Rhythm of the Ride~

Farah & I headed out on our own again today.  I wanted to build on the nice calm rides we'd been having with Linda.   I also had a time limitation, with a Centennial Trail meeting tonight.   Our rides, after almost five-years together, have a sort of yearly rhythm to them now.  I vary the places close to home where we ride, keeping it as fresh as I can for both of us.  It's fun looking back over the years I've been doing the blog - to see where we were & the changes over time.

Farah at Harvey Creek~

At the Bracken Trail-head - we found many, many trailers & lots of messes too.  I again put flyers on all the trucks & before I left picked up six piles.  If every trailer there had done the same, the place would have been cleaned up.

White Flowering Dogwood

 We took the longer route around, finding that most of the downed trees had been chainsawed out of the trails!  Thanks to whoever that was!  Del was working at the shelter on getting things ready to install the fire suppression water tank for the tree farm.

Old water tank~

At the horse water tank - we came out of the woods to find Dory & her friends from Fish Creek.  I know Craig through Facebook, but don't think we've ever actually been introduced.  They were running the solar pump to get their horses used to the sound & drinking from the tank.  Farah walked up - took a sip & we were on our way.

Stimson Hill from Cloverdale

 Finally - after spending a lot of time on Google Earth & seeing the view from the top - I now recognize the mountain in the photo above as Stimson Hill!  Mt. Washington - is to the left of Farah's left ear.  Looking up - at where I was looking down from - gave me the full perspective. 

Peak of Mt. Washington to the left of Farah's ears.  Stimson Hill to the right~

 The cooler day that the weatherman had promised, was not much cooler, warming into at least the mid-70's.  Happily the on-shore flow breeze did materialize & what a relief, it kept the bugs at bay.

Side of Mt. Washington & the road we were on - Sunday~

The photo above is fully zoomed in.  The canyon between the two peaks is the one we ride around & where Joyce & I ran into knee deep snow in May one year.

On Tin Bridge~

 We stopped at Cloverdale, then headed back, taking a longer loop.  Twice on the return, Farah wanted to take a different trail - she was enjoying herself.

Siberian Miner's Lettuce, Candy Flower

 I've admired the flowers above for years & finally took the time to find them!  Such a pretty ground cover.  Click on the link for further information.  Enjoy every one of the native plants you see, each is such a natural beauty!

Left over fire debris~

On the main road across the top of the tree farm, we found this :-(  Really disheartening, disgusting & dangerous to say the least!  This is the kind of thing that could get us closed out of these trails forever...  I didn't see any tracks of motorized - hard to believe that fellow horsemen would be so disrespectful - but I do wonder....


Another Summer like Spring day in the Great Pacific Northwest!