A Message from Rennelle

Warrior2

Our good wishes to Rennelle continue.

THIS IS A THANK YOU NOTE TO EVERYONE FROM RENELLE-

Please accept my apologies for the tardiness of this response to the overwhelming gift of the raffle proceeds.  I was away for awhile, and although I tried mightily to finish all of the thank-you cards and messages before I left, I didn’t quite succeed.  My lack of a timely reply, however, in no way reflects the amount of my gratitude.

 

A cancer patient has a lot of different weights on his or her shoulders.  In my case, there is the constant out-of-state travel to medical appointments, the daily battle to continue some sort of normality through the fog and sickness caused by years of chemotherapy, and, of course, the reality of the never-ceasing medical bills.

In a single, combined effort from all of you, one of my weights was lifted.  To each and every person who participated in the raffle, please accept my heartfelt thanks for your contributions.

Many of you promoted the raffle on your respective blogs, and I want to thank you all for your work on my behalf.  It would be logical to assume that so many searchers looking for a single prize would be ultra-competitive with each other!  That may be, but you are also community-minded and came together to pull off an event that was successful beyond anyone’s imagination.  You all have my respect, my admiration, and most of all, my thanks.

I’d also like to thank the Collected Works Bookstore and Dorothy Massey, who offered a lovely setting in which to host the raffle event.  Suzanne Somers offered her support in the days leading up to the event, and I was humbled and grateful to receive her beautiful message.  The lovely and gracious Ali McGraw was kind enough to participate in the drawing, and I was so very appreciative of her willingness to lend us her time.  Thanks also to Toby Younis, who used his professional abilities to record the raffle event and stream it live. I watched it from my chemo chair and couldn’t contain my smiles.

 

Every day for several weeks, Dal Neitzel donated so much time to the raffle process that I doubt he ever slept!  Dal, I am so appreciate of all your hard work and selfless efforts.

 

The incomparable Forrest Fenn turned his raffle idea into reality, as he has done with countless other ideas throughout his lifetime.  This time, however, it was for my benefit, and for that, I give him my endless gratitude.  Thank you, Forrest.  You remain my hero.
 
Thank you all so very much, and I hope to see you on the trail!

Renelle

______________________________________________________

Click here for her story in Forrest Fenn’s words.

Read more about the raffle here.IMG_0231

English: Actor, entrepreneur Suzanne Somers

English: Actor, entrepreneur Suzanne Somers (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Wondering what Forrest did last weekend?  Check  out  Forrest Fenn’s Scrapbook Fifty-Six over on Dal’s blog.

Who is Forrest Fenn?  Here’s an interview with Fenn, the Pilot.  Thank you Dal.

It brings to mind an earlier video I shared…..terrifying but really funny for those of us who have a slight fear of flying.

That’s what friends are for….. right?

Serendipity II — Right Time, Right Place, Right Stuff

How much pure luck or chance do you think it will take to find Forrest Fenn‘s “blaze“?

So often, it’s the unanticipated that turns out to be the treasure.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

A full moon.

A shuttle launch.

A fortunate location.

Serendipity II close 1

Enhanced by Zemanta

Gluttons For Punishment

Is your Thrill of the Chase hunt not going so well?
Here’s another way to find gold.

Appalachian Prospectors Gold Prospecting Adventures

Hillbilly John and I made our usual trek northward to the Western Mountains of Maine on the first week of September which has been customary for us for over the past several years. This year Hillbilly John’s daughter Melissa and her boyfriend Mike accompanied us. It was their first time out dredging for gold.  It was also their first time visiting Maine. The weather was nice, it was warm and humid and it looked like we were going to have some nice weather for the labor day weekend. We arrived in the later part of the afternoon, we set up camp, jumped on the quads and headed out to the spot we planned to dredge in to look it over and put together a solid plan for the following day. We had a location picked out that we have dredged before that we had gotten some nice gold out of. We…

View original post 1,972 more words

River’s Edge

Ooooh, ick.

(From Yahoo)  Man finds stash of cash in river.   Story here.

Dog walking might pay, but I’d really rather find Forrest Fenn‘s hidden treasure chest —-

—-  Gold nuggets and emeralds don’t get soggy.

Forrest Fenn's Treasure Chest

Forrest Fenn’s Treasure Chest

Cervalces in Iowa

English: fossil of alces (cervalces)

Thrill of the Find

Cervalces in Iowa.

English: Life restoration of Cervalces scotti

English: Life restoration of Cervalces scotti (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

From Science Dailyhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130919121906.htm

Clovis Points

When I find the picture of a spear point found in the skeleton of a bison on the Illinois River during low water, I’ll post it.  It was on display at Dickson Mounds Museum in central Illinois.  They have great displays of artifacts.

Didn’t Forrest mention that finding a Clovis point inside the skull of a mammoth is still on his bucket list?

English: Museum at Dickson Mounds, Illinois.

English: Museum at Dickson Mounds, Illinois. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: A map showing the Hopewell Interactio...

English: A map showing the Hopewell Interaction Sphere and various local expressions of the Hopewell cultures, including the Laurel Complex, Saugeen Complex, Point Peninsula Complex, Marksville culture, Copena culture, Kansas City Hopewell, Swift Creek Culture, Goodall Focus, Crab Orchard culture and Havana Hopewell culture. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: A map showing the various Mississippi...

English: A map showing the various Mississippian cultures, including the Caddoan Mississippian culture and the Plaquemine culture, as well as the other cultures influenced by the Mississippians, the Fort Ancient culture and Oneota peoples. Also shows a few important sites such as Cahokia, Moundville, Etowah, Town Creek, Spiro, Kincaid and Angel. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Spectacular Blaze

A young Amish boy on his way to work

A young Amish boy on his way to work at 4:30am looking at the light show on Fuller Road in Easton, Maine. The image was captured by 61-year-old photographer Paul Cyr

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2442531/Solar-flare-causes-Northern-Lights-US-Kansas-Maine-Donegal.html#ixzz2gmD0onGL
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

West Yellowstone & Up the Gallatin (Part IV)

IMG_0341

In the morning, the first item on my agenda was to find Dal’s cache in the woods.  His GPS coordinates were of no use to me, but fortunately his instructions were clear, and if precisely followed would lead me to the stash with confidence.  It also didn’t hurt that I’d seen the photos on his blog.  IMG_0336

I’d brought a set of ‘important bear info’ playing cards to leave in the tub.  To make room, I had to choose between a black thing and electric tape.  I took the tape.  IMG_0338Good to go.

The rest of the morning was spent driving down the Madison and checking out the earthquake damage.  I’d been there the day it happened and again when I was ten.  (See Terremoto entry.)IMG_0366

IMG_0447

The Hebgen Lake Dam and fishing access was closed for construction/repairs.

Possibility of water high?!

Possibility of water high?!

Surprising how the rocky scars still look fresh.  In fact, across from the Earthquake Visitor’s Center (also CLOSED), I saw an omega blaze and looked quickly down.

OMG!  The Omega?

OMG! The Omega?

Okay, between me and the hidden treasure chest was a rushing river, boulders, and a steep ravine.  Hmm.  I’ll come up from below, I thought.  IMG_0431I drove down to where the valley opened up.  A longer hike than I’d be doing alone in the heat.  Maybe not ever.

I turned around and drove back up the ‘hill’.   Now, there were  2 empty cars parked along the road.  For a moment I panicked and thought they were just ahead of me on the chase.  I parked and started hiking down the slippery slope across from my blaze.  And then I saw them.

It turned out, they were ‘just’ fishing.

IMG_0454I had some time to think there on the slide.  The more I gazed across the river, the more I realized that spot was just not possible to reach safely.  Not for a child, a person of eighty, or even one approaching 60.  Anyone in between, go for it.  You have my blessing.  Go in peace.

Instead of heading north, I went back into West Yellowstone for bear spray, just in case I got brave enough to get in the wood.  And, just to remind myself of the vertical factor this winter while I’m poring over maps, I picked up a 3-D molded plastic version map of the area.  I think we still have a Denver/Rockies one from 28 years ago.
I inquired of the volunteers at tourist info as to where Watkins Creek was.  In addition to printing me a map,  they mentioned  a $6k per week Firehole.  I started out for it, but the tarred road was scant. IMG_0473 I made it a bit past the nice boat launch/campground before I was jarred into turning around. Clearly the movie stars they’d mentioned must fly in.IMG_0474
I only had 6.7 more miles of gravelly washboard to go.  If Mr. W gets that pickup, we’ll try it next year.  Plus, that will give me an extra year to get into shape to reach those aptly (?) named lakes above there. *** Is there an air ambulance available for the over-confident? she wonders.

After lunch, I headed up Highway 191, the Gallatin River valley, to the Soldier’s Chapel.  I’d recently read The Bloody Bozeman, and have to agree with the person who mentioned that Bozeman ought to be named Story.  Bozeman was rather reckless with other people’s lives.

IMG_0485
I headed south to where I’d made a reservation for the night.  A welcome thunderstorm passed through that night and drenched the area.  Helpful to those battling a fire or two.  IMG_0345 I planned to attend the chapel service Sunday morning, and then, if I was really brave, I just might have (probably not), ridden the ski lift/tram up Lone Mountain before heading to parts north.
But, there was an email waiting for me.  From Forrest Fenn.
***  If I had kept up with Dal’s blog the day I was packing, I would have realized that a couple of fearless, and healthy, searchers had made the trek up the mountain to not just Lower Coffin Lake, but the Upper one as well.  So, maybe we don’t need that pick-up truck. . . .

Wandering in Wyoming (Part Two of Trip One)

como_bluff_4OCT_176

My sights were set on Montana, but I had time to check out (parts of) Wyoming.  The state is a collection of mountain ranges and basins.  I knew I couldn’t cover it all.  Had to scratch off Como Bluff and it’s dinosaur bone house—but it’s not open to the public anymore.

I planned to cover the Big Horn Canyon/Yellowtail Reservoir on my way home, but there was a huge change of plans along the way.  So, where did I leave off?  Worland. IMG_0149

In the morning I headed for Cody.  First up, the Buffalo Bill Dam in Shoshone Canyon where I met Buck, a volunteer at the Visitor Center.

Buck

Buck

Wonderful, interesting, happy guy who served his country well.

IMG_0190After that, back into Cody to visit an historic church which the gracious man of the collar opened to me.  It has an ancient Wurlitzer organ, of interest to few, but special to me.  I told myself I wouldn’t refer to the church by its nickname, but there it was, on a bronze plaque right outside the door….IMG_0188

Downtown for lunch at the Irma Hotel.  I gazed in the mirror and looked quickly down, to no avail. IMG_0195 I also picked up a neckerchief in case that would be of help in some deciphering I’ve been trying to do.

Pink

After lunch I hit 4 out of the 5 museums at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center where I saw a fetching Fechin, the pre-sale artworks of many talented people, Plains Indian artifacts, natural history exhibits, and so forth.  I skipped the Firearms Museum this time as Mr. W wasn’t along.  (Been there, done that.)

English: Main Entrance to the Cody Firearms Museum

Supper.  A double rainbow.  Discovered it was FF’s birthday, so I sent him best wishes and a note on my (lack of) progress.

IMG_0220

Next up?  I had reservations in West Yellowstone, the Gallatin Valley, and a certain hot springs over the next few days, but . . . .

Related articles

No Paddle Up Her Creek

Water high!

Even though it was only six feet deep, this unfortunate canoeist got trapped by the power of the Jefferson River.  She was pinned against a bridge in the frigid water for four and a half hours.

http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/woman-rescued-after-being-pinned-against-jefferson-river-bridge-for/article_f7f50241-1f31-5fde-a073-b1b7be87b2c6.html#.UcrYz3CpJVM.gmail

Rivers in Montana generated by National Atlas,...

Rivers in Montana generated by National Atlas, a United States government agency and then annotated by poster in March 2007. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Thankfully, she had quick thinking partners and teams of emergency responders who rescued her.

Not that she was a Chaser, but, as others have cautioned, be prepared and respect the power of nature if you’re out there, water high or not.

IMG_0099