May Long (with an added map of our rides)

Wow, looks like another month has gone by without me getting busy updating the one follower I have left on the blog here. We have been doing all our regular stuff but I have written about that so many times that I think I should just refer you back to previous entries.

Brenda's knee is coming along well, she thinks a little slowly, but the doc says all in good time. Her last appointment she was given the go-ahead to drive and in another week or so she will be good to get on Wink for a short ride.

The girls made it out here for Mother's Day

and as usual Brenda was busy in the kitchen preparing for that. She just needs to feed people, as anyone who knows me can see, so I was in charge of most the playing with the grandkids. They sure love it here at the farm where they can run till their hearts content and there are a whole pack of dogs to play with.

 After riding the Jeep Car and running around we got them all to stand still for a family photo, from the left Lacey, Clayton, Brenda, Bec, Alle, and me. Down in front Ella and Kash and on the camera, Clayton's Mom Becky. Oh yah and can't forget Everly, hiding under Bec's shirt.

It has a been a little different spring here, we get nice days spaced out between replays of winter but the May Long weekend is usually when we get out on the trails for the first time here in Canada. Our horses have had a pretty lazy spring. We pulled the shoes off back around the first of March and I headed off last week to get Blue shod so we could head out to the West Country this weekend. But first I needed to run out and see how the roads had fared over the winter. Along the way I ran into a couple of bands of wild horses. It seems that depending on where they range they have had different winters.

This stud and his band of mares appeared to come through winter with flying colors but the mare with the foal in the picture below obviously was in a little poorer range.

But the green grass is coming and she will pick up quickly I hope, it is not an easy life being a wildie on these northern ranges

The road scouting trip went well so we pried the rig out of the shed here at home and headed west on Thursday. We were headed to the Eagle Creek camp just on the boundary of the Yaha Tinda Ranch. There is a spot there that will take a number of rigs without any crowding and the Pohls, Lewis's, Vic Almond, and Daniella, Trevor, Mel and Serena were going to join us so that looked like a good spot to set up camp.

Not to shabby a view over those trailers

The ice was a little thick for swimming but we were thinking of our Arizona friends who were riding the beaches of San Diego this weekend.

"Hello" Meadows

Just a little scenery viewing stop.

Arriving at our lunch spot

I never get tired of that view, unlike my readers

Mike Lewis, riding Harley and ponying Missy

Glad to share that view with Razz down in the centre there.

 Friday we saddled up and headed out onto the Poplar Ridge trail, that Brenda and I just call the high trail, and as you can see from the photos above it has some pretty spectacular vista's along the way. We took a small detour up towards Eagle Lake to see how it was coming along. Might be awhile before there is much swimming there but there were reports a large grizzly was seen up there in the last few days and one of our group did spot a large black bear track along the trail. We weren't so lucky but the fact that the bears are out and about is a pretty good indicator that warmer weather is on the way. After the ride we enjoyed a great time visiting around the campfire and watching the sunset over the Rockies.

 Day two we headed out a different way and crossed through the Bighorn campsite on the way. Lo and behold, in that site we ran into our old friend, Dave Schmidt and his daughter Heidi and her husband Darcy. Dave's wife Sherri has apparently had a mishap back at home and had to miss out on this trip. Damn the luck. After leaving the Schmidt crew behind we headed up towards the cut blocks on the west side of Bighorn Creek. Once we got across the meadows we took a trail to the right that lead us down to a great little lunch spot overlooking the Bighorn creek valley.

Julie

The "Red Serge Gang"

Ken and Verna enjoying the scenery

We saw a bunch of elk this weekend

These Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep were laying along the trail up to the Hat. This shot is from about a mile or two away though.

Verna does like her comforts and brings along her pillow to enjoy her lunch time nap.

Vic pondering the crossing of the Bighorn Creek

Ladies Choir practice

We had a great time and although Day two we had a little rain and we got to try out our slickers on the ride back to camp it was not a real soaker. That was to come later. Once we were settled back in camp the rain settled in and came down pretty steady throughout the night.

A little monsoon is not enough to stop this group from setting around a Yukon Candle.

Sunday morning we got up and the rain was still coming so we figured we would run for the flatlands. It took us a while to get everyone ready to roll and as the road was pretty muddy by this time it was better to travel in a group just in case someone had some trouble. Once we got out of the camp it was clear sailing though and other than a big rock slide along the Coal Camp road there was really no problems getting out.

There are a few folks who like to see where we have been in a more traditional form so here is a map of some of our rides in this area.

The Red trails with the white spots are trails we rode this weekend and the others are trails we rode last year in this area.

Picket Post Again!

Picket Post is one of those rides that gets under your skin. The trails are great and the scenery is second to none. I joined some Canadian friends and a couple of our American hosts out there at the trailhead. They had arrived a day or two earlier so were out on a ride and Blue and I headed out on our own, first stop was the phone booth on the hilltop out of camp. Just to let the rest of the world we made it safely. Here is Joel up there checking his messages.

So this is what the guys who drive trucks for Walmart do on their vacation.

Then we headed out the trail and not to far along we ran into the bunch coming back to camp. Short ride but shook off the trailer legs anyway. Once we got unsaddled we ran down the highway towards Superior where these wagon tracks are cut into the limestone. Must have been a lot of heavy silver ore in those wagons.

Ore wagons cut these into the rock

Always great sunsets here.

The next day we headed off across the highway and up to Happy Camp Canyon. That is ride I first did about a year ago, but it was a lot greener and prettier this year than last. The GPS tells me that this ride is a little less than 13 miles. You go out along a ridge back that gives you great views in all directions.

From these ridge tops you can see for miles

Always good to run into a little water for the ponies on these rides

Joel and his Tennessee Waiting Horse waiting on the rest of us to catch up. 

Heading into Happy Camp Canyon

Kelly and her stud the Huntsman hanging around on the ridge

For the return trip we popped over top of the ridge and dropped into a wash for the return trip. Along the way here is a stock tank with great water for the horses.

After the ride that night Ken and I ran into Superior to try and run down a map of the area and see if we could find a map that showed a trail that made a loop around Picket Post Mountain in its entirety. There is a map but the only one in captivity was taped to the inside of office window on main street. There was a fellow in there sanding the floors and we tried to talk him into giving/selling it to us but he was incorruptible.

But we did get a picture of it with the phone and a little store across the street gave a photo copy of a smaller portion.

With that new information in hand we headed out on a ride of discovery the next day. The first part of the ride was a little bit of bushwhacking Arizona style, looking for gates and discovering fences blocking the trail, but eventually we got through that part and got ourselves down into Arnett Canyon. What a treat that was, it was beautiful down there. Towering cliffs, big sycamore trees, and ample water crossings. And to top it all off a pretty sandy trail so easy on the feet. That was important for Blue as just before we loaded up to come out here he had a visit with the farrier and he is always a little tender for a day or too after that experience.

Arnett Canyon

Ken and Beauty enjoying the crick

More canyon and creek views

Whoa, Blue is leading the ride.

 And when Blue and I lead the ride there is a lot of time for enjoying the scenery, we sure don't see a reason to race through this kind of landscape.

Believe it or not this is what I was looking for.....the other side of the mountain

Here is the littlest Saguaro growing right in that rock. He has made it in a couple of blogs now

Verna, Toni, and Ron and Toni's trail dog Madeline

Although we spent five or six hours on this ride we stopped a bunch of time to enjoy the scenery, eat lunch and do a little pioneering along the trail. I think with all the back and forth we did we were just over 9.5 miles total on the trail and all that to and froing will probably result in it being around 9 miles next time. A little shorter than usual but there is lots to look at and some challenging spots but they are short and sweet.

Sunrise at Picket Post

Same sunrise different angle

The following morning Blue and I packed up and headed home. He was a little foot sore and it seemed the wise thing to do. The others were going to go back around yesterdays loop and try to eliminate the one technical spot on the new trail. Below is a Google Map for those who like that kind of stuff.

Green is the Happy Camp Canyon trail and the Magenta trail is the Picket Post Mountain Loop

And when I got home there was a party about to begin. Brenda had spent the weekend preparing food and drink for a surprise party for her friend Stasia.

Part of the Party People

Brenda and the guest of honour. Hey, it's a Canadian party so we get to spell it how we like.

Now Mike and Janna stopped by on their way home to Montana and I didn't get any pictures but no problem I have their pink motorhome held hostage here so they will be back.