Bo was pretty happy to see me, although his little pasterns and fetlocks were swollen from being ridden the night before by my other sister, Jen (I will post more later about his swelling issues).
As you can see from the pictures, fall has officially hit the Pacific Northwest. What you cannot see, is how incredibly cold it has been the past few days! We have been having temperatures in the 30's and 40's, which is unseasonably cool for around here. Brrrrrrrr...I am getting chilled just thinking about it! 
As we were riding along a trail that I have only been on one other time, but Amber has ridden on for the past few years, I noticed what looked like a shack, about 50 yards off of the trail. Amber and I pulled up the horses and cautiously picked our way over to it, only to discover that it was a party hut...complete with a fire pit, wooden chairs and lots of old, discarded beer cans. Whoever made it even put gutters on the back of it...kind of funny!
This shack is in a pretty remote location, but I am sure that local kids ride their motorbikes and quads (loaded with beer of course!), out to it on Friday or Saturday nights, and live it up. Now...if we could just get them to haul their garbage out with them!
The past few weeks have been bow hunting and muzzle loading season around here (we saw some broken arrows and an area where an injured, and hopefully dead, elk lay), so we were pretty happy when we came across this cow elk, who was totally undisturbed by our presence. 
The same thing cannot be said about poor Waska though! Did you all know that elk are known to attack and eat horses on a regular basis? No? Well Waska seemed to think so, at least at first, but he calmed down once he realized that she was not going to devour us...lol!!!
So, we rode closer...
...and closer, until we were within 10 yards of her. She just ate grass and totally ignored us. Take that hunters...lol!!
Have a happy Friday!
10 comments:
Seeing and being allowed to get up that close to the elk was like a little gift for completing your proposal, don't you think?
I'm so glad that you got out and enjoyed a ride. Maybe that was your gift, too?
(It certainly wasn't that party shack! lol!)
(Not unless there had been unopened cold beer waiting there for you. hehe)
I went riding by myself yesterday, too. I'll post about it this weekend. :)
~Lisa
WHOOHOOO!! You are back! hehe
Hmm... be interesting to hear about Bo's swelling issues. Give that grand old fellow a pat from me.
I love Fall trailing riding, looks like you were having some fun!
When ever I take one of my show horses out on the trail for the first time I am always amazed at what they will spook at - stumps, rocks, slash piles, need I go on? So yeah sometimes its funny what they will spook at - I miss my old 4-H gelding he was a trail pro!
Amazing photos!
Great pics. A few years back a friend and I were hiking in the Jemez wilderness in New Mexico when a couple of big elk came bursting out of the forest and ran past us.
Great photos. The shack, definitely kids whooping it up on the weekends. They should clean up though. Glad you finished your report and got to ride. It looks like a nice place and I can't believe you got so close to that elk. Hope the swelling issue is under control soon.
Well, Cousin, how are you doing with your classes and such?
Looks like a good ride that you had. Your elk friend was probably pretty surprised to see you.
I have been blog m.i.a. as life intervenes, you know. I have a bit of time right now so i think i will cruise to see who has something interesting to follow.
Dont be a stranger.
Glad you got your paper done! Love the new look of your blog. :)
Wow you got so close!! That is so cool! What a fun trail ride, brrrrr!! You deserved the ride. I am so glad your homework is finished!! Yeah!!
Hey Everyone!
It was a huge relief to get that proposal in, and I am so glad that I was unable to unwind with a nice ride.
I really wish that I could have taken a picture of the elk when we were only 10 yards from her, but Waska was really goosey, and I could just see me sitting there on Bo, snapping away, and having Waska blow up if the elk moved to quickly, thus taking me, the camera, and Bo, all out...lol!!!
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