another adventure

(Remember, you can click on any photo for larger view)

Not sure what to title this one. Something to the lines of “if it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck”, or “maybe I should have just stayed in bed”. How about, “never a dull moment”. One of my more eventful trips, that is for sure. And nothing really bad, just little stuff.

The trailer went to the shop for the other two brakes to be installed that hubby could not do because they sold us the wrong size. The got it done at closing time Tuesday. Got the horses shod early Wednesday AM, went back home, washed the dog, and headed out. Stopped by the tire shop, as I had one with a slow leak, and needed them to look at it. I figured a nail. They would patch it from the inside like they do for me, and I’d be on my way. When I asked the guy how many holes, he said “too many”. “How many?” Again, “too many”. He shows not only the holes, but some visible staples in the tire. Can’t even be fixed as a spare. So, buy a new tire. I hit the road, about 2 hours later than planned, but that is OK. Then, the dog, who slept most of the trip to Arkansas and back, decides she needs potty breaks every two hours. So progress is not as quick as I’d like.

Everything is so green right now along 287 between home and Amarillo. While it started out as a drought looking year, we have caught up in some rain, and the fields were not looking too bad. Just north of Wichita Falls are some camels that live in a pasture. You can not always spot them, as they will sometimes we far back, among the trees, but today I was able to see many of them, and snap a photo with my little camera





Not far after than, dog tells me she needs a break. So, stop, unload her, reload her, and on our way again. She does sleep pretty sound in the back seat. I put a nice big blanket down for her to sack out on.





I make it to Amarillo before sunset, and stop at the truck stop to refuel, and get the horses unloaded, walk around, nibble some grass, and eat a beet pulp mash. This is when I notice that my camper refrigerator, which never gives me any issues, has decided it does not want to stay lit and working going down the road. 14 years, and it finally decides to act up a bit. So, grab some ice, transfer food to the ice chest, and away we go again. Then, my navigation NUVI starts sending me on a weird route, and I look, and it was set up for shortest route with a car. Meanwhile I get a scenic look at N. Amarillo! I decide to drive another few hours, to Clayton NM, where I found a fairgrounds. Get there, fumble around the back roads, including having to turn around on a dead end street, and finally find the gate, stables, and a place to park. Someone else is there, so the horses are not alone. Not a bad little spot. Nothing special, but covered corrals, and I parked right next to them.






Next AM, I fire up the truck, head out, and it starts running rough, then the “check engine” light comes on, and it is running really rough. Call to hubby and he thinks maybe the fuel filter, as it started to run better after a few min. So, onward! I get to Raton NM, and stop at an Auto Zone to get a fuel filter. I get out of the truck, and see one of my bale bags with a bale of hay is hanging OFF the roof.




My extra bag of shavings has disappeared. I am guessing it got a hole in it, and slowly the contents blew out, until the bag was empty, and my expert tie down job was now too loose, and the bale of hay tried to take flight. As I am leaving, I decide to check the hubs on the trailer for heat, and signs of any of the bearings having issues. Three are fine, one is hot! We are guessing maybe it was tightened too tight when greased. But, seems like I can keep heading on to the ride camp, and then deal with it. I exited for a sign for a travel center, to get fuel, but it ended up not being a fuel location at all. And it is on a dead end road, and I have to again, look for a place to turn around. But then I see a sign for a place that says TRAILERS. I pull in, and he actually has a bearing, so I buy it, in case this one IS bad, I can get it swapped out. Shesh, what am I forgetting? Lets see. Tire, fuel filter, shavings left me, hay tried to leave, bearing…. I think that is it. Just stupid things. But the beauty of the drive, and knowing what a lovely area I’ll be camping and riding at this weekend makes up for the weird things happening. A bit of a storm is rolling in from the west as I head closer to the ride.


Pulling off freeway, and heading up into the base of the mountains where camp is, and taking in the beauty of the surroundings.



I arrived at ride camp, and was the first rider here. Lovely spot in a large clearing at the base of the mountains.


Got settled in, horses and dog taken care of, and then climbed in the camper to listen to the light rain fall. The soil is such, that it does not get muddy, so hopefully, we won’t get much more, and the trails will be in excellent shape. Hank keeps talking to whom ever will listen. Flag is on the other side of the trailer, so he wants to make sure he is still there. But Flag never replies. The ride is full, with about 65 riders this weekend. I am really looking forward to some mountain time! Will try to post during the weekend, since I seem to have 3G with the wireless card.