Broken Bit!

Our morning hang-out :-)

 We'd started a new morning routine :-)  A short drive to town to our favorite restaurant for a latte, tea smoothie -Great food too!  A place to charge our cameras, phones & use wireless!  After that - on this day we drove back up to Joshua Tree, I wanted to hike into Barker Dam.  On our way back, we took another detour to check out the privately managed trail-head of the Wildlands Conservancy.  (Further posts.)  Once back in camp, we saddled up & were anxious to head out. 

It was another perfect early evening.   We were walking the mares past houses, when a big husky came running out - surprised Freebie & she kicked out with both hind feet!  As I went to turn Farah - something felt strange?  I looked toward Farah's head to find her bit dangling out the side of her mouth!

 Mylar Combination Bit - worn out!

 The dog was still trying to herd our mares, the owners were walking toward us with his leash - so we walked toward them as the dog followed.  Once he was caught - the question - was to go back for some fix - or continue on.  Farah was absolutely enjoying her freedom & being Very Good, so I decided we'd go on - since I still had the nose band, chin strap & moved the reins to the first loop.

Another landscape~

We decided to go down to the wash & follow it a way to see if we could find another trail that our neighbors had told us about, down the far side of ridge from where we were camped.  The granite sand was heavy going.

This blaze of red was jolting against the sand!

 Again - beauty surrounded us!  The rains from the week before had done their job - giving enough moisture to the arid landscape - for the flowers to bloom! 

Dryer mountain, fewer boulders lots of ground grasses?

This was a more barren landscape than the others we'd ridden through - fewer boulders, where the Sawtooth Fires a few years ago - had really swept through - burning hot.  As we went on, the breeze picked up & we could tell that the topography, almost a funnel effect - had contributed to the heat of the fires.

Pioneertown against the Sawtooth Mountains~

 Soon, dusk was falling & we turned back.  I didn't want to push my luck with any mad trotting :-)  The sky had taken on a gray hue & we did see a few Joshua Trees that had fallen from the fire.  Locals told us that it was a miracle the town was saved...

Back at camp - it was a very quiet evening.  John (our camp host) had a fire going & that warmth felt good once night fell!  I couldn't be a full-time "Desert Rat" - but I can sure see the attraction!