42 Miles!

Wow, happy me - I rode 42 miles last week, split between my two boys.  It's been a long time since I've been able to do some serious riding, and especially riding both horses.  My riding muscles have gone a bit soft, admittedly, but it was lovely to spend so much time in the saddle.

Ride #1: Sunday, a ride-n-run on Red, with my honey, as he did his last longish run before his first 50K ultra marathon - 12 miles for the horse, 14 miles for the runner (and 3 brief but soaking rains, with just a titch of thunder and lightning)  Red was a stand-out, unflappably trotting along amidst scary random couches, bikes, traffic, and the occasional terrifying flowering purple lupine.

Crossing the river - so pretty!  A very scenic ride, just on the local roads.  We haven't caught C yet!

Can you see the orange dot?  That's C heading back our way after running to the top of the hill.  We met and resupplied his water, Red got some grass, and then we did the return journey together.

Mid-ride snack.

Our herd of three - two humans, one horse - traveled the road home at the same pace.  If you've never tried this - you should!  It's so fun! I see some ride-n-tie in our future :)

Ride #2: Tuesday, enjoying the day with Rhio, and C on Annie.  6.8 miles of scenic Skyline Parkway, complete with a road grader, dump trucks, motorcycles, and bikes.  Whee!!!

Kelso keeps up with C and Annie, while Rhio is content to poke along in the back.

This bridge was rebuilt after the floods of 2012 - it's gorgeous!  But I did appreciate the lack of traffic while it was unusable to vehicles.

Ride #3a: Wednesday morning, a bit quicker ride along the same route as yesterday, this time with C and Windsor (one of her other gray Arabs!).  We ran into a couple walking their two white German Shepherds and enjoyed the camaraderie of our shining white critters. 8 miles, with some lovely canters.

Both horse and rider enjoy the overlook.

I'm quite sure Rhio enjoys the view, too!

Ride #3b:  Wednesday evening, with D on Domingo, out back on our pirvate-access trails.  These trails are usually mowed, but with all the rain, they are too wet to mow.  So, we trot and canter though knee high to belly high grass, wildflowers, and ferns.  Quite an experience.  Red and I even jumped a small log!  6 miles

Lots of snacking ensued on this ride.  The big leaf in the foreground is from a branch I was carrying as a fly switch.  It's practically required equipment to ride in the woods in northern MN in the summer. 

Moose track!

Mane flying = fun for sure!

Ride #5: Thursday, Dago Lake, mostly delightful with C and Windsor (except for the persistent horse flies in a few sections)  Sandy footing and lovely canters, 7 miles.

Sandy footing for all!

I wonder if the multitude of tadpoles flavor the water?  If so, Rhio didn't seem to mind.

This is Dago Lake, where we can normally ride along a nice wide sandy beach.  The water level is so high, we couldn't even make it through in a spot and had to cut back to the trail. 

Happy me and happy pony!  He was raring to go this day - he likes to see new country, and was always offering his big trot or rocking horse canter (after plentiful grazing breaks, of course).