Last weekend I loaded up Blue and headed out east of Apache Junction to the Picket Post Trailhead where a group of friends who are members of the Copper State Trail Riders were gathering for a couple of days of riding through some beautiful country. Of course as I have said many times we are not really a riding club but an eating club that happens to ride between meals. Brenda didn’t make the trip with us as Willow is still a little lame so Friday night I snuck up on ‘K’ and Teresa’s camp in the dark and helped myself to some green chili chili and some green chili cornbread that Linda brought along. Our good friend Dave Schmidt always says “It’s a damn poor bush ape who can’t feed himself”, I think Dave meant cooking for himself but I have found inviting myself to dinner with others works just as well, and the food tastes better. While we sat around the campfire after the meal the full moon was rising over the ridge to the east.
The next morning while I was cooking breakfast there was a full eclipse of the moon also but it didn’t photograph so well.
Saturday morning we headed off on the Picket Post trail, and Suzi, our leader, had found a great ride and even managed to make it into a loop so that for the most part we didn’t have to re-ride any portion, although on this ride that would have been no sacrifice as it was beautiful both coming and going.
There was a lot of gradual climbing on the way out from camp so the turn around point was high on the mountain SW of Superior, Arizona at a point where you could over look Superior and a little farther along see the whole Valley of the Sun.
The Valley of the Sun and its 3 million odd residents are behind me as I took this picture but the haze kind of made the photo useless.
Sunday we headed out on a ride going the other direction from camp along part of the Arizona Trail. Within a mile or two we had to cross through some concrete culverts underneath Highway 60 and then it was off into the desert.
Another great ride in the opposite direction of Saturdays adventure and seeing new country with every stride.
Yesterdays view point in the picture above was directly under the ‘t’ in Yesterday to give a little perspective of the amount of country we were covering. In total the two days of riding covered about 33 miles so old Blue was pretty happy to hop back in the trailer Sunday night and head back into the Valley for a week of leisure and loafing.
Here is a map with our two days of riding on it for those who are curious.
This week we have Ray and Paul working around Dogpound South on an irrigation project so it is a world of trenches here. Almost anywhere you go you have to hop a trench to get there. But when it is finished it will be nice as we will be able to supply the horses with fresh water and plant a bunch more trees without having to run hoses every which way around the place. That will make Brenda a happy camper.
Along with the irrigation project we have been visiting with our friends and doing a little looking around for a new project to undertake, hint below, details to follow next week.
This weekend we are headed for the Constellation campground across from the Wickenburg Rodeo grounds to join another group that we ride with for a day in the desert up that way.
Awesome photographs. Those trail rides take you through some stunning desert country.
ReplyDeleteYou do seem to keep yourself well fed with that outdoor eating group you hang out with, JB. What's not to like about that?
It seems that your irrigation project would support a greening desert oasis. Not having to haul hoses around Dogpound South will only give you more time for trail riding. Sounds like a great plan to me!
Wow, another hay burner! A good looking one at that....
ReplyDeleteNew horse in the works for Brenda??
ReplyDeleteYou certainly gave Blue a workout, and to think you didn't share any chilli with Blue after all those miles. It's the least you could have done to thank the poor horse...
ReplyDeleteWillow's still under the weather, or just found a way to avoid all those long trail rides?
Wow - that was quite a workout - at least for Blue, anyway! Fantastic photos of your ride - pretty amazing scenery.
ReplyDeleteI really like your first shot of the Moon and the Cactus!