A Day Late and a Ride Short

Sunday February 8 2009

Here I was all ready to leave for the UAE on Wednesday, counting down the days left sleeping on my special pillow, kissing on my horse, hiking in the snow, and the 3 more days of riding (or 2, if it snows too much tomorrow!), when I checked my ticket again, and saw I am leaving TUESDAY.

Dang. That's suddenly one less of everything before I leave.

This morning it was foggy, and as noon came and went, the fog got heavier and the day darker and the temperature colder, hoar frost starting to grow on horse hairs hanging off the fences. Carol emailed, "I don't want to ride and neither do you!"

But as the cold day wore on, that departure countdown got louder in my head - just TWO more days to ride, and tomorrow it might snow. Just when I was about to go saddle up and head out into the thick fog anyway, all of a sudden it started to lift and the sun almost made a shadow.

I called Carol, "It's getting bright out there, we have to ride!"

"OK, in 15 minutes!"


We headed to the Hart Creek Rim Trail


with Surri and Jose, for a special dose of Owyhee scenery. The snow was good to trot on but the mud was deep in some places. We didn't mind when we had to stroll through the mud along the rim and take in the vista.


The Owyhee mountains were hidden behind clouds and fog, but the Hart Creek drainage flaunted its own winter glory.




A hawk, maybe sharp-shinned or Cooper's, sat on a little knoll and watched us. Several Ravens flew by, following one after the other. I've ridden this trail a lot, but I never ever get tired of looking at this valley from the Rim Trail. I never get tired of looking at this country.

Jose and Surri had a good time, snacking on the oat grass that the cows missed, and plenty of treats. Jose kept stopping and turning his head back for treats. He even tried to bum some off of Carol. Who spoiled this horse??

Spigot gamboled along with us the whole ride - he's becoming quite the mileage dog.

The ride was sweet - and what with the countdown to travel, and seeing as I may not ride for 3 weeks (though I AM bringing along my helmet : ), that made today's ride all the sweeter.

Pony Express

Friday February 6 2009

I haven't owned a TV for years, and I think the only channel we get on the TV here is ABC. (Sadly, I have not seen my soap opera, Days of Our Lives, for over a year : ). (Many people find it hard to believe that I have watched a soap for 32 years : )

Anyway, I don't watch many rented movies or shows either, but once in a while, there is something I get hooked on.

Like The Office. Lord help me. I am addicted. And now I'm relying on Netflix.

And now that I'm leaving for Abu Dhabi in a few days, I am kind of in a panic, because I MUST at least finish season 3. (Nobody tell me what happens!) And, if I could get one more disc back in the mail to Netflix today, I might be able to get the last disc of season 3 here before I leave, and I just must do that, or I won't be able to concentrate on my job of reporting on endurance!

And I couldn't quite justify driving 5 miles down the road just to drop off a DVD in the mailbox. So, next best thing? Carol and I saddled up the Bowling Ball and Jose and carried the mail, express on horseback, down to the mailboxes.

We did a bit of walking and trotting, and that's the farthest ride Carol's little fat black mare has done so far (she got cranky when she got tired - maybe because she has one Big Attitude, and Jose made it look so easy). It was a somewhat interesting ride for Jose, because I don't think he's ever just gone straight down the road and back, so there were some different things to see - some old chicken feeders, one scary silver drain pipe that sort of hides in the tumbleweeds and sneaks up on you, a neighbor who parked a little jeep on the side of the road (which was oddly scary - maybe it had a smell Jose didn't like), a water trough put out for the cows, and the cows themselves.

And Jose was the perfect mailman, helping put the DVD in the mailbox, so I can get my pre-travelling fix of THE OFFICE.

Hot Ticket

Thursday February 5 2009

Or, "Merri Travels, Steph Stays : ) "

It's my turn to travel, because Steph swears she is staying home this time. Well, except for one trip to Patagonia. And except for one trip to Uruguay. Well, and there's that trip to Morocco with the Bahraini endurance team. And...

(You get the picture.)

I hope I got my fill of snow and cold here in Owyhee, because where I'm going, there's only one recorded snowfall that completely covered the Al-Jees mountain range (at 5700') in Ras as-Khaimah, the most northerly state of the 7-state United Arab Emirates. Down at sea level where I'll be it's unlikely I'll see even a drop of rain. In fact, it is highly possible the temperature will rise above my PWL (Personal Whining Limit) of 75*F. Well. Maybe I should take a comfort bottle of Owyhee snow with me.

It'll be my first visit to the UAE (and, hopefully, Qatar). Primary event is the 160 km President's Cup endurance race in Abu Dhabi on February 14. This will be the 10th anniversary of the event, which has produced some astonishing finish times from some incredible endurance horses. The last two years the Cup has been run in less than 7 hours for 160 km - 100 miles - a figure I cannot wrap my head around. I mean, I rarely ride 50 miles in less than 7 hours! There are many aspects to endurance around the world, and this will be my first look at this distinctive atmosphere.

Then it's back home to Owyhee briefly to kiss my horse in March before heading to Spain, for the Cron 120 km ride near Barcelona, (where my digs will be El Moli - owned by Kiwis Paul and Madonna - a restored 16th century mill : ), then on to the south of Spain, for a return to the the 4th renewal of the 9-day Al Andalus ride, the fun, exhausting, equine merry-making, unique endurance ride that takes you on a whirlwind journey around southen Spain and the beautiful land of Andalucia with the beautiful Andalucian people. (Note to Ines: Mi espanol es tal vez poquito mejor, and my suitcase will be half as big and half the weight this year!)

I will be back just in time for the Tough Sucker ride here in April, and the 2-day Fandango ride in May. Somebody get Jose ready for me!

And then maybe it's onward again, maybe some re-visits and some new visits... because there's always some endurance, somewhere in the world, either here in my backyard or on the other side of the planet. We really are one big family, whether you ride or race, whether you do it for fun or for business.

So, I'm scrubbing my lenses, sharpening my pens, and putting my travelling sandals on. For the next 6 days I'm going to do a snow dance for one more dumping before I leave, (possibility of snow tomorrow!), smooch on my horse, snort some Owyhee snow, make a few snow angels, and eat as much Ben & Jerry's Coffee Heath Bar Crunch as I possibly can, all to excess.

And the Raven's already got his bag packed : )

Scratchin' the Itch

Tuesday February 3 2009

Carol and I were on the same wavelength this dazzling winter morning - right when I thought, man, we really have to get out and ride today, she called and said, "We really have to get out and ride today!"

So we saddled up Jose and Surri, and with the sun burning down bright on the snow-packed Owyhees up the canyon, and throwing our long shadows across our tracks, we headed up onto the northwest flats, hoping to find some decent footing.

Climbing up the hill onto the top, (Jose was huffing and puffing!! It's been a while and we've all gone to seed!) we were greeted by a cool breeze and a rather stunning view. The high desert landscape takes on a whole different character when it's accented by snow. Drainages, hills, washes, folds, and ridges that normally blend into each other stand out prominently, and you see things you haven't noticed before, even when you look at them almost every day.

The snow was only 2-3 inches deep, and wasn't too slick as we followed the dirt road along the ridge for a while, then dropped down into the wash maze to make a loop back. Bates Creek Road was slick enough in places to get off and walk home.

It was short but way sweet, just enough to take the Riding Itch away for a day.

Back home, Jose got a good hay treat, and capped it off with a good roll in the snow and a shake off.









We already have tomorrow's ride scheduled.

Deferred

Monday February 2 2009

My friend Nance emailed, "My girlfriend and I have gotten out 3 weekends out of 4 in January! I love riding in the snow since the horses get a good workout."

I haven't been out on horseback in 3 weeks! There were just a few days in those 3 weeks where our snow would have been rideable - where it didn't ball up in the horses' feet, and where it wasn't too icy.

Now the soft snow is gone - no swish swish when you hike in it, just Crunch Crunch, with your feet falling through a crust a few inches thick (or a foot-deep drift) with every footstep. It's definitely a good laboring workout.

I keep thinking I should just go saddle a horse and try it, but I've got 1 recovering suspensory and 2 sore-footed horses, with Jose really the only one available at the moment. (He tried to put a halter on himself this evening, either to go do something, or to get me to put him in the pen with his brother Kazam.) It's so tempting to try to ride, but all it takes is one little slip or one little ankle twist, and Jose's on the shelf for 6 months.

It's just not worth the risk. I'll just have to wait.

But while I'm aching to ride, I can't complain: there's great snow hikes to enjoy and gorgeous winter sunsets to marvel over.

I Want My Brother

Saturday January 31 2009

Poor Jose. He's so bored without Mac (who's down south doing endurance rides) and his half-brother Kazam to play with.

Poor Kazam. He is locked up in the Lame Pen, as he has been on and off for months. We thought it was Kazam's foot that was bothering him, but no, recently the vet found a sore high suspensory. He wasn't obviously lame unless you lunged him in a circle (and then only showing up when the leg was on the outside of the circle); it was never bad, but it just never went away. That probably had something to do with the fierce horseplay he and Jose always engaged in. Before we knew it was his suspensory, I'd let Kazam out with Jose, because it was SO hard to keep him locked up, ("criminal!" Steph agreed), because they have SUCH a great time together. But now, Jose and Kazam are separated until Kazam completely heals. He's getting sound, but it's a long, sad, boring process, as hard for me as it is for Jose and Kazam. Now the two half-brothers can only gaze at each other wistfully, longingly, over the fence.

Kazam spends his days eating hay and chewing his fence rails. When I walk in his pen with a halter for somebody else, he comes up and tries to put the halter on himself.

Jose gives me these pointed looks when he stands near Kazam's pen. He tries to get the other horses to play with him, but it's just not the same as Mac or Kazam. He has tried cautiously to pester Dudley, but Dudley just gets annoyed. He backs his butt up to Jose, and he will kick, and not in play. Quickie is a cranky old lady; Jose doesn't even try with her. Princess is a snot, and thinks she's a Princess and above it all. Jose's a bit scared of her and gives her a wide berth. Stormy, in his middle age, is not very playful, and besides he always has other things on his mind (food). Finneas can sometimes be slightly motivated to play a little... but he doesn't put his heart into it. One day Jose got Finneas interested in a little nose-to-nose combat, a little pawing, a little rearing, a little lunging, a little romping... before Finneas lost interest.

And one day, for a little glorious moment, Jose got the other three he was turned out with - Princess, Stormy, FInneas - running together. And then they went back to eating. I think Jose tells them a cougar is up the canyon and they all bolt in fear until they figure out it was just Jose wanting to play.

When nobody else will play, Jose will zoom around himself,





but it's just not quite the same as when somebody else shares your intense passion for real fun - like his half brother.

Jose goes back to gazing at Kazam over the fence; and Kazam stands off by himself in his pen, forlorn.

Kissy Face

Thursday January 29 2009

Some horses don't like kisses, but some horses love them.

'Nuff said.