Slip & Slide~

Today's Route

The sun kept trying to break through the clouds this morning.  I checked the weather report & it looked like we'd have a few hours without rain!  Time to Cowgirl Up - saddle my mare with the Big Horn Saddle & ride!   Since we're now limited to one way out - we took it!  Farah was sinking in with every step, the frozen ground is now in the defrost mode, somewhat boggy & slippery.

Farah likes breaking ice!  When we came to some frozen, large puddles on the single track, she'd put a foot on - watch as her hoof broke through the ice, then place the other front foot on!  We'd listen for the crack & the ice would shatter out from her foot.    The sound of her breaking through, then the splash as she continued on was pretty cool.  Thin enough To break - that was Good!

At the "T" above, we turned south onto this trail

We took the above trail out to the power lines, went along it  for a way south - then turned in east onto the second trail.

Second trail heading east~

We followed it again - until we came to the creek & no bridge.  This time I decided to get off & climb through the underbrush to get a photo of this incredibly beautiful wetland.

Wetland, looking north~

It was a pretty quiet late morning, early afternoon.  The birds are tweeting again - happy I'm sure that maybe the freezing weather for this year is past?  It was almost 50, with a little breeze - my jacket came off, then back on.

Farah waits patiently :-)

 In one place, where we could actually pick up a trot, my stirrup fell off!  Ut Oh!  Stopped, recovered it & put it back on.  With the way I'd had the straps on the fenders shortened - there's no longer a bumper guard to keep them on.  Have to be sure that the Blevins buckles are secure.  I've added my sheepskin seat saver too - that's improved my comfort.  May look for a set of bucking rolls this weekend -that would give me a little more security too.  Farah's doing pretty well in it, some threats to buck - (Learned behavior?) but it's a little tight through the wither - so probably not much  better than what she's been putting up with.

Nice mess!

As we were returning through the future development/paved area... we found this mess!  Next, heard a truck coming.  The driver stopped - a couple who live not far away & were concerned about all the fast driving cars that were passing their house over the weekend & into the late hours of the night!  Amazing how short a time it takes for people to find out that a semi-private area is now open to the public...  Then trash it!  Nice people, they plan to call the police when they see that much going on again...  Amazing the stories that are circulating about this area.  How far can you go - can you get to Arlington on the Power Lines, etc., etc. etc.  

Farah watching the neighbor's cattle

By the time we turned for home, the temperature was dropping & the wind had come up.  We were home less than an hour when the rain started.  So very good to get out!  Hope the rest of the week isn't the total wash that the weatherman is predicting!