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Wagons Ho! |
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Wednesday, 13 May 2009 |
 The ETI Corral 14, a group of covered wagon enthusiasts from Southern California and Inyo County, set out on its annual Lone Pine-to-Bishop pioneer-style convoy to Mule Days last week. Photo by Chris Langley Register Staff
5-12-2009 A convoy of covered wagons is currently making its way up the Owens Valley in anticipation of the area’s fast-approaching Mule Days Celebration.
The ETI Corral 14, a group of covered wagon enthusiasts and equestrians from Southern California and Inyo County, set out on its annual Lone Pine-to-Bishop drive Monday morning.
Covering a distance of about 12-16 miles a day and stopping each afternoon to camp and rest the livestock, the wagon train is expected to pull into Bishop on Thursday afternoon.
Before setting out on the long and dusty trail, ETI Corral 14 was treated to a pre-trip celebration in the heart of Inyo County’s “Old West,” Lone Pine.
According to Chris Langley, executive director of the Lone Pine Film History Museum, ETI Corral 14 had a wagon train encampment at the south side of the museum on Saturday, May 9 and Sunday, May 10. There were nine wagons where the owners actually slept, Langley said.
“All history enthusiasts, wagon drivers and their passengers answered questions about the drive West, the role of the wagons and pioneers and what it is like to live out of a wagon for visitors who also attended a picnic dinner of tri-tip, enchilada and salad,” Langley said. “The meal was sponsored by the Film History Museum, Ivonne Bunn of the Merry-Go-Round Restaurant and Jaque Hickman of Boulder Creek RV Resort.”
The museum sponsored a Mini Film Festival on Saturday of Wagin Train movies made in the Lone Pine area. The films included “The Covered Wagon,” “Freighters of Destiny,” “Wagons Westward,” “Westward Ho!” and “How the West Was Won.”
Then on Monday morning the train set out for Bishop, primarily following the old railroad bed north. On the way, they stopped at Southern Inyo Hospital and rode by Lo-Inyo School and Warren Hanson Pre-School.
“All the students got a few minutes out of class to see the wagon train,” Langley said.
The Lone Pine to Bishop Wagon Drive was started in 2001. It was the desire of some of the members of the ETI Corral 14 to commemorate the contribution the railroad and settlers made to the Owens Valley. Norm Noftser and Ron Remy scouted a route that followed the old narrow gauge railroad bed and found that a wagon train was a possibility. The first drive only had a few wagons, including Remy, Mike Herman and Lance Kirkpatrick, as they scouted the best campsites along the way.
“The drive that has evolved from this is scheduled each year during the week prior to Bishop Mule Days,” ride organizers said. “This year we have been invited to gather at the Lone Pine Film Museum and we are looking forward to sharing this event with the folks in Lone Pine. We hope to see some friendly faces waving us goodbye on our journey,”
The wagons travel almost entirely in sight of the old railroad bed. Along the way can be seen some of the foundations left from the little settlements that grew up as a result of the railroad activity. There are timbers and nails to be seen from the original bed along with interesting wildlife, blooming cactus and domestic stock.
This drive, ETI Corral 14 members said, has been a history lesson for many children who rode along in the wagons during the day and helped with camp at night, after the wagons circle.
“The members of Corral 14 are always looking for ways to improve the route and integrate more of the history of the area to make the wagon drive interesting,” organizers said. “Currently one of our camps is at Zurich Station where the old cattle pens and the foundations can still be seen. Other camps are set up so we can enjoy the beauty along the Owens River.”
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Last Updated ( Friday, 10 July 2009 )
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