So ~C and I had a wonderful long ride yesterday. She led us on the Moonshine ride loop, up through medium hills and smallish canyons with killer views of the city and the big mountains. Everything was very green, if you've been in Nevada at least six months. Otherwise I suspect you'd call it "greyish green." I got my first sunburn of the year, and not even a bad one.
Dixie had a major meltdown about a stump. Not even a particularly weird looking stump, but she freaked completely out about it and had a really hard time calming back down. Sigh. Then a couple miles further up the hills, we had a close encounter with a dirt bike, and she was a total rock star. This guy on a blue bike in all-blue gear rode up and cut the engine about 100' from us, then immediately started talking ("Is that Lemmon Valley behind you?"). We rode the horses near him and talked back, and the horses decided it was just another weird thing that humans do. He asked what Dixie would do when he started the bike, and I grinned and said "Let's find out!" What she did was nothing - a tiny shiver, but she stood her ground and watched him ride off. It was textbook-perfect.
Stumps are evil. Blue bikers are cool. :rolleyes:
We did about 15 miles in boots, but when we stopped at the cattle trough, we took them off. They just make for a slightly bouncier, slightly off ride. Dixie's little 8 mph trot is almost a jog without boots, but it's sproingier with them on. She doesn't rack til about 9 mph, and we never went that fast - Dig is still trying to find his fast trot.
My total ride was 19.48 miles - C's was a bit shorter, because I rode to and from the arena. It was a really slow, comfortable ride, and the horses never got tired. I definitely think they could've gone back out after a bite to eat at the trailer, and I'm not at all worried about Washoe anymore.
I was reeeeally tired when I got home last night, so I crashed early. I feel totally fine today. Not like I got hit by a truck at all! The sunburn is pink but it doesn't hurt or itch, my knees aren't creaky, my legs don't hurt - I could ride again. Maybe 2 days isn't such a dumb idea!
Heh heh heh, Funder. You've not only gotten bit by the long distance trail bug , but the bug has latched on and started sucking.
ReplyDeleteI predict many long trails in your future!
It's all about the pacing. ;) When you hit that easy pace for the horses, they can just go and go and go. My favorite part was when we were headed out to the cow tanks, and you said "It's only six more miles back to the arena from here," all casual and non-chalant. hehehe I KNEW you'd been successfully converted when you start talking about ONLY 6 miles after we had already been out for 12!! =)
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