At the 2005 Fourth of July Border Days celebration in Grangeville, Idaho Luc escorted Grand Marshall, Doris Swedblom in three parades and rodeo grand entries.   That outing added many new members to his donkey fan club.   Once again he was asked to step up to the plate.   This time it was to be at Hells Canyon Mule Days, the second weekend in September at Enterprise, Oregon.   At the three-day gathering we had the opportunity to greet old friends and meet mule and donkey lovers from all over.   It is a fun family function where everyone young and old was able to show off his or her donkey/mulemanship abilities.   Even the past Grand Marshals’ were in attendance riding in the parade and enjoying the festivities.

2005 was the 25th annual celebration of donkeys, mules and their people in this canyon community.   A quarter of a century of history called for some exciting changes to the activities.  The committee put their collective heads together and added a Friday night Cowboy Poetry and Western Entertainment gathering.   The stands were filled with an audience that couldn’t seem to get enough laughter and music.   The weekend hosted a Quilt Show, a mule and horse sale and the famous Jim Probert Pit B-B-Q. You can definitely say; Hells Canyon Mule Days has something for all ages and is worth the journey to Wallowa County.   We found everyone associated with the show and the community extremely accommodating and willing to put their best foot forward for their weekend guests.

Show president, Sondra Lozier, promoted the event at every donkey/mule skinners gathering she could attend.   Sondra was onsite at Montana Mule Days, where we first met and spoke with her.   It was Lozier’s phone call that sealed the deal that Luc was making the trip from Idaho down Rattlesnake Grade, into Oregon’s vast farming and ranching country.  Luc’s motel on wheels had a little trouble staying in it’s own lane on some of the hairpin corners, otherwise it is an excellent highway.  For us this trip entails driving into the Washington/Oregon gorge of The Grande Ronde River country that eventually flows into the mighty Snake River in Hells Canyon, the deepest gorge in North America.  The scenery was magnificently breath taking, we are speaking of panoramic views of rugged basalt cliffs and grassy open ridges.

At the show grounds we were anxious to seek out the famous Tennessee Mule Artist, Bonnie Shields, who had been named the Honorary Grand Marshall.   With her sidekick, Cheryl the official B.S. Slave and she has the Hells Canyon Mule Days belt buckle to prove it, they were a total delight. After introductions to Luc, Bonnie’s presented me with her Sweet Ass jewelry broche, which I will always treasure.   It was then time to get the show on the road!

Bonnie Shields has been a champion to this show since 2002.   She donated a bronze work entitled Idaho Gem for the 2004 raffle, this year her talents were put to use designing an exciting logo.  *The new logo will be a permanent signature for Hells Canyon Mule Days, Inc. and they hold the copyrights to it and the other four designs from Shields.   Shields designed the Bronze Relief Plaque for the 2005 Hi-Point Awards and the Valley Bronze of Oregon in Joseph, Oregon is casting the bronze plaque.   Lozier said, “this year is a milestone for Hells Canyon Mule Days and we wholeheartedly appreciate everything Bonnie has contributed to the success of our event and all that she gives to support and promote The Longears, she is one of a kind!” *  Her website, www.bonnieshields.com will keep you up to date on this diversified and jovial lady, visit it often.