Showing posts with label caballos del sol. Show all posts
Showing posts with label caballos del sol. Show all posts

Monday, March 29, 2010

The Saddle Sore-ority

"Age is a box people put you in. And, no good ever comes from living life like that." ~ K. Miller
This is Pam. My new mentor. 73 years old and the happiest cowgirl I've ever met! She rode farther, faster and held up better on our 5-day trail ride than me. We'd be well-served to follow her lead.

I survived my dream vacation! The Caballos del Sol 5-day trail ride, in northern Arizona. I've never been so cold, so tired, so sore... or, so happy. The Doc said not to go but what does he know? Releasing my inner cowgirl was good medicine!

Me and Meg. My beloved little mare had the time of her life. (Me, too!)
PS: This cowgirl get-up was NOT my idea.

During this long, grey winter I felt a little 'stuck.' Nothing working quite right. Illness. Boredom. As we inch ever closer to the 5th decade, I find myself surrounded by age-obsessed people. Turning 50. So very old. (Seriously?)

And, of course, that rubbed off on me. Even the bright blossoms of a re-blooming Orchid was hard-pressed to boost my spirits.
New friends, Nancy and Larry. Cowpokes extraordinaire.

But then I went on vacation with the horse. Met people, most older than me, who give new meaning to a life well-lived.

Which got me wondering why such things matter. What is age anyway? Other than one slightly inaccurate measure of all we've done and all the grand things left to do.

If we didn't know our real age, then I s'pose we'd guess our age at how old we feel. Like Pam (top photo) who, in many ways, is considerably younger than me.
More new friends: Earl (the horse,) Dacodah, Janet and Mike. Come September, we're meeting up in New Mexico to do this all over again.

After releasing my inner cowgirl, I'm way younger than I used to be. Way healthier. Happier. And, so tired I can barely type. :D
Coolest. Horse. Ever.

* It was just not possible to ride my bouncy little mare and take pics at that same time. But, I do have some gorgeous wildflower photos to share once I muster up the energy to unpack the camera.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Me, Of Little Faith

Tomorrow, I leave on my dream vacation. Earlier today, I was whining to Betty and the Garden Faerie about how it will most likely be less of a dream and more of a nightmare.

Imagine! A 5 day trail ride in the mountains of northern Arizona.

Away from the snow and the cold... Atop my beloved horse. Trotting through red rock canyons and pristine wilderness...

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

But... what of my butt? 
5 days in a saddle?? 
Do they even make Advil capsules that strong??
And, then there's this.

As my regular readers, oops, reader (Hi, Rod!) knows, I'm still trying to get over iron deficiency anemia. I'm no Energizer Bunny, right now.
Though that's the least of my concerns. I'll just be sitting on my arse. Atop a hard working horsie, hollering ooch, eech, ouch!

* To quote a favorite movie, "I'm '98% excited and 2% scared. Or, maybe it's the other way around."

Wish me luck. :)