Trail Log: 11-25-2024

 

My kind of folk

• Trail: State Land - Williams Rd
• Miles: 4.92
• Riders: Self
• Horses: Jack
• Dogs: Groot

Notes: I firmly believe you should know how to get to your good neighbors "the back way." You never know when the occasion calls for such a surreptitious route:  Communist attack - Government takeover - Alien invasion....or the inevitable Zombie apocalypse. 

I pointed Jack in the general direction of said neighbors place. Folks I'm confident would have the resources and fortitude to cover my back in the event of any one, or combination of, the affairs above. Upon finding a gate into the back of their property, I sent a text notifying them with my intent of riding through their place with their permission. Permission granted - Jack and I rode through one of the coolest places I've seen in this area. We made a loop off state land, through their property and back to El Rancho Gitana del Desierto in enough time to stock up on Twinkies and Beanee Weenees. 

Trail Log: 11-20-2024

 

Celia and the horses are down there on the flat...somewhere

• Trail: North Eagle Eye to BLM
• Miles: 5.56
• Riders: Self - Celia
• Horses: Jack - Dirt
• Dogs: None - learned my lesson and left Groot home

Notes: This was a cool ride. We hauled to the end of Eagle Eye and put in at BLM and rode toward the Harcuvar Mnts. We found some cool "yard art" and marked it on my GPS to gather later. We passed a large tank that still has water in it. I was shocked. I didn't think any of the tanks would still have water in them. We continued on north toward the mountains. I spotted something about half the way up the mountain that looked sort of like a shelter/cave hut. It was super rocky and lot's of cholla so Celia stayed with the horses while I hiked up to it. I remember saying "Oh, it's not that far...I'll hurry." It wasn't that far as the crow flies but the desert terrain is deceiving. I crawled into and out of steep ravines strewn with massive boulders. A lot of water comes down those things. I disappeared long enough that Celia called to make sure I had not met my demise.  I made it close enough to the "structure" to see that it wasn't anything but a big rock. A big rock I shall call "the rock of disappointment. What goes up...must come down. I'd rather hike UP than down but I made it. 

We tracked back to the yard art and carried it close to a road we hoped I could get my truck/trailer down without getting stuck. I'm happy to report we made it home with yard art intact. 

I downloaded my tracks and discovered that I'd ridden close to this area last year. If Celia and I would have headed west through a big saddle, we would have ended up at Nellie-Meda Mine and dropped into Robson Ranch. This is the same route in reverse that Phil and I took a couple years ago. 

gnarly cacti

Trail Log: 11-18-2024

Pretty sure the alley to hell is lined with Cholla

 

• Trail: Tiger Wash - Due North
• Miles: 5.53
• Riders: Self - Celia
• Horses: Drifter - Dirt 
• Dogs: Groot

Notes: We headed due north and ended up in cholla hell. Poor Groot had them everywhere. He just sits there and lets me pull them out of his paws - face - mouth and tongue. I won't take him again unless I know the area. On a good note - Celia found a shed! 

Celia's shed

Trail Log: 11-14-2024

Jack and Woody the Druid fertility god

• Trail: Eagle Eye - Second Windmill 
• Miles: 5
• Riders: Self - Celia
• Horses: Jack - Shasta
• Dogs: Groot

Notes: Celia wanted to ride her 3 year old outside the arena for the first time so I took Jack. He's a good one to take when riding new colts. We found a cool area somebody had turned into a mess of rock cairns. It looked like hippies or druids! 

Jack threw a shoe about a half mile from the trailers. So frustrating...Dave tacked it back on. Thank you Dave. 

Celia got the cairn bug and a few days later we went rock collection so she can make a rock cairn garden. 

Trail Log: 11-13-2024

 

Nice buck and doe

• Trail: State Land - Burro Canyon
• Miles: 7.19
• Riders: Celia - Self
• Horses: Dirt - Drifter
• Dogs: Groot

Notes: Pre-shooting practice ride. We looped behind burro canyon and came across through the saddle to avoid the super steep power line road. It's a very pretty - my favorite spot in this area. It is the first area I ponied Drifter too when I first got him at 8 mos. old. He's a fun little horse to ride. We rode back down a section of a wide wash...rounded the corner and came face-to-face with a big buck. Him and Drifter had a Mexican standoff...which held him their long enough to get a picture. A doe, equally as big - lay under some brush and didn't make a move. Pretty cool to see...

Celia and Dirt

Trail Log: 11-12-2024

 

• Trail: State Land - Aguila    
• Miles: 3.93
• Riders: Self
• Horses: Jack
• Dogs: Groot

Notes: Just a quick ride out my back gate. I should probably combine these short rides into one log...

Saguaro with "crested" arm

Possible Desert Tortious house

Trail Log: 11-9-2024

 

Random picture of my place that has nothing to do with this post

• Trail: State Land - Aguila
• Miles: 5.64
• Riders: Self
• Horses: Jack
• Dogs: Groot

Notes: Threw on the endurance saddle and went for a short jaunt to see if I could find a saguaro skeleton Celia and I had marked earlier in the week. I over-shot it at first but managed to find it! 

    

Trail Log: 11-5-2024

Celia and Copper

 

• Trail: Tiger Wash - North toward Browns Canyon
• Miles: 5.19
• Riders: Self - Celia
• Horses: Jack - Copper
• Dogs: Groot

Notes: Celia picked up a mare to either keep as a grandkid horse or resell. We took her out on Tiger Wash to see what she knows. I thought she did good for not being ridden in who-knows how long and in totally unfamiliar surroundings. She's a cute little mare and has a fabulous trot. Jack just got new shoes yesterday. Its the first time in a LONG time he's been able to walk out of a fresh shoe without having to be laid off for three days. I could tell he just felt better...happy feet. 

Trail Log: 10-26-2024

 

• Trail: State Land - Cattle Lease - mile post 78
• Miles: 9
• Riders: Self - Cindy - Fred - Mike - Jenny
• Horses: Jack - Shooter - Cowboy - Sorrel - Black

Notes: More of a cattle gathering than a trail ride. I didn't grow up on a ranch or around cattle other than when it came time to butcher 'em, cut'em up, wrap'em and put 'em in the freezer. With that said - Jack and I stepped out of our comfort zone a little and helped gather/process cattle. Knowing very well what I don't know - I mostly just stayed out of the way. I did get to do the vaccination part. Aside from screwing up a couple injections before getting the hang of it - I rather enjoyed getting to stick them in the neck with a dull needle. Call it retribution for all the cows that have tried to stomp me to death over the years.

Jack - there was a time when he would not turn his back on a cow