Frozen~

Cold & Crisp!

I'd hoped to have a riding buddy today - but that didn't happen, so since I'd expected an early start, I decided to wait an hour then head up to Victoria.  There the roads, though frozen rock hard - at least are not slippery.

A light layer of ice on the Wetland~

We were the only ones on the mountain I think.  I started out slow, giving Farah plenty of time to warm up & she still wanted to gallop up the first hill :-)  I put my jacket on the back of the saddle & rode in a thermal shirt, flannel shirt & fleece vest.  My Polartec Wind Pro riding pants did the trick & my legs stayed warm.

Iced up~

The one "trail" that we do use in the winter months - that goes up the east side of the mountain - was so very frozen that Farah was slipping every step.  It's in shade most of the day, so I'm sure it will take a few days of warmer temperatures before it thaws.

Looking SE

Once we crested the top though - the opening of the view was worth the climb!  I looked forward to every bit of sunshine that we rode in - to warm up from the cold of the shade!

Whitehorse & Three Fingers

The zoom on my new little camera is a touch longer than on the old one.  With the temperature inversion, there's a slight haze.  Even so - I was amazed that hand held & sitting on a horse - this photo came out as clear as it did!

The Olympics~

By the time we got to the Monument for our lunch break - the day was about as warm as it would get.  The haze was sitting below the tops of the Olympics & gave the view a whole new dimension.  Not quite a purple mountain majesty - but certainly many shades of blue!

Farah hears something!

Shortly after I took this photo, we ran into two other riders!  They were bundled up to their ears too & out enjoying the sunshine regardless of the cold!  We moved on - dropping down the hill to the lower road.  From there Farah insisted that she knew a trail that we'd not taken in forever.  I let her have her way.  Frozen solid I couldn't see where we'd be doing any damage!  She was right!  We found a shorter way back up to the top!

Mt. Rainier

Again, I took the way past the upland meadow - still planted with the bio-fuel fast growing trees that haven't grown.  The ones planted lower down have been cut down - I'm thinking these will have the same fate.  It was worth it to get another photo of the Mountain!

COLD!

Farah

It's not often in this state that we get freezing temperatures for long stretches.  This December is the exception.  The temperatures started dropping over last weekend - by Monday our high was only the mid-30's.  Today, we woke to 18 degrees & more of the blazing sunshine that has accompanied the cold, along with a breeze that seems to be coming from the north.  That breeze creates a good wind-chill & I don't want to know what that might be!

Santa looks festive on the Barn~

I did put our Santa flag up on the barn - when I went up to do chores this afternoon.  Farah was Very Full of herself & used watching me walk/crunch down from the woods, as an excuse to do some running & bucking & even flagged her tail!  (Something my 1/4 Arab doesn't do often!  :-) 

Coming my way!

Fun to watch - but not when the ground is so hard, frozen & slippery.

Half-way through her seventh year~

Luckily - it didn't last long & she was smart enough to keep it under some control.   Once that was out of her system, she snorted, blew - then walked up for attention :-)  I'm really starting to see maturity in her face this winter.  Now...  if it would ever warm back up a little - we could get out on the trails again.  Instead - I'm relegated to house work, more decorating & baking!