Saturday, August 23, 2008

Today, Stefan and Pat had to go to the Roadhouse to work.  On their way, they dropped me off at Janes . . . actually we met Jane a few minutes from her house.  Stefan and Pat went on to the Roadhouse, and I went back to Jane's house.  

We caught the horses, and saddled them up.  I rode Jasper again.  Until, I got back up in the saddle, I didn't realize that my "sit bones" still hurt from the last ride that we had!  We rode "through the landscape" as Stefan calls it.  We went through some washes and through the canyons.  We went by her little cowboy house that we went to a couple weeks ago for the barbecue.  Then we went up a hill called the Hallelujah Trail.  She had initially told me that I might want to lead the horse up the trail, but Jasper did fine.  

After riding for a couple hours, we found a shady spot and stopped for a picnic lunch that Jane brought with us.  It was delightful!  Then, back up on the horses.  We kept going a little way up the wash, and then turned around.  At one point we got off the horses to look at a place where an Indian settlement had been.  We found pottery sherds all over.  It was very cool.

By the time we got back to the house, I was shot.  I helped with the unsaddling, but I didn't have the energy to lead Jasper back to the corral.  I went into the house, got some cold water and lay down on the floor.  I stayed there for about an hour, and even then had a hard time getting up!  I guess I'm still not used to this heat.  Although, I think part of it is sunflower seeds . . . the salt.  I have been eating a lot of them, but the last few days I stopped.  I think my body needs more salt.  But, regardless, it was a cool day, and I had a great ride on ole Jasper.