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| Obstacle Course~ |
This was our second visit here & we took in the obstacle course on our way to the trails. What a nice, well thought out course! After the several courses we've used, this was the first time for a tunnel :-) Farah hesitated - then walked right through. The noodles gave her pause - as if she hasn't done noodles many times - but when I insisted - she huffed her way through those too.
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| On the dike~ |
With the memory of an Elephant, she remembered that she did Not like the sound of the outflow from the dam, but walked across like a lady. We were the only ones there, I'd sprayed us both down from top to bottom, but it wasn't enough...
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| The beautiful lake~ |
The bugs were attacking in hoards - I pulled out my tiny pen size sprayer & did Farah's ears & my arms - but it hardly helped. I knew it would be hot too, since most of the trails are out in the open.
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| Purple Bee Balm~ |
Here too the Bee Balm was blooming, so pretty against all the green. All the trails we took had been freshly mowed - the only mud we found was in the low spots & only for a couple feet each time. We headed for our favorite area, the timber & there found the footing mostly dry. Dry enough to ride without tearing up the trails. We spooked a Huge White Tail doe - she flagged her tail as she took off through the trees.
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| In the Timber~ |
Another quarter mile & a Huge Owl took flight just off to our side! He was so big that he had a difficult time opening his wings for takeoff!
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| Stunning~ |
With the temperature in the upper 80's & humidity at close to 70% the heat index was between 98 & 103. Farah was in a full sweat within the first couple miles. I took my electrolytes & sipped out of my water bottle.
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| Echinacea & Black Eyed Susan's |
I was surprised to see the Echinacea growing wild here! I had planted it on the Homestead, but over the years the growing trees along the road shaded it out. Now I'm looking forward to planting some here! Once in a while a cloud would move over head & give us some brief relief from the sun. We rode around the far edge of the lake & a huge fish jumped - scaring us both :-)
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| Great Blue Heron~ |
We'd spooked this guy on our way over, now coming back, here he was! I did manage to get a decent picture, even with Farah shaking every 30-seconds due to the flying insects.
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| Taking flight~ |
Just after I took his photo, he squawked at us! I had no idea that they can make such a nasty, scratchy noise! He was quick to take off for the willow on the far side of the lake.
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| From the SW corner~ |
We followed the perimeter fence again. Farah trotted all the way across the dike, with only a slight hesitation at the outflow :-) She remembered the trails better than I had & was anxious to get over to the area north of the campground. Once on the grass - she hit her full trot & we trotted the entire loop with some galloping thrown in!
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| On the fast trails~ |
She was picking up speed & with some partially blind corners I asked her to slow a little, not knowing what other wildlife we might spook up. I was surprised that she put out the effort as hot as it was.
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| Farah's driest face ever~ |
I stripped all her tack as fast as I could - so nice to have the working field hydrants, with hoses attached! I hosed her off - soaked myself & then let her graze.
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| Farah in the sun, me in the shade~ |
Trees have been planted along the camping spot area - one is large enough to have some shade & on a day like this one - it was very welcome. I drank a lot of water before loading Farah for the trip back home.
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| Today's route~ |
We covered a few trails that we'd missed last time & didn't take some that we had - that were out in the open. It was so quiet out here today - you just can't help but love the area - I just wish it were closer. With only 7,000 people in the entire county - Fremont - (780,000 in Snohomish County, WA) it's no wonder that there is an abundance of quiet in the country~
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