MULING ABOUT WAGON TRAIN TAKES 14-MILE RIDE.

Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Dressed in western garb and riding in wagons pulled by horses and mules, a group of Old West enthusiasts spent Saturday in a 14-mile wagon-train drive.

Led by mule enthusiast Norm Noftsier, the trek was one of several events held throughout the year by Noftsier and his club, Corral 14, a division of Equestrian Trails Inc.

``It's a dying breed,'' club President Chet St. Clair of Ridgecrest said. ``If we don't keep it alive, it's going to go away. And we get to share the friendship of these good people. It's just a lot of fun.''

Each fall, Noftsier leads wagon trains full of like-minded enthusiasts along roads and trails from his ranch at 60th Street East and Avenue G-8 to Avenue F-8 and then east to 120th Street East. The drive then heads to Avenue G and back to his ranch. After the ride, the group sets up camp at the ranch and has an old-fashioned barbecue.

This year, 11 rigs showed up for the event and as many as 30 people, from as far away as Fresno, Ridgecrest, Bakersfield, Santa Clarita, Mojave and Lone Pine, as well as Antelope Valley residents from Palmdale, Lancaster, Quartz Hill and Leona Valley.

The drive through northeastern Antelope Valley trails is actually the smallest trek the group makes throughout the year.

In October, the group travels through the rugged mountains outside Death Valley from Pahrump, Nev., to Shoshone, Calif., which is typically a four-day trip. In November, the group crosses through Death Valley, which takes six or seven days, club members said.

The group was part of the state's Sesquicentennial Celebration in Sacramento and participated in the Death Valley Days celebration.

``It's all for fun and nostalgia,'' Noftsier said. ``It's a bit of the old time.''

Noftsier even uses his mules much of the time to plow his ranch in place of the tractor.

He also offers two- to three-hour daily wagon rides through the desert to give the public a glimpse of life in the Old West.

The club is celebrating its 38th year and was founded by an Antelope Valley woman, Buelah Gentert, and her husband.

To arrange for a wagon ride, Noftsier can be reached from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily at [phone].

Greg Botonis, [phone]

gregory.botonis(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Chet St. Clair of Ridgecrest watches over a pack of mules before the start of a wagon-train ride.

(2 -- color) Old West enthusiasts make their way down 60th Street East on Saturday while taking part in a 14-mile wagon-train drive, an event held every fall.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer