This past week Crimp had a video interview about his book with Medford’s KOBI Channel 5.  To watch this interview Click Here  

 Crimp’s next interview is on the radio this Friday (August 28^th), on a program by KBOO Portland about women adventurers .  This interview will be available through KBOO’s live webstream. 

Crimp also has several personal appearances coming up!  On Thursday, August 27^th, he’ll be at the Running Y’s “Show Off Your Dog” show at the Village, 6-8pm.  He’ll be entered in the Dog Author category. 

Sunday, August 30^th is the Feathers and Fur Fundraiser at the Running Y Ranch.  The event will include an appearance by Crimp and the rest of the sled dog team, games, a raffle, prizes, vendors and a free concert by Krista Ravengael.  The event runs from 10am-3pm.

Crimp, a seven year old leader on Liz’s sled dog team, is pleased to announce that pre-publication orders for his new book Crimp! On-By!!  The True Story of a Most Unlikely Iditarod Lead Dog are now being taken.  Crimp’s inspirational story, which begins with an accident in his puppyhood, is told from his goofy, but thoughtful point of view. It is a positive and inspirational story that reminds readers young and old of the value of determination and the pursuit of one’s dreams.   

The book is currently being printed and will be in hand by next month, so pre-publication orders will be taken only until August 31^st.  Pre-publication orders will be  limited edition numbered and autographed (by Jan, Liz and Crimp) copies, complete with a photo of Crimp suitable for framing.

For more information and pre-publication orders visit http://crimponby.com/ or contact Liz Parrish at contact@briarspatchcoaching.com

Anyone who wants more info on Crimp and his teammates’ messages and teachings for us all can visit:  www.LifeLessonsFromDogs.com

August 21-23 is the Klamath Tribes’ Restoration Days Pow Wow and Youth Rodeo.  The Klamath Tribes were terminated in 1954 and, after a long struggle, regained recognition in 1986.   For the  past 22 years, the tribe has held an annual event in celebration of their restoration.  The event is open to everyone and includes a fun run/walk, pow wow, various vendors, a parade and a youth rodeo.  It will be held at the Chiloquin Rodeo grounds, which is about 20 minutes from the Crystalwood Lodge    .

For more information, please visit the Klamath Tribes’ website at http://www.klamathtribes.org/events/ or call 1-800-524- 9787 ext. 147

 The Nannie Creek trail itself, which begins from the parking lot at the end of the 7 mile trailhead, extends many miles past what I have actually been on.  A easy hour hike will bring you to the Puck Lakes, which are great for fishing.  They are probably great for swimming as well – they were pretty warm when I waded in and I wished I’d brought my swimsuit.   About an hour further will bring you to a rockslide which boasts impressive mountain views.  If you were to make a whole day of it, the Nannie Creek trails would lead you deeper into the mountains to several lesser-known lakes.   What I love about the Nannie Creek Trail is that it’s so quiet and hidden…. I always feel like I’m stumbling on some well-kept secret.

Here are some photos from my trips up Nannie Creek.  If you’d like more information on the Nannie Creek trail, you can call the Lodge at 866/541.381.2322 and I’ll try to help you out as much as I can.  We have some maps/books that tell a bit about the trails that guests are more than welcome to make use of.

The Crystalwood Lodge rents canoes for $12 for half a day and $20 for a full day.  It’s a great way to take in the beauty Southern Oregon has to offer and a great way to relax.

More info at http://www.nps.gov/FINDAPARK/FEEFREEPARKS.HTM

Twice each summer the tiny, quiet western hamlet of Fort Klamath is suddenly filled with a parade of motorhomes pulling multi-horse trailers, pickup trucks loaded with horse paraphernalia, and more people than anybody seems to be able to count. Business picks up at the local general store, all of the lodging in the area is booked full, and the postmaster handles a Christmas season’s worth of mail. This can only mean one thing: it’s cutting time! Fort Klamath hosts two cutting meets annually, this year running from July 7-12 and August 20-30 at Mebane Ranch.

Historically, the only way to separate single cows from a herd was for horse and rider to isolate the target and hold it away from the others until it was immobilized. Today only a few cattlemen depend on “cutting” the cows for vaccinating, sorting, branding, and castrating, but the challenge of teamwork between horse and rider lives on in the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA). The NCHA has over 16,000 members and represents one of the fastest growing equine sports in the world, with contestants competing for more than $3.7 million at the 2006 NCHA Futurity.

Competitors start arriving in Fort Klamath about a week before the festival. RVs are set up in a pasture just outside of town, a patchwork of temporary homes complete with Astroturf and potted plants. Rows of vendors complete the picture, offering food and the latest in tack and horse accessories. Young riders spend hours grooming and exercising their treasured horses. These small yet expensive, powerful and athletic horses are bred especially for their cutting mentality. In the days leading up to the competition, riders must continue to discipline themselves and fine-tune their relationship with the horse for that crucial 2 ½ minutes in the ring. Each member of a cutting team is fueled by their own personal passion for improving the skill of each member and developing the talent of horse.

At the signal, horse and rider enter the ring. They slowly walk toward the herd and seek a “hot cow”, one that will challenge and showcase the horse’s skill, strength, quickness, and training. Once the target is identified, horse and rider must focus in on its position and then slowly move in to isolate it. After the separation is complete, the rider must loosen or drop the reins and allow the horse to work independently. At this point, the horse controls the contest, using its lightning fast starts and turns to prevent the cow from rejoining the herd. The quicker the horse moves the cow, the more points are awarded. The goal is to keep the cow and horse nose to nose and to keep the cow moving. If a cow fails to give the horse a good fight, the rider may return to the herd and select another. When the cow turns away or doesn’t try to return to the herd, the rider may lift the reins, signaling the horse to “quit the cow.”

The upcoming July event is an open show, including all levels of cutting. The August event is limited to horses from 3 to 6 years old and is the first futurity of the year in the cutting circuit. A typical day show cases 80 – 100 works, over 600 horses, and a small city of owners, trainers, riders, and support personnel.

Curious onlookers may be surprised to find limited seating at the arena and that cutting, unlike many rodeo events, is a relatively quiet activity that is not necessarily meant to be a spectator sport. Nonetheless, visitors will enjoy hustle and bustle of Fort Klamath and the intensity of the cutting events at Mebane Ranch and may be lucky to learn a bit about a sport that has not quite made it to the mainstream. Cutting runs from early morning until dusk, making it an easy event to schedule into a busy vacation weekend at Crater Lake. If you would like more information on summer cutting at Mebane Ranch please call 923.3586 or visit www.nhcutting.com

The Crystalwood Lodge is located 18 miles from the southern entrance to Crater Lake, and approximently 15-20 minutes from Mebane Ranch. If you would like more information on Crystalwood Lodge or other area great Crater Lake area activities, please call 541.381.2322 or visit the activities page on our website.

From July 22-28, the Train Mountain Museum is hosting the Train Mountain Triennial International Train Meet.   This event, which will feature a wide variety of miniature trains, will be of interest even to those who know little about trains.  There’s only two days left, but there’s still time to come and check it out!  For more information on the Triennial call 541.783.3030 or visit   http://www.trainmountain.org/about.asp

For those who can’t make it out for this event, Train Mountain also gives miniature railroad rides on summer Sundays from 10am-3pm.  The rides are free, but donations are accepted to cover the costs of fuel and maintenance.  For more information on Sunday train rides this summer, please visit http://www.trainmountain.org

The Crystalwood Lodge is lcoated 18 miles from the southern entrance to Crater Lake and 25 miles from the Train Mountain Railroad Museum.  For more information on enjoying your family vacation at the Crystalwood Lodge call 541/866.381.2322 or visit www.crystalwoodlodge.com

Our Flickr account has updated room photos, photos of the kitchen and a few shots of the surrounding area.