Sittin' On Top of the World~

Monday, Justin re-shod Farah & boy did she need shoes!  We waited 7-weeks to let her hooves grow.  She was ready to lose a front & the backs were paper thin.  Tue. I had errands to run & Wed. we were riding.

View from the seat at the Monument

 Yesterday, I spent the morning writing letters of support for a grant that Snohomish County Parks is applying for, to finish the last 7-mile section of the Whitehorse Trail.  In the afternoon - I emptied out the horse trailer - then scrubbed it inside & out!  I think it had been over a year & I couldn't believe how the grime had built up.  Butch got home, checked it out & we re-loaded the tack room.

My hard working Bronco, with our generic Circle J Bronco Pony Trailer~

 If I had kept track of the miles Farah & I have been on the road these last years - I'm sure it would be a very large number.  90% of the mileage probably within 100-miles of home.  Being retired has it's perks, but it's a shame that Seattle traffic keeps me from traveling farther :-(

Heading to the top~

 Today - I was more than ready to enjoy another of these amazing sunshine spring days!  Farah & I went to Victoria - no one there - except for a couple bike riders & a car parked in the horse trailer parking.  I left him with a note & a LNT brochure :-)

Almost to the top~

 Farah was feeling really good, having new steel seemed to give her an added boost!  :-)  I've been wanting to increase our over all speed & today we got that done easily.  She had a nice sheen of sweat at the top.

Who's coming?

 I tried wearing the new Under Armor tights that I'd bought at the end of last season.  Wow - was I impressed!  They actually did keep me feeling cooler & anything that does that I'm all for!  I don't think it was as hot today as yesterday - but if they work as well on the hot days - I'll order another pair!  Thanks Cortney!

Mountains, Water, Sky~

 Such a brilliant day! 

Olympics from the Monument

 Farah was grazing & I'd seen her look up toward the trail once or twice.  Sure enough - two guys came out on bikes & hailed as they did saying that they didn't want to scare the horse.  How very nice of them!  Farah only glanced their way - she'd heard them - & went right back to the grass.  Time for us to move on anyway.

Old Cedar Stump~

 Have always especially liked going by this old stump, so today he got a photo taken :-)  We did a whole lot of trot & at one point Farah lifted herself into the air & leaped into the smoothest canter ever!  I loved it!  She's getting her annual Adequan series a month later than usual.  She's only had the first dose, so I can't believe that it's making any difference that soon - but it's great stuff!  Too bad it's not available for human use!

At the bottom~

 I'd heard that lots of trees were down on the lower roads & there were a lot, but all were either easy to step over, or had been cut. 

At 300th~

We went all the way down to 300th - I would have liked to go on, but had my Chiropractic appointment & had to start back.  I have to say that I'm riding so much better & feeling so much better - I'm hopeful that it will help with the heat too.

Heading back north~

Once at the bottom, we started our 3-mile trot then gallop to the top!  So much fun!  Farah has it so well timed - I know she enjoys it too.  Once we hit the 3-way intersection - she takes a breath then does her burst up the final hill.  She slows down when I sit deep - at least when she's not in a halter :-)

Tomorrow - Trail Clearing at Bracken!  

MHC - Finding Our Way~

Beautiful blooms, in the camping area~

 It was an eerily strange day.  I wanted to ride out from the Morgan Horse Club, my first time there since Pat & I had met all the logging trucks back in Oct. of last year.  Post~   There were plenty of changes in the area - the first - the quarry is now probably four times as large as it used to be.  This of course tells me - more gravel for more roads = more logging.

Just a small section of the greatly enlarged quarry area~

 We rounded the corner & there's a new gate too.  No way around on the left, boulders on the right - but just enough room to get between two of them.  I'm thinking they're worried about someone getting in & stealing the gravel? 

Old original gate posts just beyond~

 Farah was very aware of all the changes & as surprised as I was.  I didn't get a photo of the old road under the power lines.  It is so washed out now that it's becoming a ravine.  Very deep, sometimes as much as a couple feet in places - I was busy watching every step Farah took.  It was a relief to get out to the road.

A stiff  climb 

 Pat had seen this hill when we were here & today I saw the road that lead that direction & took it.  It was quite a steep climb to the top!  Farah stopped to blow about 1/2 way up. 

Looking NW

 It was quite the view from the top though!  I never like being under the big power lines, but made an exception & we had our lunch break admiring the views.

Back the way we'd come~

 It sure gives your spacial perception a workout for whatever reason...  Maybe all the nasty vibes from all the power zinging over head.

Farah enjoys her lunch~

 I walked on foot back down, we took another trail that branched off at the base of the climb.  It looked like it might go somewhere, but we got to a corner where the blackberries had completely shut off where the old actual trail had begun.  I'm going to ask about this - it would make a decent loop.

Starting up the climb~

 Once back down, I decided to ignore the heavy sounds of logging & take the road up for a way - to the corner & view that I used to enjoy so much in the fall.  Just past the big culvert & river.  It was obvious right away that the road was getting a Lot of Very Heavy use!  Very!

The view from the corner~

 We got there, the view will never be the same & the noise was much louder...  I just didn't feel like taking the chance of meeting a loaded truck on these grades.  It was another disappointment to have to turn back.

The other way~

 So, I took the main road the other direction.  I thought I knew where I was & thought it would meet up with the road that Scott & I had been on yesterday.  Wrong!  The road that we'd had such a nice long trot on, ended at this creek crossing.  It sure didn't look familiar to me - I'm sure I've probably been here before, but since Grandson Ben was coming this afternoon & time was getting short - we turned back.

Our Route 

Once I downloaded my Garmin to Google Earth, I could see that we had actually been heading the right direction to connect up with yesterday's trails.  Now, I've got to do my homework, print up some of the old routes & figure out a loop of our own.  It seems that my memory never gets serious about remembering a ride loop, until I'm forced to ride it on my own! 

60's & Sunshine!

The Olympics

From 29 degrees when Butch left for work, the sun soon burned through the frost!  With Farah in the trailer, we were on the road for Victoria, where Linda was waiting at the trail-head.  I'd finally been feeling close to my old self - when I hit my head on Sat.  Yesterday, the vertigo got bad, after all the traffic Courtney expertly drove us through. I was a little leery, wondering if I could get through another ride feeling decent.

A Seahawk decorated tree~

Someone has decorated a little cedar with blue & green ornaments - a few with the Seahawk logos too :-)  It felt so good to be back in the saddle.  My helmet didn't hit my cut - that was a relief.  If I frown or do anything with my forehead though - it hurts!  We headed to the Monument for lunch - the sun felt So warm, even with a light breeze blowing.

Farah Going for the grass :-)

Farah would have stood on her head to grab huge mouthful's of the freshly growing green grass!  Linda & I caught up on all the news.  On Sat., her neighbor's son was riding with his sister, ponying her horse - when a group of riders going fast rounded a corner & spooked their horses.  His sister fell off - luckily unhurt.  Time to remember that there are green horses & green riders out enjoying this great weather.

Linda & Count - Lake McMurrary Overlook~

Count was feeling his oats today!  We trotted, galloped & really had a great ride!  Linda noticed too, that Farah is doing less bucking when we bring up the rear - again - we both think due to her new comfortable saddle.   She was in season too - Count was happy that he was again on her good side :-)

Both Farah & I are happily comfortable now.  A working saddle is such a boon to us both, the hackamore has made a difference too.  Continuing my visits to Jay seems to be helping me.  When those strings of gray, wet days start getting to me - I think Winter will never end...  But the flip side, comes when we get to enjoy days like these!  The sheer fun of riding out in the wide open spaces, in the bright sunshine, on a great mare & enjoying the company of a good friend!

Before the Rains~

Eerily beautiful~

I got lucky!  A second day of weather in the 50's & the rain holding off for one more day!  When that sun came up over the mountains, I hustled & loaded Farah up.  Going to out to Victoria, the clouds started moving in - but it was 52 at the bank in Arlington!  Unreal for December!

No one there - usually the case, so we took off at a good trot & had only gone just over a mile when Farah hit the brakes!  There was a horse & rider coming right at us!  Linda & Count!  Both Farah & I were thrilled!  We'd hoped to ride with another friend, but that didn't pan out.  I knew Linda was back in the saddle, she'd sent me a text yesterday with a between the ears shot.  I didn't expect that she'd want to ride again today - but she surprised me!  My good friend & riding buddy is back in the saddle again!

Linda & Count

Since fresh logging has closed one of the access trails that Linda uses to ride out from her place, she'd had to ride the longer way & I was amazed we'd manged to meet-up before I made the turn for the climb to the Monument.  So - what would have been a long - somewhat lonely ride - turned out to be a lot more fun.  At the Monument - we had our snack, then Linda headed for home, it had been almost two months since she'd had Count out & he wasn't up for the distance I'd hoped to get in today.

Amazing shrub covered with bright red berries

I left toward the deep, dark woods - Linda dropped down the other side.  Farah didn't realize that they weren't following us for a short way :-)  When she did - she stopped short & looked back over her shoulder - the "Where the heck ARE they look."  :-)  As we went on, she gave a big grunt - but didn't argue the point.

Looking down at the Nakashima Barn

As we headed down to the lower roads, I could see where we were last Wed. :-)  We managed over 2,000 ft. of elevation gain on this ride, nothing like the ease of a nice flat multi-use trail.  On the way back up - Farah wanted to gallop, so I let her & by the top she was soaked.  It was so darn warm, that both of us worked up a sweat.

Lower wetland

It was a strange, eerie day - barometric pressure dropping.  The clouds thickened, it was getting dark fast.  We arrived back at the trailer just as the rain started! 

Sunny Monday~

Farah enjoys a long drink~

The morning started off a little overcast as Lynn & I were leaving the parking area at Bracken Rd.  We'd thought of doing a long section of the Centennial Trail, but I believed the weather report - saying that the day was going to warm up - shaded trails sounded nice!

Thistle in the clear-cut

We left going south out from the parking area.  There were three other ladies saddling up for a ride as we left.  Between Lynn & me - we can do a pretty good job of finding our way around now & ended up on one of my favorite trotting trails.  The sun finally broke through the overcast & the minute it did - the temperature went right up!

On the Whitehorse~

We decided to head over to the green valley for lunch, so started across Tin Bridge.  We were about 2/3rds of the way across when Farah made a weird move & it almost felt like she was going down.  Then she stomped & stomped again!  I heard Lynn say;  "Bees!"  Sure enough - the vibration of the horses crossing the bridge stirred them up from where they must be trying to build a hive under the wood planking - right in the middle!   Lynn & Sophie hustled across behind us - Sophie too did some stomping! I now have the phone number for the Centennial Trail Park Ranger - so plan to call him in the morning to see if we can get someone out to spray.

The trail was so beautiful - with the leaves blowing off the Big Leaf Maples right in front of us - it certainly smelled like fall - though the temperatures don't feel like it.

Green Valley

All was quiet at Cloverdale.  The mares grazed while we had our snack.  We turned back & crossed the bridge carefully - going along the edge - rather than in the middle & we could see the bees buzzing as we passed!

Lynn & the ever moving Sophie :-)

Back on the forested trails, we took a few that are getting overgrown again.  Farah was full of energy & at one point elevated her front end off the ground before breaking into a short gallop :-)  These days are so beautiful - but I think our Fall color won't be as brilliant as I'd hoped - since most of the trees have already lost a lot of leaves!

Blackberries & Logging~

Today's Ride~

Surprised!  That's what I was!   BIG THANK YOU due to both my friends!  Joyce & Joe rode yesterday - Joe took his machete - cutting & hacking through the massive wall of green, as Joyce moved the mess of vines off the trail.  Coming up on it from the far side - to see just How Much the two of them had cleared was amazing!   If you've worked on blackberry - you know...   If you haven't - you have no idea of how nasty they are to cut.  The only good thing about them - especially this time of year, is that the fruit is ripe!

With over an hour of clearing - the trail was again open!  They'd been higher than our heads on Wed. when we'd spent another block of time just clearing into where the wall began...

More clear trail~

This is a trail that we'll use again over the fall & winter months - as will other area riders - so it's nice to know that we'll be able to get through. 

Once through - looking north~

Funny how different trails & roads can look when you come on them from the direction that you usually don't.  Normally - we like to take the long climbs on the way out, today we took some short steep climbs & ended up doing more downhill on the way back.  Rounding a corner, we ran into other horsemen!  Unusual - but not only that - we both recognized these four!  Fellow equestrians that we'd not seen in many, many years!  Such fun catching up!   Ed's thirty-year old Mustang mare was still just cooking down the trail!  The news that they shared with us wasn't what we'd hoped to hear - logging was going on just around the bend from where we were, between us & the route we'd hoped to take back.

We'd already spent over 30-min. cutting Alder's that had been cut & fallen across one trail, so again - we'd been out a while & it was another hot, muggy day.  Undaunted by the news - we continued forward - soon smelling that incredible scent of fresh cut lumber.

Trees on the ground~

Next, we saw the trees, again it's almost as though you've ridden into a strange world, so changed from just a couple days earlier this week.  The noise got louder & we could hear trees crashing to the ground!  Both horses were on high alert!  Soon, the equipment was right along the side of the trail & the noise was incredible!  Farah wanted to whirl & leave the area, Joyce dismounted to lead Jesse.  I took a short video, but it didn't do the experience justice.

This was the closest I'd been to active logging & I really felt it - it's so very Raw, a certain kind of violence - at least against nature.  These machines can take down an amazing amount of trees, in a very short time.  The claw grabs the tree, the saw cuts it off - then the entire tree is lifted into the air & dropped!  The upside - if you can call it that - is that they're done & gone fairly quickly.  We were surprised to find them working today.

With relief, we were past & within a couple miles returned to the quiet of the woods.  There are more areas marked with cutting boundary tape - so it'll be interesting to see how things change as we move into Fall. 

Exploring Lost Trail~

GPS stats

We weren't feeling too inspired, just ready for saddle time.  The "East side" trails keep calling our name.  Our favorite running hill was there, as was another, the "blue bucket" trail.  Today we found both!   We spent the morning mostly walking & just enjoying the woods.   With the beautiful day & scenery - who cared?

Morning trail~

It took a while to reach the far side.  The temperature was perfect, mid-60's & we had all day.  It was after 1 p.m. by the time we'd crossed over - time for Linda to check out the accuracy of her memory & as usual - it was top notch.  The problem came when we found clear-cut where forest had stood.  Then, in the incredible stands of huge trees, where a beautiful trail had been - but the blackberry & salmonberry growing along the old logging roads had closed off the "entrance".  We were so far out it was eerily quiet.  We found our "hill"!  Overgrown to the point where we hardly recognized it.  Another clear cut too.

Clear cut view

It definitely felt like riding back in "time".  It had been at least 15-years since I'd been on those trails & almost as long for Linda.  What had been wide paths, were now totally overgrown.  About the time we thought we might have to backtrack & return on pavement, we found a trail!  A couple riders on that side have actually done some work to try to re-establish at least a couple of the old CT trails.  It was rough going & Linda took a blackberry across her face...

Linda & Count lead on the old "trail~

 We found both the bridges that had been put in back in the 90's still solid!

One of the bridges~

 Since it was getting late in the day & we'd been out for over four-hours, it was time to head back.  We reminisced on the days we could clear trail for hours at a time, then ride fast & far & think nothing of it!  I remember a day that we marked 25-mi. of trail - then I turned around & rode it in reverse to see if Alexi was ready for her first 50-mile ride!  Linda went home for dinner.  As I was riding back out of the woods, I saw car lights coming - Linda, checking to be sure that I'd made the miles & was safely out of the woods :-)

Our saddle time was over six-hours, only one small drink for the horses out of a rapidly disappearing water puddle, but they both stretched out that Walk on the way back!  

What's badly needed now?  A couple of younger "Trail Masters" preferably with teenage kids -  to take on the task of re-opening some of these trails!  They have changed so much, are so beautiful now & would probably double the length of the trails that are currently used.   Any takers?  :-)