City of Rocks Day 2

Thursday July 12 2012

It was another hoooooooooooooot day but about 35 tough cookie endurance riders still hit the trail today. I quit looking at the thermometer when it reached 98.6*.

We had another fire/smoke scare - a cloud of smoke rose above a different mountain, and soon the smoke in the valley was quite thick. Steph had been out looking over tomorrow's trail on the ATV and came back in a panic because the smoke was so thick. We called the BLM and found out the fire was way off in Utah - just funny how smoke can make you think the fire is just around the corner.

Tomorrow's forecast is about 10 degrees cooler - hallelujah! Saturday's forecast is for 82 degrees and 60% chance of thunderstorms (eek!).

Lynne White and Otis, on Otis's first trail ride in Castle Creek State Park.

Connie and Finneas at a water stop near Bread Loaves

Up top:

Dave Rabe and Karen Chaton in Castle Creek State Park.

Day 3 tomorrow!

Castle Rocks State Park: Spectacular

Wednesday August 31 2011

We found it: Day 1 of next year's 4-day City of Rocks Pioneer Trails Endurance Ride.

Conveniently, Castle Rocks State Park is only 5 miles down an accessible, unpaved, not too hard or rocky, horse-friendly road from City of Rocks National Reserve. And if it's possible Castle Rocks State Park is even more spectacular than City of Rocks.

The 5-mile trail we rode around the perimeter of the park wound through sagebrush flats, and through pinyon-juniper, and mountain mahogany forests. The footing is, like City of Rocks, unbelievably soft and mostly rock free. Most of the rock around here is vertical - granite monoliths and pinnacles reach 350 feet or more.


Pictographs and other archaeological evidence indicate people have been in the area almost 2500 years ago. There are foundation remains of an old homestead site from 1888 that Jose and I rode into. Over 130 bird species are in the park - lots of vultures were keeping an eye on us. Maybe they knew something we didn't!


Vet check for the LD's and 50's will probably be at the entrance to Castle Rocks, either in the parking lot, or, preferably, on this huge grassy lawn off of which we had trouble coaxing Jose, Batman and Musafa. I'm sure the park would like their lawn mowed, and what better way than to have 30-50 hungry horses do it for free? (And provide free fertilizer!)


Jose and I find it a breathtaking place to ride.

But I'll let you decide.

[slide show here]


And many more photos of the site of next year's City of Rocks Pioneers Trails Endurance Ride here:
http://www.endurance.net/international/USA/2011CityofRocks/