Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Trail Log: 3-13-2024

Celia and Harold holding down the fort while I "investigate"


  • Trail: Wickenburg Massacre Site
  • Miles: 8.36
  • Riders: Self - Celia - Harold
  • Horses: Jack - Dirt - Windy

Notes: I don't have nearly as much trouble finding the way to the massacre site as I do finding my way to the entrance onto state land itself. I passed it both ways. Ugh. 

Harold, Celia's neighbor, has been reading a book on the Wickenburg Massacre site. He wanted to see the place in person so he could determine for himself what actually occurred. After wandering about for a few minutes - he has formed the opinion that the culprits were actually white people and bandits posing as Indians. As for me - I have no opinion. I'm mostly sad that three horses were wounded in the attack and one died. 

Jack waiting for me at the hitching post before we load up


Monday, March 11, 2024

Trail Log: 3-9-2024

Leah - Mark on Ally - Pattie on Lou Ellen

 


  • Trail: Browns Canyon
  • Miles: 10.2
  • Riders: Self - Pattie - Mark
  • Horses: Drifter - Lou Ellen - Ally/Leah
  • Dogs: Hank and Groot

Notes: Finally made it to the base of Brown's Canyon. It was not what I expected. Not sure what I expected really. Cool area. An old air strip ends at the Wilderness border. Lot's of vegetation. Pretty sure there is water on up the canyon. I'll go back in my jeep and drive to it and hike up or haul to the strip and ride farther up and explore. 

We looped around cross country and came in from the west end and followed the road back out. I rode Drifter and put on his new trail boots once we got in the rocks. They worked great. 

Looking forward to going back and exploring the area more. Would be a great area to pack in and spend the weekend if you can find water close enough. 



Friday, March 8, 2024

Trail Log: 3-6-2024

Leah - Pattie on Lou Elled - Mark on Alli

 

  • Trail: Little Horn Peak area
  • Miles: 4.24    
  • Riders: Self - Phil - Pattie - Mark
  • Horses: Jack - Twister - Lou Ellen - Alli and Leah (ponied) 


Notes: Northern friends Mark and Pattie are down for the winter. I intended to take them riding up "the deep sandy wash." I might have missed the actual entry into "the deep sandy wash" and cross-country'd it through the rocks and up and over ravines until we eventually found "the deep sandy wash." Fortunately  - Pattie and Mark ride mules and are always up for an adventure. Jack and Twister are both mountain goats and were particularly full of energy. I swear Jacks feet never touched the ground. I've said this before, but it's sure good to have my ponies feet back. Twister lost a shoe right out of the trailer. We slapped one of Jack's Cavallo trail boots. It was a little big for her but it stayed on and she never missed a beat. Back at the ranch - we had some "less than stellar" coffee cake I made out of a box. I'll pass on that one next time but the crumbly top was pretty good. 

Phil - Twister and Pearl


Trail Log: 2-27-2024


 

  • Trail: Aguila - State Land
  • Miles: 5
  • Riders: Self - Dan - Robyn
  • Horses: Jack - Tater - Bullseye

Notes: A quick evening ride out my back gate. Dan and Tater drug back firewood so we could roast marshmallows that night. 




Monday, February 19, 2024

Trail Log: 2-17-2024

 

Sharon, Elli and Sally 


Trail: Aguila - State Land

Miles 5

Riders: Self

Horses: Jack

Notes: My birthday came and went uneventfully. I took the dogs for a decent hike in the morning. We hiked 5 miles to above the power line road. It was somewhat of a relief to know I could still manage it.  I haven't hiked since "COVID Christmas" AND apparently I'm old now. 60. I can't even wrap my head around that number. It's not the aging process that freaks me out. When you aren't one of the "beautiful" people to begin with  - a few wrinkles and white hairs don't scare you. It's not the age...it's the lack of time you have left that's bothersome. Possibly why I haven't been blogging...I'd rather be out doing while the doing's still an option. 



Later in the afternoon, Jack took me on our annual birthday ride. I decided to try out an endurance saddle I've been packing around. It belonged to a friend who passed a couple of years ago. Sharon was an endurance rider. She rode the 100 mile Tevis in her late 50's. The saddle is lightweight and super comfortable. Jack moved really well in it. It's about as close to riding bareback without actually being bareback. The stirrup leathers hang in the perfect forward position for me. I plan on using it more often.

 I miss Sharon. I miss Dusty - another friend that passed recently. Jack wears a headstall and a set of stirrups that belonged to Dusty. It sort of felt like my friends were riding along with me. Small consolation for the loss of the people we love...but it's something.   


Dusty on Jack


Trail Log: 2-18-2024

Dan and Tater


  • Trail: Little Horn Peak - Tiger Wash area
  • Miles: 4.24
  • Riders: Self - Dan
  • Horses: Jack - Tater
  • Dogs: Groot


Notes: Took Dan to an area he hadn't been. The deep sandy washes are good for young horses. Tater hadn't been ridden for a couple of weeks so I hauled us out to the wash for a good workout. He did great. It's starting to warm up so Hank opted to stay home. Groot handles the heat well but apparently got bored being the only dog and disappeared for a bit.  One minute he was there - the next gone. We turned back and I whistled loud enough to wake the dead. Picked up his tracks going with us and then heading back the other direction. We rounded a big bend in the wash and there he stood...no worse for wear. Wasn't panting or acting like he'd been chasing anything; just standing there like he was waiting for us to return. Not sure what was up with that. He's one dog I will never figure out. 

Where have YOU been?


Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Trail Log: 2-13-2024

What???


 

  • Trail: Little Horn Peak Rd. 
  • Miles: 4.62
  • Riders: Self - Phil
  • Horses: Jack - Twister
  • Dogs: Groot - Pearl


Notes: Went back to explore the area we hit previously to look for more treasure. We rode up to an old mining area. The closest I can see on the map is "Black Queen Mine." Some of the "caves" drop down what seems like forever. I dropped a rock in one and you could hear it tumbling on down for a LONG time. The chute has been boarded off as a warning. It's an interesting area - I'd like to learn more of how they actually mined that area. It looks like they cut narrow backhoe width trenches straight through solid rock with bottomless chutes here and there. 

We left the mine and wandered up the wash. The horses spooked at an old ironwood snag in the middle of the wash like it was going to eat them. A bit further up the wash above us we spotted this monstrosity of a structure I can't even explain without posting a picture of it. From a distance it looks like a cool old burned tree. We rode up to it and found it to be a man-made sculpture. It has a wire base and frame all wrapped in pool noodles and paper. I have no idea how long it's been there or why. The first thing that popped into my head was a movie prop. Maybe...The weirdest part is the horses never batted an eye at it. Go figure


Groot and Pearl come to rescue me from the "pit"