Down a Notch

Wa in her private woods, in paddock run

I've been taken down, with the sickie-icks. Wind taken from my sails.

My man had it last week. I thought I'd been careful , though not stopping for a moment, kept  myself busy- busy! So this week has been rough. I am TEA-PEE"d about out, and taking everything under the sun, you name it, (natural stuffs)I am taking it! Last night resorted to a O.T.C.D.(over the counter drug)of which I hate the commercials for. You know,  the one with the little- GROSS- green, blobbie people that live in your body when you have a cold. It helped I have to say, but I am still home today, Raw throat, dry hacks and no voice.

I have gotten to the stable, against my better judgment, every day. All bundled up and suckling a rather large "KOMBUCHA" drink each time. While I don't drink them every day, I CRAVE them, when my body is low.

One nicer day, I actually rode out. Again, not so wise a move. But I needed a change of atmosphere and thought the mare could use an outing , to stretch her legs . 

She was standing in the run. (pic above)  She appeared to be keeping tabs on her two favorite Lead mares, Maddy and Zee, as they were munching hay, in the outback field. She nibbled hay a little too, and I went inside to set up our tack for the ride.

I allowed her a good roll in the soft arena to loosen up, then we headed out soon after.

The Big Woods  of managed forestry lands across the street, is where I thought to go this day. Haven't been there since last October. Two reasons: #1 Too muddy, slick, boggy

(that's  all one really) for the injury she had.  #2 Logging.

SEPT 2012 Clear cut road into Canyon Creek forest

Last October we both were surprised to find a new clear cut road, right through a gorgeous wooded area we ride. It's trail I called "Canyon Creek" trail. You could really only travel it during the driest times of the season for it's very steep decent down to a creek, then up again just as steeply, to the other side of the canyon. The mare did not like the trail much, but we'd concur it once or twice a summer. It was full of wildlife and HUGE trees that could tell stories about times gone by, if they could talk. They always talked "restful peace and beauty" to us, as we rode through them.

October 2012 Graveled Road through Canyon Creek forest

 By October, there was a substantial amount of base rock laid for large logging trucks. I knew this would probably be a winter job, since they got the piles of rock laid so thickly and quickly. When the mare and me couldn't ride out at all...I had no idea what was to be-when we finally did!

I took the less traveled trail, then went though the most recent clear cut slash trail, to this road. 

I saw that illegal vehicles had made a whole new way around the gate, and that was discouraging. It is posted clearly at the PORT BLAKELY  gated lands; that fires, unauthorized vehicles, along with hunting and shooting -are prohibited.

 As we rode along, We spied many fires had been set last fall/winter. Never have I seen so many... the scorched grounds were everywhere, with garbage and wood objects the offenders brought in to burn.      This endangers the whole forest, not to mention private property and homes that bank right up to these forests! There has been a lack of management, I have noticed over the years I have ridden the lands. Not for lack of reports, friends of mine and myself do report gates crashed and down, dump sites with couches and appliances.  Makeshift shooting ranges, open fire spots under the trees, gun shell casings ,beer bottles and cans strewn about.

Simply discouraging. And the roughest patch is that I have been asked to call authorities, with the GPS setting...and I have. Nothing. "Big Wind" is what I call that, and it stinks too!

Anywho...that is a rant that NEVER goes away for me...so I better move on.

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Though the road and some of the trail had been trashed and harrowed by illegal vehicle passage, the main  loop trail was too narrow for them to use. It was actually pristine!

 Not even last winter did it look like this. Flat, almost dry and nice. I only saw 2 sets of hoof prints!

 So many riders like myself last year, continued to ride all winter long on it.  This time last year., it was a bloody mess as normal. WOW, I was amazed, but I also thought  OF WHY!

Yup, Loggging. There would have been NO RIDING with all that.

All gone, it was completely gone!

Only a few large trees remain of Canyon Creek trail

Wa mare and me stood there for quite sometime... just staring.

We heard the voices of some of the loggers, farther away.

While the mare was not at all pensive or hesitant about riding along the trail we normally canter during the summer, I was In SHOCK!

Though a renewable resource for Oregon, I shall miss my tree friends, that had given me years of peaceful, blissful riding times.

Stunned by the enormity of how many were taken, the mare looked this way.....................

 ............................and then, that way............................

We finally were able to move away from the demolished site, to another greatly wooded area. It did  offer us refuge for the soul, as we traveled it's large evergreen shaded paths. Once at it's end, I dismounted. The mare pointing the way home as I photographed her. I loosened her girth, and the wrap began to pull it back I see, but it bothered not .

 I walked down the slick  trail with it's bogged and badly rutted  creek bottom. It has never recovered from the trail riding atrocity it sustained last spring, with a organised group  ride. 

 I minded not the walk to higher, dryer grounds along side the mare. She snorted relief at not having to negotiate the trail with me, having my own opinion(differing from hers) on traveling speed and route. This way she just followed behind me and chose her own footing calmly. 

A Double Rolling day!

Though we were out only over an hour, and traveled less than 5 miles...we both were beat. Wa asked to roll again, I availed her.

We'd seen so much and with me being not well, whew! Which is why I can even post this today...no work or play for this girl.

What a day, thanks my mare! You're my Wonder Wa . 

Enjoy your time off now! See you when I'm well again~