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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Huckleberries Online

Huckleberries: Dealing w/cowgirl blues

Friends (from left) Megan Ferney, Becky Kramer of The Spokesman-Review and former SReporter Erica Curless clown around at the 12th annual Women’s Souper Bowl snowshoeing and cross-country skiing event. Later, the fun would be cut short when snow sliding off a roof would slam a picnic tent. (Erica Curless Facebook page)
Friends (from left) Megan Ferney, Becky Kramer of The Spokesman-Review and former SReporter Erica Curless clown around at the 12th annual Women’s Souper Bowl snowshoeing and cross-country skiing event. Later, the fun would be cut short when snow sliding off a roof would slam a picnic tent. (Erica Curless Facebook page)

Even cowgirls get the blues – and bumps – when they’re smashed by a mini-avalanche, as former SR bud Erica Curless was Sunday. Erica was one of those in a picnic tent that was clobbered by a load of snow that slid off the Selkirk Lodge roof at Mount Spokane State Park. She, SR business reporter Becky Kramer and others were participating in the 12th annual Women’s Souper Bowl snowshoeing and cross-country skiing event when the snow hit the tent. Erica, of Cheney, Washington, told SReporters: “The snow just kept coming, and it was so heavy and on top of us.” Erica felt like she “got bucked off a horse.” And that’s not a cliche for her. Erica is the head riding instructor and herd manager of Free Rein Therapeutic Riding. The Spokane nonprofit helps disabled people ride horses for therapy. Sore afterward, Erica headed for a massage Monday, cowboy boots, spurs, Yaktrax and all. She was running late and forgot to change. An hour-long massage from Marcus Munro (Aletheia Massage, 922 S Crowley, Spokane) chased away the post-traumatic blues, soreness and stress. Says Erica afterward: “My body and mind feel so much calmer.” And that’s how a cowgirl gets back on her horse. Figuratively/DFO, Thursday Huckleberries. More here.



D.F. Oliveria
D.F. (Dave) Oliveria joined The Spokesman-Review in 1984. He currently is a columnist and compiles the Huckleberries Online blog and writes about North Idaho in his Huckleberries column.

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