June has been good to us. . .

June was a good month for riding. We have ridden every single weekend and add in today, 4th of July, and it all adds up to big smiles that signal wet saddle blankets, happy dogs who've lost weight and are both at their top physical shape, and a few bruises from errant "stobs" (I know you know what I mean, but what is their real name--if there is one--and how it is spelled?). 😆

One day we were coming down the trail and saw that someone had been out cutting a fire break. We turned right down the road toward our Gray's Falls trail and decided to ride it backwards and wa-la! there was a great fire break trail. We rode it and it turned into what seemed like an old trail--minus the overgrowth--and we went way back into forest above Hawkins Bar/Burnt Ranch. We thought maybe we could even get a hamburger at The Rockslide if we turned on down that way. :) We rode all over in there--probably about 3 ½ to 4 hours. It was a great find. We plan to go back that way again soon.

Another day, we (Lynn mostly) worked on clearing out the poison oak so we could ride one of our old trails that comes up the mountain from the below the little granola meadow. It used to be one that both Brady and Jupiter liked to run up, then a tree fell across it and we have had to bushwhack around it. Well, there are motorcyclists using some of our trails and creating a few of their own and they cut the tree! I am sure they completely appreciate Lynn's sacrifice of catching poison oak in order to make it a really great trail. I know I do!

The new saddle has been a blessing for Lynn and Ziggy. He is doing super with it. Poor Buster has to stay home, but Lynn gives him lots of attention. Ziggy has been being weirder than normal about peeing. It takes him forever to find the right spot. He drags his feet along the way until finally, FINALLY, he kicks his leg over. Sheesh. I hear Lynn say, "You are driving me crazy!" Jupiter is constantly looking for a spot to grab some green grass, because, "208! I'm losing weight!!" Although he decided at the last minute to jump the black, mushy water hole and I was caught off guard, but I still managed a one leg--foot out of the stirrup--clamp around his lower neck--and stayed in my saddle--he has been such a pleasure to ride. Yep, sometimes I still do tricks.

Today, Lynn kept smelling smoke--like campfire smoke. When we were coming down the hill, I thought I could see the mountain range across the river looking smoky. Sure enough, it is seeping over our way. We are both hoping the fires are contained and that there won't be any lightning strikes to cause anymore. We have been having so much and we want to ride as much as possible!