Perrydale Trails LLC

06/10/2026

Hungry, hungry [fake] sharks are circling the Buffet Trail!

It's my subtle suggestion to prevent shortcuts 😁

06/08/2026

When Perrydale Trails started 14 years ago, Honey from Corvallis brought the first big group of about 20 4-Hers and adults here. She believed in my novel idea, and I will be forever grateful for her encouragement. We were going to be a success!

A few years later, Lynn eagerly presented me with a Bigfoot sign from the Canby tack sale. “I had to get it for you!”

Naturally, I joined the Bigfoot Hunters Club. No wild things for me; I had specific bloodlines in mind. My Bigfoot had to be of the congenial Domesticus Delightus Clan. Fortunately, he was easily discovered roaming the pages of the eBay Range. There have been a few sheddings over the years, and sometimes he sports a friendly Chewbacca face. But do not be fooled by his impressive muscles. They’re NOT REAL. Bigfoot is full of fluff and stuff! Geez, who knew?

Lynn, thank you for the unique idea. It’s been fun coming up with new poses every year. Bigfoot is here to thrill and delight!

06/02/2026

I use mannequins throughout my courses to add realism to the trail scenarios. We've had backpackers, bikers, campers, hunters, and even a Halloween headless horseman. To some folks, my employees are kinda creepy, but geez, they are cheap labor!

At season's end, many of the obstacles go in the barn for storage. The mannequins are sturdy to a point, but often their arms and legs fall off when we're moving them. Such was the case for Ken, the bike guy.

When I took him to the field for set-up yesterday, his two arms and one leg had fallen off. He even lost his head! Poor Ken, the bike guy.

He was still wearing his bike shirt and shorts outfit from last year. Love the stretchy material that bikers use – it's so easy to pull over non-moving limbs. I struggled to reattach the missing leg; this particular joint is the toughest to line up the sockets. First, I tried stretching the shorts upward, but there wasn't enough wiggle room. I pulled the shorts down to the knees. No matter how I adjusted that one frustrating leg, the joint wasn't connecting. The shorts slipped off. I'm moving a solid man's leg at different angles and in different positions. A few swear words were inserted during the operation. It helps, you know.

Then, finally, the joint/stars aligned. The click of SUCCESS!

As I'm leaning over Ken there in the grass, the warm sun enhancing the sweat on my brow from this endeavor, I suddenly realize my compromised position. I have a “man” on his back. He's half-naked. The bottom half.

Whew, my two afternoon riders were nowhere in sight. My innocent “obstacle maintenance” excuse may have had them laughing out of their saddles.

Talk about getting caught with your pants down, Ken!

06/01/2026

Officially, summer doesn't start until the 21st of this month. Bah, humbug! When I flip the calendar to June 1, summertime has arrived for me. YAY!!!

Let's ride - at Perrydale Trails! (Hint, hint. 😁)

05/31/2026

Annette Bauer has been a frequent visitor to Perrydale Trails since 2014. Her partner, Laddie, was just green broke when we first met. Over the years, I've watched these two become a team. Annette has a lovely personality and always has a smile - at least when she's riding here! Last Thursday, she visited to celebrate her 64th birthday. She said she couldn't think of a better gift to herself!

05/27/2026

It's not easy being the trophy husband of Mrs. Perrydale Trails.

05/25/2026

05/18/2026

May I appeal to you one more time to fight for horse trails? The fate of the Crystal Rilee Park in Newberg, Oregon, shall be decided by June at the latest. This property is owned by the Chehalem Park and Rec District.

Across Oregon, hiker and horse trails are being taken over by mountain bikers. It's a simple concept: speed and greed don't mix with slow-moving trail traffic. Yet, here we are with new board members ignoring a previous agreement that honored a compatible mix of hikers and horsemen. Three of the five members are open to changing this quiet and peaceful park into mountain bike courses.

It's understood that everyone wants a piece of public land to play on. But please, can't we set aside a FEW trails exclusively for hikers and horses? It doesn't seem much to ask, especially when this park is already a proven success story.
For the past three months, hundreds of horsemen and hikers have written board members and/or spoken at the CPRD meetings. We've focused on the obvious reasons: safety, liability, honoring the intent of the land donation, and preservation of this pristine property. Even if you've written before, do it again!

Just remember: if you don't speak up, they don't hear us. Rilee Park may not mean much to you, but someday, somewhere, you will lose a favorite place to ride or hike, or your favorite arena is taken over by a subdivision. We must try!

If you’ve enjoyed the peaceful trails at Rilee Park, write.
If you are a trail rider or hiker who desires safe trails, write.
If your horse has been startled on a trail by a mountain bike rider, write.
If it is wrong to renege on a previously-honored agreement, write.
Can you spare a few sentences to preserve Crystal Rilee Park, please? One email with these addresses: Jim McMaster ; Brandon Slyter ; Jason Fields ; Matthew Smith ; Nick Konen ; Kat Ricker ; Clay Downing

www.saverileepark.org for more information.

05/11/2026

I got a hole in the ground for my Mother's Day.

To be sure, my wonderful children, Lana and Kyle, made certain their Ol Ma felt loved and appreciated on this special day. But my husband, Mike, delivered on a promise made months ago: re-do a ten-year-old water obstacle. This is proof that nagging does work. Eventually.

What is it about procrastinating? Oh, I know this answer [from personal experience]. Challenges are more thrilling if you wait until two weeks before the season opening. Followed by "NEXT time, I'm starting earlier" ...

After we get done, the kindergarten water obstacle will be like before: shallow, long, and wide. A perfect beginner introduction to getting your horse's feet wet! We may overdo our prep work, but we try to design our obstacles for safety, usefulness, and longevity.
After thousands of water crossings over 10 years, this obstacle has reassured a lot of horses. It's earned its renewal!

I'm curious: what's the most unusual Mother's Day present you've received?