In the past, my ideal day was going horseback riding with my five friends. We would load up early in the morning, head to the mountains for an all day ride in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. We start our trip at a campground and head off in a direction.
We rode through grass meadows with flowers blossoms, butterflies and birds. Through icy cold mountain streams containing swimming brook trout and busy beavers. Up to ridges that cut the clouds in the sky hoping to get a glimpse of elk or mule deer. Through the tall pines trees whispering with the breeze with sightings from noisy chipmunks and Albert’s squirrels. The one thing we did not see was other people. It was the five of us and the wilderness.
We would pack a lunch and stop somewhere in a meadow with a creek. The horses would graze and drink while we ate and cooled our feet in the icy waters. We always had to find a place with a rock, tree stump or log for Marie, the oldest in our group, to be able to get off and on her tall horse. Marie had bad knees and had to have a sturdy step in order to get on and off her horse. We would tease Marie about the need of the sturdy step and she would tell us one day ladies you will need one to get on and off your horse.
Marie and two others of our riding group are riding on the other side of the rainbow bridge. Myself and Anne are the only ones riding now. We no longer ride the mountain trials we once did, as age has changed us. We do however laugh every time we get on a horse, as like Marie said, ” one day ladies you will need one to get on and off your horse.”
Today, my ideal day is a day I ride my horse. I may be riding in Texas over level ground, but my mind is back on Lizard Head or El Blanco laughing and talking with dear friends.
amtolle
Me, Myself and I 