Final Desert Ride

On our way~

We planned a long exploratory ride for our final one...  It felt almost bittersweet, as I saddled Farah for the ride.  It's hard to describe how amazing it feels when riding in country so different from any I've experienced.  Farah was forward all week & interested in our surroundings from the first ride.  

The climb was deceptive~

 Heading north, it wasn't long & we were climbing, climbing...

Looking back at Pioneertown~

The last opportunity to look back in both time & place - at the consummate Western town...  Once we crested the bluff - the view was like something out of a cowboy movie!

Black Hill on the right, 4,630 ft.

The topography here reminded me a little of parts of Wyoming - just not as high in elevation.

Patty & Freebie head over the edge~

As the trail dropped over the edge, it was heavy with small pieces of broken Basalt & not easy going.  The wind was blowing our direction & the next obstacle was a large pile of tumbleweeds...  that had been caught up against the face of the wall.  The trail here suddenly narrowed & was totally obscured under about 3ft. of the weeds.  I dismounted & started swatting them off the side with my stick :-)  In just a few feet - the trail widened again to a two-track that soon ended at a turn-around.

When I rode over to the edge to see if there was a possible way down - Farah - took the opportunity to 180 from a standstill - leaving me hanging from the off-side.  Patty said all she could see of me was my foot on the bucking roll & was waiting to see me hit the ground.  Since Farah Did Not Move a Muscle...  I grabbed mane & managed to pull myself back into the saddle. She was not as happy as usual this ride, I'd purchased a snaffle in town - about the only bit in town - & it was slightly small.  Nevertheless - No excuse for that behavior!

Burned Pinyon Pine (some were over 1,200 years old)

As we turned back - I decided to walk down & try to keep my stretched ACL from locking up.  The view of Pipes Canyon was stunning.  At the bottom, we found the building that looked like a small jail - that our neighbors had mentioned to Patty & followed their prints along a large wash.

We head east~

Before too far, we saw the bright green of healthy Joshua Trees!

Farah expresses her displeasure with the bit~

Of course it was another photo op!  :-)  At that point, we could either follow the miles of sandy wash, or turn east & take another trail through the rocks.  The rocks sounded like the better way to end our last ride.

Northern end of the boulder field

The blue of the flowers was such a contrast to the stark black & white of the burned pines...  Surreal, the levels of environmental change that are happening - the changes in plant communities - forever altering a landscape that had been changeless for generations...

Hole in the Rock

It was a real treat to look up & see this amazing formation!  Since these trails have been closed for over ten-years - & there are on-going threats to close them again to horsemen - I feel very lucky indeed to have had the opportunity to ride here.

Town from the east!

It was late in the day by the time we again saw town in the distance.  The day had gone fast & even if this ride wasn't as spectacular as our "Rim" ride, it had as it's own special beauty.

A new flower for this day!

As we started down out of the rocks, it was so beautiful to watch the clouds over the mountains as the light dimmed in the sky above.  (During the day - the brightness, even with a Salamander Beak & Maui Jim's sunglasses was very white & strong.)

John greets us from his saddle shop~

"We rode into town."  How often do today's horsemen get to say that?!  :-)  We'd been strangers in town, but during our stay - we'd met some really fine people.  John was a wonderful help in getting us settled in.  Jake, I met shortly after he was thrown from his horse & took a very hard blow to the back of his head - knocking him out.   Once he'd recovered, he came over to introduce himself & admire my mare :-)  The very next day - he lead a group of riders out on the "Rim Loop " ride!  He gave me a rare copy of a map of the National Park, made by locals for locals.  Maybe someday Butch & I will visit & ride some of those trails!

A huge THANK YOU to Patty for letting me accompany her, on vacation to a special place - that she was kind enough to share with me~

Rim of the World~

Map of the area~

This was the ride that took us by surprise!  The day had been really hot & bright - so we decided to take another hiking excursion into Joshua Tree.  (I may eventually post some of our hiking photos too - but really want to get these ride stories written.)

Not far out!

We'd heard "stories" about this loop - it was the most difficult & the most beautiful.  It was just 3 p.m. when we were saddled & heading out.  Ten-miles?  No big deal - should be able to knock that out & get back before dark - right?  Well - great plan - until you start oohing & awing & Connie has to stop every 50-feet to take photos!

Burned Joshua Tree & "root" system~

It was the perfect time of day to be out!  A soft, warm breeze, amazing light & the most incredible country we'd yet seen!  I could fill pages of this blog with just photos of the wildflowers, but will refrain...

Nature's arrangement

 Soon, we were climbing & I do mean climbing!  Once we were in over four-miles - we had to make the decision whether to turn back, or continue on & plan to get out before dark.  It's as treacherous as it is beautiful & anyone would be a fool to think otherwise.  Of course the unanimous decision was to continue on!

Blooms!

The trail was deceptive, first a good climb up, then back down through a gully & again back up even higher!  The last - almost two-miles were straight up!  Switchbacks, over boulders, around boulders & between them.  Both of us thankful for breast collars & tight girths!  Toward the top - we were pretty sure there would be a territorial view & we were NOT disappointed.

Farah surveys the world from the top~

With Freebie in the lead, the mares had to scramble cat like to get up the final push & over slip-rock to the top!  Both were covered in sweat!  It truly was a "Rim of the World" view!  Sadly - now, we were pushing the limits of how much daylight there was remaining.

Boulder fields~

What goes up...  We were now going down, down, down...  slipping, sliding & we even found an area with beautiful tall grasses growing & one tiny spot of moist soil.  No stopping for photos though - we pressed on.

Toad Rock

Well, maybe a couple more stops :-)  I couldn't resist "Toad Rock" as we named him.

Tombstone Rock

Then, here was this beautiful stone, with the flowering shrub growing right in front as though planted.

Far end of town up ahead~

The trail used to connect to this end of town & it would have been very nice to have gone that way...  But we think that landowners in the area decided that they didn't want riders going past - so it's all be fenced off with barbed wire.  The trail stops at the wire, so we had to turn & follow it back to the trail that we'd come in on.  Freebie was setting a great pace considering the trail, rocks etc. & we were flying along - with Farah throwing in a buck here & there to voice her displeasure at being in the rear.  She has yet to figure out that pitching a fit over it does nothing to contribute to forward motion!

Sunset

We rode back into camp just after 6 p.m. with enough time to wash the mares down & blanket them.  The sunset & was glorious as they were most every evening while we were there.  Then - there were the incredible sunrises - that I usually saw from the warmth of my sleeping bag & Patty enjoyed when out walking her dogs :-)  Perfect end to a spectacular day in the high desert!

Into the Rocks!

There's slim pickin's!

The temperatures exceeded the forecast highs...  Mid-70's sounded perfect on that long-range forecast, in actuality - it was getting near 90.  Not good for me - a whimp in the heat.  So - we waited until later in the day to saddle-up.

Joshua Trees dot the landscape

 Leaving from the south end of town, it looked pretty barren.  Within a couple miles though - we found that not to be the case!

Flowers among the Granite!

Again - our mouths were open at the brilliance of the bright blue flowers among the granite rocks.

Granite Formations Abound

 It seems the perfect time of the day to be out~

Blaze orange among the boulders

We were climbing, the trail was rocky in places, the decomposed granite sand wearing the horses hooves smooth & beautiful.

We suddenly saw a formation that looked like an alien head! 

Into the wind~

 A man & woman staring off into the distance!  The wind had picked up & it seemed we were on another planet!

Into a Joshua Tree Valley

 Soon, the trail was winding back towards the far end of Pioneertown~

Coming into town~

Riding into the almost deserted town at sunset was the ultimate experience!  We could have easily been over 100-years back in time!  Patty & I were in absolute heaven - if heaven can be found on horseback.  I'm sure we do come as close as any horseman of this generation can come!  One of the many times this trip, where we've looked at each other in disbelief in our incredible good fortune.  Being able to enjoy this amazing high desert - is a real treat!

On The Road~

Rest Stop

We were up early - even with the time change, we had the mares loaded & were on the road by 6 a.m.  Traffic was light & the miles few by.  We would stop about every four-hours to let the mares out. They did some lawn mowing at a beautiful OR rest area.  The staff there - who were getting their mowers out - told us to be sure & edge along the walkways :-)  We made great time, pulling into Medford - where we found a really nice, small, neat, clean stable with room for us to camp, a stall with turnout for Farah & grassy round-pen for Freebie.   

Starlight Stables

Farah had a surprise!  She was three paddocks down from a Lama!  Lama!  Oh NO!  Then - there were goats! Goats! A pig!  She didn't know which way to turn :-)  Kerry told us that after staying with her for a while - most horses gave up spooking at what to them are "strange" animals!
We were up & on the road early - perfect driving weather & to the boarder crossing into California!  We were asked to pull to the side & given a small form to fill out with license plate numbers, names, how many horses - where we were headed & the number of our brand inspection certificates!  As we walked over to the office, we were met outside - asked for our form & sent on our way!  Sweet, they didn't even ask to see our paperwork!

Lake Shasta

Mt. Shasta owns the skyline! Amazing - but the lake was a shock!  When you hear about California's water woes - that's one thing - but to see it for yourself is scary.  To think of the millions of gallons of water that this lake once held & to see it now - almost empty?  There was a new ramp built down to the boat dock & it was steep!

Dust in the San Joaquin Valley

Soon, we were heading up yet another pass, with the elevation about 4,000 ft.  Lunch was on our minds, we pulled off at Tehachapi & found a beautiful park where we let the mares out to graze & ate a salad.  It was the kind of town that reminded me somewhat of Boulder in the old days when I was a kid - with that fresh, clear, high elevation air & bright blue sky.

Toward Tehachapi, CA

Once back on the road, we were both getting excited to be nearing our destination!  We were on Hwy 247, the landscape became more desolate, I think we saw every kind of home that these hardened desert dwellers could construct! 

Then - there was our close-call...  The road was narrow & windy, with short rolling hills, just high enough that the line-of-sight was short.  A car had passed us & was passing the car in front of us.  A semi-truck was coming from the other direction & a small car decided to pass him...  I'd looked down - then in the next instant, looked up to see the semi-truck going off the narrow road, dust flying HIGH in the air!  That driver had driven off the road - no shoulder - to allow those two cars to pass without hitting each other head on!  If he hadn't & they had - we would have been in a world of hurt to get stopped in time...  I told Patty I felt like going back & giving him a huge hug for saving us from what could have been a very hard stop!

Almost to Pioneertown!

Just a short way further & we'd arrived!  Sweet relief to know that Patty knew right where we were going & we had reached our goal safe & sound thanks to her great driving skill!

Mares settled in~

 The mares were oh so happy to unload, move into nice sized paddocks, eat some wet mash & enjoy their hay.  We were same - to move into a nice, cute, room at the little motel, where we had reservations for two-days.

Our room - light on~

To say we were ready to be off the road, would be an understatement!  Also - more than ready to rest-up & hit the trails that surrounded us!