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A nice BBQ dinner was held at the main ranch house, across the road, in an
apple orchard. We sat on the grass and chatted with other riders,
re-counting events of the day, swapping stories." Chelse chasing the
stallion" was a hit. A computer glitch caused a delay in figuring out the
ride results and handing out awards...so, we had to wait a long time. No one
seemed to mind. It was a merry crowd. Lots of dogs and screaming children
(why do they do that?)

Some people are fascinated and impressed with the mule. Don, who rode behind
us and couldn't catch us on the last half, commented on her great trot and
business like attitude. He helped me get her bridle on at the East Mojave
ride...so, he has seen her "un-professional" side too. She was jumping up
and down and throwing her big ole' head around, having a nasty tantrum fit,
and I was having a heck of a time. It was 20+ degrees and starting to rain
and all the other horses were milling around and I couldn't get her bridle
on...so, he came over and to help a short lady with her (now) tall mule.

Tthere is always someone to help when trouble strikes. I have personally
experienced and heard of many more acts of kindness in this loose-knit,
diverse, independent group of riders. I saw a horse get tangled in his rope
while tied up too long at his trailer, with buckets strewn around, and a dog
tied up too near by. Untangled him and woke up the owner who had driven from
San Diego in the night and was dead tired, sacked out inside the trailer.
Was glad to have helped. Anyone would have, you can almost count on it, but
you shouldn't.

Melody and Jonathon and kids were across the way in a big motor home, gray
horse over there with another big rig, mule and donkey people down there,
Don back there somewhere, trucks and trailers, people and horses, kids and
dogs...with plenty of room for all. The water tank was parked in front of
us...right in the middle of camp. We got see everyone that came to the well
to fill water buckets, drink, socialize and/or play in the water. Young
girls dipped their long hair in the big bucket (mine) and slung their wet
hair at one another, screaming and running around like chickens or wet hens.

Base camp was on the Circle 9 Ranch... apple orchards, cow pastures, dense
forests, fish stocked pond, dam, ancient log cabin out buildings, barns, and
a little stream running right behind our camp. Bushy tailed handsome coyotes
stalked the gophers making holes in the grassy meadow behind us, dragon
flies flew low above the grasses and the violet green swallows swooped in
loops up high in the day time; the bats took their place in the cold brisk
night when the stars were so bright from horizon to horizon, a barn owl
squawked and the Great Horned Owl called as the bats echo-located their
insect prey, the coyotes howled a higher pitch than the ones I know. There
was profound silence behind these sounds and the Milky Way looked like a
magic carpet you could walk across to...Heaven?

This influenced the decision to stay over an extra day and explore more of
the area. We had come a day early and explored some of the trails around the
ranch... seeing the dog wood trees with their bright chartreuse leaves and
odd looking seed pods, the tall Junipers,  a bear, Foxgloves, orange
columbines, Pines and big leafed Oaks, Maples... and the brambling, stickery
berry bush patches (good bear habitat.)

Camp is difficult to keep organized. I start out with good intentions and it
soon looks like someone stirred it up with a big stick.  Stuff everywhere
and dirty too, (Chelse's rolling propensity.) I forgot the fuel for the
2-burner stove, but found some for the one-burner, and found a collapsible
back-packing grill that made it more efficient. Necessity is the Mother of
Invention. I cooked in Cliff's old Boy Scout cookware set,  perfect for
stacking pots on top of lids and cooking vertically instead of horizontally,
I made stew, toast, pasta all at the same time on one burner...and it was a
treat to sit and eat under the starry sky and chat over the days events.
Chelse entertained us curling her lips and making faces for carrots, rolling
and agitating at Penny who sometimes ignored her and sometimes showed her
teeth in distain. We were kept busy fetching carrots and running from the
dust clouds. I wondered "what the rich folks were doing?"


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