Funny story about this particular miners shaft. In the mid 1850's, after the mine was no longer viable, a building was erected at both ends. The one on Main Street, a bookstore in which people would go inside to browse the book selection, and at the other end several blocks away, a house of ill repute.

Those who knew of this would go into the book store, and upon opening the secret door in the buildings basement, walk through the tunnel to visit the house of ill repute. Upon returning, it was custom to select a book and return to the street where decent folk (those who didn't know better) would think they had merely purchased something to read. The entrepreneur who thought of this must have made mint in book sales!

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Clockwise are granddaughter Alex, Me, Vanessa, and inside the sharks mouth is Jenny.

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Good looking man for 80 something at the time huh! Grant's humorous nature shows with his little flip of the tongue caught on camera lol. He fits into the category of "One of the few truly good men we meet in life".

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Jenny was so tall at three years old, her doctor said she would mature to at least six feet tall. Not so. She is a little over 5'3" today at 21.

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We had just returned from a weekends pack trip over the top of Mt. Higgins, the mountain that loomed over the north side of the ranch (http://www.rhinoclimbs.com/USGSMountHiggins.htm). Jasper was a wolf hybrid mix from the Olympia Wolf Ranch. He went on every trail ride with me for years and was a great companion. Throughout his life, he stood up cougars, confronted a would-be burglar that broke his (Jasper's) back but still managed to chase the stranger out of the house, guarded the foals and calves that were born on the ranch, and watched over my kids in the hills of Washington's Cascade mountains. The best of dogs! Anyone who says wolves can't be trusted or make good family members never knew Jasper.

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Jerry (now deceased) was a marvelous farrier, who could shoe any horse placed before him. Once, while I was attempting to hold an un-halter broke mare still, she managed to lope in short circle that encompassed the length of a lead, while Jr shoed her.

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Getting ready to head out for a weeks pack trip up a spur of the Pacific Crest with close friends, Kit and Kathy, and my favorite mare, Apres. I am the one standing on the ground.

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Around the clock: Pete, myself, Kevin, Joan with newborn John, & Kristin in Pete's lap.

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Down on the far right hand corner, is a triangular clearing just above the bend of what's known as the "ole Stilly", Stilliguamish River. That is a 50 acre piece that sits right across the highway from my old ranch that is mostly out of view. The top of the peak is approx 7500 feet up, while the valley floor sits at the 400 foot level. It is exactly 5 miles up to this point and made a great training ground for horses preparing for endurance races or simply being broke to ride (horses can't buck uphill).

In the background sits snow capped, majestic Mount White Horse in her summertime finery. On the farthest mountains, running north and south along the mountain ridges, is the Pacific Crest. You can see why this area of the Cascades is so loved! One could ride off the property for a week in either direction without crossing a single road, which we often did.

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I have never lost my love of camping in the high country. This trip was still up the Pacific Crest, but about 1500 miles south, near Tahoe.

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Indian legend: Once upon a time, a very long, long time ago, back in legendary time, before the white man or any other Indian people, there lived in the Sauk-Stillaguamish valleys a strong and handsome Indian man. His name was "Queest Alb." He led a happy life. The land there was beautiful, and still is. There were berries and plants galore to eat. Fish and deer were plentiful.

Queest Alb was happy, but he was lonely. Then, as if the spirits wished it, from across the mountains, from the east, came a beautiful Indian woman by the name of "So-bahli-ahli." The two of them fell in love, and they began living life happily ever after. Happily, that is, until another beautiful Indian princess came up the Stillaguamish valley from the "Whulge"--the salt-water sound. She was called "Ska-dul-gwas."

Skadulgwas, by nature, also wanted a man--the only man in the valley--so she set out to charm Queest Alb. And indeed, she turned his head. His passion for her naturally made So-bahli-ahli quite jealous, and she was not the kind of woman who would stand idly by. A tremendous fight--a real "squaw-ble"--broke out between the two Indian maidens as they vied for Queest Alb's affection. It was a cat fight the likes of which has never been seen since. Hair and blood and torn clothing and even a piece of flesh or two filled the sky. The screams were deafening.

In the end, Sobahli-ahli was the victor, and Skadulgwas was vanquished. So-bahli-ahli was naturally distrustful from that moment on, and placed Queest Alb behind her so he could never be with Skadulgwas again.

Thus, Queest Alb (Mount Higgins) who found himself between them during the cat fight, is seen forever pockmarked, with tears as he mourns his lost maiden.

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Washington is full of sweet spring run offs and creeks, but they are often too shallow to catch fresh water for drinking. One bucket, a large rock and a small length of pipe. This was our simple system for filtering the water for the horses and camp members.

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A hunting trip gone sour, when Ozzy "twisted a gut" (colic) 50 miles in.

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Heading to the starting line with friend Pat, on my best bud Bayento. Took third place out of 150 riders.

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I hated my unruly curly hair back then too! Funny, not one of my siblings inherited the Kartak curls, however a couple cousins had them (curly hair) doubly so. Which just goes to show it could have been worse.

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Are't those pants hip!

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I am often still found running around barefoot to this day! marcmandy & Chermandy will verify this

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Back row, left to right: Mom, Grandpa Charlie, me, Nana, Nana's sister (so ashamed I can't remember her name!!!!). Front row: my brother Kevin, Great Grandmother Bilieu (it was her birthday), my bother John and sister Kristin.

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