Prescott's Smallest Rider
July SEAHA Trail Ride Report
June 17th - Prescott, AZ - If you can't take the heat, get out of Tucson, er… the fire. The pine forest six miles above Prescott is about as high as you can get and still be that close to a wonderful town, but even at 6800 feet the temperatures still approached the mid 80s. Laura, our trail boss, ensured two important components were constantly available to make the ride cool and highly enjoyable; shade and water. This was the first official SEAHA ride for Hope Allen and her first real chance at the "controls" for more than backyard rides. Over the past few months her mother had proven the little mule Phoebe bombproof, though her father wondered how Hope would handle the trait that gave Phoebe her original name, Speedy. Within a half mile it was obvious Hope would have no problems, if she could just remember that the steering wheel on her saddle (the horn) did nothing to slow her progress or stop her steed. Kids grow up learning that cars, boats, bikes, and games are controlled by solid, mostly round fixtures. Pulling a floppy piece of leather is a foreign idea to a modern six-year-old. Adding to the sporting nature of the trail event, there were several logs that had to be stepped over. A 13.5 hand mule like Phoebe doesn't step over anything taller than a gopher mound, she has to jump or risk getting high-centered. Hope learned to hang on and enjoy the jump. The route stayed shady and in places wet as we wound a few hundred feet down to Groom Creek. Or at least we think it was Groom, it could have been Wolf. The trails in the area are seldom marked or official, but meander around, crossing and re-crossing each other. Laura never once exhibited less than perfect confidence in our route. Well, perhaps once. But all trails heading downhill lead to the welcome landmark of water and the creek is where we hitched up the animals and had a nice break. The grass beside the bubbling stream was high, and the horses and mules enjoyed the rest as much as the riders. The return route passed several gold claims, sparking discussions on the prospects of striking some pay dirt. Finding gold was only one of the extra-equestrian activities SEAHA members enjoyed after the main ride. Dining in Prescott or potlucks at the Groom Creek Horsecamp, watching the free entertainment on the plaza, and relaxing in the mountain air were fine alternatives to baking in the desert.
June 17th - Prescott, AZ - If you can't take the heat, get out of Tucson, er… the fire. The pine forest six miles above Prescott is about as high as you can get and still be that close to a wonderful town, but even at 6800 feet the temperatures still approached the mid 80s. Laura, our trail boss, ensured two important components were constantly available to make the ride cool and highly enjoyable; shade and water. This was the first official SEAHA ride for Hope Allen and her first real chance at the "controls" for more than backyard rides. Over the past few months her mother had proven the little mule Phoebe bombproof, though her father wondered how Hope would handle the trait that gave Phoebe her original name, Speedy. Within a half mile it was obvious Hope would have no problems, if she could just remember that the steering wheel on her saddle (the horn) did nothing to slow her progress or stop her steed. Kids grow up learning that cars, boats, bikes, and games are controlled by solid, mostly round fixtures. Pulling a floppy piece of leather is a foreign idea to a modern six-year-old. Adding to the sporting nature of the trail event, there were several logs that had to be stepped over. A 13.5 hand mule like Phoebe doesn't step over anything taller than a gopher mound, she has to jump or risk getting high-centered. Hope learned to hang on and enjoy the jump. The route stayed shady and in places wet as we wound a few hundred feet down to Groom Creek. Or at least we think it was Groom, it could have been Wolf. The trails in the area are seldom marked or official, but meander around, crossing and re-crossing each other. Laura never once exhibited less than perfect confidence in our route. Well, perhaps once. But all trails heading downhill lead to the welcome landmark of water and the creek is where we hitched up the animals and had a nice break. The grass beside the bubbling stream was high, and the horses and mules enjoyed the rest as much as the riders. The return route passed several gold claims, sparking discussions on the prospects of striking some pay dirt. Finding gold was only one of the extra-equestrian activities SEAHA members enjoyed after the main ride. Dining in Prescott or potlucks at the Groom Creek Horsecamp, watching the free entertainment on the plaza, and relaxing in the mountain air were fine alternatives to baking in the desert.
posted by Garrett | 12:05 PM
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