Baby Bears at Victoria~

The Tree Farms reopened today!  The humidity has gone up enough that even with the on-going drought - DNR dropped the fire danger level to two.  Linda & I had planned to ride, maybe driving up to Harry O's, so it was sweet to be able to ride closer to home!

We start down the trail we'd completely cleared last Summer~

No one knows the trails like Linda, so today we took many - that I anyway - hadn't been on for a while.  It's just crazy how fast all our work from last season, has disappeared under layers of green growth & nasty blackberry vines...

Views west~

The trail through one of the latest clear-cuts is at least being used, so we got through it pretty easily.  The view is worth it!

Mt. Lumi

The air was the clearest it's been in weeks - a relatively cool morning with a very nice breeze.  Farah started out with her bug mask, but once we were in the woods, she let me know - with incessant head tossing - that she wanted it Off!

Grasses

The tall grass is the driest I've ever seen it - beautiful beige's moving in the breeze.  As Linda lead us from trail to trail, we went up Baby Bear Trail & from there headed up toward the Monument.  Farah was in the lead, we were going fast & were cresting the top - when she made a sudden shy to the right!  In the next second - I heard Linda & Count doing the same!  Before I could cuss Farah out for the shy - Linda said;  "Bears!"

First of the young Bear cubs~

Both horses had whirled to face the far side of the trail & here was a bear cub!  The noise of his claws on the bark as he climbed as fast as he could was loud!  Before we had time to think about it - a second bear started up the tree behind his brother!

Second cub behind the branches on the right~

With Farah moving & my heart pounding - it was hard to hold the camera steady :-)  Linda said;  "We need to Go!  Momma Bear has to be close!"  Go we did!  Too fun!  It's been several years since the last time we saw two cubs peaking at us over the ridge on Ridge Trail.

Whitehorse

The views from the top were just Grand!  I unsaddled Farah at the Monument.  She's fine at the walk, but it's obvious that she's Not at a trot, even with the new Supracore pad.  Linda's saddle is pinching her now...  I'm waiting for a Reactor Panel to arrive.  I loved Diane's Heraldic when I sat in it - so I'm going to take the plunge & see if it will work for us.  I can get it with fenders & it's very similar in shape & style to Linda's.

Our track

  Today, for whatever reason, Garmin allowed me to view our track on Google Earth!  I've been waiting months for them to fix the glitch that has Not allowed me to do this.  It really gives you an idea of how many trails there are.  Like Linda said; she could use a crew of 30 volunteers for at least three or four trail work parties a season to keep them all passable...

Really beautiful day & what a charge to see the bears!