Last Ride of the Year~

It was another fine, fine day!  With our upcoming busy holiday schedule, I knew today would be my last opportunity to get Farah out before the end of the year.  The weatherman has forecast a big change for later this week, so Margie & I took advantage of one of the last days, of this amazing streak, of incredible weather.

Margie & Coco~

When I mentioned to Margie I wanted to ride the Wabash - she was game to accompany me.  Most riders would consider it a technical trail - with the traffic, road crossings & bridges.  Coco took it all in stride.  It was darn cold leaving the parking area, with just enough wind to make it feel even colder.

Almost spring like!

Once we were out & moving though - we both warmed up & enjoyed the beauty of a late December day.  In places, if not for the lack of leaves, almost like early spring.  Coco set a nice pace & gaits right along when she's in front.  We brought up the rear with an in-hand trot & the Garmin said we were doing between 6-7 mph.

Coco & Farah~

The hitching post space has been infringed on by a long metal bench on one side & a steel t-post with wire around it on the other.  Both mares recognized the limited room & managed to behave themselves long enough for us to sit & have lunch.

Heading back~

We about froze at lunch - with the stiff, cold wind - contributing to the chill.  The usual quiet of Margaretville broken by a huge dump truck that roared by on the far side of the fence several times, dust flying.  Once we were back into the Timber section though - we really enjoyed the relative noise free beauty of the countryside.  More than once we both had to exclaim over yet another stunning December day.

Farah & Connie

My Garmin had shut itself off once, but I caught it within two-miles.  Regardless - we did make our goal of 400-miles for the year.  It wouldn't seem like much of an accomplishment - until I think of the highway miles it took to get it done.  (The time we tried riding around a corn field - I discovered it's not the place to make the speed it takes to rack up miles.)

I'm done - again - with mileage derby's.  I entered here in Iowa - just for the novelty of knowing we'd come full circle from the first year I'd found this group of Midwest riders on-line.  This season, Farah & I have seen most of the trails within a 100-miles or more from home & driven thousands of miles to do it.  I'm a little tired of the driving, a little tired overall.  There are many days I wish this mare had come along earlier in my life...

I received news today of the death of a long time friend & amazing horsewoman.  Mary held an endurance ride for many years from her home in Oregon.  She & her family graciously hosted the many riders who made it a point to attend.  A friend to all, horse & human - her loss leaves a huge void in the lives of all who knew her...  Ride ON Mary!  May the trails in heaven be beautiful & never-ending ~

Farah - 5,000+ Miles!

Farah & Khari 6-17-2011

I've been planning to add up Farah's miles for a long while.  I knew it would be a chore, since I've changed Garmin's & the Garmin Connect site has changed too.  Their reports used to be so great!  You could set any start & end date & the stats from that period would come up.  Last year they changed that.  Now you can only select a period of time that doesn't necessarily coincide with the period you may want.

I thought the first year 2011 - would be the most difficult - but I'd set up an excel spread sheet & kept track of every ride & mile.  Not many on Farah, since we didn't bring her home until June.  I was riding Khari & once I'd made the decision to sell Khari, I still had the responsibility of keeping her in condition for the sale.

12-31-12 Mt. Pilchuck - our way home~

2012 - We battled some form of scratches on Farah's hind leg, that started in November.  She stayed at Dean's farm until the middle of May.  I rode out from there a couple times a week - but Dean only wanted us out long enough to reduce the swelling.  I didn't ride Farah at all in January & only a few times in February, March & May.  After Khari shipped out in June, Farah became my priority.

I didn't keep a spread sheet & had purchased a new Garmin Forerunner 310 XT.  For whatever reason my old Garmin's miles were gone.  My activity mileage, on the Connect site, now only goes back to March of 2012.  Riding both horses, I didn't always note which horse I rode.  I had to go back & look at photos - there were only a couple rides that didn't have any.  My old blog posts helped & between all that - I sorted out Farah's miles.

12-31-13 View from Stimson Hill~

2013 - Was the first year I entered the Distance Derby - those miles were documented.  The photo above is of my favorite place to ride - with my friend Joyce.  We made a plan to do this ride every New Years Eve, but life got in the way.

12-22-2014 Out from Home~

2014 - We were again in the Derby & again our miles were posted.  It really was an incredible year of riding - I didn't realize then- just how blessed we were.

6-13-2015 Nehalem Bay, OR

2015 - I decided to start the Washington Trail Riders Distance Derby - for the state of WA.  It was fun & really interesting to see how many miles just riders in our state could ride!  I don't remember what the total was - but I think it was close to 25,000 miles!

10-14-2016 Sheridan, WY

By 2016 - I was tired of logging miles.  I rode because I love to ride.  I didn't even think about making a certain distance milestone.  I continued to ride with my Garmin & download the stats to my Connect site.  The year ended up being so challenging in so many ways - I never did total up our miles until recently.

2017 - Riding in Iowa - has been interesting to say the least.  Boarding Farah, the cold, icy winter months, stormy spring, buggy, hot/humid summer...  Long drives to find anyplace to ride & very limited riding even so.  It hasn't stopped us - our routines have changed - but our love of the trail remains the same~

5-26-2017 View of the Missouri River~

When I finished with my calculations - I found that we passed 5,000 miles in the middle of the Mt. Adams Endurance Ride, May 2016!  How fitting!  Farah is as sound as ever - forward as ever - beautiful as ever & enjoys the trails as much as I do.
  I'm fine, I'm Ridin' ~