Thanks for the great photos, P!
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New Mexico Adventures
Catch up time! Sunday I left Moab and had a scenic 10 hr drive, dropping briefly through Colorado and on into New Mexico where I encountered sand/dust clouds, tumbleweeds, and finally a white-out snow storm situation in the dark on a rural 2 lane highway alone in my 2 wheel drive car. I was only 7 miles from the next town but that wasn’t all that comforting since the last town I’d been through hadn’t had any gas stations and the laughably small gas tank in my station wagon was tending towards depleted. I did have food, water, heavy winter sleeping bag and pillows, and an emergency and first aid kit, so really if I’d spent the night on the side of the highway it wouldn’t have been the end of the world. But catching sight of taillights in front of me as I inched along at 5 mph was more comforting than my car full of supplies at that point! Not so comforting was watching said taillights immediately fishtail and go off the road, but fortunately they were going slowly and only ended up a little off the highway with no harm done. Still it was a 4WD Jeep that did the fishtailing so I immediately stopped my own less snow-worthy vehicle and went to have a powwow with the Jeep drivers. They were very nice and reassured me there “should” be gas in the next town, then we agreed to caravan very slowly on if we could do so safely. I managed to get my car into their tire tracks in the rapidly deepening snow covering the narrow highway and we safely made the (longest) 7 mile drive to town, where there was not only gas but almost no evidence of the sudden snow flurry! I took a deep breath, thanked them for escorting me, filled my tanks, and made it the last 50 miles to my Alamogordo hotel. PHEW!
Leaving Moab
Farewell Utah!
Briefly in Colorado
New Mexico: Have some sand/dust!
Snow! I had no idea when I saw this what I was in for later!
Monday my pup and I took the day off from adventures to relax and recharge after hard riding in Utah and the rather exciting drive of the day before. Yesterday, Tuesday, it was time to get back in the saddle! I joined Philip Himanka of Enchanted Arabians for a gorgeous ride through White Sands on his Arabians. talk about a change from the red sands of Moab! It was like riding on the moon, very cool.
Steeds! Smoky and EJ
Told ya it was White Sand! 😉
You could ride forever–and get lost pretty easily too!
I rode 7 yr old Arabian gelding Smoky, who was a fun ride, if exuberant! He had a nice canter and liked to send his hind end skyward every once in a while 😉 When we were almost back to the trailer I dug in my pommel bag for my camera and was alarmed to find it missing. I couldn’t figure it out until I really dug into the pack and felt the hole in the bottom! Oops. Still it was a fun trot and canter back along our tracks searching for the little black digital camera in the White sand. It was a ways back but we did indeed find it–good thing it wasn’t white 🙂
Moab Day 5: Farewell Ride
Tomorrow I am headed on to New Mexico so today was my last ripping ride through the red desert of Moab. No surprise, I chose to ride Berry Haat Salza again 🙂
heading out
Following the rapidly diminishing C hauling butt up the pass
go Salza go!
almost there..
and back down we go
🙂
I’ve got a 9 1/2 hr drive to my next riding destination tomorrow, check back in when I’m there!
Moab Day 4: 30 Miles of WEEE!
This morning we picked 5 fit horses and trailered out to some gorgeous wide open spaces. The pictures pretty much say it all, but I will say this: it was the fastest 30 miles I’ve ever ridden in my life on absolutely unfrickin-believably fit horses! Our moving time was about 3 1/2 hours and most of that was at a canter. The horses never flagged but I sure did! Luckily I had worn my ankle brace and put my stirrups up a notch but I was pretty well spent by the last few miles. It was an amazing experience to ride a horse of that caliber at the speed but PHEW, I don’t know how D &C do that for 50+ miles! Impressive.
Global’s scenic yard, getting ready to load up
And we’re off!
Endurance dog(s)
20ish miles in
C was ready to do another loop while we youngsters cried Uncle after 30 miles!
Holy COW! says Hellsdancer
Picture Arch
Picture Arch
The Gang!
Moab Day 3
An unexpected rain shower blew into Moab last night and I awoke to rain on the window and a mild migraine no doubt brought on by the change in pressure. Fortunately morning rain meant I wasn’t missing riding by taking it easy on D&C’s couch until around noon when I was feeling better, and by that time the sun was back out! We saddled up for a nice evening/sunset ride and I had a *TOTAL BLAST* flying around those narrow winding desert trails on miss Salza. You can’t help but smile, grin, even laugh out loud, at the rush of power trotting and cantering around these snaking trails!
C outrunning 3 horses 😉 Okay he was ahead of us already out running, but he did run home, grab a horse, and come back and catch us again!
Even their dogs run long distance!
Heading back as the sun is setting
Don’tcha wish this was your backyard too?
Weeee!
this is my face after charging around on Salza :p
Salza enjoying some gnoms as darkness falls
Moab Day 2
Travel and Day 1 is in a separate post below this one..
Rip and I were well rested and ready for more adventure this morning, and this time I headed out on GE LZP Chrislazell, a nice mare who could really truck! She is a daughter of GE Double Zell, who is now a gelding but has a perfect and perfectly impressive record with 55 starts, 55 completions, including 4 successful goes at Tevis! Chrislazell is an athletic and quiet ride and a gorgeous deep red chestnut color.
The two interns, D, and I were all riding pasture mates, and mares at that, so in the cool December air we all found ourselves having a Yeehaw moment or two, but we all kept it in the saddle and had a great ride on yet another beautiful day.
Chrislazell–sticking with the redhead theme 😉
Chrislazell
wee wild mane!
It was another sublime day out on good horses in killer scenery. Not much more to say than that!
Redheaded Endurance 