Hi Sweetie,
Had a great night sleep, went out on the side-by-side with DeDe and retrieved a lot of the markers, with my helpers Kelsey and Alexis doing more than half, we picked up buckets, met Jo and Helen for lunch at Willard’s, got back to camp and finished packing and handing over all of the ribbons, markers and other ride paraphernalia back to Jo, then did most of the packing on the trailer, including hooking up the truck so that I can get out of here early tomorrow morning. Unfortunately, the forecast is calling for temps in the 30’s in the morning, brrrrr! So glad I got out my Alaska parka and washed it, I’ve been using it every day! Settled down at dusk, but my batteries are holding such a low charge, I doubt the furnace will make it through the night, so it’s going to be a tough morning! Switched Flashes light blanket out for his heavy one, too. Watched a little TV, but going to bed early tonight to read, just to stay warm. Good night, baby! Love you!
Saturday, December 17, 2022 – Endurance Benefit DONE!
Hey Babe,
Yesterday was so busy I didn’t even take the time to write my blog, but suffice to say it was a very busy day! Did all that was needed to be done for the trails, had lunch and dinner over at the ride camp at Helen’s, and went to bed nice and early yesterday. Woke up early to the alarm today, and was busy all day with the ride. Started out early and ended up late as the timer of the last of the 50 milers that didn’t get in until nearly 6:30, well after dark and after I had to put my Alaska parka on, which I wore this morning as well. Waiting for the last few stragglers, I had Lola at my feet, me sitting in a chair bundled up, with a Goethe Benefit blanket spread over both me and Lola, it was quite the picture, I’m sure. A long and tiring day, heading to the shower and bed. Once last busy day taking down markers and picking up troughs tomorrow, and then I’m done! With the weather forecast as it is (COLD AND RAINY!) I’m planning on heading south on Monday, earlier than I expected, but appropriate if the forecast remains the same. A busy and productive day, but exhausted! Still not fully recovered. SO need a couple of days off! Good night, my darlin’! Love you!
Thursday, December 15, 2022 – Distributed Water Troughs, Re-Marked Red Dot Trail
Hey Darlin’,
Woke up before my early alarm (I really don’t like getting up when it’s still dark!)1`, and was ready to go when Jo picked me up at 8:00. We ran some errands, picked up water troughs and distributed them, then went to lunch at Willards. Great patty melt, but the service is unbelievably slow there. Then met DeDe with her side-by-side and went out and re-marked the corrections on the Red Dot trail, only took about 90 minutes. Glad to be back in camp nice and early, get a few hours to relax anyway. Nothing going on tomorrow until dinner tomorrow night, though I’ve been invited to come over for lunch as well, so I’ll have a much needed relaxed day tomorrow, too. Evidently we have a real system down now, everything has gone smoothly, even the changes in the trail were a minimal issue. Practice makes perfect, I guess! Settled down for the evening, put a blanket on Flash tonight since it’s supposed to go down into the 40’s (brrrr!) watched a little television, ready to take my shower and hit the hay! Good night, sweetie! Love you!
Wednesday, December 14, 2022-Shopping and Dinner with Friends
Heya Sweetie,
Woke up a time or two during the night, but finally got out of bed after 8:00, though I read a little before getting up. Did my chores and a little extra work around the trailer. Weather forecast is for a very cold weekend, so I went up into the attic and pulled out my Alaska parka and washed it, along with some other laundry, managed to put some wire loom around the drains on the refrigerator, don’t know how well the duct tape will hold, but it’s a temporary solution anyway. Washed out the horse trough here at the trailhead, revisited the Red Dot Trail with Kelsey and decided to make some changes, so that’s something else that needs to be done tomorrow. Supposed to rain, so I’ve called DeDe to bring over her side-by-side, since I’m not going to ride Flash in a cold rain. Finally went into town to fill up three propane tanks, do some shopping, and fill up the truck with fuel so I can get home without stopping, maybe. Finally ended the day meeting Margarita and George for dinner at Willard’s, had a lovely steak, so that’s two days I’ve pigged out at a restaurant. Not stepping on the scale tomorrow! Got back around 7:00, planning on an early shower and bed. Sorry to say, Lola got into the bedroom while I was gone, so there’s probably some sand in the bed now, grrrr! Didn’t block it off well enough before I left, so it’s my fault, I know. Still tired, and keeping this busy isn’t helping much. I expect when I get back to Dupuis, I’ll crash for a couple of days! At least, I hope I get the chance to do that! Anyway, that was my day. Good night, babe! Love you!
Tuesday, December 13, 2022 – Red Dot Trail Marked
Hi Babe,
Another good night sleep, though I was up at a more reasonable 7:30 this morning. Did my usual morning chores and breakfast before saddling up Flash and heading out to do the Red Dot loop. It went quickly and easily, though it was more gravel road than I remember, so I’m going to take a look at alternatives to see if I can find some. Went out to dinner with Jo and her hubby Jeff at Shrimp Landing, a little restaurant in the tiny town of Ingles about 20 minutes away. All you can eat shrimp! Delicious. I confess, I pigged out. Got back to camp and sat around the campfire with my horse neighbors, did my Snowy River, and am now writing this with my generator on and my fireplace going, warming the place up enough to get through the night. Some chilly nights, and calling for temps in the upper 30’s by the weekend, brrrr! Looking forward to heading south again next week! Already showered before dinner, so I won’t be long out of bed. Love you, my darlin’! Good night!
Monday, December 12, 2022 – Short Orange Trail Marked
Hey Darlin’,
Even though I went to bed by 8:30 last night, I slept until 8:45 this morning! Really catching up on my zzzzz’s! After breakfast and chores and a little organizing, I saddled up Flash and headed out to mark the short orange loop. It’s a lot easier this year, as we’re using the same trails as last year, and all the ribbons were nicely hooked onto cardboard at the end of last year, so it’s a piece of cake. Flash was well-behaved for the most part, and it took me a good part of the day to accomplish, but it got done! Chatted with my neighbors, surprisingly, there are other horse campers here, then settled down for the evening. Finished off the nice turkey soup Jeff gave me Saturday, watched a little TV, had my shower, and now it’s off the bed! Good night, sweetie! Love you!
Sunday, December 11, 2022 – Partial Recovery Day
Hey Sweetie,
Woke up a couple of times during the night, and was thinking about getting up around 7:00, then decided to lay in for a bit, dozed off, and the next time I looked at the clock, it said 11:45! Holy mackerel! Well, it turned out my clock had jumped forward an hour, don’t know why, but still, 10:45 was ridiculous, but I obviously needed it. More than 12 hours of sleep, that’s crazy! I heard other campers leave, and someone come in for day riding, and when they left for the trail, Flash started whinnying away. I thought it was just because they were leaving him behind, but I think by then he was just hungry! Finally got up and fed him, then put up the highline and eventually moved him over, took down his paddock, did a load of laundry, got out the awning and porch rug, disconnected, then found a problem with my refrigerator, it didn’t seem to want to switch over to propane, so I had to fool with that awhile. In between, I played fetch with Lola, she was desperate for some exercise. Spoke to the day riders for a bit when they came back as well. Jo came by to hand off the trail markers so that I could start putting them out tomorrow. Had her help me put some stuff in the attic, then finally was able to relax a bit after she left. Dinner, shower will soon be next, and an early bedtime tonight, I’m still crashing! Good night, babe! Love you!
Saturday, December 10, 2022 – Bringing Home the Cattle!
Hey Babe,
A bit of confusion this morning about the start time, so it was a little rushed when it was unexpectedly moved up, but we managed to get packed, loaded and saddled just before the cows started heading our way. It was another short, slow ride today, with enough stops to settle Flash down whenever he started getting antsy. Left camp about 9:00 and arrived at the Silver Spur Practice Arena in Kenansville at just about noon, pretty much on schedule. A good number of friends and family was there. Jeff arrived about ten minutes after we rode our groups through the arena, and it didn’t take long to collect my luggage, load up Flash, get Lola settled in the truck and hit the road. Jeff even brought me a container of turkey soup! Very nice! I needed fuel, but the first two stations were a bust, the first one had all the pumps covered with plastic bags, and the second one, I couldn’t fit it where the diesel pump was. Finally found one and managed to fill up okay. Probably should have taken the turnpike, I’d forgotten how bad 192 was leading up to Disney World, it would have saved me an hour. Didn’t want to be driving after dark, and managed to arrive at Goethe just minutes after the dusk was completed, and a few clouds made it lighter for a few minutes more. Put the electric paddock up for Flash, figured that would be faster than a highline, started the generator, made a quick dinner, and once I had hot water, luxuriated in a nice hot shower, which was truly magnificent. Watched a little TV, got my Spanish lesson done, now I’m heading to bed. Good night, darling! Love you!
Friday, December 9, 2022 – Day Five-Last Full Day
Hi Sweetie!
Today was a much more relaxed day, much appreciated after a lengthy and tiring week. I slept an hour later, and woke up ten minutes before my 6:00 alarm. Breakfast was at 8:00 and what a luxury it was to be able to pack up in the daylight! I even left the tent up and it got pretty dried out before I put it away. Today, the cows are a new heard that haven’t had the horns cut, so I was glad we weren’t working with them. Apparently they also had a meaner disposition, too, so double glad. Found out at breakfast that we wouldn’t be arriving in the arena tomorrow until between 1:00 and 2:00, so my plans to leave for Goethe has changed, no way I’m driving at night. We only rode 6.5 miles today, but it took almost five hours, very slow stop and start. Flash was better today, likely because we stopped so often and for so long, he was never able to get any steam up. Didn’t even stop for lunch. We arrived in camp around 2:00, secured a decent spot, started setting up before taking a break for lunch. Time do dry out and relax. Then they suddenly announced the Seminole presentation was starting, but I though that was after dinner. Nothing like having no schedule. Driving me a little crazy. Frankly, too tired to walk that far more than once tonight, though I really would have liked to see it. Got all set up and finally sat down and relaxed. Hear tomorrow will be a late start, too, so planning on sleeping a bit later, if possible. But that changed by after dinner, to breakfast at 7:00 and ride out at 830-9:00. Wandered over to the food tent around 5:00 to look at the silent auction items and socialize. Dinner was at 6:00, a beautiful prime rib. The Space Station flew over again just as it was being served. A program of Seminole storytelling, lots of thank you’s, the auction, a bonfire with Indian dancing, but I didn’t stay for either since I knew I’d be getting up early again after all. Still have my Spanish lesson to do, then hitting the hay. Good night, Babe! Love you!
Thursday, December 8, 2022 – Day Four-Another Great Day!
Hey Babe!
Got up at 5:00 (late by previous standards!) and still managed to get everything done on time. Got an efficient routine going now! Rode with the herd again today, had to do some real work keeping them from scattering. Last time we used the same herd, so they were too tired by now to give us any trouble, but this time, we’re picking up and moving different herds, so they were pretty fresh and troublesome. Flash stared acting up again for some reason, and I had to move away from the herd eventually, but we were once again in wide open fields, so we ran for miles. A lot more work than I was hoping for today, but fun nevertheless! Rode through some beautiful hammocks, really nice. About 14 miles today, but we dropped off the cattle at lunch so the rest of the day was just a nice trail ride, though Flash insisted on being in front and I was too tired to argue, and I wanted to get into camp first anyway to pick a good spot. We’re calling it “the land rush” because so many of us race to find our flags and claim our camping spot. We got in about 2:30, so we actually had time to dry out a lot of stuff, very grateful for that! No rain, just everything wet with dew when we pack up. Once Lynda and I got settled in, we took the horses for a swim in a nearby stock pond, really enjoyed that! Then we saw a launch from Cape Canaveral, which was amazing, and later the Space Station flew over as well, so a really “spacey” day! Dinner was really late, and I was sorry I gave Flash my PB&J sandwich, which he seemed to enjoy. Who knew? Finally got settled in, later than usual, but satisfied with another adventurous day! Good night, my darlin’! Love you!