two times

Staying off of delicate trails while they dry is so hard when the sun is out and it is perfect riding weather. Luckily the roads in Auburn are great for that, though maybe not as interesting. I rode very similar trails twice, and I rode two different horses. Both of them were Miles, but first was Miles with Beau, the second one was Miles by himself. I sure like the second Miles better (we have work to do).

remembering to follow at a respectful distance

it was icy in the shade

We went out with Beau to explore how dry the trails were and how the boys would behave together. Short story: they don't very well! So we will need more practice with others (which I knew). Beau has not had enough work after pulling from Tevis last year, and is full of it. Miles just feeds off of all that. So there was walking and circling and lagging behind (on purpose), separating and dealing with it, for horse and human! Going home Miles finally settled down. It was half walking and half riding, but we have a lot to improve on.

now that we're home, can I play with Beau?

Then we headed out the next weekend by ourselves (also in a new-to-me saddle, having fitting issues). Beau was at the trailhead with another horse, and Miles didn't care at all. We left and rode our own ride, and damn, what a good boy!

obligatory weird barrels, just cool

heading down to the river

can't we just stay out here?

all the green starting to peek through

He was forward but rateable, went everywhere and at everything I pointed him at, no spooking or much silliness. Best part: he drank out of everything he saw. Random weird spring that funnels into a tiny bucket, sure! Old trough with running water, sure! Puddles? Ok!

weird spring, yummy!

roadside trough, all good!

Plus is was just gorgeous out. The river trail has really good footing, and the rest was gravel roads. We could have stayed out longer but I'm cautious of bringing him along slowly, We did 11 miles with 1300 feet of elevation gain, and he was never tired, though he was very sweaty!

dam view does not get old

going up

looking downstream

what else are we doing? We're done buddy.

I think moving forward a balance of rides with others to trainhis brain to that and rides alone will be a good compromise. The weather still looks perfect for another weekend, so off to find more trails!

drying off after eating grass snacks

getting out

I love the rain. We need the rain. (my current mantra, repeat as needed)

But I needed to get out! And so did Major! The rain had stopped for a couple days. The sandy trails should be drained. But I'm also tired of the close trails, as that is all I've been riding. I thought a ride up to Auburn would be a fun diversion, in nice weather, with good footing and be more scenic.

I was wrong on all counts except the scenic portion.

The day was sunny when I left home, but gray skies hung over the stables. SO took my trailer up to Auburn to await our arrival. It took us a bit longer than usual to get ready (to clean off most of the mud), but we were heading out at 9:30am. C and Friday were joining us, the horses were happy to be out. The trails were mostly drained, a few mud puddles here and there, but nice.

nicely drained portion of the trails

the water is rising, yeah!

The water was pouring from the power station, and the Bridge of Death (Mormon Ravine) was as always, scary when halfway across. So Major did his tap dancing act, and all was well. Then the trails got slippier and worse. Red mud was bad, but the wet leaves on trail were worse. That's ok, we can walk. Then a big tree branch, That's ok, we can go UP the steep, soft hillside (good trail horses). And other branch down. That's ok, we can go around this one.

rushing creek

Mormon Ravine (Bridge of Death thinks Major)

Until we got to the tree that blocked the trail. In a steep-sided ravine. Next to the river cliffs. Even if I had remembered my branch saw (note, keep in saddlebag during winter) this was too big of an oak to tackle. And though I diligently looked, there was no way around (I didn't take photos, I was too annoyed, and holding my dancing, pulling horse). It was only three or four miles to Auburn. But eight miles back home. Damn.

old portion of the canal, getting green

some very early naturalized daffodils

Fine, now we'll turn for home. Already pent-up ponies turned it up to full-blown naughty. Trying to walk nicely on slippery trails turned into an argument. Slow trotting on straight, dry places escalated into trying to bolt for home. All the way back. For eight miles.

Plus, I really wanted my sandwich (that was in the trailer. In Auburn.)! By now I was hungry and ready to be done. Got a hold of SO and asked if he could bring the trailer back (he did, and washed it at the car wash, how awesome is that! Not an entirely wasted trip!)

Rattlesnake Bar heading home: now the sun comes out

very fun playing puddle

The horses did stop pulling long enough to play in a puddle at the Rattlesnake Bar staging area. Which was fun until it became a water/mud-splashing contest, so we headed for home again. The horses were not tired in the least, and the trail was a little better in this section, but since horse behavior had not improved, it was still pretty slow going.

happy ferns and moss

determined Major heading home

Back home in one piece I was more tired from 16 miles of walking (farther than I'd planned, we're not training right now!) than a 20 mile trotting ride. But I had my sandwich! Best PB&J ever. And a happy horse, clean and turned back out into the pasture, who promptly dropped for a muddy roll.

I reported the downed tree (though it's far from an easy access, and few foresters are allowed to trim in the state park). I think I'll be staying on my very local but well-drained trails for now. Except it is raining again. I love the rain. We need the rain…

are we there yet?

Today is Groundhog Day. We have no groundhogs here. But this weekend was so gorgeous we spent the whole time looking at our shadow. Maybe can we please get six weeks of winter? Not six more weeks of winter, just some winter? No rain since mid-December, but the trails are perfect, grass abounds, and might as well take advantage.

I was tired of the usual home trails, but didn't want to stray far. So I decided on a one-way trip to Auburn (with SO kindly delivering my trailer). The distance isn't too far (14 miles) but the elevation gain makes up for it (2,200 feet, most of it in a 1.5 mile section!). Major thought it was too early until I plied him with alfalfa.

sun coming up, a classy wheelbarrow, an alfalfa snack, and modeling his new-to-me Toklat Matrix pad: thumbs up!

We headed out about 9:00am in sunshine and short-sleeves. In January. Crazy. Major was happy to move along towards Avery Pond. Past that, he knew something was up. Shouldn't we be turning around?

stream below should really be an entire finger of the lake

on the other side of the little stream!

We trotted the service road and past the bridge of death. Then begins a lovely single-track along the river. Just a few runners coming towards us, every time we passed them Major would speed up, thinking he was wining the race…in the opposite direction. Not his most clever move. Then he'd slow, pull over and stop (I always think he has to pee, or wants a grass snack, yes he has me fooled!). Time to turn around yet?

drought-stricken river

looking back before starting up, hold on for cliffs and rocks ahead

Then it's up, up, up. I hate the rock portions, though Major hates them more. It is slow going over yucky rock footing. I got off and hiked the last portion of the Cardiac Bypass, at the top Major dove into the grass like a starving thing. Then stared back down the trail, time to turn around yet?

partway up, might not make it without a snack!

Just another couple miles, up to the lovely trough at Auburn. Where he snorkeled but didn't drink. Time to go home now? Major didn't quite understand that the trailer was waiting, that we could go home the easy way. I do like that we was willing to keep going, and he sure felt like he could have done another 14 miles!

we're done here, let's go home…

After I untacked, and cleaned him up, he found a perfect place to roll in the dirt. And I think he finally figured out we didn't have to ride back! He jumped into the trailer and stuck his head out the window. Now can we go home?

really, he was clean…

one last look down the trail

trail work

The early darkness has again turned me into a weekend warrior. During the week I might squeeze in between work and dark a short forest bareback ride, but for now the weekends are the only time I have for a nice long ride.

And this weekend I took grand advantage and took Major and his favorite new non-best friend Tux to Auburn. He would not share his hay bag like with Barkley last excursion, and spent most of the tacking up time making crabby faces. Whatever. Deal with it.

We headed out down the canyon and pretty quickly came across the trail work sign. I'd read they'd been doing some, but Major needed to read it himself.

Major being cautious, just like the sign says!

Then we saw evidence of the actual work, small tractors (not so scary) and many rocks (in the wrong place Major thought). Walking down to the creek crossing is scary black plastic right next to the trail, and straw-filled wattles for diversion. Lovely. Major got through it ok, then we waited while my friend safely walked Tux through.

tractor ahead

rocks in the wrong spot

looking back at the awful trail work

Now I don't mind them fixing up trails, but this work is supposed to be for making a bridge over the crossing. Now this trail already isn't that easy coming up or down, and has always seemed just fine. But I think since the "waterfall" (really, it's never that spectacular, it's just too small even when full!) was published in a few hiking books, more people are hiking, and maybe the powers that be decided to make something easier for them. It's a hiking trail, not Disneyland. There are rocks and trees and rough stuff. OK, rant over.

We headed down and over to Cool. I have enough pictures of this that I've grown complacent and forget to take out the camera, no matter how lovely the view. Plus we were cantering across the bridge. But my friend had a GoPro, the video is pretty short but entertaining. (linked in picture caption).

watch the video here

Up to Cool but a different way for me: Pig Farm trail. Very steep and slippery, we made it up, only to discover it comes out on the dreaded Training Hill! Luckily almost at the top, where we waited. Major thought I'd drag him down it, but we turned to head for the troughs.

blurry Pig Farm trail, luckily no real pigs in sight

Training Hill: longest .9 miles ever

waiting "patiently" for Tux (love those crabby "why are we waiting" ears)

Major did some epic snorkeling, but little drinking, and the Olmstead Loop troughs. He was more than happy to head home, back across the bridge and up to Auburn.

snorkeling and making a watery mess

heading back on dry trails, but green is appearing!

Major was not as happy going through the construction on the way back. There were about eight people and kids sitting on the lower rocks, black plastic, straw wattles, muddy water: he thought we should just skip it and proceeded to back himself about 10 feet, and into Tux! (that embarrassing moment also captured on video, linked in picture caption below). With enough encouragement we walked suspiciously through. It'll be interesting to see what the trail ends up looking like, with a bridge, supposedly still creek access, signage, and whatever else they do.

watch the creek crossing video here

Luckily the rest was uneventful, except for losing a boot. While I'm glad he just keeps going and his feet aren't sore, I really didn't want to buy a new boot! Damn. I'm hoping to hike the trail this weekend and look for it.

Back at the trailer the sun came out even more, and Major found a great dirt spot to roll in before getting back in the trailer. It'll be another weekend till we can get out again, and I want the rain but maybe it can just rain on weekdays? These weekend rides help keep the darkness at bay, getting out in the sunlight. I know there will be enough days when there is no sun, and no ride, and it is too wet and cold, but for now I am enjoying the time we have to play.

the end

naughty

an almost-a-buck naughtiness (directed at me, though I'm up the hill and behind a fence!)

Last week I was dealing with a bit of attitude. Cool weather, not many trail miles, all adding up to one amped pony.

let me in, let me in my pasture!

I let him into the arena. But he wanted to be in his pasture. So he lunged himself around for awhile, getting himself all hot and blowy, throwing in a few pitiful bucks and leaps (seriously, he's like Elaine from Seinfeld dancing, it's so sad but I laugh).

So my plan for that excess energy was a good ride to Auburn. It isn't that far, 14 miles, but has some super tough footing and good elevation gain (2,300 feet). C and Friday joined in our adventure, as long as I promised not to kill her. Hey, I haven't yet!

Rattlesnake Bar with a receding lake

should be lake, now just the river

Avery pond still looks nice, with turtles on the log

We actually had very well behaved horses as we trotted towards Rattlesnake Bar. There is no water to access, we just continued on, throwing in some super nice canters (and one ridiculous unasked-for gallop). Before Avery Pond you can look down at the lake, except it isn't there! All you now see is the river and lots of exposed rock. But the trees are lovely, and at the pond the turtles were sun bathing.

The creek and lake are often as high as the base of the tree on the right

Mormon Ravine creek, normally a full rushing bridge-of-death, was totally calm, and the rest of the trail was dry, dry, dry. But lovely and rocky and Major was completely behaving himself. Here is always my training dilemma: I know my horse is hot and raring to go, but even on a ride where I'd let him go, he just ambles along (unless we turn for home, then the afterburners kick in).

lots of exposed rock down the cliff, no big boats will coming this way!

Major thought we should go home across the bridge

We crossed a small creek, where Major thought we should then turn around and go home back across the bridge. He did the same when we stopped to view the very minimal Oregon Bar rapids. I can't quite explain to him that it is now farther to go home then just continue to our destination!

Oregon Bar, Major's ears saying let's go home, to the right!

top of the first bypass trail

huge pile (taller than a house) of either leftover mining or dam-building rocks

We decided to take the Cardiac Bypass trail, no need for the complete torture of the main Cardiac Hill trail, the bypass is tough enough. At the top you are still a few miles from Auburn, Major was pretty sure we were never going home and tried trudging along. Friday tried to bolt over the top of us after he thought a monster was behind him, Major barely even noticed, but we took a small breather after that!

trough, perfect for scratching

I don't even want to touch this dirtiness

Almost to the staging area Major remembered where we were, and picked it up a bit. We cantered the last small hill to the lovely trough, where he drank then mostly proceeded to rub his face all over the very useful rocks. I had the usual boot dilemma: wash the horse then take the muddy boot off, or deal with it first? I removed the boot, then washed the sweaty horse, who got a mash and a ride home in the waiting trailer (thanks to my great SO who took it up there that morning!)

Back home both horses trotted around the arena like nothing, and Major galloped up the hill to get more of "his" better water. A super fun ride, though I think the naughty beast is still lurking within…