Saturday Slight

Before indulging in the Day Three of our Thanksgiving binge gatherings where we cheered on the ZAGS to a tournament championship, Bill and I hiked in the Wyman Wildlife Habitat yesterday afternoon.

This beautiful plot of land near McArthur Lake at Naples was set aside by Les and Vi Wyman as a refuge area for wildlife in 1993. Though the Wymans probably never envisioned that the south half of their cattle ranch would turn into a refuge for a geocache or two, I'm sure they would not mind.

As far as we know, only one cache has resided in the area, but it's been there for ten years, and, as Bill reported while inspecting it yesterday, "it's in good shape." 

Bill worked with the Wyman family when they were setting up the land trust, and his description listed with that geocache, set out almost ten years to our visit yesterday (Nov. 28, 2004,  pretty much describes the place. 

An ammo can cache overlooking McArthur Lake on Wyman Wildlife Habitat, Inc. trust lands.

A conservation trust established in 1993 dedicated the Les and Vi Wyman property to preserving forestland and wildlife habitat. You'll hike a short distance through a well-managed forest with a high likelyhood of observing wildlife. Enjoy your visit on this private land and remember - No Hunting. Please respect the opportunity to place a cache on this beautiful property. CITO

McArthur Lake is a shallow reservoir along US 95 about half way between Sandpoint and Bonners Ferry. Turn west at the north end of the McArthur(watch for Sportsman Access sign) and follow the paved County Road 4 for one mile to a turn-out. Stay on the skid trail at the wooden gate for easiest access.

The trails split just after the cache location inviting additional exploration.

Yesterday marked my first walk through the Wyman Wildlife Habitat, so I could not wait to come home and tell my sisters about its wonderful potential for our trail riding interests.  

The place is classy throughout with trails aplenty, attractive signage, neat ponds, a stream flowing from Dodge Peak, lots of picnic tables, well-constructed walking bridges and remnants of an old homestead surrounded by spent apple trees. That old car alongside the trail is pretty neat too. 

It was a fun hike, 'cept for the rain during our trip back to the truck.  Had we wanted to do so, we could have kept out of the elements in one of the two warming shacks on the property.

A big ZAGS game and more food awaited, so we kept on schedule.  I think I liked yesterday's experience a whole lot better than anything related to Black Friday. 

Soft snowflakes are falling and in a few hours Annie will head back to Seattle where she'll be cheering on her Sounders tomorrow against LA Galaxy. 

It's been a great Thanksgiving weekend with family, food and fun, and now it's time to get serious about all the Christmas business.  

Happy Saturday.