1-2-12 15 Mile Ride (round trip) to Desert Hues Mine Claim

Never rode more than 11 miles till today. Mostly flat and boring but had to "warm up" Mocha for an up-coming ride with some out of town endurance friends next weekend.

 Took 5-1/2 hours including a half hour break. My Husband drove out to our mine claim today so I loaded hay and water on the truck and got a head start.  He still got there about 2 hours before me and spent more time there than he wanted to waiting for us to get there.  It seemed like forever!

Finally arrived after 2pm. Mocha didn't drink as much as I thought he would, barely a quart. I gave him almost a half hour rest than headed back. Robert left shortly after me and passed us. It was funny, Mocha wanted to catch up with our truck.

 Walked most of the way and a little trotting now and than.

 I was SO SORE by the time I got home! It was almost dark by the time I got Mocha home.

 A hot bath and 3 Excedrin after dinner and I feel a little better.

 Anyway, here are the pictures...

 Flat and boring the entire ride but we will be doing the hills next weekend. I was riding alone so needed to be where I was sure to have a good phone signal and easy to find if anything happened if I didn't check in.

  If I EVER do this ride again I'll bring someone to keep me company to beat the boredom and have Robert bring a camp stove and food to the claim for a decent lunch break- OR include tents and bedding set up camp for the night!..








(Click on pic to see video...)




Possible parking area to shorten the ride by a couple miles (actually 4 altogether)



End of the farm fields and into BLM...





(Click on pic to see video...)






(Click on pic to see video...)




(Click on pic to see video...)



Mocha's getting tired...




(Click on pic to see video...)


(Click on pic to see video...)







(Click on pic to see video...)




(Click on pic to see video...)






(Click on pic to see video...)


See the truck in the distance... about to disappear






(Click on pic to see video...)








(Click on pic to see video...)


(Click on pic to see video...)

Fantastic pre-Ride in Salome yesterday...

 

  An endurance rider friend of mine and her Husband trailered here from Yuma this weekend to ride the trails out here with me today.

I have known her for about 4 years. "Met" her on Endurance.net. She has herself listed as a Mentor. I have been wanting to ride with her and pick her brain for a long long time.

 Today we did a pre-ride for a ride Lori, Lee, her husband, Drin and I want to do in January when Drin, (another endurance woman) will be coming down to stay for a month on some property they recently purchased down the road from us.

 Anyway...

 I had traced a loop that I hadn't been on before so we wanted to check it out first.

On Google Earth when I selected the "Elevation Profile" of the trail I found one short section to be a 35% grade!This concerned me so I also traced out an "ALT" route...

Before we got to the hill tho we took a wrong turn that went about a mile to a dead end. That was a steep climb so I assumed that was the "BIG ONE".

Boy was I wrong! When we came back after discovering we went the wrong way we could see the REAL Big One! From across the ravine it looked as though it went straight up!

  When we got to that grade... OMG!!

I really would have turned around and ridden the easy "ALT" route that I had marked. But Lee encouraged me that if their 20+ year old horses could do it that he could do it. So we did.

And  MOCHA "MADE THE GRADE"! It was scarey and exciting at the same time. I was so proud of Mocha. 
     Sure would have loved to have a helmet cam on that ride! Could have made a video going up that monster hill! I needed both hands to hold on so any picture taking was out of the question!

We were almost at the top of a mountain...

VIDEO-------





We probably traveled about 11 miles or so. And Mocha did it all barefoot!
It was a good ride!

2-12-11 Trail ride out Salome Way...

 
 A few friends trailerd out to Salome to ride yesterday. Lori, Brenda and Mary. It was Mary's first time riding in this area. Lori comes out to ride often and  Brenda has followed her out a few times before.
    Took some trails we hadn't been on before. We did a short ride on mostly flat terrain because Mocha is out of shape (haven't ridden him since 11/20). Traveled about8 to 9 miles in a little over 3 hours. A nice laid back ride, enjoyed the scenery and the warm Arizona winter sunshine (70+degrees) a huge change from what it was a week ago! ....

 Rode up a wash and looked at cool rocks and rock formations..






Somebodys campsite.. A couple horses weren't too sure if that fire pit was something they could trust..




 Somebodys camp site...


Winchester Peak in the distance...

 Mary and Brenda...   Lori...

  Mary..

No pictures of me and Mocha this time

    I need to take mocha out riding more, even if I have to ride alone and stay close to home. Mocha is getting chubby and breaks into a sweat within the first few miles and it was barely 70 degrees when we started out.