A Cold Ride!

Our 15-mi. "Loop"

When Lynn called & asked if I was still up for an adventure - of course I said yes!  She'd ridden this area yesterday & had an idea for one long loop!  By 11 a.m. we were at Kathryn Taylor saddling up & it was cold!  Maybe mid-30's in the sunshine.   We were both dressed in layers, but I started out with my jacket on the back of the saddle.

"Welcome Lake"

When we came to the above lake, the bridge was so covered in ice that we took the road.  Of course there was minimal mud - a real draw - but with the recent Arctic Blast - the trails were frozen solid & very slippery in places.  I really didn't expect it - not after just a couple nights of cold temps - but in the woods, where the sun doesn't reach - there's no thaw until the temperatures warm again.

Ice on the wetland pond~

We headed over to Farrel McWhirter Park, I hadn't been there since one of my very first rides on Farah.  We looped the park - then took a short break in the sunshine.  Hoping for a yet longer ride, we toyed with the idea of dropping down the gas line to the Sammamish Valley Trail, but no faster than we could ride, we knew we'd run out of time.

Spectacular Horse Farm

Passing this incredible equine facility - made us both envious!  Here we were on a beautiful wooded trail - peaking out at any horseman's fantasy farm :-)  We had to ride the road on 116th, but not for far, before we were back on the power line.

Frozen winter berries & snowberries

Even in the sunshine, under the power lines - it was getting colder already!  Moving back into the trails at the Redmond Watershed, we soon saw riders up ahead!  Our friends Beth & Diane!  Seems we run into them at least a few times a year on these trails!  Fun to catch up with them both!   Farah was in last place when the bikes came up on us fast!  Farah let them know instantly that they needed to Back Off & they Did.  We asked that they wait to pass & got all four horses up to a clear spot where they could safely pass.

The last of the bridges we had to cross were so treacherous that we dismounted to cross them.  Arriving back at KTP by 4:30 - the cold was coming through my winter riding pants!  Next time I'll have thermals under them too!