Graveyards and Buzzards

 I didn't have a lot of time today but it was such a beautiful day that I just had to get out for a ride, even if only a short one. So, since it was an unplanned event, Lily and I were heading out solo. When I got to the barn, Lily was out in the big pasture. Good girl that she is, she came to me when I called her. I saddled up and she was overall pretty quite about it. I mounted up and headed over to towards my house. This is the first time I've mounted up at the barn and ridden off alone. I've always led her away from the barn for a distance before mounting. Lily did not even hesitate for a second.

She did however, booger a bit at the decorative horse head in the horse shoe figure at the end of Sally's fence. But, she did go by it without too much fuss. We rode down Cedar Bluff Lane and went right on Thacker Hollow and then right again up Black Ridge Rd. At the top of the big hill, Josh Cross has some shadow figures on his lawn near the road. Well, that was a big mule booger too but after a bit of snorting, Lily did go by. Just as we got by that a motorcycle came roaring up the hill. Lily tensed up a bit at that but made no fuss. At the trail head, there were several groups of riders. Lily didn't pay any attention to the groups and cruised on by then without so much as a glance. I was very pleased about that. We took the Black's cabin trail to the cut off for Thacker Hollow Cemetery. Lily has always been snorty about the stone bench there. Today I asked her to approach it. It didn't take long to get her to go up and investigate it.

We went down the hill to the creek and headed south on 185. There are multiple trees down on 185 that are obnoxious to get around. When we got to 184, we took that back towards home. We were on a switchback watching some riders below us. They were staring up at the sky as there were multiple turkey buzzards flying low near us. Just as we got by a little cave in some rocks, a turkey vulture exploded out of the little cave right behind us VERY close. It startled me and spooked Lily. She bolted forward down the hill. Thank goodness she stopped just as soon as I picked up on the reins.

All was well until we got on the trail from Black's Cabin to home. Just as we were approaching the last corner of the trail around the big pasture, we could hear what sounded like loud dirt bikes down in the hollow to our left. Lily was definitely a bit concerned about this but kept going. The, she stopped dead got really worried. It took me a minute to figure out what the trouble was but realized that she has spotted a fire on the edge of the woods. It was Delbert burning leaves. Lily didn't like the looks of that at all. But, we still got back to the barn all in one piece. It was a good ride.

Copper

Yet more of my Maine friends have arrived to visit me! What a blessed week! Pam, Cierra and Brooke arrived Friday night. I arranged with Anthony to borrow 3 mules for Cierra, Brooke and me to ride today. There is something wrong with my truck so I was not able to trailer her back to camp to ride today. I decided to ride Reverend Ike, the mule Donna consigned with Anthony to sell for her.
Brooke was to ride Iris and Cierra was going to ride Harvey but when we arrived at camp, Ross was getting shoes on his two horses. Cierra spotted Copper and it was love at first sight. We sweet talked Ross into letting Cierra ride Copper. Ross was going to ride his gelding. Neither horse had been ridden in quite some time.

Brooke and I got Iris and Ike groomed and saddled up. Just before we headed out, Anthony asked if Brooke would ride Evie instead as he had someone that wanted to ride with us that was interested in trying Iris out to buy. Brooke didn't mind at all so we got Evie and got her saddled up. Ross's gelding acted up a  bit heading out of camp. And Cierra on Copper put on a bit of a rodeo in the camp driveway. But, Cierra handled things quickly and quickly had Copper moving down the trail quietly.

Brooke on Evie going into Rice Hollow

Cierra on Copper at Rice Hollow

Brooke on Evie

We rode out through Rice Hollow and then over to Knight's of the Golden Circle. At Knight's of the Golden Circle, I was talking to David and he had kind of decided Iris was not quite what he was looking for in a mule. He said she was real nice but a bit too quite for his taste. I was having a great time riding Ike. He was forward and smooth to ride but behaving wonderfully. Knowing he was for sale too, I suggested to David we switch mules. He was happy to do that. He was right about Iris, a very nice mule but very laid back and quiet. But, I enjoyed riding her also. David would have liked to try out Evie also but Brooke was not giving up her ride! We rode to Buzzard's Roost, the Teepee, and Whiskey Cave. With the rain we'd had overnight, there were a couple small waterfalls at Whiskey Cave that were so pretty. We had a great ride and a great day.

Brooke on Evie at Knight's of the Golden Circle

Brooke, on Evie, Ross and Cierra on Copper at Buzzard's Roost

Cindy on Reverend Ike at the Teepee

Cindy on Iris at Whiskey Cave

Lunch at Double M Campground

Another absolutely day. Amy and I went out with a larger group today being led by Anthony. We were riding over to Double M. Campground for lunch. Sam Shelter was riding with the group today. He is an Amish trainer that is making quite a name for himself. Just recently a mule he trained for the Carmack's sold for $40,000. Today Sam was riding one of Anthony's mules. Right out of camp is the first rock to be found to play on. Katie led the way onto the rock with her personal mule, Moonshine.

 At Initial Tree, an eve more impressive rock was found to play on. I was not even tempted to try this one though it was fun to watch how easy the mule make rock climbing look.

We had a nice lunch at Double M. Campground. There was an Amish couple riding with us today. I've never seen an Amish woman riding before. From Double M we rode by Pounds Hollow sluice way and rode over the dam and along the lake. That is a rough but fun ride with a hard pull up a steep hill to a tie line area above the lake. We stopped there to let all the mules catch their breaths. And it gave us all time to chat and enjoy each others company. From there Amy and I got out ahead of the group so stopped on the ledges at Black Ridge Rd. From there we rode the Indian Paint Wall back to Initial Tree. Along the Indian Paint Wall trail there is a small cave. Anthony took his mule in there and he and Sam did a demo on how to lay a mule down and gave some good pointers for training a mule to do that. We stopped for a break at Initial Tree. Amy climbed up the bluff wall to get a good picture of the group. 

Rice Hollow

Today a smaller group of us went out together. Ray and Jackie Maxsom. Jackie, on her lovely new mule, led the way for a good portion of the ride. Her new mule did wonderful. Ross Bird was in our group as well as Stephanie McCarty and Alan. Today Amy gave her Annabelle a day off and rode Suzanne's mule Bandit. It was a fabulous day today. T-shirt weather at last! We rode through Rice Hollow, to Knight's of the Golden Circle, Hurricane Bluff, Whiskey Cave, Buzzard's Roost and Cowboy Hideout.