Upper Campground reopened on 9/24/19

Fall has arrived. 

 

There is nothing like fall trail rides and camping.  The cooler days with leaves encircling you as they drifting to the ground is so peaceful.  A crackling campfire glowing in the crisp night air with friends gathered around it just can't be beat. Let's hope the wet weather is short lived and we can enjoy some fall camping.

 

The Upper campground is now open.  Camping will be a little on the soggy side with all the rain that we have been experiencing this weekend.  This has been a very wet year to say the least.  The wet weather trails are open, but the dirt trails are closed.  It will be quite a while before the dirt trails will be dry enough to use. 

 


We have been blessed with a new hydrant in the upper campground.  The hydrant will be protected by a metal barrier to help prevent potential damage. 












Please do not allow your horse to be close to the hydrant.  This hydrants are quite expensive to replace.

Work Day 9/28 Cancelled!

Trails and Campground Status Changes 9/23/19

Upcoming Friends of Shimek Events Newsletter for Sept. through Nov. 2019

Friends of Shimek

would like to announce

upcoming events


Sept 21st Fall Potluck has been CANCELLED!!

We have truly been blessed with wonderful weather last few weekends.  There have been many people camping, enjoying long trail rides, and even a little cooking over the campfires.  It has been fun to visit with old and new friends from near and far.  We can only hope the these temperatures along with beautiful sunshine will last until late in the fall.  May each of you enjoy the trails you ride!

As summer gives way to fall many events scheduled by the Friends of Shimek are about to take place.  FOS are about to get very busy.  Any and all volunteers are welcome to come share in the work, visit around the campfire, or just enjoy good conversation with a fellow Friend of Shimek.

Let's have a little fellowship around the campfire to start things rolling.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

A Pot Luck dinner with friends at the Lower Campground. Gary Schieffer's BBQ Chicken to be served! Everyone---Bring a dish to accompany the chicken. Meal served at 5PM at Camping Spot #46 where Doug and Bonnie Moothart will be. Donations will be accepted to cover the cost of the chicken and thank the Chef! Bring your chair! Table service and water and tea provided by FOS board members

Meet friends and ride earlier, campout, ride on Sunday -- weather permitting. Everyone is invited! Reserve your camping space now! Bonnie and Doug plan to arrive on Friday afternoon, ride Saturday and spend the night after the potluck. They will be available to assist anyone that has questions. You can also e-mail FOShimek@gmail.com with questions.

The painting will begin and new hitching rails are to be up-righted:

Saturday, September 28, 2019

FOS is participating in the Iowa State Parks Annual Volunteer Day, set as Saturday, Sept. 28. Volunteer activities will focus on prepping for the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Iowa state park system in 2020. Meet with Lora at 8:30 am in the Upper Campground at Camping Sites 20 and 21 to get instructions on the work details.

Items to be accomplished:
a- bag and sort redemption cans with Ann Bennett,
b- assist Patrick Thomas to install a couple of new hitching rails in the Lick Creek Upper Campground, (The post installation will begin at 10:00 AM-- two individuals that can help handle those heavy posts are needed.)
c- help Lora Conrad and Jo Watson paint the inside of pit toilets at Bitternut and White Oak campgrounds, and
d- paint posts in Lick Creek campgrounds as directed by Patrick.

(Note: Since this is a Saturday and lots of riders will be there, we will not be going out on trails.) How about working a couple of hours on Saturday while you are there camping and riding? We would appreciate the help. )

We expect to finish about noon. Please bring a sack lunch for your meal if desired. Water will be provided.

Please let us know you will be coming by e-mail to FOShimek@gmail.com or message here . That way we will know who to expect and can notify you if there is any change in the plans--such as rain!

Fun at a Fundraiser:

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Friends of Shimek will host a Fund Raiser on Nov. 9, 2019 at River Valley Lodge (29080 Hawk Drive, Farmington, IA). The activities will include dinner, entertainment, wine tasting, silent
auction, corn hole games, and treasure tables. Can you come have a fun evening and help FOS raise money for improvement of Shimek Forest trails and campgrounds?





Advance tickets are required for the meal (includes all activities) for a $25 donation. These are only available until November 2nd.

  

                                                                       

Entertainment tickets will be available at the door for $10.00. For tickets contact Bonnie Moothart, phone 319-653-5323, or e-mail bonniemoothart@me.com. Tickets will also be available at the Sept. 21st Potluck in the Lower Campground at Shimek or at the Sept. 28th Work Day from Ann Bennett in the Upper Campground at Shimek.
 Dinner in the Lodge. Advance Ticket holders will have dinner, served between 5:30 and 6:30 PM. A full meal including barbecue chicken, pork ribs and several sides will be catered by Gary Schieffer, BBQ Master Extra-Ordinary! Home-made desserts, water, tea and coffee will be available. Advance tickets will also have access to the entire evening of activities including the Silent Auction, Wine Sampling, and Musical Entertainment.
Also inside the Lodge, with the Advance Ticket or with an Entertainment Ticket obtained at the door will be Entertainment, Wine Tasting, and the Silent Auction.

Entertainment will be provided from 7PM to 8:30PM. Already planning on providing the evening's entertainment are: The Tubador (Gary McCurdy) who brings good tunes and good times on the tuba and euphonium; Brian and Jewel McDonald (Brian often sings and plays guitar at Cafe Paradiso in Fairfield) , and Regan Loula Estes, a skilled vocalist and actress from Washington, IA.

Wine Tasting. Vintner Dean Greiner will provide guests with samples of Hot Wassail as well as tasting samples of his wines. He will be selling his Wagon Wheel label wine by the bottle.

Silent Auction. Silent Auction items will be available to browse and begin bidding at 4PM. Silent Auction will close at 8pm to begin announcing winning bids, and allow people to start paying and collecting items.

 Outside the Lodge. Everyone Invited! Corn Hole Games, open to anyone, will begin at 4PM behind the lodge. Anyone can play for a $5 fee to the pot. The winner is awarded 1⁄2 the pot for each game. The games will close at 5:30. Also beginning at 4 PM, the Treasure Table items for sale will be on the front veranda of the lodge. Anyone can purchase items until all are sold or the evening is over, about 8:30 PM.

Items to Donate? Can you provide FOS items for auction or the treasure table? Bonnie Moothart will be present at River Valley from Friday evening all through Saturday. If you can donate items for sale,please bring Silent Auction items and Treasure Table items anytime Friday evening or Saturday before dinner. Individuals who donate Silent Auction items will fill out a bid sheet for the item with a description and a minimum bid. If a Silent Auction item is not sold, it will be returned to the donor at the end of the evening. Treasure Tables items are low value items and any not sold will be donated to other non-profits later. Remember your donations of items for the auction or cash donations to FOS may be tax deductible under state and federal law as FOS is a federal 501c(3) non-profit. All income above costs will go toward helping improve the campgrounds and trails at Shimek Forest.

May the trails you ride, and the paths you cross be a new adventure each time you visit Shimek Forest.

Happy Trails,

Kathy

Editor

 

 

Rescheduled Work Day on Saturday, September 28th

Work Day scheduled for Saturday, September 28, 2019



One small correction: Meet at the Upper Campground Camping Spots 20 and 21 at 8:30 am

Work Day on Sept 28th (Sat) at 8:30Am at the Kiosk in the Upper Campground.    Lora will serve as the FOS Coordinator.  This will be a focused activity.  There are some particular items that Patrick would like to get accomplished listed below.

1.  Two guys who are physically able to assist Patrick with the installation of one or two hitching rails that morning in the Lower Campground.   This project will start around 10 am in order not to disturb any of the campers in the campground.
2.  Two people each for Bitternut and White Oak campgrounds to paint inside the toilet facilities. Jo and Lora will be either one team or each  will take someone  to a campground to do painting. The small campgrounds are not expected to be  busy at this time.  Brushes and supplies will be provided.

3. One person to assist Ann to sort and load cans and bottles into her trailer for recycle (we have not done that for several months)

4. Any additional people may paint posts per Patrick's direction that morning.
Since this is Sat Morning, there will be lots of campers so we will not be cleaning up campsites, mowing, cleaning stalls or going out on trails.

John and Crew will not be there.  We will work until these jobs are finished, then have a watermelon break and go home or back to camping and riding--no meal this time.

Please bring a sack lunch if you would like for your meal.  There will be water available.

Please send an e-mail to FOShimek@gmail.com if you plan to attend.  In case of rain, we will cancel and Lora will notify all that have said they are coming via e-mail or phone. 

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