The Long Way Home~

Morning arrived with heavy gray clouds that soon opened & dropped a torrential amount of rain!  I'd been writing emails & checking the County web site searching for information on  the development.  I couldn't find a thing, - besides the tax parcel number - by finding ours & going from there.  I also contacted a friend who works for Parks.  He was incredibly helpful in obtaining the information I was unable to find.  Just about the time I was finishing up - the clouds parted, blue sky appeared & I loaded Farah!

On the Trail~

The afternoon was simply stunning.  Mid-70's but with enough of a breeze to keep the high humidity tolerable.  Only one other trailer in the parking at Victoria.

White moth?

This must be the year for these pretty little things...  They've been fluttering through the air for a couple weeks now - so many that they look like very large snowflakes, especially when they free fall in the breeze :-)  So quick - I was excited to get a photo of one - as the other took off!

Culvert work~

Several culverts are being replaced, the old metal with new black plastic corrugated pipe.  Much larger that the old ones.  All the ditches have been cleaned out along the road.  It was nice to see straw over the raw earth - preventing erosion.

Where I was thrown~

No bears today!  I took it darn easy through here & for most of the ride.  The light was just incredible, sparkling sunshine, deep beautiful shadows.  Again, I had to remind myself that we're almost to the mid-point of July!  Nothing like the heat & drought of last Summer!

Native Trailing Blackberry~

I Had to stop!  Dismount & partake of the ripe berries!  Freshly rain-washed & oh so good! 

Fireweed~

The heavy thunderheads continued to roll overhead, dropping the temperature as they did.  The Fireweed makes such a bright impact against the shades of green - natures landscaping at its finest.

At the Monument~

I'd just sat down for my snack, Farah grazing nearby - when she suddenly spooked!  Slipping & about falling on her face on the wet grass!  She ran off a short way - whirled around & faced the four kids who'd walked up over the hill from the south.  Looking sheepish - she went back to grazing :-)

Puget Sound~

They had hiked in from the Glass School, new students for the summer session.  What a nice group of young people!  A guy from Norway, another from Ireland, another from CA & a girl from New York City!  They asked lots of questions - what were they seeing out there?  What were things like here?  They have four weeks to enjoy at the school & visiting the Pacific Northwest!

Foamflower~

We took a couple of the wooded trails, this one lined with the beautiful, tiny, white Foamflowers.  The ferns had been weed-whacked - giving more sunlight for the little flowers to bloom.

Down the slippery trail~

With the rain, the trails were incredibly slippery...  Farah slid more than she walked.  I went ahead & walked on foot down to the bottom of the big hill to the southern trails.  We turned back & suddenly my mare - who'd been easy going all afternoon - burst into a gallop & tossed in a buck that lifted me well up off the seat of my saddle!  She exploded up the hill & we both had a blast :-)

What are these?

Every year when I see these bright red berries I wonder?  I'm going to take the time to find them!  Doubt there edible - at least to humans!  :-)  We took the long way back to the trailer - my thoughts full.  Thinking of my trails from home - the trails I'm about to lose & what if anything I can do...

Once back at the parking, I ran into Duane & Tracy - who were resting from their work of clearing all along the sides of the road.   This Sunday is the yearly open-house at the Pilchuck Glass School.  Butch & I have wanted to go for several years - maybe we'll get there this time!

Out From Home~

I use the above title for a tag, but I guess I've never used it for a post.  If I'd had more common sense - I would have broken my routine & left earlier this morning.  The high clouds kept the morning nice & cool.  Instead - it was after lunch & warming up.

Time to hay~

Going through Pat's, I got a peek at the the new little guy - it was his lunch time too - so just a glimpse.  I'll have to to go back for a formal introduction & to get some photos of my own :-)  It's been a long time since there's been a new foal at Pat's.

Connector Trail~

Once we were through the final yard & onto our little trail that connects to the main trails above, it was obvious that Summer is here & the usual early July weed-whacking needs to be done.  I cut the worst of the long blackberry runners that were in our faces.

Beginning of the end~

Getting out the end was difficult - the bulldozer had broken down the small Alder & left the raw ends sticking up over 2 ft. tall.  Others were laying across the trail.  Farah did a great job of picking her way through without getting stabbed.

All the Alder that had almost closed the "trail" are bulldozed now~

At least they'll be no more of us having to saw & prune the Alder through here...

To the pretty trails~

It was a relief to cross the creek & get past the outflow of the wetland & up onto the wooded trails.  So much cooler up here too.

North on the Power Lines~

All the mowing that had been done earlier this spring, really did a number on the Salmonberries.  They were cut so low that it gave the grasses a chance to grow.

Fireweed~

The patch of Fireweed that I enjoy so much - survived, it's up on a little hill - away from the lines & near what's left of a good sized patch of woods.

Trail down to the creek~

I didn't have time to go out  farther - though we both wanted to.  Farah was being so very good, moving very nice too - after the ordeal of getting her toes shortened.  (More on that later.)

Mossy Woods~

We looped through the mossy woods, I love the moss hanging from the branches.  A remnant of how this whole area used to look.

Wetland~

The big wetland looked great, water still flowing across the road.  The daisies were blooming everywhere & looked so pretty with the white Foxglove.

At the top of the hill home~

Farah could hear the neighbor's tractor.  I usually walk her down the steep hill & decided to today.  From cut grass to bales of grass hay!  This is one of the nicest fields in our area.

Bale's~

 As we were walking by, one of the bales fell over & Farah jumped 10-feet into the air & almost took me out.  Another reason that I usually wear my helmet even when I'm on foot on paving.  There was the time...  A story for another day.

Depending on what happens between my access trail & the top - will be the deciding factor as to whether I'll be able to continue to ride on the trails I've used for twenty-five years now.  Most are gone - but just to be able to reach the power lines & go a little from there has been so good - for so long...

Hot Fun in the Summertime~

Fireweed in full bloom

 A couple days into our Summer, but no change in the weather - just warmer, longer!  We're past the solstice, so to think that the days are now getting shorter seems strange when the real strangeness is waking to sunshine, day after day, after day!

Linda has been mowing trail!

I was More than ready for a ride!  Waiting a week for the new saddle to arrive was no fun.  Now - it's here & I had to try it out.  The first thing I found... was that the cinch I'd been using on Linda's saddle - made by the same saddle maker - & ordered to be an exact replica - (with very minor changes) - was too long?  Way too long!  Since I had nothing shorter - it was already a 26" - there were no holes left to buckle into.  I ended up with a big knot of latigo under my calf.  The second thing...  The breast collar that again, I had used on Linda's - sat cockeyed?  What the heck?  The front rings were not even.  When Butch tried to add the bucking rolls (again the same ones I'd ordered & used on Linda's saddle - they didn't fit!  On one side, he could get the screw in - on the other - no way - it was set too close to where the pommel attached.  He'd had to move the screw to get them on - that put an extra hole in the leather :-(

New views, long forgotten trails~

The seat was great, but I had lumps from the stirrup straps under my thighs?  Farah seemed to be moving well, leading us along at her 4 to 5 mph walk.  Count loved it, Leigh's beautiful mare had to jog to keep up.  Linda took us the most direct route by trail to areas far to the south, we even rode the trails Butch & I cleared!

Leigh & Linda - "This Way!"

The bug mask Leigh has for her mare is just amazing - a very thin mesh that is almost custom fit to the mares head & all the way down her neck.  Very nice & black goes well with black :-)

At the creek

Since there's now no water anywhere on the trails & we'd been out a couple hours already - we headed down to Pilchuck Creek.  I was shocked at how little water is left - just since my last visit!  Scary stuff after seeing southern, CA earlier this year - with No water in any of their rivers.

I started feeling a little puny - so decided to head back on my own & see how the saddle worked with some faster trotting & a gallop.  Seemed OK, but something was "off".  Once home I was giving Farah a bath when Butch pulled in.  He found blisters on both of Farah's sides, where the rigging had rubbed :-(  Really Not Good.  Tomorrow I plan to go visit Linda, take this saddle & compare it with hers - the one I'd borrowed for over a year now.

I wasn't thrilled with the craftsmanship - it had certainly slipped, but I was willing to bear that - if the saddle worked.  After only 14-miles - blisters are not something that I'd call working...

New Territory~

New views~

Today, was beautiful - early fog to stellar sunshine with an amazingly cool breeze.  Joyce & I met at the MHC & saddled up.  Having missed a turn for the ride Joyce had planned, she improvised & I ended up seeing a new area, always fun.  There was more climb that we expected, but both horses were really having a good day & are so well matched when they trot side-by-side. 

Fireweed!

We'd traveled the road in the first photo, then gone into the trees & soon broke out to see this view open up.  The sky was as blue as it looks!  This hillside was covered not with thistle, but with Fireweed!  Though the word weed is part of the plants name - if you've read this blog for any length of time, you know it's one of my very favorites.  The impact of all these plants in July will be just stunning & you can bet we'll be back next season! 

Next - stunning Douglas Fir

Soon we came into stands of very tall & beautiful Douglas Fir.  Joyce wondered why they hadn't been cut & soon that question was answered.

Beautiful creek~

There was this beautiful creek running down about the middle of where all these large trees were - so we're thinking that it's the set-back requirement that saved them.  The sound of the water flowing through the rocks sounded like the tinkling of bells...

On the downhill side, there was this huge boulder~

The huge boulder stood out even in the trees, have to wonder how or what brought it to rest in this spot?

Joyce checks her compass - Jesse was expecting a cookie!

At the top of the climb, we were disappointed to find just the usual logging turn-a-round, so time to turn back.  As always seeing things from the other direction is just as interesting.

Looking Northwest

Heading down, a huge raptor came sailing out over us!  He had light feathers in the mid-section of each wing & was bigger than most of the Eagles we see!  I've been searching - but have yet to identify what he was.  It was a thrill to watch him sail on the breeze with a minimum of effort :-)
On our way back, Joyce took us up my favorite running hill & without any urging, both horses broke into a gallop!  Our GPS units were showing over 20+ mph by the top of the climb!  A deep breath out of both & off we went! 

White snag - blue sky~

It was really a Great ride!  We covered almost 16-miles & both horses were still feeling fresh.  It's been over ten years since I've had Joyce for a consistent riding partner & as I told her today - she was greatly missed! 

HOT & High!

We Climb~

Hot, did I mention that?  Have I mentioned before that I Do Not like the Heat?  Thank heaven for those electrolyte tablets!  I took one before I left & each hour of the ride.  I do believe that they are what's keeping me riding in this heat.  Those & Joyce!  When she said we needed hills & heat to prepare for upcoming rides...  I think she Meant it!

Joyce leads the way~

When we started out, it was only seconds before we were attacked by deer flies - hoards of deer flies.  I'd sprayed Farah as usual & did her ears & face with a roll-on - but it made No Difference!  First time that's happened.  I think the combination of all the rain last week - then the heat this - has drawn out bugs that probably haven't hatched in years!  At least that's my theory...  It was horrible.  Even at a fast trot, even at a gallop - they stayed with us.  It was only once we got clear of the overgrowth that we found some relief as we started to climb.

Big Lake in the distance

We had both horses galloping up "Kitt's Trail" this day - they were driving each other on.  Farah would get ahead, then slow - Jesse would make his move - then slow.  Farah would give him her "shark" look as he went by - then open up, pass him & we'd repeat!  Both were covered in sweat by the top & we were too!

Mount Rainier due south~

Even through the haze from the fires, pollution or probably both - we could just see Mt. Rainier on the skyline to the south as we headed back down.  I got off & walked/jogged some of it - just to loosen up & get a photo of the amazing Fireweed that is now just past it's prime.

Fireweed & the Olympics

One of my favorite natives, I'm going to ride here next year when it's in full bloom.  The honey from this plant is amazing too!  It lit up an otherwise very hot, oppressive day.  Even with the heat, sweat & bugs - we rode & rode pretty hard.  Both horses held up really well & we covered over 16-miles, with over 2,500 ft. elevation gain.

Lower down, meadows in flower~

We returned to the trailers early afternoon, just in time for me to get home, give Farah a bath & make my afternoon Chiropractic appointment.  My shoulder is feeling better & my neck is getting better too, it takes time & I've become more of a believer since it's also improving my balance in the saddle! 

Sports Addictions~

Just part of the trail we cleared on the 4th~

Some people are addicted to the gym - working out every day.  Others to a sport - basketball, running, cycling etc.  For years - when asked,  I'd tell people I was working to support my addiction & it began with "H".  The looks I received were priceless :-)  Ten to twelve-hour days were the norm for many years.  The commutes I did then - probably couldn't even be done now...  

Even with a teenage daughter still at home, we found the time to work on our place, take some camping trips & within a couple years - pursue our newest addiction - horse riding!  Maybe it's age creeping up - but looking back, I don't know how we did it.

Fireweed in full bloom!

Now - riding is the addiction that draws me often.  Since I seldom write about private life - it probably seems to anyone who reads this blog - that it's all I do!  Farah & I go out about three times a week & are averaging about 100-miles a month +/-.   Our schedule seems to work for us both - our off time we enjoy & our ride time we enjoy.  Balance?  Isn't that what we're told is something to strive for in our daily life?  :-)

Yellow Yarrow

I left home late in the afternoon, had too much to get done & didn't want to be caught out in a thunderstorm.  It was worth the wait - cool & perfect.

Fireweed & Elderberry~

It seemed everywhere I looked was Color!  Against the gray skies - it popped!

Trail back toward home~

Even after the light rain we received overnight - everything was still very dry.  Footing rock hard & nice to have those pads on.

Reed Canary Grass

I had to admire the sea of green...  even though I know it as a hated evasive...  Of course Farah finds it exactly as wonderful as the reason it was imported here...

Farah's late afternoon snack~

No gym for me, no knees for running anymore - but saddle time gives me that wonderful boost that nothing like a good physical workout in the great outdoors, riding a good horse can provide!