Monday October 31 2011
From Stormy and The Raven!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Sightseein' on Jose
Sunday October 30 2011
Another great 50-mile ride on Jose on day 2 of the Owyhee Hallowed Weenies. Here's another little video clip so you can briefly ride along. We're cresting a hill to a spectacular view of the Snake River. This is one of the spots, by Wild Horse Butte (that's it to our right) where the wagon trains came down off the Oregon Trail to water their stock.
Notice that Jose notices the river when we pop over the hill. : )
And notice that he takes in the rest of the scenery as we're going along. : )
(Here's the video link)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CfxA1dxPpg
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Cruisin' on Jose
Saturday October 29 2011
Here's a dizzying little clip from today's 55-mile ride at the Hallowed Weenies endurance ride on Jose. It looks and sounds like we're flying, but we were only trotting! And it was breezy. OK, we were trotting fast, in the brisk breeze, on a twisting, winding path through the sagebrush and greasewood down Birch Creek wash. Jose says: these trails are FUN!
More later. Day 2 is tomorrow.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
City of Rocks: New Trails
Tuesday October 25 2011
Goldseekers. Hunters. Trappers. Wanderers. Adventurers. Flee-ers. Seekers. Hundreds of thousands of pioneers emigrated westward along the California Trail in the early and mid-1800's. The northern branch of the California Trail passes through the old lands of the Shoshone and Bannock Indians, through what is now southern Idaho, and the City of Rocks National Reserve.
Between 1843 and 1882, an estimated quarter million emigrants travelled through the City of Rocks on this trail en route to the West. In 1852 alone, some 52,000 people passed through.
City of Rocks was a landmark for the emigrants, one that inspired wonder and romantic awe, and a form of relief in their long journey from the East:
Sallie Hester - August 3, 1849
"Passed some beautiful scenery, high cliffs of rocks resembling old ruins or dilapidated buildings."
Dr. John Hudson Wayman - July 12, 1852: "This City is walled in on every side with towering granite mountains, some peaks shooting athwart the sky like towering domes. While hundreds of piles, peaks, steeples and domes, of all shapes possible in the distance looking like an old dilapidated City"
The Twin Sisters - 2 side-by-side granite spires, one of which is 2.5 billion years old, the other 25 million years old - have been significant throughout recorded human history. The peaks may have had important spiritual significance for the Native Americans. They were a significant landmark for the pioneers travelling the California Trail. Not named "Twin Sisters" by white people until 1848, there were 88 descriptions in 86 pioneer journals comment on them, including Steeple Rocks, Twin Mounds, Twin Buttes, Twin Pyramids at Gate, Two Dome Mountain, and Castle Rocks.
The old California Trail snakes through the Circle Creek valley, surrounded by the unique granite formations that give City of Rocks its name. Emigrant Canyon, through which runs the old Salt Lake Alternate Emigrant Trail and the old Boise-Kelton Stage Route, spills into City of Rocks with a view of the Twin Sisters where it meets the California Trail. Heath Canyon climbs up and over a gentle pass that also drops down to the California Trail and a view of the Twin Sisters (see my stories of our rides over these other trails here).
Perhaps the pioneers also used this new route we rode on Saturday. Maybe they travelled up the valley of Junction Creek, and turned off and camped at Sparks Spring and watered their animals like we did.
Perhaps they picnicked and rested at this giant granite pinnacle like we did.
Maybe they crested this unnamed pass and were amazed at the Twin Sisters that rose into view and guided them like a beacon as they descended to the Salt Lake Alternate trail, as they did for us.
Maybe our awe matched their own.
[slide show here]
Monday, October 24, 2011
City of Rocks: Gold in Them Thar Hills
Monday October 24 2011
There's just something special about riding through Gold.
Gold means the air is crisp and cool. Gold means the light is soft and angled, which only accentuates Nature's artwork.
Golden aspen leaves on the trees quake and shimmer a welcoming path through the forest.
Fallen golden leaves carpet the paths underfoot,
and sprinkle the creeks with golden glitter.
We had more trails to scout in the City of Rocks National Reserve, where Steph is putting on a 4-day endurance ride next year. Conveniently, it was the peak of the turning of the aspens.
15 miles on Friday led us along paths of gold, through City of Rocks, climbing above the Circle Creek valley
and into the lower reaches of the Albion Mountains. Snow patches from the early winter snowstorm that moved through the Northwest on October 5-6 still basked on sun-sheltered crags to the north, and it had only recently melted in the fir forest we climbed to.
Woman and beast alike savored the scenic ride through the Gold of Autumn.
[slide show here]
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