Mt Shasta Weekend

 

Ever since Lynn said Cathy and her friends go to McCloud to camp with their horses, I have been excited. The weekend finally arrived! Well, it wasn't camping, but it was awesome. We stayed at Cathy's house, which was super comfortable and warm and beyond hospitable--camping would have been cold and much less comfortable!! We met her friend and mentor, Karrie Ann, and Roany her favorite mount.

On Friday, we loaded Roany up with us and we went to Lake Siskiyou. We rode around the lake and our boys were able to relax their travel legs. Both of them did really well and got along with Roany. We took them back to Karrie's place and got them settled into their respective corrals with a covered eating area. Of course Jupes had to touch everyone and so there was some squealing and ruckus, but he settled down and they both had a good night. Karrie was awesome; she checked on them and sent us an update and fed them their breakfast. We really appreciated being able to safely house our boys.

Saturday was our big day. Karrie and her other friend, Maria, took us up to Gumboot Trailhead. Unfortunately, Maria's horse fell in the trailer and had some scrapes. She wasn't comfortable bringing him on the trail, so she went home. We went on without her. What a day! It snowed, the wind blew, but the views were awesome!! Jupes and I rode in the back and I was so proud of how he did. He was perfect. Ziggy was super good as well and it was a fantastic outing. 

We were bundled up.

The trails were nice (PCT) and the climb to 8000 feet at the top was pretty easy. However, we did some trotting coming out and I had a wardrobe malfunction; my pant leg crept up and got caught on the boot strap and I couldn't get it to go down. Of course Jupes thought he needed snacks coming out, so I tried to do it while he was eating, but I didn't know it was caught (I had my chinks on of course!). I almost went over his head trying to fix it. Finally I figured it out and was able to unhook it and pull it down--it was too cold to wear my pants like Shirley, lol, and it hurt, too. Silly, I know.

Back at the ranch, Jupiter saw the goats for the first time. LOL. He was discombobulated to say the least. The riffraff was just next door. :) We helped with rounding up the ponies, fed some of the animals, and enjoyed the chickens. What a great place.

This is Porcupine Lake. There is another lake called Toad Lake that is a little farther on. Karrie says it is better for horse camping because there is grass. It sounds like a possible adventure for a warmer weekend.

As I said, it snowed on us. It was cold that night and Zigs was shivering when we got to Karrie's for a possible ride Sunday morning. We decided that we had had fun and should probably load up and take them home. Then Zigs lost his brain and would not load. He was too cold to think. Poor baby. Eventually we put Jupes in front and then he loaded up to be with his partner. 

It was a fun weekend. Cathy and Lonnie went out scouting for trails for us for the next time. I can hardly wait.

Shoot. . . . I've been slacking off!

 

Dang--I didn't realize that I had not sat down and written about our adventures since August. We went to Alisa's for her birthday and great rides. We went to Deer Lake one day and tootled around down the highway one day. We found a watermelon and the horses loved it. 

We have ridden up Hennessey at least three times and the growth that T/C continues to show is awesome. We have separated a couple times and ridden solo. Jupiter baulked and wouldn't walk away, so I had to lead for a bit, but T/C did fine. Today he went through the boggy mud at the bottom of the trail without hesitation and went right across the wide creek bed, too. 

It's hunting season, so we have all worn our turquoise shirts and the hunting jackets Lynn made for the girls. We haven't seen anyone and both horses have been calm. Last week, Lynn took pictures of a huge hornets' nest. I told her today, we are not going to go over and look at it this week--and then we couldn't see it after all--which makes me nervous; that means they are loose and flying around. Dead would be better.

We rode an old trail that we used to ride with Brady. I think Jupiter has only been on it once, maybe twice. We came to a huge tree across the road and had to boonie jump around it, but it was a fun trail to ride. It is more road riding that we usually do, but it was fun nevertheless.

Future Rides:  We plan to ride into Bear Basin this coming Wednesday. I hope we see Golden Eagles again. We have a McCloud trip planned the following week and we talked about going to Weaverville before it rains. It is so pretty when leaves turn. I said we need to do the hoop-de-do trail before the end of our riding season, too. (Or maybe not. . . ? Last time was not good.) I would like to ride as long as we can, but I told Lynn that if is pouring rain on my birthday, I would be just as happy.  

I am praying we find a farrier we like soon. Jupiter's shoes are on the back of his feet and today he tripped a little. Dang that woman. 

August Angst

 

Lightning like I have never witnessed in the 53 years I have lived in Willow Creek passed over us in late July. It lasted over two hours and although one person reported four inches of rain at her house, most of the area received none. I could hear it in the trees, but most of it evaporated before hitting the ground. Needless to say, we had fires started in our mountains. 

The threat across the river and the heavy smoke prompted Lynn to move our boys to their coastal spa. When she dropped off the first group, they trotted off and never looked back. We took turns driving over to feed them and check on them every day. They are fatter now than they were when they arrived. 

Saturday, Lynn brought Star, Zigs, and Buster home. There was lots of whinnying and running and bucking of Jupes and T/C afterward according to Randy. On Sunday, I went with Lynn to clean out the little barn and pick up our boys. Lynn had asked if I wanted to ride on the beach afterward; well, that would be a "No, not really," but you know me--if Lynn says let's do it, I'm right there. 

Well, I am so glad we did. It was so good to be in the saddle. Jupes could not have been more perfect. He did not feel nervous and I worked hard to be relaxed, too. It was not too windy and after Cobie's first look at all that water (!!), he seemed okay, too. Lynn did not make him go to close to it and he was fine. He was more worried about the big marshmallows in the field next to the beach. 

We spent more time wandering around the dunes than on the actual beach and it was kind of fun. (My pickleball partner told me that when he did beach riding, he liked riding on Samoa in the pine trees--something to look at trying, but I would like to drive over and find the area first. He said there are tons of trails--maybe what you had heard about, too, Lynn?) 

Just to backtrack a little, we did get to ride with Alisa before the fires hit. It was nice to hang out and ride with her. We are hoping Keota heals up and we can go over for her birthday weekend and ride with her in Quincy. 

 

Two Quickies

 I am on a short leash for a few weeks while I do full time caregiving for my mom; however, my schedule fit in two short rides. Lynn is so good--she had Jupes saddled and ready and the truck hooked up. I showed up at 6:30 and away we went.

Day one, we went along our newest trail that breaks off by Indy's frog pond. It is boonie brushing, but I really like it. We made a short loop of it and had fun. There are some possibilities over there that we can develop. T/C had a major first: COWS! I guess they were probably Katie's first, too. Oh my. They are  scary and caused T/C to be pretty jumpy and snorting the whole ride.

Day two, we tooled around the Hennessey Ranch. We went down through the woods above the meadow and yep--more cows. T/C snorted every two steps for a long ways. It was a very quick ride, but again, it was good. We dreamed about where we would put our houses if we were rich and could buy the place. 

Jupes needs to be ridden, even if his blanket doesn't get wet, and having me up there and cruising around makes him a better boy. I think he likes to go and really doesn't seem to get bored, but he likes to try and push his boundaries at least once. T/C is turning out to be a great horse. He stands for Lynn to get on and he goes where she wants. He is still doesn't like puddles, but does better with clear water. 

A short ride is better than no ride! 

Two Spooky Horses

 

What a great ride we had on Saturday! We rode the Gray's Falls trail for the first time in possibly a year. It was definitely overgrown and we had to do some logging, but Wow! what a great ride. We came across what probably was a fire clearing road with lots of logs and brush piled up and we rode for a little ways on it. It just kept going, but Ziva is a little overweight and out of shape and Jupiter, well, he's a fat boy, so we turned back.

What had been a peaceful easy ride, changed not too far into the way back. First of all, we heard motorcycles relatively nearby. Secondly, Katie learned about steep mountains. She dove down off the side of the road where it is formidably steep! Ziva stood at the top and looked over at her as Katie crawled her way back up. Talk about scary. We would have had to find a less steep spot and called her and called her to traverse sideways to us. But she made it. I hope she never does that again.

Back to the motorcycles. . . you would have thought those two horses had never heard one before. Good grief. High headed and high stepping all the way back. I didn't think Jupes was even going to stop at the little granola meadow. Of course he did, what was I thinking, but he turned and faced the way he had heard them and he gobbled it down and was ready to go! Forget waiting for Lynn to get back on. He was leaving her and that pretty boy. The monsters could eat HIM. In all fairness, when we saw them, it was just their heads zooming up a steep embankment and we couldn't see the bikes themselves. lol

We trotted all the way to the top of Hennessey. When we got there, here came the motorcycles down the jeep trail. So we waited. Two of them came down and stopped and visited with us. Then we heard voices up on the trail (also very scary, for Pete's sake!). One of them must have wrecked pretty hard and possibly had a broken clavicle. We asked if we could help and they said they had it, so off we went. Man from
Snowy River has nothing on two Burnt Ranch Riders. lol Got down in record time. What a fun day! Raining like mad today, so sorry we can't ride, but happy for rain. 

It was a sweaty and itchy day for T/C. Had to scratch it right now!

For Lynn, too! LOL

Memorial Day Weekend 2022: The Good, the BAD, and the Fun of it

 

Woohoo! The trailer is fixed and we said we were riding no matter what the weather. Saturday was cold and wet, but not enough to deter us--even though we forgot our chinks! Starting with the the GOOD, Toby-Cobie was awesome all weekend. Lynn was able to get on him every single time she wanted to without any issues at all. He went through water, even if grudgingly; he loaded more smoothly than usual and on Monday, we when loaded to come home, he didn't even hesitate! He is doing so well. Lynn thinks he is finally starting to trust her. He is finally living up to the potential Lynn saw in him since the beginning.

Hmm--the BAD. Jupiter was it. He was stiff-necked and obstinate. He threw his head down and crow hopped. He even stomped his foot (like Star did that time he had a fit) and made sticks fly all around us. He had a tantrum. He pretended to be choking, so I would walk with him. We only did about three short miles (that felt like 10 to me) on Underwood. I probably walked one mile. He was awful. Look at our ride and there's a picture of his face that says it all. Underwood and the Turd

But, on the way home we saw an eagle sitting on top of a tree right by the highway. It was a good omen and Sunday and Monday were awesome! Sunday we rode around the ranch. It was green and pretty. Lynn said she's never seen the grass so tall. We had a great time. 

Monday was even better. We rode up to the top of Hennessey and then down and around to the trail to Heidi Carpenter's place and up Lynn's favorite trail past the elk spot and to the turtle pond. Both boys did fantastic and the two dogs had fun, too (although Ziva is super tired). I am hoping that all the things that slapped across my face were not poison oak! Everything is hanging down and a little different after the wind and snow and all the months we have not ridden and kept everything trimmed back. Lynn's Favorite Trail

It was so nice to ride the mountain all by ourselves. It was breezy and a little chilly at times, but I know Lynn and three great days and I'll take the one sh*##y one and cancel it out with two wonderful ones. It is good to be ahorseback again!! 

Time in the Saddle is Always a Good Time

 Hennessey short ride

Sunday Lynn waited for me to go for an afternoon ride. Talk about spoiled: I dropped Ziva off at 8:00am and Lynn groomed her; I showed up at 1:15ish to find Jupes saddled, the trailer hooked up to the truck, and all our tack in the trailer (we've been keeping it in the tack room). All I had to do was load my boy up and get in the truck. :)

We went to Hennessey. I had hoped maybe the rain and sun had brought out the flowers, but I guess it's still a little early and cold. Well, cold through the night and early morning, because it was over 70 as we rode. The wind was just starting to kick up in the tops of trees when we started back.

Unfortunately, this good weather brings out the motorcycles, so we did not go down to the meadow where we could hear them. We went right on the upper road, down the trail, to the next road, and then up one of my favorite trails by the big pile of rocks with moss that leads to the granola bar meadow. Did you follow all that? lol

Silly Toby/Coby forgot he wasn't afraid of water puddles and started all over again with his jumping and attempts to go around. He did go through quite a few of them and seemed resigned to the ones that he had to slog through. Jupes is now 17 and I told him he had to lead by example. He was good. Of course he's fat, so we had to stop and breathe quite a bit. :) T/C has some hair on him and is itchy. He continually goes over cedar tree to scratch his belly (sometime even manzanita!).  I am trying to get a picture of him, but usually it is after I put away my camera. I guess I might have to try keeping where Lynn keeps hers! lol

The dogs had a good day and had plenty of water to drink. It is nice to see water flowing everywhere. I am so glad I got to get a ride in. Jupes' shoes are still like new! The trailer is off to be fixed on Tuesday; hopefully he will do a great job and quickly, too.

 

Shoeless and wet blankets

 

Katie is becoming a good trail dog. She stays with Ziva most of the time, but sometimes she is out front sniffing her way back home. She now has two rides' experience. She's gets a little nervous, but stays right with us.

We have been fortunate enough to get in a couple rides this month. Jupes is shoeless, but we have only gone a little way up Underwood. We don't want Katie to get over tired. Yesterday, we put boots on his front feet so we could go a little further so we could check on our old snag. It's got some new bends in it and looks dangerous, but still standing tall!

For years, Lynn tried to get Haley to put her feet on the stirrup to reach up for a treat or to get a burr off or whatever. She's trying to Katie to do the same. Katie is still a little leery of the horses, but when I wasn't paying attention yesterday, she put her front feet on my boot and stretched up for scratch under the chin (I didn't have a treat.) She even walked back a little and had her feet on Jupiter's belly. He just kind of looked back like "What are you doing?" but it was obvious he was fine with it. Lynn called her over to try to give her a treat, but there was a little bit of wood right there and she couldn't get close enough. So she tried to stand on top of Ziva, who was not going for it at all. But how smart! She's something.

Both Toby/Cobie and Jupes were pretty jumpy coming out. Jupiter did not want to be in the back where whatever it was could get him first. He kept stopping and looking over his shoulder. 

Best story of both days is silly T/C. He gets itchy! REALLY itchy. Last year, he started going over little cedar trees; sometimes he even would stand over them and rub his belly and privates. This year must be worse. Maybe it's the winter hair. Last week, he went over a dead, scratchy, pokey tree. It was probably six feet tall. That wasn't enough, so he went over a live tree that was over Lynn's head. He bent it over and let it run between his back legs. This week, he chose another big tree that I wasn't so sure would bend! It did, but his foot also slipped on a log and it looked like he might go down or lay down or I don't know what he was doing. Lynn was conflicted, "Do I get off? Do ride it out?" but all I heard was, "What are you doing?" Geez, Louise. He is a weird horse. Jupes just looks at him. You know he's has been his whole life avoiding that kind of thing! LOL.

Tired girls riding home.

When we got home, Barry had been there working the excavator. The clean up will take years, but he is getting started so Lynn can get a barn built.

This is the old oak tree by the back of the barn.

I am so glad we are riding. I have missed it. Last year, we barely got out at all. I really wish it would rain, but if it isn't going to then I'm happy to ride now, before we have fire season again.

Big day at The Place

 Today Ziva and I went up to The Place and she got a much needed haircut. Katie could not have been cuter. She put her front legs on the table and stretched up to touch noses with Ziva. Lynn says she get treats when she is on the table so she will equate haircuts as a good thing. 

This doesn't even begin to show what it looks like.

This is the trailer court.

Then we went for a hike on the hill. OMG. It is heart breaking, amazing, and leaves you speechless. The power and magnitude of all those trees falling. Imagining how afraid the horses had to have been. And finally, the devastation is overwhelming.

Katie did great. She went over logs, under logs, around big messy logs. :) She and Ziva played and played and kept up with us.

Then I stepped on rolly stick or slipped in the mud--whatever--anyway, I went down and kind of caught myself so I was on all fours, like a table, belly up. Katie crawled up on to my stomach and lay down like, "Oh good. Let's rest for awhile." LOL. Ziva, of course, was putting her face in mine and I was laughing too hard to get up. It was too funny.

It was a big day; the last two pictures say it all. Everyone at The Place is tired. 

Good-bye 2021

 Well, I always ask for a white Christmas and we got one. What a doozy. Lynn said she would never ask for snow again. It was super scary up at The Place. She sent me a text saying she didn't know if the horses were alive. She couldn't get to them. Trees were falling as she wrote  me that scary message. 

Finally about 9am--three hours past their breakfast time, she and Lee made their way past the oak tree on top of the hay barn and up to the fence line. Lo and behold! Jupiter and Cobie were in the field! We still don't know how they got there--I said, surely the two fattest could not jump the fence; there must be a tree that pushed the fence down for them. Anyway, they got separated from the rest of the herd.

Thankfully, the others were close by and okay. They were all whinnying for each other and scared to death. Lynn and Lee cut the fence where they were trapped. They were all high-headed and wildly circling around. Lynn finally got Star to put his head down and got him underneath the phone line that is hanging about 5 feet off the ground. As soon as he got through and started on a run down the hill to the Jupes and Cobie, the other two put their heads down and ran right past Lynn to join them. Lynn said then she and Lee ran right behind. They could hear trees going down as they ran.

This is the little barn. Lynn fed all the alfalfa that Nancy left from summer. Good hot food for cold horses! 

That barn used to be how tall? 20 feet?

The beams were twisted and pulled off the pillars. Some of the concrete blocks the pillars were attached to in the back were shifted forward about a foot.

This is the front of the barn. The hay is firmly wedged in. We are expecting rain and wind this week. Although I didn't take a picture, Lynn is feeding from the back of the barn where the roof is a little higher.

 This is so scary looking up close. The horse trailer was parked about where the four wheeler is. The roof landed on the back end of it.

I didn't take any more pictures of the general damage. It is horrific. Thankfully no one's house was damaged and everyone is healthy and safe. The horse trailer has some damage, but hopefully a trip to Oregon will fix it.  We cancelled the vet appointment for shots and we won't be riding anytime soon. We will be calling Adam to take their shoes off. :( We spent a lot of money for one ride. Dang it. That's two sets of shoes we have not gotten to use.

Lynn and Lee measured off the size of the new building they want to get. All the trees around the area have to be cut down before they consider buying one and getting it up. The good news is it will be dry for the hay once it's in place--no more tarps! The bad news is its expensive and we might lose the hay we already have. There is grass on the field so the boys are eating, but they won't be going up on the hill for possibly years. That's how bad it is. This storm is going to be expensive in so many ways. But again! They horses are alive and both Lynn and her mom still have their houses.

I finally got power back after only six days. We were told it would three weeks, so it was a blessing. We were told no water for a week; but that didn't come to pass either. So although my house and property are a mess, we are all fine, too. Mom and Gene stayed with me for about eight days. 

Another storm is predicted. We had wind last night. Lots of rain is expected this week. It will definitely complicate things. I pray for the PG&E guys who work such long and difficult hours. I sure appreciate them. 

I am so glad to see the end of 2021! It was a year of tears and hardship. My personal bright spot was retirement and that has helped me with the hard stuff. The new year, 2022, has started. I hope it will be truly a NEW year full of better things: health, love, joy, and RIDING.