The Arctic Fox finds a new home!

A chronicle of our history with the camper, has given me time to reflect on just a few of the highlights.  Back in 2012, we bought the new-to-us rig.  It was a 2009 model, garaged & only used twice. It had exactly the features we wanted.  Our shake down cruise was to Whidbey Island.  The island had always been our go-to place for a close, quiet weekend.

1-18-2013 Deception Pass~

Everything worked perfectly, we felt like we were glamping -  after years of older - less efficient campers & motor homes.  For a couple years, I'd even used the back of the horse trailer as a place to stay dry at endurance rides!

2-16-2013 At Bolender Horse Park~

 That first year, we were on the road almost every month.  February, we traveled south, where Farah & I attended a weekend clinic on Extreme Mountain Trail!  The Bolender's hosted a Valentine's weekend for couples that included a great dinner & good time.

4-29-2014 - Ancient Lakes

 What became a yearly trip, was one of our favorites.  Multi-day trips were just the best, you had time to travel & more time to unwind & relax.  Our friends Scott, Barb & Linda were just the best to camp with.  The laughter never stopped!  The riding was out of this world.  Butch made friends with the landowner & had his own private tours of the surrounding country.

5-18-2014 Mt. Adams~

  May, Butch took us to the Mt. Adams ride camp, near Trout Lake, WA.  Farah & I competed in her first 55-mile endurance ride.  We had so much fun, Farah proved to me that she was way more horse than I'd imagined.

6-4-2014 Lined up at the Astoria Safeway to load up on supplies!

  Early June, was our second year of a week long trip to Nehalem Bay State Park in OR.  Our friend Janelle put together the Sno-King Saddle-up group, on a Meet-up web page.  The calendar of events included this trip & we made it a point to join!  We'd make our reservations almost a year in advance & there were enough of us to take up the entire horse camp!  It was a week of sheer delight!  Riding the beach, campfires, group dinners & making new friends. 

8-2-2014 Bare Bones

By August, we traveled to the Evergreen Sportsman Club for the Bare Bones Endurance Ride.  This time, only 30-miles & Farah let me know that she is competitive by nature :-)  It was incredibly hot, so we appreciated having AC!

6-16-2015 Loading on to the Walla Walla~

We also took yearly family camping trips with either both, or each of the girls families.  Ft. Flagler was a favorite with the Peters.  Beach combing, rock hounding, hiking & bike riding.

5-19-2016 Crossing the Columbia~

Mt. Adams became a yearly thing too...  Once management had moved the ride back to the original camp in a meadow at the base of the mountain.  It had always been one of my favorite rides, I finished it eight times, over the years, on three different horses.

5-21-2016 Mt. Adams Ride Camp~

Butch climbed onto the top of Diane's trailer to get the wide-angle view of the ride camp.  Always impressive to see so many rigs & horses in the high meadow.

6-8-2016  We off-load Grandson Ben & his bike in Astoria :-)

Once our youngest daughter's family moved to Astoria, we usually made plans to meet them in town, on our way to the beach.  When the girls visited our camp, they rode, fed & generally spoiled Farah :-)

6-11-2016 - Skyla riding Farah~

 One of our last trips in WA, was to Rainbow Falls.  We met up with the Wrights & had a perfect weekend of swimming in the river & enjoying the time with three of our favorite grand-kids!

7-31-2016 - Rainbow Falls~

Finally, the truck & camper took us on our Great Adventure - the move from WA  to Iowa.  With an unexpected remodel happening from the minute we arrived, the camper became our living quarters.  We were happy to have it!

10-21-2016 - New Home~

Once in Iowa, neither of us were as fond of camping.  Sitting around listening to generators, was never our thing...  We did make one trip to Brushy Creek, in the northern part of Iowa.  If we'd moved to that area, I'd still be riding.  It was the one place I'd found with close to fifty-miles of trail.

9-30-2017 Brushy Creek

Now, the camper is starting a new phase of life, with a brand new young family!  It will be making trips to Colorado.  I'm sure this family will enjoy it as much as we have!  I was a little sad to see it pull away - our last real tie to our old life in WA.  It was sweet to know it's gone to a good home! 

7-20-2019 - The camper leaves home on a Dodge!  :-)

We both thought that the camper looks as good as the day Butch drove it home!  Wes & Lanette were thrilled to get it.  We don't plan to quit traveling, but with the kids & grand-kids in WA, we'll be spending more time in the air :-)

Farah's New Home!

It's been a crazy busy two-days.  Even with all our work, getting Farah moved took a lot more.  After a great lunch at the Gathering Place, I drove over to Farah's stable with the Bronco & trailer.  Butch soon followed with the truck.  We tied Farah in the isle while Butch took out all the wood we'd lined the stall walls with & our stall matts.

Farah at the farm~

 Once at the farm, we decided to put up her electric pen, a place to keep her out of trouble while we worked on our to-do list.  Farah was totally calm, we gave her hay & water.  While we were working I'd look up to see what she was doing & neither of us could believe how relaxed she was.  Butch said she was wondering when all the other horses were coming for the endurance ride :-)  That's when she's usually in her portable corral.

Eating field corn!

 I walked up several times during the day & convinced her to try an ear of corn.  It took some coaxing, but she finally did & was so funny, tossing her head up & down as she chewed.  By the time we were done, the sun was setting.  It didn't take long for her to realize that other horses are on the far side of the road.

In her corral~

 Once we turned her in, she walked right into the barn, into her stall & checked her feed tub as though it had been yesterday that she'd used it.  Soon, her head was buried in the hay bag.  When we left, she walked out with us to the gate.  We took the truck to dinner at Tobey Jacks, then came back for the Bronco & to check on her.  She was fine & as we left with both rigs, she walked back into the barn.

Back to pick-up duty!

Today, the sun again broke through the clouds, but the wind was blowing & it was bitter cold!  I have to say that doing pick-up duty again felt really Great!  I even brought out my special fork - given as a Best Condition Award from the Mt. Adams ride in 2016.

Farah was standing by the door of the barn as we drove in.  Happy to see us & have her breakfast, we could tell that she'd spent a nice, calm night.  I can't imagine how good it must be for her to be able to walk, trot & roll, all with no mud.  Just being away from the smell is So wonderful!  (In the winter, the stable was totally unable to scrape or clean the paddocks on the hill.)  The easy access to her stall & a nice place to stand out of the wind has to be much more comfortable for her.

Tack Area~

 It's nothing fancy, but it sure feels like home!  By the end of the day, we had a lot done!  Things are really coming together & I know Farah recognizes that.  Again, she was the most relaxed I've seen her in forever.  No more of the crazy horse that had the stall next to her yelling & screaming every time she moved.  We both really think she realizes that this place is hers.

Dinnertime~

 She's doing all the things a happy horse is supposed to do, eating, drinking, peeing, pooing & taking her new surroundings in stride!  Our friends are gone over the Easter weekend, but they did call to see if Farah had arrived.  Butch told them he went to feed the chickens & found that a horse had moved in!  :-)

2016 - Movin' On~

I didn't even think to do my usual yearly wrap up until this month - almost a year later!  Looking back - I realize my last one was at the Homestead in 2015.   2016 was so full of change - none expected or planned - but each in it's own way moved us forward on the path of life.  We've been very blessed to have our family to love, friends to support us & opportunities to experience the beautiful places we have.

January 14th, 2016 - Three Fingers from the Homestead~

The year started out normal enough.  A New Year's Day ride with our Traildusters Chapter of BCHW.  The mild, but wet winter & spring gave me plenty of nice days of riding.  Below - a photo of the first of the Trilliums.

4-11-16 Trillium~

By April, as usual, Farah & I had covered a whole lot of miles.  Butch was working what by now had become his usual routine.  Long hours on his job sites & even longer hours on the freeway commuting. 
A friend wanted me to show her the way up to Stimson Hill & I never had to be asked to make that ride.

4-11-16 Whitehorse Mountain from Stimson Hill

A trip to Quincy & visit to the Cave B winery with friends, was a highlight.  We left camp in pouring rain - but it was so eerily beautiful it made memories I'll never forget.  As Scott said;  "Farah tried to kill you three times." He wasn't kidding - she'd even reared & struck out at him & his horse when he was holding her reins.  It wasn't her weekend...

4-29-16 On our way~

May, my mare redeemed herself & made us proud by accomplishing my other competitive goal, the  Best Condition award at the Mt. Adams endurance ride.  Even with the shank, Butch had his hands full trotting her out at the Vet-in.  She was ready & knew the name of this game!

5-21-16 Butch has his hands full, at the Vet-in~

As June rolled around, little did we know it would be our last annual trip to Nehalem, OR.  A week of bliss riding on the beach. Sandy & I had such fun!  It was probably the last time Farah & her sire Ody will be together.

6-9-16 Connie & Farah, Sandy & Ody~

By late July, change seemed to be happening daily.  Getting the Homestead ready to sell, had us both working long hours.  Butch would come home, load the truck & haul the boxes I'd packed to storage.

8-1-16 Grandson Ben & Butch on the construction site~

My trails were wiped out.  No more riding from home.  I was doing what so many horse people now do, trailering to ride.  It seems we never appreciate anything enough - until it's gone...

8-7-16 Butch views the destruction ~

By September, with the Homestead sold, packing, sorting, hauling, donating etc. was in full swing.  We were constantly looking at the sales ads on-line, searching for a place to live, in the town we thought would suit us best.

9-25-16 Mason, Grammy & Cassidy, under the arch on the Centennial Trail~

As I've written before, the very hardest part was leaving the Grand-kids...  Something we never though we'd ever do.  Both the girls & their families visited & helped sort through everything as we downsized.  After so many years on an acreage -  we filled two U-Haul trucks.

10-14-16 In Sheridan, WY

Early October, we were on the road to Iowa.  The trip couldn't have gone any better, we stopped to visit family in Sheridan & arrived in Glenwood right on schedule.

10-21-16 The Home Place

With such a short time to find anything, we were very lucky.  Our search resulted in a place we felt comfortable calling home.  Two-weeks later I lost my Mother...  We locked up & drove to Boulder,  where we spent a week, before returning to Greenfield for services.

11-11-16 At the Greenfield Cemetery~

It was a sad time - but at least Mom lived long enough to know we'd arrived safely.  She loved hearing all about the house & town.  She was so happy to know we were in Iowa.

12-10-16 Our Tree~

December came, our first Christmas - at the Home Place.  As I write this, almost a year over-due, those months flew by.  So many changes, in such a short time.  It seems especially so, after many years of the seasonal routines in Washington.  No wonder it's taken me a while to assimilate.

The last few years, were mostly about saddle time.  This year riding took a backseat to everything else.  It had only taken Farah a short while to settle into her new surroundings.  It wasn't long before the two of us were back to enjoying our time on the trail & the beauty of the SW Iowa landscapes.

Past Year - 2015~