Trail Log: 6-12-2020

Bearing point markers/props

• Trail: Graveyard Point - Marker #2
• Miles: 4.22
• Riders: Self
• Horses: Jack
• Dogs: Hank

Notes: Rode out to check marker #2 for our IMO. Jones and Dusty headed out on four wheeler to check the other markers while me and Jack rode to #2.

I drove to Graveyard Point Friday late morning with the air conditioner blaring and spent Saturday huddled around the propane heater trying to warm up. I'm not sure what the difference is between a 70% and a 100% chance of rain - either way, your gonna get wet.

Five IMO teams braved the weather and went in search of the elusive paper plate markers. Mother nature must smile on the stubborn...she let up and 4 of the 5 teams made the 15+ mile ride finding all 5 markers with barely a drop of rain and only a light breeze. As soon as the last team came in - it was back to 100% rain and wind. Crazy weekend weather.

Trail Log: 5-30-2020

• Trail: Wild Horse Butte (Fossil Butte) IMO 
• Miles: 14.08
• Riders: Circle Four (Self - Jones - Dusty)
• Horses: Jack - Zeke - Rooster
• Dogs: In camp

Notes: Aside from the 100° temps and 40 mph wind gusts - it was a fabulous ride. We lucked out. We left at 7:00 AM to beat the heat and the wind didn't pick up until we made it back. When the wind did hit - it did so with a vengeance.

The Shade Hunters put on a really nice ride. If I'm able to follow the Topo - it has to be good and I was able to follow this one well. Circle Four managed to pull off 3rd. place finding all 5 markers in under 4 hours. We likely would have came in 2nd. but a minor accident at marker #2 (our last marker as we went backwards) delayed us a bit. One of the teams was looking for the marker at the base of a cliff when a flock of pigeons blew out of a cave and spooked her horse. That horse freaked. He/she came flogging off the steep hillside 9-0 bucking and snorting toward me and Jack. I braced for impact or the domino freak out effect. I was so proud of Jack - he handled it really well. All he did was spin around to face the commotion. This is not the first time he's had another horse explode and run towards or crash into him and he's handled it well. Maybe he should have been a pick-up horse.

The gal stuck it until she got to the bottom. Thankfully she came off in a flat sandy bottom instead of on the rocky hillside. Her partner went after the horse while we gathered up her belongings scattered around and made sure she was OK. She landed on her side/hip. She bounced well - she was young. She'd live. I made sure nothing was broke and her vitals were good. I picked the cheat grass out of her hair, stuffed her map in her pocket, handed her glasses and peanuts to her and made sure she had water before hitting the trail to finish our ride.

We opted not to stay over Saturday night. The wind was ripping. By the time I got home, it got worse. The power was out most of the evening. I moved my LQ out from under the trees and called it a night. I don't know when the power came back on - sometime before the dogs woke me up at 2:00 AM wanting to crawl in my lap. A lightning storm was in full force freaking them out.

Jack the pick-up horse

Trail Log: 4-20-2019

Jones and Dusty 

• Trail: IMO - Training Ride - Murphy Con Shae Rd. 
• Miles: 9.33
• Riders: Self - Jones - Dusty (Circle 4)
• Horses: J'Lo - Honor - Diesel 
• Trail rating: 3.0 (left main trails/roads cross country - steep - rocky)

Notes: One of our better IMO runs. We found all 5 markers in under 3 hours and didn't get lost once. Not even turned around! I'm calling it an Easter miracle. :) We made it a little more difficult by cutting cross country as the crow fly's from marker #2 to #3. Otherwise, I would have given it a trail rating of 2.5 max. Chili and cornbread afterwards.

It rained all the way to camp and all the way home but managed to stay dry during the ride. An excellent IMO ride and a beautiful day.

Trail Log: 3-22-2019

• Trail: Big Flat Rd - S. Crane Creek 
• Miles: 7.43
• Riders: Self - Jones - Dusty
• Horses: Jack and J'Lo - Raycine - Diesel 
• Trail Rating: 2.3 (Some boggy areas from melting snow - rocky off trail terrain)

Notes: Did a little scouting for our IMO. The area has potential. We couldn't check out as much as we liked due to the wet conditions from melting snow. Another week and it should be about right. Lot's of water everywhere. I drove home following Jones and Dusty through Midvale for lunch. A ranch house off Farm to Market Rd.  was surrounded by water right up to the front yard. Surrounding trees sticking up out of a lake that used to be farmland.

This was Diesels 23rd ride. He continues to do well. He's a lot of horse and will be awesome with miles and wet blankets.

I rode and ponied both horses. I took Shade for a pre-ride hike and then for a ride when we got back to the trailers so we didn't overdo it this time. She might have easily done ok with today's ride - but didn't want to chance it. As long as she gets to go and do some exploring, she's a happy dog.