Change of Plans & a Hill Blast

Well the weather looks like utter crap for ROM this weekend, so as of now I have the go-ahead from the ride manager and a spot in a truck and trailer for Desire and I to go down to the Cuyama Oaks 3 day XP ride next weekend!! I can't frickin' wait, to be honest! ROM forecast is calling for rain, wind, and snow, and even if we could get over the pass to the Reno area--brrrrr! I was so excited to get to a ride I figured I'd tough it out if possible, but this option of a 3 day XP experience down South just cannot be ignored! A gal we camped next to at last year's Cache Creek Ridge Ride--and fellow redhead, look out!--mentioned she was going earlier in the month but I was planning on ROM. She mentioned it again this morning when I was whining about the forecast on Facebook and viola, a plan is in the works! My husband J is all for skipping the snowy/rainy Nevada adventure and getting to stay home and tend the critters--and fish!

Speaking of, J and I went on another impromptu fishing/riding afternoon at the lake trails, but this time I brought Desire--and a saddle pad! I wanted to take her up Sycamore Hill since I hadn't gotten to yet;  I don't park near that trail anymore after my truck got broken into on that end, so I'm always approaching Sycamore Hill from way over the ridge and just hadn't gotten that far yet. Today I was only a few miles away from the Hill so we headed for it straightaway.

We cruised nicely along the flat water-side dirt road for the most part, but the second time Desire went from a 9 mph trot to a dead stop because of a rock alongside the trail I broke a stick off a tree. A warning little smack on her rump when she started to get googly at the next rock kept her going forward nicely. Brat. Two kids on dirt bikes were tearing around the trails right before Sycamore Hill, which is of course completely not allowed and really irritating, but they quickly disappeared and we got to the base of Sycamore Hill without further issue. We power trotted up the steep hill full of switchbacks and to my surprise Desire jogged right past the green grass at the summit and wanted to continue on down the other side without pause! Last time I did Sycamore Hill was on Blaze and let's just say he was A-okay with stopping for a breather at the summit! Desire was certainly puffing but she just kept on trucking, and when the bike we passed on the way up passed us on the way down she got extra peppy and competitive to get after that bike.

Since it was already afternoon and the skies were darkening and wind picking up, I decided to loop right back to the trailer after the hill work. It was only 7 miles all told but it only took about an hour and with Sycamore Hill included it felt like a great little adrenaline-rush ride, and in truth was a good little speed/hill work session.

Sweat marks from the saddle looked great today and I had my new cantle pack on and it rode nicely and didn't both me or Desire at all.

My husband took a couple of cool pics of us again, including the one at the top of the post, which I love!

Hehe pretty dorky but that's us!

 Back down Sycamore Hill

 She couldn't gobble fast enough

I LOVE this wine colored vest I'm wearing in the pic below. N was kind enough to pass it on to me when we rode the other day. It's a true down vest and soo comfy, and *ahem* matches, so yeah, my new favorite article of clothing!!

Rain and wind forecast for most of the rest of the week, skinny Joey and old man Blaze are happy spoiled stall neighbors :-)