All That and a Bag of Chips

My two best riding buddies and our hubbies headed up to Oak Creek Trail Friday night. There was supposed to be a full moon. Rich and Michael haven't ridden much so we put them on the trusty steeds named Cherokee (the appy) and Rosebud (the paint).

Rich was quite pleased with the fact that his daughter painted up Cherokee with blue handprints on his butt in fine indian style! Rich is part Sioux and he was feeling right at home on his painted appy!

We loaded up our saddle bags. I was riding my 4yo Paint mare, Janie. She's getting quite good at being "pack horse". I had a drink holder and two bags hanging from the horn. I also had a big bag of chips wrapped inside a jacket and tied behind the cantle. Each time we would trot or lope we risked breaking chips because they were making nice annoying shaky-rattly noises on her rump, but she handled it like a pro.

We came to a water-crossing. Jay and Buck flew through. Not much bothers Buck. Rich and Cherokee hesitated slightly but Cherokee went through really well. Marie took Michael up to the limestone and around because we knew Rosebud would take a flying leap over it and figured Michael probably wouldn't be on the top side once she reached the other side!

Prince hestitated so Janie and I walked past them to see if he would follow. She hesitated only slightly then moved forward. I actually thought she was going to walk through, but I was wrong. She took a leap and I'm grateful for prominent swells because I wasn't quite as ready for it as I thought I would be.

Deb had a bit more of a difficult time. Prince has come a looooooong ways in the last few years but he still things that water and mud just isn't worth his time crossing.

The picture tells the story and you can see it on my youtube! Prince was ok, Deb was ok.. albeit she got really dirty lol. But I about crapped when I saw them disappear from sight! It's a good thing this wasn't a river with a current or I'd have been racing down the shoreline trying to find a large limb for her to grab! :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-gKEF8hfok

Soooooo down the trail we went. I'm not really sure what type of foliage this is on Prince's head, but it makes for a dandy bridesmaid hairpiece. He wore that thing the entire rest of the ride.

At last! we reach the fine burg of Loma! Most famous for the filming location of Too Wong Fu, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmahr (or something like that). It's a really cute town. Other than one day where a dude pulled up waving a gun at me asking "Where's Big Jim?" it's full of really nice people! Actually gun-guy turned out to be nice too, he was just looking for a local fellow who does gun repair. But it was quite an interesting experience so say the least!

Ok, I digress.

Deb had packed two pie-tins FULL of excellent taco-y bean dip. I heard her mention dip and thought I saw her put something in Buck's saddle-bags, but I had NO idea that it was this yummy treat! So I untied the bag of chips from Janie's saddle and we munched to our hearts' content! None of the chips were even broken! :-)

Marie was feeling fine.

Rich reminded me of Prince's fart cloud at the exact moment that Deb wanted me to take a "nice picture" of them.

Betty is the proprietor of the bar in Loma. What a nice woman! She loves when we stop to visit her. She was even telling one of the local guys about the time Jay and I were on the trail and got caught in a thunderstorm. We waited it out in the bar with her while watching the radar on television.

She was happy to see us and gave Jay a nice big zuchini!!!! (how in the HELL do you speel zookini? lmao.. giggling at myself)

Marie is suddenly back in love with her long-time boyfriend, Michael. I must say, he did a damn fine job riding Rosebud for 14.7 miles just to please her. Methinks he's okie dokie.

Buck faked us into thinking he was tired. However.. as always... he was the first one back to trailer by a long shot.

We were getting ready to head out of Loma and make the return trip back to the trailers. It's midnight now and very dark. The full moon is hidden by cloud cover. Oh well!!!!!! Mount up Outlaws!!!!

I always wonder about the rumor of mountain lion and hobo-ghost on that trail though. But I haven't seen either yet! :-)

Jay still has his zooooooookini. I have no idea where it is at the very moment, but he had it then, by gawd!

Since I'm the one usually sporting the camera, Jay was kind enough to take a picture of me with the rest of the group. I look like a tiny-person!!!!!! (that's me on the far left) Janie's not a small horse and I'm not a small woman (ok, I'm short... but not small!), but I guess standing next to 16-3 Gus we're dwarfed. I might start calling myself my own mini-me.

It was a beautiful ride back. The fireflies were out in full force and I got to see the moon briefly at one point. Janie was a rock-star and really moved out at a nice long-strided walk. A couple of times I relaxed, dropped my shoulders and head and took a little doze.