Post by donna on Sept 15, 2014 17:49:19 GMT -5
Long funny story. (Got time?)
I hauled Sam and Lakota up to Grand lake in the LQ horse trailer. I left on the Thursday before Labor day so I wouldn't have to deal with the traffic on I-70 and Berthoud pass. I did great. Took my time, put the truck in second gear and came slowly down Berthoud pass.
It was pouring rain by the time I got checked in and leveled the trailer. Put the boys in the adjoining paddocks and set up house.
(Short update.....my trailer had been in the shop FIVE WEEKS waiting for pieces and parts to repair the plumbing on the underside) Don't ever buy an old trailer and then wreck it. Hubby wrecked it. Just saying.)
I hooked up the electric and water and turned on the gas for the water heater. Ran some water through the sink and sure enough, I was leaking water all over the place underneath. The repair job had not held. So no black tank or potty. BIG SIGHHHHhhhh. But Winding River has a wonderful bath house and it was a short hike.
I spent the next two days waiting for the rain to stop. The boys went through four days worth of hay just staying warm and occupied. My friends showed up Saturday morning with their horses, put them in the next campsite and ran off to their condo 20 minutes away. Hubby showed up a little later with his truck and our bumper pull so we could haul to trailheads without moving the LQ trailer. He was a little ( ok, a lot) angry about the repair job. Told me right off the bat, we would be selling the LQ trailer and going back to cabins and B&B's. The electric went out later that evening.... another big sigh.
Saturday evening it finally quit raining and we went out for a trail ride with our friends. Sam was kind of loony after being locked up for more than 48 hours in the rain. But the horses settled down and we rode along the Colorado river, saw a herd of elk and a mama moose and her baby. I would have taken pictures but Sam needed lots of direction at that point...
The next day we did a five hour trail ride in the Rocky Mountain National Forest, beautiful and uneventful.
That evening we had another friend arrive with her two horses. The next day we trailered out to a new trail, Doe Creek. My friends brought their three dogs with them. I brought my husband.
The whole ride was crazy, stop and start, calling dogs, disturbing elk hunters, not exactly a great ride for my husband and I. At one point, about five miles in, my friend's horse stepped on her dog, our other friend made a comment and in a huge huff, the other friend rode off by herself and said she couldn't ride with her. I was in TOTAL SHOCK. Never had something like happen since I was 16 years old and hormonal.
We waited an hour for her to come back. She never did, so we rode out. I finally got cell service at the top of a mountain and called her. She had found the road from another direction and was riding back towards the trailer. Such a stupid thing to do and she knew it.
The next day we took a break, hubby and I went to Sulpher Hot Springs and out to dinner.
Thursday I told the group that hubby and I were going to my favorite trail. The High Lonesome trail that follows the Continental Divide for 10 miles. It is a bugger to drive up to but everyone wanted to go with us. After we got to the trail head, I found out that my friend not only brought her dog, she also brought an extra horse to pony. OMG!!!! So this time we had three dogs, six horses and five riders. The lady ponying the horse said she needed to go first because her horse would be too hot to follow. Our first obstacle on the course was a wide fast moving creek. Her horse would not cross and she lost hold of the lead rope of the pony horse. At that point I led the way with Sam and had to move out of the way so she could once again take the lead. This happened about four times over the next 300 yards or so. Hubby announced he was going on a different trail at the point and he would meet us at the trailer later. Such a smart man.
Things settled down on the trail after a little while but then we lost one of the dogs. So we all had to stop while his owners went back to find the dog. Come to find out, poor thing was exhausted and his back legs had given out. (old dog) So my friend's husband (bless his heart)loaded the 60 lb dog in front of him on his horse and we turned around and headed back.
I was really disheartened by this time. No one could appreciate the old growth forests, the amazing rock formations, the beautiful creeks and views. Then of course it started raining. My husband spent the evening telling me what a great trail ride he had. Grrrrr
The next day Hubby and I rode by ourselves. We didn't invite anyone and told them we were going to be gone all day. We had a blast, went back to Doe Creek, found a high country loop and beautiful woods to ride through around a large (miles) meadow, lake and willows. Saw deer and moose, Sam gaited along beautiful soft tracks and scrambled up mountains. Best ride of the week. If you read all this, I hope you understand that I wrote this with tongue in cheek.
They say the only difference between an ordeal and an adventure is attitude.
I hauled Sam and Lakota up to Grand lake in the LQ horse trailer. I left on the Thursday before Labor day so I wouldn't have to deal with the traffic on I-70 and Berthoud pass. I did great. Took my time, put the truck in second gear and came slowly down Berthoud pass.
It was pouring rain by the time I got checked in and leveled the trailer. Put the boys in the adjoining paddocks and set up house.
(Short update.....my trailer had been in the shop FIVE WEEKS waiting for pieces and parts to repair the plumbing on the underside) Don't ever buy an old trailer and then wreck it. Hubby wrecked it. Just saying.)
I hooked up the electric and water and turned on the gas for the water heater. Ran some water through the sink and sure enough, I was leaking water all over the place underneath. The repair job had not held. So no black tank or potty. BIG SIGHHHHhhhh. But Winding River has a wonderful bath house and it was a short hike.
I spent the next two days waiting for the rain to stop. The boys went through four days worth of hay just staying warm and occupied. My friends showed up Saturday morning with their horses, put them in the next campsite and ran off to their condo 20 minutes away. Hubby showed up a little later with his truck and our bumper pull so we could haul to trailheads without moving the LQ trailer. He was a little ( ok, a lot) angry about the repair job. Told me right off the bat, we would be selling the LQ trailer and going back to cabins and B&B's. The electric went out later that evening.... another big sigh.
Saturday evening it finally quit raining and we went out for a trail ride with our friends. Sam was kind of loony after being locked up for more than 48 hours in the rain. But the horses settled down and we rode along the Colorado river, saw a herd of elk and a mama moose and her baby. I would have taken pictures but Sam needed lots of direction at that point...
The next day we did a five hour trail ride in the Rocky Mountain National Forest, beautiful and uneventful.
That evening we had another friend arrive with her two horses. The next day we trailered out to a new trail, Doe Creek. My friends brought their three dogs with them. I brought my husband.
The whole ride was crazy, stop and start, calling dogs, disturbing elk hunters, not exactly a great ride for my husband and I. At one point, about five miles in, my friend's horse stepped on her dog, our other friend made a comment and in a huge huff, the other friend rode off by herself and said she couldn't ride with her. I was in TOTAL SHOCK. Never had something like happen since I was 16 years old and hormonal.
We waited an hour for her to come back. She never did, so we rode out. I finally got cell service at the top of a mountain and called her. She had found the road from another direction and was riding back towards the trailer. Such a stupid thing to do and she knew it.
The next day we took a break, hubby and I went to Sulpher Hot Springs and out to dinner.
Thursday I told the group that hubby and I were going to my favorite trail. The High Lonesome trail that follows the Continental Divide for 10 miles. It is a bugger to drive up to but everyone wanted to go with us. After we got to the trail head, I found out that my friend not only brought her dog, she also brought an extra horse to pony. OMG!!!! So this time we had three dogs, six horses and five riders. The lady ponying the horse said she needed to go first because her horse would be too hot to follow. Our first obstacle on the course was a wide fast moving creek. Her horse would not cross and she lost hold of the lead rope of the pony horse. At that point I led the way with Sam and had to move out of the way so she could once again take the lead. This happened about four times over the next 300 yards or so. Hubby announced he was going on a different trail at the point and he would meet us at the trailer later. Such a smart man.
Things settled down on the trail after a little while but then we lost one of the dogs. So we all had to stop while his owners went back to find the dog. Come to find out, poor thing was exhausted and his back legs had given out. (old dog) So my friend's husband (bless his heart)loaded the 60 lb dog in front of him on his horse and we turned around and headed back.
I was really disheartened by this time. No one could appreciate the old growth forests, the amazing rock formations, the beautiful creeks and views. Then of course it started raining. My husband spent the evening telling me what a great trail ride he had. Grrrrr
The next day Hubby and I rode by ourselves. We didn't invite anyone and told them we were going to be gone all day. We had a blast, went back to Doe Creek, found a high country loop and beautiful woods to ride through around a large (miles) meadow, lake and willows. Saw deer and moose, Sam gaited along beautiful soft tracks and scrambled up mountains. Best ride of the week. If you read all this, I hope you understand that I wrote this with tongue in cheek.
They say the only difference between an ordeal and an adventure is attitude.
I am always telling my hubby we are having adventures. So now anytime we get lost or something goes wrong he just says "we are having one of your adventures"! It truly is all in the attitude. However, I would have been a bit cranky after someone bringing dogs along on the trail and then ponying a horse. Glad it worked out okay and like I said...you got ride time 
