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!