Desert Snow Day Ride

Today's ride actually has a goal other than just riding. Today we want to go the the SNOW. Never seeing SNOW before, Jesse was not sure that this would be something he would like to do so he searches the hills and then he sees it! Ears forward, head high, this is his "can I go see it " mode.

But I am getting ahead of myself. I am joined today by 2 great riding buddy's, Bossman, and The Doc. (Please see The Desert Rose Buckaroo List for their role in this cowgirls life). We meet at the staging area and unload the horses. While The Doc and I ready our saddlebags and tack, the Bossman is busy tending bar. He soon hands us each a glass goblet with chilled fresh OJ mimosa! Cheers! This has become our ritual. The more riders the less mimosa for us so we tend to keep the group small. Bossman is the group beverage expert, The Desert Rose is the caterer and the Doc............ well we hope we do not need to call upon his expertise! Too soon our glasses are empty ( Bossman will not let us mount till the champagne bottle is empty) and we all use the porta potty for the last time. Mounting up was not as smooth as I had hoped for.....those mimosa's catch up with you. The Boss man laughs and Jesse thinks it's funny when this happens but at least does not laugh out loud. We head to out to the trail head and start our steep switchback accent towards the SNOW! An hour later we have crested the first big hill and now we have an easy gentle climb on towards the SNOW. Soon we have SNOW on our trail and it is not so smooth going. The horses start picking up "snow balls" in their hooves that need to be picked out every so often. Doc rides a mule....know as a "mulette". Her hooves are different shaped and she has the worst time of it. Bossman's mare dropped her snowballs on her own and Jesse does not seem to get them too bad. Luckily the Desert Rose has a hoof pick on her back cinch and the mulette is happy...again... and again.

But look....see the hove prints in the snow....what else

do you see?????? Yes the Bossman pointed these prints to the Doc and he confirmed.... CAT! Not a pussy cat....A BIG CAT! Probably a MT. Lion!

We get to another Crest of the trail and the Bossman says he thinks this is as far as we go. This is the "photo opp" that Jesse and The Desert Rose have been riding for! SNOW SHOT!

Now it's time to start the decent...with a stop for lunch. BLTs with crisp bacon...potato salad...dill pickle...chips...and a chocolate treat all washed down with a chilled white wine served in....of course glass goblets and white linen napkins. Here is our favorite picnic table on this trail!

After lunch we continue to decent to the desert floor at the staging area where The Doc....runs off to an emergency. What I did not include in the ride description was that poor Doc had at least 5 phone calls that were possible emergency's....one proving to be so. Cell reception is difficult in this MT./valley kind of ride....but the Doc's luck was not with him because he kept getting those calls! Even with these interruptions this ride has to move to one of the TOP 3 in Jesse and my rides list!
Missing from today's ride recovering from surgery is The Boy! We hope to have him back on the trail with us soon!
Happy New Year Trails to all!
The Desert Rose and Jesse