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Destination AZ became a reality on Saturday, January 15th. Just days earlier, we loaded the trailer in balmy 50* weather. However, as we departed Arcola at 3:30 A.M., the temperature was a bone-chilling 13*. It made us even more eager to head south! January weather can be treacherous, so we watched the forecast not only for Arcola, but also for OK and TX. Everything looked great. Randy had planned our itinerary to take us to OK City, dropping south to Wichita Falls, TX then onto Abilene and finally heading west on I 20 where we later picked up I 10. Cutting through Tucson, we picked up SR 77/79 up to Apache Junction. Using www.horsetrip.com as a resource, we stayed with wonderful hosts during our 3 day trip both going and coming. I can't say enough about this invaluable resource. (See my other tips for long-distance traveling.) At Apache Junction we camped at King's Stable. It is located on SR 88 almost directly across from Goldfield Mine, a tourist attraction Randy and I had visited many times over the years. Our hostess was Nga Huynh who provided us with fresh oranges, samples of Vietnamese cuisine, and guided tours of the trails when we wanted. One of the first things that impressed me about King's Stable was that upon arrival, Nga "quarantined" our horses for the first week. After that, they were moved into a larger shelter where they mingled with both the snowbird horses and permanent boarders. All pens were clean, and I respected the quarantine policy knowing that the health of the horses was a high priority. The cost of stabling included hay or alfalfa, whichever you preferred for your horse. Larry, the hired man, fed promptly at 7 and 4; between those hours, he cleaned each stall. The automatic waterers kept every horse supplied with plenty of fresh water. Also, the stalls were fully covered to protect them from rain and sun, not to mention keeping the hay bunks dry, too. Our camping spot provided us with water hook-up and electricity. It was only a short walk to the horses' stalls. Between us and the stalls were three round-pens. Adjacent to the stalls stood a huge arena. Both the arena and round-pens saw almost constant use. In my opinion, the riding was superb! We often rode the well-groomed trails in "Lost Dutchman State Park" but actually preferred the more rigorous riding offered behind Goldfield Mine on the east side of SR 88. There are so many trails to choose from; one could ride all day and never have to backtrack. A favorite spot is called "Cottonwood Springs" because of the small stream and several deciduous cottonwood trees which dwell among the desert fauna. It was lush with grass so that the horses could refresh by grazing and also getting a nice cool drink. We took advantage of the respite and munched on granola bars, etc. Riding some of the BLM trails was a treat as the horse gates made the trails inaccessible to mororized vehicles. While I rode, Randy took advantage of the near 80* January temps and sat in the sun back at camp. He flew back and forth to work in IL during my extended stay. Hopefully, after his retirement he and I will be able to return next year for an even longer escape from the cold and gloomy IL winters!
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