sans-horse river adventure

Horses need rest days. And so do their people. Major got all weekend off while I attended the expo, went to a wedding reception, did yardwork and played in the river.

We have an abundance of gorgeous river access, and the North fork of the American River is actually just a hike down from my backyard. But I love the Yuba River. Flowing over granite, it warms sooner than the icy American, and has great rocks to lay on, read a book, and relax. It's Monday, so imagine yourself here as your workload piles up....

South Yuba River at Edwards Crossing

this path to relaxation

manzanita tree, cool peeling bark

Our favorite spot: we call it Lion Head Rock (can you see the lion?)

upstream view, yes the water is that color, and perfectly clear

Lion Head Rock and SO's rock stack

I just sat on the beach and read my book for hours, occasionally dipping into the refreshing water. My SO can't sit still for quite so long, and he swam across and built some rock stacks. Eventually we had to go home, but I could be here every day.

For random fact/history nerds: The area actually has a very cool history, and right behind Lion Head rock is a giant tunnel, big enough to drive a bus through, where gold miners diverted the entire river to get to gold on the bottom. So much silt from the hydraulic/placer mining (mining which uses water cannons to blast hillsides apart to sift through and find the gold) upstream at Malakoff Diggins park was being sent down the river, it was causing flooding in the central valley and filling San Francisco bay with silt. The very first environmental law ever put into effect was to halt the destructive placer mining. The area is still full of the environmental scars, abandoned mines and current mining claims.

When I finally visited Major (I hadn't seen him Friday or Saturday, usually it's every day!) he was very happy to see me. We just wandered, and he munched on grass. While I got something out of the trailer, he found the apple I'd saved for him sitting on my car. And proceeded to slobber all over. Only a horse lover would think this was funny, and proceed to take a picture, instead of trying to move the happy horse.

yummy, with extra slobber for window and hood

Of course the coming week is supposed to be very hot. I'm going to get out one day and do a final longer ride before Wild West. And hope we're ready!