We are HOME

Pulled in the driveway on Tuesday night about 10pm.  Yesterday I just sat in the house and soaked it all in.  The dogs were just bursting with joy to get home and ran and ran in the house barking and playing together. Lady and The Tramp did good that last long day in the trailer 12 hours and even drank water for me in the trailer. (A first for me to get  a horse to drink while traveling)  I guess they are seasoned travellers now, even the little baby tramp.  Terry and I went for a swim in the tub Tues.night and think maybe we were swimming in heaven it felt so good to soak up to our ears after that long 9,862 mile drive we took over the last 3 months.  We used 933 gallons of diesel fuel, and bought 50 tanks full.  I think when we go back to Tucson, we will just go back to Tucson and skip, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, Lousiana, Texas and New Mexico.  Sorry all the loved ones along the way but we will have to catch up with you later!!!  We plan to be back in Tucson by Dec. 1, 2011!!  Planning on a pack trip to Mt. Lemmon with Al and Bill,  yes you Bill Stephens, bring your sleeping bag and don't be late.  Remember, Christmas is coming early this year, at Thanksgiving!  Don't leave me dedicated readers and I still have more fun stories of the rest of the trip to tell!

Stuck in a traffic Jam on I-44 in Oklahoma

Hi Y'all,  Well, we came up for air today out of Palo Duro Canyon near Amarillo.  We are officially heading home from this magnificent trip.  We should be home Tuesday night, God willing.  Let's see...where did leave off since I last had a signal.  Apache Junction I think.  Apache Junction is about and hour and 15 min. north of Tucson and our good friends stay there for the winter.  Tim and Karolyn Brondyk.  So on the way to Kanab, UT we stopped in for a 2 day visit and got to ride a little there and go to the Festival of the West in Phoenix while we were there.  Also, ran into Terry's long-time pal Pat who also just retired from the railroad.

This little show was at the festival and it was hilarious!

Down by Tortilla Flats, Yes a lake in Arizona.

One of my favorite pics from our last ride in Tucson.

Tim and Bobe riding in Apache Junction!

The famous monument in Apache Junction the giant green pickle!

The beautiful view from the King's Stable campground.

The barn at A.J.

The family room at A.J.

Across the road from King's is this charming ghost town.  More tomorrow as we stop for the night near Miami, OK.

I'm not dead

Hi all!  Sorry I have been off-line so long, since we left Tucson I have not had a good signal and still don't.  Since we left on the 16th, we have been to Apache Junction for 2 days, pictures to come when I land somewhere with more signal.  Now we are in Kanab, UT, a beautiful place and got to volunteer at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in the Horses.  What an amazing place.  I will write more later and post lots of pics. Anyway just checking in with you all. 

#1 Cowpony

I don't have any pictures to prove it because I wasn't there but last Saturday Terry went to the Cow sorting  with The Tramp and won the money at the end!!!  He is a cow sorting monster, they say!!  This is really funny  because the week before we took both Paso's to just let them see cows and get used  to the idea and I know all those cowboys on quarter horses were thinking, "what are those people doing here with those dumb little gaited PONIES"?  Too funny!!!

Anyway, yesterday we saw our first rattlesnake!  EEEK, it was right next to the  trail and scared Al's horse rattling really loud.  Here is a picture of it under the bush. You can kind of see the black and white rattler but I wasn't getting any closer for the picture.

Today was our last ride here in Tucson and we saw about a dozen havalina from pretty close distance.  They looked like little black pot-bellied pigs but are considered large rodents here.  It is a beautiful day here in the 80's and we rode about 5-1/2 hours.   We are packing to leave in the morning heading for Apache Junction, then Kanab, UT to see Kim!

The Last Friday

Hi Y'all,  Here we are on today's ride soaking my toes in the little pool at Alamo Falls.  There is no falls this time of year but it was HOT today out there and it felt good to soak my feet in the freezing water.  We are  on our last few days here and enjoying every minute.

Two days ago we drove up the mountain and visited Mt. Lemmon.

Had lunch here/

Big cookies!

It was in the 50's but the sun was warm and it was a great day on the mountain!

We did a little hiking.  We are taking off on Wed. March 15th for Apache Junction.  Will stay there until Friday, then off to Kanab, UT to visit my sister Kim!!

Closer to 50 than 40 now!

Yes, I turned 46 on Friday, this was taken at my Sushi Birthday Dinner, Yes I am as happy and content as I look.  We went by ourselves because no one else would go with us.  My friend Bitsy was there with me in spirit though since it is her birthday also on March 4th and we always go to Sushi together and sing Happy Birthday to Us.  Missed you this year Bits!!  Hope you had a great day. 

My handsome date

Al and Margie took us and our horses to a cattle sorting last Saturday, this is Margie and her beatuful horse Poncho.

Al and Zero

They are a great team!

We went because Lady is afraid of cows and The Tramp is just a baby.  As it turned out, Tramp was more afraid of being in the arena with the other horses and Lady wasn't too afraid of cows after all.  We just went and rode around the cows and people and when they changed herds we (lady and tramp) got to chase them across the big pen.  It was fun and good exposure for them.  Yesterday when we rode in the free range area she was a lot more confident around them.  I think we are ready to do some sorting next time.  Terry will go again on Saturday and I am going to the Festival of Books to meet my favorite author Diana Gabaldon!!

Al and Zero in action

Yesterday we went riding to the hole in the rock and saw this super bow-legged lady standing on a rock!

Amazing rock formations in the area.

Our great neighbors Bill and Bev from Kansas. (Bill is Gracie's new boyfriend)

Thursday

Greeting Blog Readers,  Sorry for my absence, I have been sick with a cold and didn't feel like talking.  But...I am feeling great today and back at it.  Check this out, I had Bobe's portrait painted at the Rodeo in case I lost him while out on the trail.

I have him in my heart and on my hat now!  Since I have been off air we have had Kim visiting, she was sick almost her whole trip.  Major bummer for her but she did get out riding once.

Doesn't she look miserable out riding The Tramp in the desert in the 70 degree weather?
We also went to Tombstone again and stopped in at Bisbee that day.

This is Kim riding back from Oatman with the dogs snuggled up around her.

Downtown Bisbee, AZ

Tombstone!

More later, I promise!