Back to Blogging... and Trip Planning

Blue is outbound route; red return

I’ve been silent for quite a while.  There’s a reason for that.  I could spend time talking about it, but it would likely make me stupid angry.  So, let’s just say, Kurt lost his primary.  Though probably not determinative, it appears folks on both ends of the political spectrum may have decided to make political fodder of the  fact that my husband chose to spend the Congressional summer break with his wife, riding horses and meeting Americans in small towns like Ironton Ohio, Bourbon Missouri, and Hays Kansas.  I guess we should have gone to Cancun like Ted Cruz did during the Texas deep freeze instead.  See … stupid … angry.

Oh well, at least now I can once again write about our passion for horses, for travel, and for meeting other people who share our appreciation for these amazing animals that let us sit on their backs and move through glorious landscapes.   And, there’s much to write about as we have another trip in the planning and other horse health and behavior issues to sort.

 I’ll admit, the drama factor of any horsey road trip I could possibly undertake must go down after last year’s cross-country venture.  How can anything rival with a trip that lasted the better part of a month; covered thousands of miles; and included rides that took us to heights over 10,000 feet, across the tops of mesas, and around the base of massive sand dunes?  Maybe nothing can, but there is still much to see and tons of interesting riding yet to do.  And, I’ll venture to suggest that the trip we have in the planning for this August, though it may not venture into as rugged terrain, will allow for some thrills of its own.  Because, while The West may be majestic, it is also rocky as all hell and full of cacti, barbed wire, snakes, and other nasty shit that gives a conscientious horsewoman pause before she picks up more than the most controlled of canters. 

New England, on the other hand, calls with forest trails redolent with the spice of hemlock, lush meadows sprinkled with wildflowers, and winding carriage roads through some pretty interesting historical and cultural landscapes. And, by the way, while last year’s trip west seemed to harken to Guillermo’s inner Spanish mustang (and his Southern California breeding and birth); this one will be all about Juneau’s heritage.  Morgans were developed as a breed in New England; literally stand on a pedestal at the University of Vermont; and Juneau spent his first 8 years in the Hudson Valley.

So, here’s what it’s looking like.  Two weeks, about 2,000 miles round trip, with stops in Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.  Sorry, Rhode Island, you just haven’t got it going on when it comes to equestrian pursuits.  Major points of interest we will visit include Saratoga, the Green Mountain National Forest, the White Mountains, and Acadia National Park.  Hope that isn’t too boring for folks at home to continue to follow our adventures.  I welcome any thoughts you have on items for our itinerary.  And, maybe – if you are horsey and living in the Northeast -- we’ll see you on the trail.