Archive for July, 2010
Pictures from the Slocum Ranch (modified, 2 pictures added)
Monday, July 12th, 2010Thanks Edie for sending these. Much appreciated.
With Mike and Sheila are JudyAnn and Mike Slocum

Had to put the window back in after the parade.

Had to design a new Yoke Stop while there.

Mike and Sheila Haveman, Mike and JudyAnn Slocum, with Dan Harder holding the horses.
Mike and Sheila, ready to leave Slocum’s Ranch.
7-12-10 Bay Tree Alberta
Monday, July 12th, 2010Mike and Sheila made good time today and are now in Bay Tree Alberta. They were held hostage all weekend by the events of the Rycroft Fair. Chuck Wagon races, Chariot Races, Banquet, and Parade. It was a much needed rest and gave them a chance to get out of the wagon and do something fun.
7-10-10 Rycroft Alberta
Saturday, July 10th, 2010Last night, Mike and Sheila were honored as Guests at the Rycroft Banquet. That was when they were told they were going to be the Grand Marshalls in today’s parade.
They got first place in the parade. Afterwards, they went and watched the horse pulling contest. The winning team (not the team shown) pulled 12,000 pounds. This evening is the Chuck Wagon races and Mike and Sheila are going to make the first lap. (more pictures later)
7-9-10 Still there for another day
Friday, July 9th, 2010Mike and Sheila are being honored as Guests tonight in the Rycroft Supper tonight. Tomorrow, they are in the Rycroft parade and later in the day, they will make the first lap for the Rycroft Chuck Wagon Races! Sheila promised lots of pictures.
7-7-10 Spirit River + 2 miles West (Modified)
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010Mike and Sheila are camped on the ranch of Mike and Judy Ann Slocum. This is the farrier that is going to reshoe the girls. Because he wants to do it right, it’s going to delay Mike and Sheila until Friday or Saturday. He’s building shoes out of a special material that should last considerably longer.
This ranch is interesting in that years ago, this was the last fuel stop before starting over the 1800 mile Alaskan-Canadian Highway. Hard to imagine these days. They have kept the buildings and fuel tanks intact. The ranch had a sign:
Lost Arrow Ranch, Last Fill-up before the Alaskan Highway
The other thing that makes this ranch interesting is that they have killed over 2 dozen bears in the area. So Mike has put the team under a light and is keeping a close watch. Also, he is locked and loaded.
Sheila shot a snapshot of the old tanks.
This is a picture of the special shoes that are being built. The pads you see welded on are of a very hard material so that they will last.
If I got the directions right, here is a Google Earth picture of where they are staying.
7-6-10 Spirit River Alberta
Tuesday, July 6th, 2010Supertime in Bezanson
Monday, July 5th, 20107-5-10 The morning after
Monday, July 5th, 20107-4-10 Bezanson Alberta (modified)
Sunday, July 4th, 2010Yester evening I posted they were camped on the Smokey River. I was wrong. Sheila had called me because she was loosing signal and told me that’s where they were going to stop. They couldn’t find a good place so they continued into Bezanson. They are there now and will remain today and then head into Grand Priarie Alberta.
The new phone arrived this morning and we have great signal. I talked with Sheila and I talked with Mike.
Mike says he wants to thank all the wonderful folks who have been following them on this website and the great support from the folks along the trail.
We have passed the halfway mark. As of this morning, the wagon has 1217 miles on it since Ranchester Wyoming.
They even sent this:
And this picture was sent in by Keith Hachey taken a few days ago.























