Living life in pursuit of ten feet tall, still!
For years I’ve had to endure various endurance friend’s descriptions and stories of the mystical Bandit Springs ride, in the Ochoco Mountains outside Prineville. It’s never been in the cards for me, but I made it happen this year through a combination of friendship and sheer willful optimism. Last weekend a friend and I explored […]
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Before I dive into a deeper review of my five days with the John Wayne Riders, I have to note why I’m a week behind getting this out: Total and complete writer’s block. To come back from such a high of riding through beautiful country with my brave and willing mare to another and yet […]
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In the series of books I’m named for (The God Stalker Chronicles, by PC Hodgell), a major plot point is something called “the soulscape”. This is a weird dimension the reflects an individual’s soul, such as a garden, a walled keep, something that sits at the deepest level of the character’s psyche, and the race […]
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With the truck in the shop and *checks calendar* only 16!!!! days until we leave for the John Wayne Cross State Ride, this is the perfect time for some reflection. Power washing my trailer last weekend gave me plenty of time to think. I’m also doing twice weekly PT for my ankle, as that’s been […]
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Not every ride will be scenic and beautiful and easy. Not every ride will have excitement or breakthroughs or wonderful rights. Some rides you just put in the work, the solid butt building miles, and call it a day. Today was that day. My only goal was at least 10 miles, done slowly as we […]
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62 days and counting until the John Wayne Ride and Tarma is in a solid place, according to two equine professionals. Yesterday I had my saddle refitted and reflocked, and it was also farrier day. The saddle fitter noticed the Wintec was a little deflated on the right, which makes sense as that is the […]
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I took a chance on the weather again and won, again. I’ve noticed that Tarma is much more agreeable if she’s had some turnout before I ride, which means I don’t have to be an early bird. This is fine by me, though something we’ll have to deal with for both the John Wayne ride […]
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When the sun shines, we ride…after working nine hour days so I could skip out early today. I loaded up kid, dog, and mare and headed to McIver. Kade walked Benny a bit while I tacked up, then hung in the trailer til I was done (have I mentioned I love my trailer?) I changed […]
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Why do the wildest things sometimes happen with no witnesses? And no video to prove it? Welp, today’s ride was a tad wilder than I hoped for, but both Tarma and I survived together, somehow. My main goal for the day was just miles, in whatever fashion Tarma was up for. She let me walk […]
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Well, last week was clearly false spring number one and we’re back to winter. I can tell real spring is around the corner though. Instead of long days of dripping, endless rain and a lack of sun, the weather is wilder, raining sideways, dumping one moment and clear skies the next. I switched Tarma’s midweight […]
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On the loose 