Bar 10 Ride 2003 By Ron Griffo The 2nd annual Big Bear Trail Riders Bar 10 Ranch ride was another great success this year. With over 25 riders participating, the ride was again an outing to remember. Starting at the Eureka Hotel and Casino in Mesquite, Nevada, the route took us over 92 miles of dirt and jeep roads to the ranch. Roll charts were prepared for each rider and some of us who led the group put out orange and green ribbons to help the rest of the group follow the course. The ribbons were provided by fellow club member, Kelly Perry. Thanks Kelly. They seemed to have worked because this year every rider negotiated the course without a problem arriving at the ranch with plenty of time to spare before dinner. Soon after all the riders had arrived, our gear, gas and beer vehicles arrived. Thanks to Tina Teige and Jim Nicholsons daughter, Lisa, we all had our necessary items there that night. These ladies drove over 65 miles of nasty dirt roads to get there and we thank them for their efforts. Before long it was dinner time at the Bar 10, and again they provided us with a great Dutch oven meal and shortly after that an hour long show of singing and dancing country entertainment provided by the resident student ranch hands. The next day began for many of us with a early morning cup of hot coffee and soon after an early morning country style breakfast. Then it was on the bikes to one of the worlds greatest views. A secluded location about 11 miles from the ranch to a viewpoint on the north rim of the Grand Canyon. This is a viewpoint that few people ever get to see unless your a guest at the ranch. You can see for miles up and down the river from this location perched a least 2000 feet from the river floor. You have to see it to believe it. From there it was back to the ranch to prepare for the ride back to Mesquite. We said our good-byes to all the great folks at the ranch with many of us vowing to return next year. On the ride back to Mesquite, with the assistance of fellow club member Dan Yaknavage, this year was more fun then ever. Dan had done some recon work earlier that month and had found an even better way back than last year. Incorporating areas that he had scouted with past roll charts provided by Tour & Trails Jim Pilon, Dan produced a one of a kind and really fun roll chart for us. It even included a quite long section of never used jeep road. His charting was spot on with the result being, no one got lost or even confused. Everyone arrived back in Mesquite with a smile on their face. If you missed it this year, don't fret. I've said it before. This ones a keeper. We'll be doing it again next year. Thanks to everyone who attended. A little Bar 10 interesting Info. The Bar 10 ranch located on the fabled Arizona Strip was once and still is to a lesser extent a cattle ranch. Family owned since the 1960's the ranch now is haven for mostly river rafters who spend the night during their excursions on Colorado River rafting tours. The ranch provides the rafters with a 6 minute helicopter ride from the river floor to the ranch about 8 miles from the rim, and back again. The visitors are able to spend a relaxing end of day at the ranch just sitting around taking in the views, then a country style meal, ranch style bedding either in the bunk house or one of the 11 outside covered wagons, and then an early morning complete ranch style breakfast. Up to 60 guest can be accommodated each night. The ranch also provides a safe haven for hikers, ATV riders, horse back riders, jeepers and off road motorcyclist through late Spring and into Fall each year. Legend says, and if you know your American history, some of the men of the early Powell Expedition of the Colorado River, left the expedition party due to lack of provisions and low moral. They climbed from the river floor and up into the Bar 10 ranch area of today. These men were never seen again and it was suspected that the local Indians had killed them. It was never actually proven, but in later meetings with these Indians certain artifacts were found in their possession that were thought to have been owned by the men. No Indians were ever prosecuted. The above was just a small taste of the legends and history of the Bar 10 Ranch and surrounding area. If you want to know more you'll just have to attend next years ride and talk to the locals. In fact, you can sit and chat with the actual descendants of the original settlers of the ranch. I think they enjoy telling the stories just as much as we enjoy listening to them. Unfortunately there are two other matters I must inform you of. The first and much more important of the two is that one of our own, Jim Bolingmo is ill. I am not at liberty to inform you of all the details, but I will say that it is serious and he needs our support at this time in his life. Jim, is one of the original founders of the 1980's version of the Big Bear Trail Riders and is still and active member today. He has always been there for others throughout the years in every way and now its our turn to be there for him. Our prayers are with him and all of us in Big Bear are hoping he will have a speedy recovery. You can write Jim and wish him well at PO Box 1788 Big Bear Lake, Ca. 92315. Issue number two pertains to those extremist environmental organizations who are hard at work again, and this time forcing their will on the owners and guest of the Bar 10 Ranch. The Bar 10 is located in what is called the Grand Canyon Parashant National Monument. This year we were informed that the upper river overlook located off a 1 1/2 mile jeep road was closed to motorized vehicles. The road has been there for years and is a very well known overlook It is also one of the most spectacular of all the overlooks in the area. We were informed by the Bar 10 ranch personnel that they were outraged by this closure and requested our assistance. Here is what we can do. Pull up the Grand Canyon National Monument web site and make a statement. www.az.blm.gov/parashant/parashant.htm You will find a comment section under Statewide Links. Let them know how you feel about this issue. The following is an example of what you can say. This is what I wrote. Dear Sir As a recent guest of the Bar 10 Ranch I was informed that one of the most beautiful Grand Canyon Colorado River overlooks in the world was closed to motorized use. I find this utterly ridicules and another example of the powers that be in the environmental extremist community are hard at work leveraging the government to their way of thinking AGAIN. There are many residents of this country who have the right to see this natural spectacle who will be shut out simply because they cannot walk the mile and a half to this viewing location. When these roads are closed, your efforts to protect these areas become futile. You will only be saving this area for the most fittest Americans to see forever, and that is unfair to everyone else. In conclusion, it is your obligation to manage these areas with the will of all the people in mind, not just the narrow minded over zealous extremist who can hurt you through law suits. I truly hope this is not the case. Sincerely Ron Griffo _______________________________________________________ Final Note. Don't be afraid to say what you think on this issue. These people need to hear from our side. If we don't say something, who will ? It's your right as an American. Thanks. See you in the dirt. Just a member of the Big Bear Trail Riders Ron Griffo.