Dec 7, 2016

"Cruize" to New Fork Lakes, Last Trail Ride Before Winter!

An aerial view of our 9.5 mile (round trip) trail. November 17, 2016
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The parking lot. I was the only person there, which gave me room to circle the truck and trailer around so I didn't have to back into the spot....which is always a bonus. I chose New Fork on this day because the weather was wonderful, and I hadn't been on this trail for over a year. I was hoping to get farther into the Winds than I had before. We did, by about 100 yards. Too many belly-high fallen trees over the trail to get any farther.
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 And the now 3.5 year old Cruize. He is now 15.1 hands and filling out--starting to really look like a horse. He is also becoming quite the trail horse, with his looong legs he can cover quite a bit of distance --and obstacles are getting better and better. 
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  Such a lovely trail, and even prettier when the leaves are still on the trees.
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The trail winds it's way down the face of the ridge, and can be a bit hair-raising at times. Cruize handled it well, I was way more concerned about the drop-off than he.
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The willows were so colorful! The only real "fall color" left...
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Stopped for a quick bite to eat, letting Cruize learn how to stand quietly and patiently. He has come a LONG way. And yes, he got a bite to eat, too. In fact, he knows the sound of wrappers means I am eating a granola bar. I let him try one once, thinking he wouldn't like it and would stop asking for one.  Nope. Granola bars are like "horse-crack".  
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The deadfall in the river.
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A well used hunting camp. It even had a spring running through it. 
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A fun tunnel of trees...
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Back at the trail head, a pretty little pond.
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 After loading up and driving out of the trail head, this buck was hanging out in the middle of the road. I had to stop and wait for him to move away, but got some good pictures in the process.
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A part of the Gros Ventre Range in the distance...
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Gros Ventre...
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Part of the Winds. So wild. So remote. So wonderful. Sometimes I still pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming this all up...that I really do live here.  :)
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Sep 22, 2016

"Cruizing" to Willow Lake Beach!

One of my favorite local places is the east beach of Willow Lake. It's private, quiet, sandy, and beautiful. It's also a 2 mile hike from the Spring Creek trail head. The road to get to the trail head is terrible, and not passable for horse trailers, barely passable for a 4-WD truck. So to ride to the beach, it is nearly five miles...almost 10 miles round trip. Which is what we did-- Cruize and I...with Ember along for company, of course. To my delight, the road has been "bettered"! It is now passable (with care) for a horse trailer, though I didn't know this until I had already ridden up the road a bit. It was a gorgeous ride...and Cruize is improving. 

A quick view of the trail we rode, mapped out...
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 I LOVE this forest...
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The descent from the trail head to the lake is...technical in parts. Sometimes narrow enough I got off to lead Cruize, though-- again, an experienced trail horse would be fine. I'm just extra cautious, because, you know, this happened.

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And the lovely, secluded beach...waves lapping at the shore...
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Then the trail back up the ridge...
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Cruize is so funny! If he feels unsure about something, he'll "wait" for Ember to go ahead and follow her through/over/across whatever had him worried. She's a good dog. :)
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The only time I dismounted on the way up the ridge, was this obstacle. It doesn't look bad, but it was tall. He stepped over it all right on the way down, but the way up presented too much of a LEAP over it...so I got off and let him figure out how to get himself over (it was over knee high on him) then mounted again. No problem. Ember went under it, so he couldn't follow her  ;)
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This is the road that has been fixed. It was so bad, with ruts and potholes so big and deep that they should have been named. Now? Smooth sailing.
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 I love Wyoming.