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PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, August 19, 1986 -- 23 220 mile trail ride provided many memorable moments Following the blue dots across Michigan Getting on a horse and riding 220 miles across the state of Michigan may not be everyone's idea of the perfect vacation, but for two Scugog Tc. .._hip women it was an ex- perience they will treasure for a long time to come. For 14 days in late June, Jan Johnson and Stella McDonnell 'followed the blue dots' over some Stella McDonnell (left) and Jan Johnson with "Trixie." Stella and Jan took a vacation of a different kind this summer, a 220 mile trail across rugged northern Michigan "following the blue dots." (See story for details). very rugged yet beautiful terrain in northern Michigan. The "blue dots" mark the riding trail developed by the Michigan Trail Riders Association that winds its way from Lake Huron in the east to Lake Michigan in the west. For Jan, an experienced rider who has been around horses all her life, it was the second time in as - Make DURHAM SHOES your . Hack lo Schoot 2hk EARLY BIRD SPECIAL Purchase any Savage Shoes or Runners at regular price and get 20% OFF Your Child's WINTER BOOTS! a" HEADQUARTERS for all your FOOTWEAR SAVAGE KEDS KANGAROO NORTH STAR DURHAM SHOES inc. 230 QUEEN STREET - PORT PERRY YOUR FOOTWEAR SPECIALISTS FOR LADIES, TEENS, AND CHILDREN SUMMER HOURS: 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday; Friday to 8:00 p.m. many years that she has crossed the state on horse-back. For Stella, however, it was a com- pletely new experience. Prior to this adventure, she had done very little riding. And in an interview with the Star last week, she admitted that after the first day on the trail she was so stiff and sore she seriously considered packing it in right there and catching the first plane home. But she decided against this after hearing stories of a four year old making the ride, and she met an 86 year old lady who was crossing the Michigan Trail for the 26th time. Stella says that now she would like to make the trip again. "At first I thought, no way, never again, but I've changed my mind." Planning a 220 mile trip by horse- back does not just happen overnight. Stella and Jan decided to make this ride nearly a year ago and serious preparation began months in advance. Personal safety and the 'well be- ing of the horses are the most impor- tant factors, explained Jan. All the equipment, saddles, bridals and so on had to be duplicated. A breakdown on the trail would have forced them to quit. An injury to one of their horses would have meant the same result. While the ride is planned to cover about 20 miles each day with a rest day every second day, horses and riders are subject to a certain degree of danger. "We heard of people falling off their horses, breaking their arms and legs, or horses coming up lame or suffering bad rope burns," said Jan. Fortunately, the entire ride went without a serious incident. They did have one brief scaré when Jan's horse Leo momentarily got free and bolted. But he quickly came back and they continued on their way. They crossed virtually all types of terrain, forged rivers and creeks, and on one occasion had to careful- ly make their way over a long slip- pery wooden bridge across a deep swamp. Both Stella and Jan said the scenery along the trail was maghnifi- cent through deep forest and stands of huge yellow birch. "Every day was different. There is just no way to describe it," said Jan. About 80 riders from all over Michigan, other states and Canada started the 220 mile ride. But on each day, they could ride at their own pace and in small groups. Often, Jan and Stella would ride the entire day without seeing another rider. _ At the end of each day's ride, they camped in grounds specifically designed for trail riders and horses. The evenings spent around the campfires swapping stories. and tales with the other riders were a memorable part of the trip. On the days off, they rested or took the op- portunity to do some sight seeing in the small communities along the trail. The merchants and businesses in these communities go out of their e & Cat will be at the BLACKSTOCK FAIR Sat., August 23rd, 1986 Glass, Books, All Supplies & Some Finished Pieces. Book your Fall Course or Buy a Gift Certificate for a Friend. SEE YOU AT THE FAIR! way to make the trail riders feel welcome. There are four organized trail rides from coast to coast each year: in May, June, September and Oc- tober. Riders pay a $2 per night fee to stay in the cam ; must provide feed for their horses and have the choice of taking their own meals from the campground chuckwagon, or "cooking for themselves. Jan and Stella ate a few chuckwagon meals and decided to find local restaurants the rest of the way. Along the trail, they had concerns about several things: first, that a deer would suddenly jump from the bush and spook one of the horses. That happens fairly frequently to riders and they heard of one rider who was actually knocked from his horse by a bounding deer. While they saw plenty of deer, there were no close calls. Also, the trail makes it way through a large area used by the Na- tional Guard as a training grounds. It seems these guardsmen take par- ticular delight in devising ways to scare trail riders and their horses. Jan and Stella saw no sign of the Guardsmen, fortunately. And they were also warned to be _ on the look-out for black bears over parts of the trail, Coming face to * face with a large black bear on an isolated trail was not somethin? they locked forward to. They saw no bears, but had a great time chuckl- ing and laughing about what they would do if they encountered one: like which Fond and rider would be first up the nearest tree. For those who make the 220 mile trek, tradition calls for them to - wade their horses in Lake Huron at the start and repeat this in Lake Michigan when it's over. Jan and Stella each received a small wooden guide post as a momento from the Trail Riders Association, and a certificate. But they brought home much more than that in the form of some beautiful memories from a unique vacation "following the blue dots." Patrick G. Desgan DENTURE THERAPY CLINIC 305 Queen Street -- Port Perry BY APPOINTMENT ONLY! 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