Ramona Koch’s annual New Year’s event was quickly re-located to the historic Paicines Store Sunday afternoon. Koch, a Paicines-based horse trainer, made a knowing and swift decision to change it from her place to the neighborhood store. This was a decision that otherwise might have meant a few too many guests stuck at her house for the night and a lot of cars with nowhere to go.
Usually, Koch likes to pull together her bunch of cowboys, horsewomen, farriers, youth riders and veterinarians to kick off the New Year with a big, hearty potluck typically held in her charming, 115-year-old farmhouse. Koch’s training facility is on the northeast side of Tres Pinos Creek. This year, “the river” was looking a little too threatening, so she changed-up her online invitation and said basically, “Hey guys, we’re moving it all to the Paicines Store.”
Festivities were set for Jan. 8 at 2 p.m., but Koch thought she might just swing by the store a little earlier to get things ready. By the time she turned back toward home, the dry river wasn’t. In fact, it was moving right along and she barely squeaked by getting home in her little blue Ford Taurus.
Still, she made it back to pens of happy horses and barking dogs to do a few chores and spruce up a little. Thinking ahead, she changed to the Jeep, then turned back to the Paicines Store in time to greet for a room full of friends and great homemade food.
Koch, a highly-regarded reined cow horse trainer, is accustomed to facing this river crossing challenge periodically.
Last year, it happened a couple of times, “But just briefly,” she said, making it sound routine “Just lasted a couple days.” Fortunately, Koch has good neighbors who help her get in and out “the long way” and she manages. “For five years I haven’t had a problem with it,” she says, mentioning that’s because of the drought, which our country is known for, too.
Koch’s most memorable year was just before she moved to her property, when she was living farther up Panoche Road. “That was ’98. All the bridges on Panoche Road were washed out and they were helicoptering food in to us,” she remembers. “We went 33 days without power, water or phone.”
How time changes things. Thirty three days without a phone in 1998 didn’t get people nearly as worked-up as it would today.
As everyone put on layers and headed out into the rain to head home, Koch’s hunch was confirmed: the river crossing was no longer an option. Ready for the extra innings, Koch seemed undaunted, with several inches of rain expected over the next few weeks, things might be this way for a while.
You must be logged in to post a comment.