Pagosa Springs, CO                 Aug. '04

For a year, some friends had Randy and me pumped up for trailering to SD. The trip was still in the planning and was scheduled for August of '04--still another year away. However, somehow (I'm still not sure how this ride did an "about face" from east to west, but....) I learned that instead of SD as our destination, we were headed to CO! Once Randy and I got acclimated to the notion, we began to get excited about trailering over the Continental Divide at Wolf Creek Pass (10,850 feet). However, I also became somewhat nervous about the additional preparation involved in making sure that the trip would be the safest for horse and human.      All of the planning paid off, because now that the trip is just a memory I can honestly say that it was well worth the time and effort for our first LONG-distance haul to be practically perfect! While Sondra and Becky planned the meals to feed 14 people for a week, Gaye and I gathered our share of the food. Meanwhile, Randy bought a new truck with more horsepower to ensure getting us up and over Wolf Creek Pass. Good excuse for buying a new truck!      So, on July 30, we set out on our journey. One of the nice things about the 3 days on the road was the fact that we parked our rigs at friends' farms along the way, making the 1,268 mile trip to Pagosa Springs an easier trek. During our week at Pagosa Springs, we camped at Sportman's Supply Campground where Jon, the owner, provided our 13 horses first-class lodging! The "herd" had the run of a huge, shaded grassy pasture which had a narrow fresh-running spring running through it. A couple of paddocks near the gate made it handy to isolate some of the horses at feeding time.      The San Juan Mountains provided spectacular riding adventures. From high peaks, to gorgeous grasslands, the riding was varied and beautiful. The first day proved to be one of my favorite rides. Allowing the horses to adjust to the high altitude, we rode a short trail up to a nearby ridge and took lots of pictures from the beautiful overlooks. On the way back to camp, we nearly missed the opportunity to explore an ice cave. Hikers pointed it out, as it was off the trail and well blended into the terrain. According to lore, the crevice had been used by the Indians long ago as a "natural refrigerator". We took turns holding the horses while most of us climbed down into the cavern; indeed, it was very cool down at the bottom. Just before riding into camp, the trail wound through a maze of willowy aspens.      On two occasions, we packed snacks and enjoyed lunch on the trail. Better than any picnic table, we spread ourselves out on fallen trees while the horses stood tied glad to have a rest, too. On the days that we took shorter rides, we scattered in different directions. There was always plenty to do. As for Joe and his son Brad, they love angling as much as riding so they were off to the fishing hot-spots soon after riding into camp. Randy, Danny, and I followed them out to Williams Reservoir on one of their excursions. We went to enjoy the beauty of the lake, but wound up being the official judges of an ensuing fishing contest. While Brad was "hot" pulling in fish after fish, dad Joe made up the difference by reeling in a nice rainbow trout. It was another highlight of my trip! And I must say, thanks to their diligence, we all dined on fresh trout cooked over an open fire--delicious!!!      On Thursay, we donned raingear not letting a slow drizzle ruin our plans for a daily ride. We rode a small logging trail and had only planned a morning ride anyway. By the time we got back to camp and cleaned up, the rain had stopped and it was off to town to explore the sights. Our first destination was to visit "The Springs". The town is named for the natural hot springs which are found there. We paid a small fee and immersed ourselves in the warm waters. There are over a dozen pools to choose from, each has a sign with the temperature posted since most of the pools are of varying degrees. I only saw 3 people the entire afternoon try out the 114* pool; each came out looking like a lobster. After testing it with a big toe, I knew it was too hot for me. Randy thought otherwise, and sat in it as if it were bath water. (He also likes hot sauce on his food if that helps explain his endurance!) After that, it was some shopping and then regrouping at the Hogs Breath Salloon for supper. Another perfect day!      On our last day, my horse was about to lose a shoe, so I had to drop out of the short ride we had planned and, instead, rode around the nearby trails. Then Randy and I drove out to see where Pat Parelli's ranch was located and take a look at the famous "Chimney Rock" which we could see off in the distance. All worked out well, for it was time to pack up our trailer and get organized for the next day's departure for home.      It was a WONDERFUL trip, and I'm glad I went. It was a congenial gathering of people and horses. I would do it again; however, I'll admit that SD remains high on my list of destinations! ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: "The Send"--While riding a wonderful mountain-side trail, it suddenly disappeared! Rather than backtrack, we decided to try accessing a trail "across the way". However, a VERY STEEP ravine stood between us and the other side. Thus, we carefully dismounted on the "off" side of our saddles to step onto the steep mountainside on our right, and then send our mounts down the embankment and up the steep incline to the trail. One by one, to my amazement, we all made it--horses and humans--without so much as a scratch. This picture shows the end of the line--Joe and Sondra--"sending" their horses down the ravine. "Bridge-crossing"--Though I've crossed a lot of bridges on horseback, I've never crossed a foot-bridge quite like this one. It added just another fun part of our adventure.

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