One More Time~

Since the rest of my week is busy - today was my last chance to get Farah out before next week.  The temperatures were supposed to be cooler today - I was all over that!  The morning was overcast & cool as predicted.  I had the idea of stretching my mental photo of the southern trails at Victoria.  

Only two trailers at the parking area.  We left out the back - did a short trail - then as we were crossing the main trail - here came a buggy!  The driver pulled up a way off - but I think a Norwegian Fjord was in the traces!  The driver had a flag on a pole in the back - Farah had to do a double-take!  Way too fun!

Big Cedars, Vine Maples & Huckleberry

I'd found such a handy way of getting back from the river when we last went that way the first of June.  I told myself then - that I would remember it - for our next trek that direction.

Can you tell what this is?

We didn't loop the top of the mountain, instead I took the shortest route I knew, down the big hill, to head south. 

Port Blakely Sign

Again, I thought this would be good way to stay in the shade & it worked out really well, except for the humidity, which was higher than yesterday & heavier in the lower forest tract.

So cute~

We ambled on & eventually came to this sign, which told me that we were not going the way I'd hoped.  I'd found the other end of this same trail one day when I was looking for a trail back north & became direction-ally challenged.   

Farah in the Creek~

Once we came out on the road - I recognized where we were.  It wasn't too much farther to the trail that goes to the creek.  By now it was almost 2 p.m. & we'd not had our lunch break!  To make matters worse, I'd forgotten Farah's carrots!  She walked right into the creek & started her usual yawning.  For a mare who used to be terrified of any water at all - she really enjoys standing in it now :-)

Ripples on the water~

I made a serious mistake though - I looked down to take this photo & in the next instant my vertigo hit!  No reason for mine has ever been found - it's been a lifelong problem, so I can't even attribute it to aging - which it seems can be blamed for almost any health problem one might have!  Not!  Needless to say - we left the water fast!  I walked for over a mile until I felt better enough to mount back up.  Farah was unhappy about this & kept urging me forward with her nose in my back :-)

Today's route~

Just to give you an idea of all the trails through this area - the Google image below is from three different rides.  I wonder how long it would take to overlay them all?  Way back when, when we were younger & cleared even more trail than now...  these trails were only a part of the two-day, fifty or 100- mile Competitive Trail rides.

Southern trail tracks~

 Back at the parking, I was disgusted to find a Gatorade bottle, trash & my least favorite - cigarette butts tossed everywhere.  There was also a sheet of paper with a Google earth image & directions as to how to get here - all laying where the trailer next to me had been parked.  That sheet also showed where those riders lived, which wasn't that far?   What would they have said if I'd taken all the trash they'd left back to them?  Fun to contemplate - but I get in enough trouble without making more.  I hope if I do see them again - they'll remember to Leave No Trace!

CHC - Cinnamon Roll Ride Weekend~

We'd planned to help out at the Cascade Horse Club annual Cinnamon Roll/Breakfast Ride.   Butch made it home Friday afternoon in just over an hour - one of his shortest commutes from Bellevue ever!  We were loaded up & pulled up to the Armstrong tree farm gate, by about 7:30.  With Summer's long days - we had plenty of time to set up our camp.

Farah picking grass out of the Buttercup~

The field by the shelter hadn't been mowed & the grass was very wet from all the rain.  Butch reminded me that years ago, when we had Competitive Trail Rides from here - George used to come in & mow it down.

Just a "reminder" :-)

 That same tall grass - made it a lot more difficult to pick up after the horses too!  All weekend, we were so impressed with our members going above & beyond to keep the area clean!  It was such a beautiful evening, everyone enjoyed the quiet.

Cinnamon Rolls!

Saturday morning, we were up early!  Butch making coffee by the pot full & plenty of Cinnamon Rolls from probably close, to every bakery in the area.  Even the Maltby Cafe was represented.  Several more rigs came pulling in early - ready to enjoy a roll & a ride on a perfect day!  Not too hot, with a nice breeze.

Ready to go enjoy the trails~

Rider's didn't waste any time saddling up - after all - we had all those calories to work off!  Farah got excited - thinking that it must be an Endurance Ride?  It didn't take her long to figure out that it was much more low key :-)  Scott came in with Rico, so the two of us headed out for a ride.  Farah thinks Rico is handsome, the two of them got on well & Rico has such a nice walk!

Farah & Connie, Scott & Rico

 We went out the long way, I told Scott that there was an obstacle that he might want to try :-)

Scott & Rico at Tin Bridge

Rico didn't think he needed to be the first horse, as Farah walked past him & headed across.   We stopped to let the horses graze at Cloverdale.  Returning, Rico lead the way without a pause in his stride.

Our return, Farah sees Butch~

In the afternoon, we all sat around swapping stories, talking horses & snacking.  With a pot-luck dinner planned for the evening - no one was interested in much for lunch.  By mid-afternoon, I was ready to saddle up, along with several other riders.

We watch & get some dirty looks from the mares :-)

 I thought about riding out with these ladies, but all were mounted on mares who are pastured together.  It became obvious in short order that a nice ride would be pretty much impossible if we added Farah to the mix.

Away we go~

At least - leaving from the middle of the tree farm gave us the opportunity to ride some trails that I usually don't when we're making a loop from the Bracken parking.  As we turned north - the sound of gunfire got louder & I decided that I didn't want to risk a stray bullet - by riding any closer to where homes abut the tree farm property.

Reed Canary Grass - yum!

For whatever reason, Farah was higher than a kite.  Of course it was close to her usual dinner time & the gunfire put me on edge, so we stopped for a while for her to graze before heading back.  I was really enjoying the long rays of sun - so late in the afternoon.

On the trail~

By the time we returned, ovens were on & the smell of food filled the air!  

Dinner is served!

 To say that we had plenty to eat would be a terrible understatement!  The camaraderie of this group is really first rate!  Everyone enjoyed meeting new members & getting re-acquainted with others.  We ended the evening sitting around a small portable fire-pit.

Rhythm of the Ride~

Farah & I headed out on our own again today.  I wanted to build on the nice calm rides we'd been having with Linda.   I also had a time limitation, with a Centennial Trail meeting tonight.   Our rides, after almost five-years together, have a sort of yearly rhythm to them now.  I vary the places close to home where we ride, keeping it as fresh as I can for both of us.  It's fun looking back over the years I've been doing the blog - to see where we were & the changes over time.

Farah at Harvey Creek~

At the Bracken Trail-head - we found many, many trailers & lots of messes too.  I again put flyers on all the trucks & before I left picked up six piles.  If every trailer there had done the same, the place would have been cleaned up.

White Flowering Dogwood

 We took the longer route around, finding that most of the downed trees had been chainsawed out of the trails!  Thanks to whoever that was!  Del was working at the shelter on getting things ready to install the fire suppression water tank for the tree farm.

Old water tank~

At the horse water tank - we came out of the woods to find Dory & her friends from Fish Creek.  I know Craig through Facebook, but don't think we've ever actually been introduced.  They were running the solar pump to get their horses used to the sound & drinking from the tank.  Farah walked up - took a sip & we were on our way.

Stimson Hill from Cloverdale

 Finally - after spending a lot of time on Google Earth & seeing the view from the top - I now recognize the mountain in the photo above as Stimson Hill!  Mt. Washington - is to the left of Farah's left ear.  Looking up - at where I was looking down from - gave me the full perspective. 

Peak of Mt. Washington to the left of Farah's ears.  Stimson Hill to the right~

 The cooler day that the weatherman had promised, was not much cooler, warming into at least the mid-70's.  Happily the on-shore flow breeze did materialize & what a relief, it kept the bugs at bay.

Side of Mt. Washington & the road we were on - Sunday~

The photo above is fully zoomed in.  The canyon between the two peaks is the one we ride around & where Joyce & I ran into knee deep snow in May one year.

On Tin Bridge~

 We stopped at Cloverdale, then headed back, taking a longer loop.  Twice on the return, Farah wanted to take a different trail - she was enjoying herself.

Siberian Miner's Lettuce, Candy Flower

 I've admired the flowers above for years & finally took the time to find them!  Such a pretty ground cover.  Click on the link for further information.  Enjoy every one of the native plants you see, each is such a natural beauty!

Left over fire debris~

On the main road across the top of the tree farm, we found this :-(  Really disheartening, disgusting & dangerous to say the least!  This is the kind of thing that could get us closed out of these trails forever...  I didn't see any tracks of motorized - hard to believe that fellow horsemen would be so disrespectful - but I do wonder....


Another Summer like Spring day in the Great Pacific Northwest!

Leaving Lots of LNT!

Trucks at Bracken

 Today I was on a mission & it was well timed.  When I arrived at Bracken - the lot had been newly graded.  No piles of manure or hair.  I came prepared with LNT brochures & a few of the bags we'd received at last weekends class.  I walked the parking lot & put a brochure on every windshield.

One of the bags~

 There was only one lady with two young riders saddling up - as I walked around.  I introduced myself & handed her a brochure.  She had no idea that she was riding on private property - needed to sign a liability waiver & was more than happy to take the LNT information - since she works with a lot of 4-H kids too.  Thank you Karen!

Native Bleeding Hearts

 It was just a beautiful morning.  I decided to stretch my boundaries & take another trail, as I'm memorizing my way around now :-)  There I ran into Leigh & Martha!  We stopped to chat & I explained that they would find a brochure on their trucks :-)

View of the Olympics!

 It was still clear enough that the views of the Olympics were grand!  Farah was in a heightened mode today for whatever reason.  She decided that a tree top on one of the wooded trails was something that she was Not going to go by!  I sat there, started eating some grapes & watched as she huffed & puffed.  Finally - she realized that we were going Nowhere unless she decided to pass the tree top.  After she did - I dismounted & shook it all over her body.  She stood there & looked as guilty as a horse can...

Again - the water tank.

 She tried the dancy/prancy thing at the water tank too, didn't work & she finally gave in & put her nose in the water.

Tree leaves budding~

Our Spring is in full bloom now - pedals from the bitter cherry trees, floating down with the breeze - contributed to the perfect riding day. 

Crossing Tin Bridge still reminds me of moving through a portal to a different world.  Farah is always on a mission to get there, since it's a very nice lunch spot. :-)

Elderberry ~

So many of our state's native plants are now blooming.  The Salmonberry, Red Elderberry & even the small wild roses have their tiny pink buds opening!  The air smells so rich & lush - almost sweet enough to eat!

Bitter Cherry Blooms~

Back at the parking - all the rigs that were there earlier were gone - no brochures on the ground!   I put more on the windshields of the late arrivals. Here's hoping that they are read & that just maybe - gradually - we'll see some improvement.

Leave No Trace~

The flyer~

Sometimes, it's all about timing...  I've been appalled - more than usual lately by the way our local trail-heads are being abused.  Even Lord Hill, where I seldom go & is usually clean - had many piles of manure left on the gravel of the parking areas when I was there last week.  I've picked it up myself & hauled it away - but why should I have to do that?

The Bracken Road parking area on the Pilchuck Tree Farm, was so dirty last week that I could hardly take a step without walking on manure...  What's happening here?  Is it that horsemen take these areas so for-granted that they forget it's a privilege to ride there?

  

During the last few months, Butch was corralled into taking on Leave No Trace, for our local Traildusters Chapter of Back Country Horsemen.  We also belong to the Cascade Horse Club.  Both Chapters sent us to this class & we were looking forward to the weekend.

   We left Fri. night about 6:30, had dinner at South Hill, outside Puyallup & made camp at the Cowlitz Ranger Station in Randle - by 10:30 p.m.  Pulling in so late, we weren't there for the work of getting the tents set up.

Our spot~

 BCH is the only organization with a program to teach LNT.  This Awareness Class, was the first in a series of three - with the purpose of educating horsemen on ways to lesson our impact on the environment.

Our alarm went off early to a brisk sunshine morning!  Breakfast was at 7 & class started promptly at 8 a.m.!   I had on my thermal pants & warm jacket - but the tents were already warmed by a nice propane fire.  Jane Byron was our instructor - otherwise known as;  "LNT Jane" :-)  She did a wonderful job of leading us through the program in an easy to understand fashion.  We were challenged to think about what impact we may have - before we make one!

Gar Abbott came by to welcome us to his neck of the woods :-)

 We learned each of the seven principals - throughout the weekend & how to use those principals to think first - as we take our horses out - trail riding, horse camping & interacting with other user groups.   This all goes back to having respect for the land.

"Trail"in the grass~

 After watching the "Soft Paths" video - we went out side & walked single file through the wet grass - later in the day we checked the area & could still see the circular path we'd taken.  It only takes a few times, riding off trail - to make a trail where there was none.  Something we don't want to do.

High Lining

 We enjoyed the benefit of having some very experienced instructors - to teach us how to high line, while doing minimal damage to the ground.  How to mitigate that damage by putting the high line on ground that is best suited - the most durable surface available.

"Doc" lectures on high lining~

 Fire building is discouraged now days - with the increasingly heavy use that the back country receives from it's multitudes of visitors each year.  Camp stoves are convenient, light weight & do a good job cooking meals.  We did learn some great techniques to keep a fire footprint to a minimum!  We were divided into groups & asked to build fires using different methods - that we had to keep burning for four hours.  Of course the wind was blowing - so getting them started was a challenge.

This one on a fire barrier & on top of rock!

 The one above did scorch the grass & soil.  A rock barrier under the fire barrier would have helped, or a deeper layer of rock.

Ours, in a pan.  Butch raised it off the ground & filled the pan 1/2 way with mineral soil.

 Ours, that Butch set up - did very well.  It was hard to light without a wind block, but once it was going, just a little fuel kept a nice fire.  By the following morning - when we moved the pan - there was no sign that there had been a fire.

We'd built it in a rut - there was no scorching of the grass or soil!

 Below is an older model of a fire blanket.  It was made from some tough materials, but can you imagine having only that between you & a out-of-control fire?

Portable fire blanket for Fire Fighters

 Another lesson, digging a proper pit for human waste.  A minimum of 6" deep, removing the top layer of grass or plants intact, dig beneath - then re-fill.  A minimum of 200 ft. from any water source.

Hole in the ground~

 It was a very busy weekend.  We moved from books to do-it-yourself instructions throughout both days.  Our meals?  Well - they were incredible!  Lewis County Chapter volunteers provided three meals a day, dutch oven, plus mid-morning, mid-afternoon snacks & a sack lunch to go on Sunday!  If we'd been there any longer - we would have all gained weight!  The chocolate lava cake - dutch oven style with vanilla ice cream topped the list when it came to good!

Brochure

I can't say enough about the army of volunteers who provided the support for this event!  It takes a village - but in our case - it was more like an army!  With tents to set-up, tear down, stock to haul, gear to provide, the list goes on.

Becoming a member of Back Country Horsemen is more than sending in your yearly dues.  It's a commitment to a cause!  The cause of keeping horses on the trails in every sense of the word.  Leading the way in educating others when it comes to minimal impact on our fragile environments - whether they be in the Wilderness, or on our Front Country Trails.