Memorial Weekend 2010

Matt, Grandpa, Me and Maile, Jolene, John Tyler, T.P., Dave, Kayla, Kristina, Riley and Joni, Dallas, Haddy, and Jabes

Haddy and Dallas checking on T.P.

Memorail Weekend this year we spent down on the San Rafael, Exit 131. Riley and Kristina and Joni and Maile were with us, along with Kayla and Dave. Marcus came down Saturday morning with our horses. Jolene and her son, John, camped and rode with us this year. Dave took some good pictures on our ride and Jolene has a great group shot and I will have to post these later when I get them from them.

There was a little bit of comotion right off the bat, which there usually is. Riley was trying to get on that big monster of a horse and we were trying to get Dallas to control her horse. Once we started out everything went smooth. Trying to get some of Badger's energy worked out. He is a fun horse to ride but for some reason he has a little hump in his back starting off the ride; it doesn't last long though.

Riley brought Grace, who is a huge Perteron. It was quite a sight because Grace is Dallas' horse, Sadie's, new best friend and so she followed close behind. I am so glad Dallas enjoys coming a long and we are so lucky to have Sadie for her, what a great kids horse. Riley is so good to bring Sadie for us. Sadie is in her mid to late 20's, which is pretty old for a horse. I can only hope she will be around for the kids for a while. Kristina and her cousin, Kayla, stayed at camp with the twins and Jabin and Haddy. The wind blew like crazy Friday but we had a pretty good weekend riding out on the San Rafael. I invited my friend Jolene Blackburn to come with us. She brought her youngest boy, John Tyler. She is such an amazing women and I really admire her. We had a great time. We didn't see any wild horses but just out of camp there was a badger peaking out of his hole. I have always heard they are mean critters so we just rode right by while he kept his eye on us. It is ironic because my horse's name is Badger. I haven't seen a badger that up close. We also saw a big coyote. John Tyler brought his friend T.P. They brought their motorcycles and were so good to my kids. What cute boys!

The Gulch Trip April 28, 2010

Marcus, Ralaina, Matt, Skyler Mundy, Dusty Mundy, Ryan Mundy and Keli Bennett at Dog Water, the last day of the trip. We woke up Sunday morning to a storm coming in so we hustled to get everything packed up and decided to ride out. The storm blew over pretty fast but it was a little chilly riding out. We got back and fed the horses and cooked mutton and cobler. We had such a great time and enjoyed the company of the Meadow Mundy Boys.

Up on the slick rock trying to find a trail over into Lake Powell. We scouted around all day and did end up finding the trail, but we ran out of time. We made sure we marked the trail on the way down so we could find it next year.
This is the night we left. It was a horrible snow storm. We ventured out anyway and probably shouldn't have. We got up over the Fish Lake and we ended up following Marcus with a trailer that didn't have running lights. At one point we could not see the road and we couldn't stop for very long because if a car came we would of gotten hit. Luckily our prayers were answered and we were able to keep going and hit dry roads soon after the worst of the storm. Marcus later said it was the worst snow storm he has ever been in. We were meeting friends from Meadow and when we got to camp Dusty was waiting on his boys. We hoped they were ahead of us. We told them how bad the storm was and we headed back to camp and ended up going to bed (in the back of the truck with a tarp.) The next morning Dusty and his boys still weren't there. Luckily they showed up a short time later. Dusty ended up going back through that horrible storm to Meadow and they all came over together early that morning. They said the roads were a sheet of ice. We didn't get off to a very good start but everything soon got better. Daniel brought his girlfriend Sara and we saddled up and headed to The Post.

The pictures are out of order but it takes way to much time to move things around and upload pictures on my computer. So this is just a sneak peak of our ride. All week I have been working on a movie I am putting together from our trip and I have got to quit staring at a computer screen. This is the last day riding out. I had so much fun and can't wait to do it again.

This tree was fun to climb in and take pictures. Below it was an old wagon frame. We stopped for lunch because Jack (our pack horse) had a bad belly ache and he laid on the ground for about 1/2 hour before he came out of it, after a little medicine.

We left on the 28th, Wednesday night, camped at Dog Water, road from the Post just out of Capital Reef and camped. Matt and I put a tarp down and our bedding on top. If the weather is bad we pull the tarp over the top of us. This is the life I tell you! It is so beautiful to lay out under the stars. I have never been too cold either. Friday we rode down the trail a little further and figured out where we were going to get up over the slick rock. We camped further back up the trail on this night so it wouldn't be that far riding out. Daniel and Sara decided not to go further then the first day so we went on without them after the first night. Sunday morning we headed back to the Post. After we got home we heard on the news that there had been an earthquake at Capital Reef. We didn't notice a thing and we supposedly were at the heart of the tremor (or after shock from a couple weeks previus.) There were a lot of balancing rocks on little pillars of sand and none of them were disturbed.

Thanks to my dear mother-in-law for watching my kids so I was able to go. We have actually been riding for over a month every weekend to get the horses ready for this ride and she has helped me a lot along with my good sister, Summer. These rides mean alot to me and Matt and I always have a great time and we look forward to the day when the kids can start coming along. We both agreed we would be quite nervous to turn the kids loose on their own horse through some of those bogs and over that slick rock. Maybe we could start out a little easier. We feel very lucky to be able to have the opportunity to live where we do and be able to ride our horses where we get to ride them. Sleeping out under the stars one night, I told Matt I would pick this over a cruise anyday, and everyone knows how much I want to go on a cruise. I found a quote in my planner from Garth Brooks that said "You aren't wealthy until you have something money can't buy." I thought that was so true as we were on our trip.

Now, I need to get riding that new road bike that has been waiting for me. So much to do and so little time!