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8/15/10, San Luis Valley, CO - The past week has been busy, but enjoyable. The week included some horseback rides, a trip to Jackson, MS, the 4H fair, and a picnic in the mountains.

Last Saturday, we saddled up the Amigos and one of Melissa’s saddle horses and went for a ride.  To keep the lads together, I rode Bob, while Melissa and Hannah rode the other two drafts.  Melissa’s youngest daughter, Maggie was mounted on ‘Little Man’. Bob was feeling his oats and glad to be out and about. Shortly after I shot the picture below, he gave me a couple of good ‘feel good’ bucks. This is typical behavior for Bob and I expect it and actually enjoy it.  It’s also the reason that I don’t usually let others ride him.  Everything was going great until we were about a mile from the house. When a tractor with a baler went by, Little Man used this as an excuse to break into a lope and throw a couple of bucks. Maggie held on for quite a while, but ended up getting pitched.  She went to the doctor to get checked out, and was all right, but ended up with some bruises on her side and a little road rash. Since then she has been a little sore, but she has been ‘cowgirling-up’ and doing pretty good.

Out for a ride with the lads.  Maggie, on the far right, got pitched from her horse about 20 minutes after this picture was taken. She did a good job, and durn near rode the rough right out of him.

Last weekend I traveled to Jackson, MS for a couple of medical appointments. I would have taken some pictures but downtown Jackson is not exactly the most photogenic place in the world. Everything went well, but I was certainly glad to return to Colorado and leave civilization behind!

The big event last week was the 4H fair, where the girls showed their Market Lambs.  Unfortunately, Maggie was still too sore to show her sheep and had to have her sister and a friend help her out.  The girls did well and placed about in the middle of their classes. Two lambs were sold at the 4H auction Friday night, and brought a good price.

Hannah showing one of her lambs, while Maggie goes into the ring with a friend, who’s showing one of hers.

The fair was great, but it was nice to get back to a less hectic schedule. Next weekend, we plan on taking a camping trip with the three Amigos and wagon into the mountains. We set are sights on the upper Conejos River, so we set off on a little scouting mission yesterday. To fully enjoy our time in the high country, we rolled a nice riparian picnic in with our scouting activities. Everyone had a great time and we’re really looking forward to the camping trip. To avoid the long approach march into the mountains, Melissa and I are going to use trucks to haul the horses and wagon to within 10 miles of our camping spot. Then, we’ll unload and harness up, treking the remaining distance with the wagon. We found a nice spot, and the trout fishing on the Conejos River is pretty good.

Having fully corrupted Melissa and the Girls to my errant ways, they now take advantage of a mountain stream for a good foot soaking and water fight.  In order to fully enjoy life, I’m a firm believer that the following rules must be upheld: 1. Never pass up a cool stream without pulling off the shoes and soaking your feet. 2. Always yell and scream when entering caves and tunnels. 3. Dance whenever any opportunity allows, to include giving your partner a spin when you are in a public place.  After all, fun is fun, and who cares what the other boring people in the world feel about juvenile behavior in a public place!  After all, they’re boring and their opinion shouldn’t really matter.

Life is good here in the San Luis Valley.  I’m having a great time with my new family  and the lads are enjoying the down time, with occasional forays under saddle or pulling the wagon in the mountains.

I should be blogging again next week.  Take care and do something outrageous and fun.

Bob