A Memorable Memorial Day Weekend

Wednesday 5/27/09
We rode from Watrous to Wagon Mound, NM today. 13 miles of which were on roads of the 17 miles total. There were 22 riders riding today, and we all posed for picture taking at the 500 mile marker of our journey. That means that I’ve ridden almost as far as Kansas City to Dallas! We had to wear rain gear today due to showers and thundershowers this afternoon. We got under a highway underpass during one of the thunderstorms and waited it out. We moved camp to an open grass field near Wagon Mound, NM. It was about 6 ½ hours on horseback, and we arrived around 2:30 this afternoon before returning to the camp in Watrous to get our trailers. We had our new camp set up by 5:00 PM. I had Ali re-shod today, and his first set of shoes were worn out, but lasted over 500 miles. Glad I didn’t go with the rubber boots.

Tuesday 5/26/09
We rode today from Railroad Cattle Pens near Las Vegas, NM to a ranch near the small town of Watrous, NM. The setting for the ride was a rocky, craggy valley with a narrow winding country road. It reminded me some of the roads in Italy. We also rode through a very narrow and rocky canyon with only enough passage for one horse at a time. We had to duck under evergreen trees and allow our horses to pick their footing through the rocks and downed logs. We had to cross a stream several times. Ali had a tough afternoon because we got separated from most of the other riders. He was anxious about being alone. We arrived at the new campsite about 20 minutes after the lead riders. We then went back to the Cattle Pens to retrieve our trailers. Then, I went back to Las Vegas, NM to get repair parts for my propane tank. A hose had broken that goes from one tank to the regulator. Luckily it was only a 10-minute fix. I also needed a tire repaired. Richard Lupardus, another rider from Missouri, was kind enough to take it to the repair shop for me. A large thorn had punctured it. I arrived at the new campsite about 6:30 that evening. I tended to Ali, ate my Subway sandwich for dinner and called it a night.

Memorial Day 5/25/09
We left camp on the west side of Las Vegas, NM at 7:45 AM on Memorial Day. We had not gotten out of camp until we had our first serious horse wreck. Liz Malcome had her horse bolt and she came off her horse. She suffered many bruises and a broken wrist, but she will be okay. We rode through Box Canyon southwest of Las Vegas. It’s another scenic area that cannot be seen from any road or highway. Pictures just don’t do it justice! We had a long, hard day of riding to an old railroad shipyard that was used for shipping cattle back east many years ago. We put our horses up here for the night. We returned to our old campsite and moved to the Cattle Pens. Today we rode a total of 21 miles and rode several miles along the ruts and depressions caused by the travelers of the Santa Fe Trail.

Sunday 5/24/09
On Sunday, I woke to find that my refrigerator wasn’t working, and my frozen food was partially thawed. I missed Memorial Day church service in the old church in El Cerrito, NM. I took the refrigerator apart and cleaned up all the fins in the burner area. Dust and dirt from the roads we have been using had built up to the point it had stopped working. It’s now running again. I rode Ali bareback around camp for about an hour during the afternoon. He seemed to enjoy the exercise.

The Santa Fe Trail

This week we rode four days from Moriarty, NM to Las Veges, NM. It was a total of 75 miles and our total distance traveled is now 442 miles.

We rode through the frieght wagon route of the old Santa Fe Trail. This was the first that I knew of the Santa Fe trail haveing two routes, one for travelers on horseback and another for the frieght wagons. Part of the route was in Blanco Canyon through Canon Blanco Ranch. It has breath taking views and elevation changes.

We were not able to get our camping rigs into the area because of the steep terrain and rough roads but we did take in pickup trucks with three days provisions. Four of us teamed up and took supplies in with two trucks. I slept Monday night in the front seat of the pickup. I got up sore, stiff and tired! Tuesday & Wednsday nights I slept in the pickup bed. I rolled out my sleeping bag and got a pretty good night sleep both nights. Monday and Tuesday we spent at ranch catch pens where we had water for the horses and pens or fences to tie the horses to. On Wednesday night we stayed in El Cerritto, a small village that is on a horseshoe bend of the Pecos River. It is a beautiful 1700s village that now has eleven ful time residents and fourteen parttime residents. The river flows into a box canyon on one side and then flows out the other side. It is not much wider then a quarter mile.

The village hosted us to an authentic spanish dinner and breakfast. Our primary hosts were Louisa and Tony. They then rode with us on Thursday.

On Wednesday and Thursday we could see Starvation Mountain. Legend has it that a group of Spaniards were surrounded by a band of Indians while on the mountain and they all starved to death. Louisa assured us that it was only a legend.

W arrived at the camping site near Las Vegas after 5:00PM on Thursday. We then had to go back to El Cerritto to retrieve our trucks and then go back the sixty niles to Moriarty to get our rigs to take them to the new camp site. It was after 11:00PM when we arrived with our rigs. By the time we tended to the horses and took a shower it was almost midnight when I got to bed. This three day trek was every bit as grueling as the trip across the desert. The horses were very tired when we arrived Thursday night, as were we.

We are using Friday, Saturday, and Sunday as rest days. I have done my laundry and will get more propane and generator gas while I'm in town today. I am at a Comfort Inn using their wi-fi to do this update. Many thanks for thier hospitaliy.

It is Sunday afternoon and I am at the Comfort Inn in Moriarty, NM using their wi-fi. I have had a quiet day. I attended cowboy church at the rodeo grounds this morning.

Pictures are of the wagons and of the Gran Quivera Ruins

We have gone over 350 miles to date.

Yesterday was a busy rest day. The day started by banging pots and pans outside Tom Seay's trailer and singing Happy Birthday to him. We then went to breakfast at the El Comador restaurant and ate with Bruce King, former governor of New Mexico. We just happened to have taken the table he and his friends have coffee at every morning. What a pleasent man he is! We then rode in the grand entrance to the rodeo. The temperature was in the forty's with a stiff wind. We all froze. In the afternoon I went and had a flat trailer tire repaired, bought propane, did my grocery shopping, and had my laundry done.

Friday we rode into town with a group of local riders and wagons drawn by miniature horses.

I have gotten help from a couple of fellow riders on getting Ali to collect up better when he trots. Many thanks to Tammy and Julie for their help.

Thursday, 5/14

We rode out of the dairy farm and went 14 mile to Estanzia, NM to the Rodeo Grounds where we spent the night. There was a little over 10 miles of road-side riding alongside a state highway. This was the first time we've ridden along a road. We had wide shoulders to deal with and the traffic usually slowed down for us. The horses sometimes shied at signage along the highway, but nothing serious. Estanzia has a spring fed small lake in the center of town that is a beautiful little city oasis year round. One horse has now been deemed unfit to continue due to arthritic joints and an unsound mind. So Mary, from Massachusetts, must decide what she's going to do. She is looking now for another horse to either buy, lease, or trade. However, her 16 year old horse is part of her family and it seems she won't be parting with him. We are going to be riding into a rodeo tonight, so more to come!

Posted by: Stephani

Sunday 5/10 - Wednesday 5/13

Wednesday 5/13: We rode 17 miles to the Zen Dairy. The day was an uneventful 17.8 miles! We then trailered the horses to the city of Mountainair rodeo grounds and the city hosted us to a BBQ dinner. A local historian told us the history of the area and sang us some cowboy songs. I was able to get into town to get fuel for the generator, some parts at a hardware store and to do my laundry before dinner. I was lucky to find a hairdresser available at the Laundromat, so I also got my haircut. Tomorrow we ride out and head toward Moriarty where we will have a weekend of rest.

Tuesday 5/12: We rode out into another ranch from the Monte Pietra and came upon an ancient Pueblo Indian mission ruins from the 16th century. We took a break there from riding and toured the ruins. We rode 18 miles this day.

Monday 5/11: We stayed Sunday night on the Hinkle Ranch and rode out Monday morning through a beautiful canyon with gullies and ridges and brush. It was like riding in the scenes we saw on TV and movie westerns. I took photos, but they don’t do it justice. We rode 17 miles and stayed that night at the Monte Pietra Ranch.

Sunday 5/10: On Sunday, we rode off the McKinley Ranch and onto the Hinkle Ranch in NM. We’re entering an area with grass and juniper trees that looks more like the plains than the desert.

Posted by: Stephani

After the Desert!

5-7-09 Thursday was a welcomed and well-needed day of rest. After doing a great job in the desert, Ali was ready to rest. He was less than enthusiastic and didn't even eat all of his grain. Fortunately, Ali got better as the day wore on. We spent the day at a bed and breakfast owned by Linda and Dewey Brown on the Fite Ranch in San Antonio, NM. Linda and Dewey were great hosts. You can get more information about their bed and breakfast at http://www.fiteranchbedandbreakfast.com/.
Thursday night we had a potluck dinner. I took my infamous tossed salad.


5-8-09 Friday was another rest day. Boredom set in for Ali and I, but disappeared for me when it was time for the crawfish boil. The Best of America by Horseback crew had Fed Ex fly in 50 pounds of fresh crawfish from Louisiana. Bobby Horton, a native of Mississippi, cooked the crawfish with potatoes, onions, corn on the cob, and sausage. It was delicious! We all ate until we we were stuffed.

5-9-09 Saturday we were back on the trail. Ali and I were both ready to go again. We started the day at 7:00 a.m. It was a cool 40 degrees with gusty winds up to 25 miles per hour. Brrrr! The horses were fresh but skiddish from the wind. Fortunately, the horses settled down fairly quickly, and we were able to finish just after noon. We rode over 18 miles on changing terrain. There was more grass, and it even had a green tinge. We've now ridden 255 miles. Ali had his best day so far. He found a perfect gait and didn't want to argue with me at all. The highpoint of the day was riding by the Trinity Site where the first atom bomb was exploded in 1945.

We stop three times each day on the trail to give the horses water. So far, we have not had any problems with getting hay or grain. I understand we have to have certified weed-free hay when we go into Colorado, or we could be fined as much as $7,000. The Best of America by Horseback organizers are working on the details to make sure we have the right hay in Colorado. My supply of peppermint candies for Ali are holding out. I carry some in a sack on the saddlehorn each day. Ali knows where they are and turns to get one each time we take a rest stop on the trail.

The riders get together every night to share stories, talk about our families, and get to know each other better. My daughter sent cross word puzzles, soduku puzzles and books to keep me busy, but I haven't had time to do any of them, yet. This is a wonderful experience! I am just amazed to be so lucky to have people to support me in doing this. I pinch myself daily to make sure it's not a dream!

Posted by: Dea

Photos!!!

Bud was able to get a good enough connection to get a few pictures out today so I thought I'd share. There were no captions, but they seem to be pretty easily matched to the blog posts below. There are some from the T or C, NM parade, riding along the Rio Grande, the trek through the White Sands Desert and their camp at the Hatch Fairgrounds. I'm sure everyone's eager to see proof of the trip, so here you go!

Posted by: Melissa

Socorro, NM

It is Thursday morning and I am in Socorro, NM. We are staying at the Fite Ranch at the north edge of the White Sands desert, about 15 miles southeast of Socorro. We rode three day in the desert and I slept on the ground or on the floor of a cattle trailer the two nights. It was a hot and grueling ride. I was worn out after each day's ride. Ali is doing fine and has actually gained weight back. He likes the alfalfa hay! We rode 22 miles the first day in the desert, 24 the second day, and 20 the third day. We have past the 200 mile marker towards Canada.

The view is beautiful along the way. We had mountains in all directions from us. We rode along the west fence of the White Sands Missile range for several miles, and then rode across a small corner of it. We could see clusters of missiles on turrets pointed at the sky. We travel on ranch roads that are rocky & sandy, dirt roads. The ranch we stayed at the first night about 40 miles east of T or C, NM on the Buckhorn Ranch, owned by Doug & Leslie Davis. They are wonderful hosts and have an oasis in the desert. They are opening up a Bed & Breakfast in the near future. It is a great place to stay and bring your horses! They light a campfire for us and Del Shields sang cowboy songs as the sun set with brilliant colors on the horizon. It can't get any better then this for a cowboy!!!
The second night we stayed at a cattle watering hole with a fence to tie our horses to. We rode out, after breakfast, at 7AM on Wednesday to ride as much as we could in the cool morning. We arrived at the Fite ranch at 1:30PM after traveling the full distance without stopping for lunch. We did water the horses 3 times along the way. We ate lunch in the saddle. We never found a shady place to stop.

Of the 41 riders that started out 17 made the desert trip. Crossing the desert was a great experience, I don't have to, need to, or want to do it again!

I want to thank the people that helped me get Ali in shape to travel: My vet Dr. Mitts and his staff at Holt Animal clinic, Russ Mac Lellen, whose shoes are still on Ali, and Doug Perry for his advice in getting Ali into top shape.



Thanks to the Econolodge Inn for allowing me to use their wifi.

Until next time everyone be safe.

Bud

Week #2

*most recent dates on top*

Sat May 2

Sun May 3

The group participated in the T or C, NM annual parade on Saturday and rode in the grand entrance to the rodeo both Saturday and Sunday.  It was a lot of fun and Ali was absolutely perfect in the parade despite riding next to a crazy horse who wouldn't settle down due to the motor cycles, crowds & balloons.  All the work we've been doing the past 3 years and continue to do has paid off.  

Saturday at noon we had a wedding!  A couple traveling with us, Roy and Janice from Florida, were married by the Best of America preacher, Dale Shields.  They decided to marry while on the trail and it was completely unexpected.  We all rode into the arena and viewed the wedding by horseback.  The couple rode in, dismounted and tied the knot.  

After breakfast Sunday, we attended cowboy church and spent the rest of the day making ready and putting together the provisions needed for our 3 day trek into the White Sands Desert where the riders will be camping out on the ground beneath the stars.

Fri May 1

Early in  the morning, the horses and riders were shuttled to back to the Cain Ranch where we rode another 11 miles to Engle, NM.  Engle consists of four old buildings and not much more.  The town borders one of Ted Turner's ranches.  He did not allow our group to cross his land.  A few of the riders stopped at that point, but a few of us rode another 4 miles into the White Sand Desert.  Since we left Ft. Selden State Park, we've been riding along the Trail of Death which is part of the old trade route from Santa Fe to Mexico City.  It's called the Trail of Death due to a history of rampant Apache Indian attacks on travelers along the route.  

Total miles for the week: 69

Total miles to date: 125

Thu Apr 30

We picked up on the trail where we left off and rode another 19 miles further into the desert.  The day's ride ended at the entry to the Cain Ranch.  After riding, we returned to our camp in Hatch then moved it to Truth or Consequences (T or C), NM which is about 50 miles down the trail.  We set camp after dark that night at the Sierra County Sheriff's Posse rodeo grounds where we stayed through Sunday night.

Wed Apr 29

We had a "rest" day.  I think from now on I'll call it a "non-traveling" day because there's not much rest involved.  A few of the riders, including me, made presentations to several different classes in the Hatch Elementary school about our adventure.  A trail mate and I spoke to kindergardeners, 1st and 2nd graders.  Talking to the kids was a lot of fun!

Tue Apr 28

We left Fort Selden and rode 18 miles to the middle of nowhere in the surrounding desert.  The landscape consisted of cactus, sagebrush & tumbleweed.  When we arrived nowhere, we had crossed the first 100 miles of our ride.  There we tied the horses and returned to Fort Seldon to pick up the rigs.  After we drove back to the trail to pick up the horses, the camp was moved to the fairgrounds of Hatch, NM.  

Ali did very well and shows no soreness or lack of energy.  He's eating and drinking as well as am I.  

Mon Apr 27

The riders left Las Cruces, NM and rode 16 miles to a state park with beautiful scenery.  We rode along the Rio Grande River shadowed by the mountains all around us.  Ali was strong, but some horses showed signs of weight loss & dehydration.  The trail master talked to riders about the need for feeding and watering the animals that afternoon.

In the evening, we were treated to a BBQ by a group of people from the New Mexico Parks Department.  They gave us presentations on folklore & local history.  One individual talked to us about the nomenclature of the saddle and the Spanish influence on it.

*posted for Bud by Melissa*