree ever cut down.

At the end of the month we headed up to Arnold, CA where my brother and family own property.  My parents where there also.  It was good to be with family after so many months.  We got to spend a day out in the Jeeps and some time on Zac's property where they will be building a house in the next year.  

Family photo

Jeeps at the top of the mountain

Mom and Dad on the other side of the Wooly Mule's Ear(this plant was everywhere)

Casey driving in the mud

Dad heading through the mud

Cabin in a meadow

Playing in the creek

More fun in the water

Building a dam

We found some snow!!

Snowball fight

Casey getting hit with a snowball

Zane climbing a tree

At the end of the Jeep trail we came out at the top of Bear Mountain Ski Resort

Swimming in the Stanislaus River

Zane riding the zipline at Zac's

Making S'more pie

Family Photo

At the end of our time together in Arnold, we got the very sad news that my Aunt Linda had passed away.  She was one of the most joyful people I have ever known.

Linda and Zane