Out on the Trail~

Down the trail on a gray morning~

It was a heavily overcast morning when Lynn & I met for a ride.  We started at Bracken Rd., but found the trails muddy.  After a short loop, since Jack was with us - we decided to head over to Arlington & ride the trails.  Lynn had wanted to see the west end of the Whitehorse Trail.  We rode out at a walk & walked the entire length to the Tin Bridge & back. The very heavy rock footing makes any faster pace too hard on the horses.

Lynn & Sophie on the Whitehorse Trail

We found what was left of the homeless encampment, a fire pit dug in the middle of the trail & some trash.  Just glad it's gone!  Out at the arch - Farah & I visited our brick's for the first time!  They looked Good :-)

We check out our brick!

We were drizzled on, but managed stay away from the heavy, very dark thunderheads that were moving by overhead.  Once back out on the Centennial Trail - the day started to brighten. 

Farah looks at a bike rider at the far end of the bridge over Pilchuck Creek

Even the trail here was very wet & slippery in places - but oh so improved over a year ago!  We made great time & before we knew it were coming up on the Nakashima Barn!  It was Lynn's first visit on horseback.  (She's ridden her bike the entire length.)

Linnea & Sophie

The Sun was breaking through as we turned back.  A class of students from Skagit Valley College had arrived to walk the grounds & view the plantings & reclamation project included in the trail head improvements.  Both mares set a good pace heading back toward Bracken Rd.

Sun on the river & Eagle in the tree

From an eerily gray morning the day progressed into a gorgeous fall afternoon!  We both commented on how quickly the sun is setting now!

South toward Bracken Rd.

It was after 4 p.m. when Jack met us with the truck & trailer off to the side of Grandview Road.  Farah & I copped a ride back to our trailer at the Bracken Rd. lot.  Really a beautiful ride & we covered just over 18-mi. & both commented how lucky we've been to still have moderate temperatures & a decent day or two thrown in each week to get in longer rides.
(Thank you for the photos Lynn!)

Sunbreaks!?

Farah enjoys the Greenery

It really did look like it was clearing as we left home.  I wanted to try the Garmin Transmitter V-Max adapter kit that I'd finally ordered from Action Rider Tack.  I've never even tried the human heart monitoring options that came with the 310XT.  I had the watch configured, put the electrodes where they're supposed to be - & obtained NO reading!   OK, I thought - we'd just get out there, do some trotting - work up a little sweat & it would work.  Not...  So I was off the saddle, adjusting, moving, re-clipping the ends etc.   Did it work?  No...  Back to the drawing board.  I've never ridden with one & after all this time I don't know why I want it now!

Thinking that we'd do our short loop, since there were some really DARK clouds moving around over head - we had to fight our way out to the old logging roads & power lines.  There's just no way I'm getting through again without going up with power equipment & getting some of the brush cut back.

Pouring Rain!

We didn't even make it up the hill before the storm struck!  The wind came with it & it was really nasty.  Farah actually wanted to just hunker down & wait it out - maybe with some grazing while we waited?  NO!  Keep going girl!  Lets at least get back into the trees!

Elderberry in the rain/sun

We got into the woods, it really didn't help any - I was soaked to the skin, but the sun did come back out!  Rain falling & sunshine!  All the rain put all the branches right in my face...  Farah's too.  A couple times she would stop & wait for me to move an especially nasty blackberry vine out of her way.  With this rain & the quick heat that comes with the sun - they're growing about a foot a day!

On the final hill~

Before we even got down the last hill, the clouds thickened again, darkened & the rain came back with a vengeance!  Once you're soaked, it really doesn't matter :-)  Back at the barn, I stripped my saddle & turned on the heat in the tack room to dry things out.   We did log over six-miles on our short loop & are hanging on to seventh place in the Distance Derby!

Cherry Creek Falls~

Ride to Cherry Creek Falls

I'd been waiting & waiting for the opportunity to ride to these falls, after seeing a photo that my friend Lynn posted on facebook!   I'd received a email from Dena, she had a day-off & wanted to ride on Tue.    I contacted Lynn & asked if she'd be willing to guide us to the place in the photo?  Being the super person she is - she agreed!  Of course I had to mention this upcoming ride to Brandi over the weekend & she too was excited at the prospect of new trails & a waterfall!   So!  Our ride was set!

We met-up at Taylor Landing - then drove from there to a wide place in the road where we could leave our trailers, saddle-up & head in.  Lynn warmed us that these trails were not for the faint-of-heart.  Logs, drops, mud, etc. - all the usual stuff, common when riding western, WA trails :-)  Before we were too far in, we came up on the largest of the obstacles that Lynn had warned of!

Riding her very nice QH mare, Bizy - Lynn sat her on her rear & slid down like a pro!  I've had issues in the past with this type of thing, so dismounted.  Farah slid down - I followed her while she waited parallel to me at the bottom - landing with my hands on the saddle to stop!  Next was Dena with her young somewhat inexperienced mare, Bella.  Dena too decided to dismount & let the mare go down on her own.  That worked, until Bella decided to bail & jumped back up the hill - passing Brandi at a trot & taking off down the trail...  Not far!  :-) 

Bella & Dena

Brandi grabbed her up & offered to pony her down, doing a perfect job of handling her mare & Bella too!

Brandi ponies Bella down as Dena watches!

After we were all safely across, Dena mentioned something about having a "collar" in her trailer but not wanting us to use it on her!  :-)

Since Bizzy is a bit slow - this day Farah was allowed to take the lead & lead she did!  It only took to a fourth consecutive day of riding & over 40-miles for Farah to to finally settle in & give me just a stellar ride!  Collected, slowing her gait enough to keep her companions with her - she never hesitated & led like she'd been doing it for years :-)  (I really think the Saddlebred is coming out!)  :-)

First view of the falls!

As you can see from the photo above, the first view alone was well worth the ride!  It was actually only about 3-miles in.  From up here we could hear voices!  As we dropped down the last steep little bit of trail, I hailed - to let several hikers know that that horses were coming down!

Linnea, Brandi, Dena & Connie

They were kind enough to take photos for us with my phone!   Somewhat surprised to see horses in the area, even though it was plain that the local riders do use the trails.  We all said that next time we'll bring some pruners etc.., & do some trail clearing on our way through.

Lynn's photo of our three smiling faces :-)

We did some exploring - as in taking anything that looked like it might be a trail.  We found one that went quite a long way - hopeful that it might circle around - but NO!  We came to a dead-end with a old small fire circle.  We'd done some brush-whacking just to get here!

Finally - after a couple loops - we headed back!  Total mileage wasn't impressive, but the ride sure was!  Once back at the trailers, we settled on lunch in Duvall before heading home.  Again - we have Lynn to thank for guiding us to a really beautiful place & taking us on a Very Enjoyable ride!