K-4 YEAR-END HAYRIDE

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For K-4 students, the 2004 school year ended in a very special way. Early in the morning of the last day of school, everyone loaded up in cars and headed north to an unknown destination where they were met by Jack Southworth, his tractor and a wagon load of hay bails. Yep, they were going on a year-end hayride (head 'em up, move 'em out).

The trip was not only a fun one, but educational as well. Stops during the morning portion of the trip were made at the Southworth pioneer cemetery, and other historical sites such as the old Blanton stagecoach stop (photo 1, photo 2) and the old Stratton ranch (photo 1, photo 2). At each stop, Jack told of times gone by and the role of each location in Bear Valley history. Everyone was encouraged to pick up historical artifacts which were all collected in a sack and became the group's "treasure."

At lunch time the kids linked up with Jack's wife Teresa who had a roaring bonfire going and great homemade lunch sandwiches ready and waitin'. Following the sandwiches, marshmallows were sacrificed on pointed pine branches and roasted over the fire to each one's taste. Then surprise of surprises, Teresa broke out a cooler with cartons of vanilla ice cream and chilled root beer. Ahhh, root beer floats in the shade of the Bear Valley pines-- life couldn't be better. Before continuing on with the ride, there was still time for a little added fun and goofing around.

Following lunch the trek took the group over a portion of the old stagecoach route that had at one time wound over the mountain from Canyon City. Jack told the students about the trail and how they were traveling down what used to be a very dangerous part of the route where, in the past, stagecoaches and pioneers had often run into trouble with robbers and other wrong-doers. Along this portion of the trail the sagebrush was not only ancient, but had grown over the side of the road. The way was so narrow in some cases that the branches scraped the sides of the hay wagon making those sitting along the side jerk their legs up into the air for fear of being scooped right off of the wagon. In fact, one unlucky soul was caught unawares and a huge sage bush took her right off of the wagon and onto the ground. Wide-eyed, red-faced, but unscathed, she remounted and the ride continued.

On the way back to the cars, the wagon hadn't cleared the trees when the unexpected happened. Gun shots rang out and everyone jumped, wondering what was going on. Out of the trees they appeared, two masked men in long dark coats, cowboy hats drawn down low over their evil, squinted eyes. It was a hold-up. They'd heard about the group's treasure and were bound to have it. Being unarmed, the group didn't have much of an option but to turn over their hard-earned booty.

The robbers had barely taken possession of "the loot" when from across the valley, shots rang out and in the distance a mounted figure could be seen galloping through the sagebrush towards the wagon. As he got closer, a big shiny silver star pinned over his heart was readily evident for all to see, including the robbers. They immediately turned tail and lit out at a dead gallop for points south, the sheriff hot on their heels. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, hearts pumping a mile a minute and anxious to see what would happen next.

Jack yelled for everyone to "hang on tight" and kicked the tractor into high gear to follow the action. The wagon swayed from side to side and everyone bounced in unison when the wheels hit a rut or hole in the trail. Everyone was feeling the thrill of the chase, the fear of falling off the wagon and just plain good old excitement.

The wagon finally rounded the last bend near the tree line and low and behold there standing next to their horses with their hands held high in the air stood the two robbers looking down the barrel of the sheriff's six-gun. He'd run the scoundrels to ground. Once Jack had shut down the tractor, the sheriff reclaimed the stolen treasure handed it over to the group. He then gave the group the options of what to do with the prisoners - - hang 'em or shoot 'em - - and let the students decide what to do. Since no one had been hurt or killed and the treasure had been recovered, the consensus of the group was to show "the skunks" mercy and to let 'em go. The bad guys turned out not to be so bad and let the students get to know their horses and talked with with them (photo 1, 2, 3, 4). It turned out well for everyone and the wagon, the robbers and the sheriff all turned south and headed back to the end of the trail.

Before calling it a day, a portrait was made for posterity - - in fact it even found its way into the local newspaper, the Blue Mountain Eagle, the oldest weekly paper in the nation.