Profile: Marsha Achenbach, FOS Vice President

Continuing our series on FOS Board Members and their history with Shimek:

Marsha Achenbach, FOS Vice President and her husband, Bob Achenbach

My parents moved to Keosauqua in 1976. While visiting them sometime in the late ‘70s, we took a “drive” (us older ones may well remember the “Sunday drives” that were common way back), and found the Lick Creek unit of Shimek State Forest. I do remember the upper campground, but not the lower camp; either we did not drive far enough in, or it wasn’t there yet.

Years passed; the fact there were horse trails reasonably close stayed in my mind, but I didn’t visit Shimek again until the mid 90s. We had gotten involved in endurance competitions (50 and 100 mile races) and most of the non-winter seasons were taken up with that activity. One year, our daughter Jen and I made a trip down to visit my parents; this time coming with 2 horses, and camped at Shimek. Visited my parents and rode the trails; rather fast as we were on seasoned horses, so got most all the trails that we could find to get an idea of the system layout. The next year, Bob and I repeated that visit/camp/ride trip.

As my parents aged and showed signs that they would need help in the near future, we made the decision to move back to Iowa from Wisconsin. The existence of the horse trails at Shimek was a prime factor in this proposed move; did need trails nearby!! In retrospect, we would like to have found a property closer to Shimek, but bought a small farm west of Keosauqua and moved in late summer 1997.

Once the move was done--- by Bob with our 4 horse trailer as a “moving van” over many trips back and forth, I started hauling to ride at Shimek multiple times a week as long as the snow didn’t shut me off the access road. As I worked evening shift, most riding was in the morning or weekends. I recall seeing this lovely young woman on a lovely big Appy out on the trails; years later actually met Pat Pollpeter. Also can recall a couple other young women out riding and eventually met them: Debbie Miller and Ann Bennett.

Even when riding Chip on a beautiful fall day,
Marsha still takes time to stop and pick up a tossed can from beside the trail.

 About 12 years ago at one of my trips to our Amish farrier, Devon Weaver, he mentioned that a place a bit west of us was for sale again. I lamented that this time I hoped someone with horses that actually rode them would buy the place. He said that it was further off, but he had met a couple new to the area that had Arabs (we still had a couple then). He remembered their last name and the area they lived; so I found a phone number for Ray and Lora Conrad. Decided, what the heck, and called to invite myself over to meet their horses!! Really glad that I did as Lora and I have been riding together ever since.

Although I ride most horse trail systems in Iowa and some in Illinois and Missouri; Shimek remains my favorite place to ride. 

Note: Look for Marsha riding Gussie, her recently acquired paint TWH mare, or Chip out on the trails.