Trail Log: 11-26-2022

• Trail: Harquahala Wilderness to Game Water and Old Mine
• Miles: 7.3
• Riders: Self - Blair - Cheri
• Horses: Jack - Uptown - Sprout
• Dogs: Slick (went in Philippi's truck so left my dogs at home)

Cheri - Me - Slick and our desert treasure

Notes: Today was pilfer in the desert day. Blair and Cheri took us on a ride to the base of the Harquahala mountain range to a developed game waterer and an old mine. So far I cannot find the name of the mine. We milled around looking for cool desert treasures to pack home. Cheri packed a nice, intact kerosene can home tied to the back of Sprout and few other treasures. I found an old bottle with the metal lid still attached and a jar with its metal lid with what appears to be tobacco or coffee inside. Blair thinks is an old spit jar...but I'm going with coffee or un-regurgitated tobacco. I doubt any old minor would bother with spitting into a jar. Pretty sure they hock it right on the ground anywhere they happen to be.  

It's pretty rocky up in the desert hills - but worth every step. 

Trail Log: 11-25-2022

 

• Trail:  Aguila - State Land
• Miles: 6
• Riders: Self - Blair - Cheri
• Horses: Drifter - Uptown - Watermelon
• Dogs: Slick (Hank and Groot turned back and were waiting at home when I got back)

Notes: We took the colts out. We rode west - south west and looped back around behind Silver Bit arena to expose the colts to all the goings on over there. They are building a new cook shack. Drifter payed no attention to the jack-hammering and ratcheting going on. We rode around the arena and out the back through all sorts of horse eating obstacles: trailers, old tires, piles of metal fencing and other desert flotsam and jetsam. Drifter doesn't seem to spook at anything. I hope he stays that way and definitely hope that if the day comes he does find something to spook at, he doesn't break in half and face plant me. 

We rode back the short distance on the road. I left Cheri and Blair at our crossroad and Drifter and I rode on home. This was our first solo ride ...albeit a short one of 200 yards to the tack shed...but it felt good just the same. I don't think I'd be afraid to ride him out alone anymore. He seems pretty solid. 

Trail Log: 11-24-2022

(r-l) Holly - Dan - Blair - Cheri - Blair's monument - Slick

 

• Trail: Aguila - State Land - Burro Canyon to Blairs Monument
• Miles: 6.78
• Riders: Self - Cheri - Blair - Holly C. - Dan P
• Horses: Jack - Watermelon - Uptown - Q - Larry
• Dogs: Hank - Groot - Slick - Coyote

Notes: A pretty fabulous Thanksgiving any which way you look at it. I turned out of the Tombstone shoot and stayed home and fed for Crandall's. Cheri and Blair Philippi invited me to their place for turkey dinner. They are my nearest neighbors to the southwest. 

Holly Conti was down from Oklahoma for a visit and her and Dan P. joined us for a great smoked turkey dinner. I made an attempt at my first pie cooked in an RV propane oven. I figured it would need all the help it could get so I threw in a couple shots of fireball and tossed it in the oven. It turned out

great. 

After dinner we saddled up and took Holly and Dan on a tour of the state land behind our places. We took them around Burro Canyon and up the ridge to Blair's monument. Blair built the monument out of rock from atop the hill. I'm not sure what it's a monument too...but it's pretty cool. I added a couple rocks to the top and held my breath it didn't topple the thing over. 

One of the best Turkey Day's ever. 

Me and Holly 

Trail Log: 11-21-22

 

• Trail: Aguila - State Land
• Miles: 4.56
• Riders: Self - Phil
• Horses: Drifter - Tank
• Dogs: Hank - Groot

Notes: Quick ride after a great shooting practice. 

Trail Log: 11-17-2022

Headed south toward the corrals

•  Trail: Aguila - State Land - Dushy Canyon
• Miles: 7
• Riders: Self
• Horses: Jack
• Dogs: Hank - Groot

Notes: Well, I almost made it. I have been wanting to ride to the "corrals" that are supposed to be tucked back in Dushy canyon against the Harquahala Mountains. Today I got about as close to getting to them without actually getting to them as you can get! 

I was going today come hell or high water. My original plan was to ride Jack and pony Drifter and possibly ride Drifter back. It's pretty rocky in spots and Drifter is still barefoot so I opted to leave him behind. Besides - ponying can sometimes get you in trouble and since I was going alone, I figured why push it. 

Two days ago, Jack was stove up pretty bad. I laid him off and gave him butte and by morning he was back to normal. He has a scrape on his right knee so I can only assume he and Drifter got to playing and Jack biffed it, pulled something or who knows what. Anyway - by the time I saddled up for this ride he was traveling back to his normal self. 

I've never been to the corrals but from what I gather, it's about 5 or 6 miles from my place. Jack and I and the dogs headed straight for Burro Canyon cross country to cut off as many miles as possible. It gets fairly rocky in spots - Jack didn't have any trouble navigating the rocky terrain. 

We rode west down the power line road until we came to a wire gate. We'd already been close to 5

miles so I assumed we needed to cut south. I messages Cheri P to pick her brain as she has been to the corrals. It sounded like heading south was the right direction. I rode in about a mile and noticed Jack was getting a little gimpy going over the rocky parts. I got off to give the dogs some water and discovered Jack was missing his right front shoe. Ugh...his hoof wasn't torn up too bad, but riding back the 7 miles would get it that way in a hurry. 

The only person I could think to call that would know where to find me was Dave C. I never thought about getting a trailer in to pick us up. I suggest he jump on his side-by-side and bring Jack's boots to wear out. Dave said he knew were I was and would bring his trailer to haul us out. I was to meet him where the road I was on meets highway 60. I sent him a pin to my location just in case...

Normally, Jack's feet are good enough that he could have easily gone out barefoot. Since his ordeal last year, I'm not taking any chances. I walked him to highway 60 just as Dave pulled in. I think the dogs were more happy than Jack to not have to walk 7 miles back out. 

I pulled up basecamp on my GPS when I got home. I was no more than 300 yards from the corrals. We will make it another day. 

The cavalry has arrived! 

Trail Log: 11-15-2022

Drifter didn't seem to notice he was packing saddle bags for the first time

•  Trail: Aguila - State Land
• Miles: 13.12
• Riders: Self - Cindy - Phil
• Horses: Jack - Drifter - Jimmy - Bugsy - Tank

Notes: Well..this was an interesting mix of horses and miles. Cindy started out to ride her little bay Jimmy and I intended to ride Jack first - and Drifter later in the day. Jack was gimping pretty bad and wasn't getting any better after a mile in. I took him back, gave him some butte and rode Jimmy for Cindy so she could ride Bugsy, her coming 4 year old. We rode about 8 miles. As soon as we got back, I grabbed a  bite to eat, saddled Drifter and rode with Phil for another five miles. Drifter was feeling pretty spunky, but still did really well. The new hay we got is pretty rich and hot. I'm pretty sure I over-fed and may be part of what Jack's problem was. He also has a scrapped up knee that's a little swollen - so it's hard to tell. By the time I turned him out he was a lot better. Hoping/praying it's a temporary thing and he will be back at it in a day or two. 

Trail Log: 11-7-2022

•  Trail: Aguila - State Land
• Miles: 4.03
• Riders: Self
• Horses: Jack 
• Dogs: Groot

Notes: A quick ride after a stressful day. I opted to go solo so I could get out of a walk and let my horse run for awhile. 

On the way back, I reached down to get my phone and found the leather case was ripped open and no phone. It was close to dark. Thankfully, Jack backtracks pretty much his exact steps and we found it in the middle of the trail just before the sun set. 

Hank stayed behind because his back had been bothering him. He gets stove up once in a while. He is fine now and back to normal. 

I took a cool picture of the full moon since it was dark when I found my camera...but I deleted it so I'm posting a picture of this really yummy chicken I cooked instead. Actually, it's a Cornish game hen. Air Fryer Rotisserie is the bomb. 

Trail Log: 11-2-2022

Cindy and Bugsy

 

• Trail: Aguila - State Land - Burro Canyon
• Miles: 7.76
• Riders: Self - Cindy C.
• Horses: Jack - Bugsy
• Dogs: Hank - Groot

Notes: Crandall's are back for the winter. Cindy brought her new 4 year old palomino she calls Bugsy. I rode Jack so she could take her colt out on a ride outside of the arena. He did really good.