Winter, or Something Like It

January 11, 2013 / Ashley Wingert / 2 Comments

Weekend Forecast

Updated: Jan 11, 2013, 3:10pm MST

TonightJan 11

52^°FObserved High2:05 pm

26^°F

Clear

CHANCE OF PRECIP:: 0%

WIND:: WSW at 6 mph

SatJan 12

50^°

24^°

Partly Cloudy

CHANCE OF RAIN:: 0%

WIND:: SSW at 6 mph

SunJan 13

48^°

25^°

Sunny

CHANCE OF RAIN:: 0%

WIND:: N at 4 mph

Would you look at that. Something resembling winter, here in Arizona.

(Gotta love it: We heard all about how 2012 was a record year for heat, nationwide…but somehow, that turned into winter storms apparently being “so bad” that they are deserving of their own names. I’m starting to think the media isn’t happy unless there is drama occurring…and if none if forthcoming, they take something ordinary and spin it into drama.)

I know everyone currently buried under a couple feet of snow (or rain and slop) are probably brandishing snow shovels at me as I write this…but to a native desert rat, anything below 60* is practically arctic.

It’s all in what you’re used to…conversely, this means I can stand around in the full sun in the middle of the day at Tevis and not completely wilt.

Yes, I’m more of a summer girl. I take better care of myself in the heat: You have no choice but to drink, and take electrolytes, and try not to be too stupid in the heat of the day. In the winter, I do a rotten job of taking care of myself. I know I don’t hydrate well enough. Funny enough, my pony has the same problem. (We liked warmer weather rides better than cold, winter-time rides.)

Oh well. I did finally break down and get some winter riding tights, anticipating needed them for some upcoming ride plans. Never thought I’d end up needing them for around here!

Yes, I said upcoming ride plans.

I’m going to a ride next weekend!!! As in, to ride. Not just show up to volunteer, not just for work…but I get to ride again! More details forthcoming…probably after the ride…but I’ll be riding a friend’s experienced endurance horse as a “babysitter” for the greenie she’s currently training who will be doing his first ride.

It’s the Fire Mountain ride in Ridgecrest, CA. I’m quite excited about it also being my first out-of-state endurance ride. I did quite a bit of out-of-state travel for NATRC rides, but not for any endurance. (Tevis doesn’t count, since it’s crewing, for one…and two, it’s TEVIS. Nothing else is anything like Tevis.) It’ll be curious to see differences in regions, as well as a different kind of desert.

Apparently this ride can be notorious for bad weather…I’ve been stalking the 10-day forecast with bated breath. As of right now, they’re calling for highs in the mid-60s and lows in the mid-30s for the Fri-Sat-Sun I’ll be there. Perfect! And more importantly: 0% chance of rain! (I’ve decided I can actually handle snow better than I can cold rain. But my preference is neither.)

This’ll be my weekend to dig out all of my ride stuff…put my saddle back into “ride shape” (including excavating the contents of my saddle packs…ugh)…find all of my cold-n-wet-weather clothing I have (just in case)…shopping for favorite ride snacks. I also have to finish sewing “stay put” straps onto my saddle pad that likes to migrate. (When it doubt, always order saddle pads with billet straps or some kind of attachment strings…)

Just…don’t tell my pony my plans. She considers me riding any other horse other than her some form of cheating and she gets quite pissy. If she learns I’m doing an actual ride…well, there’ll be no living with her. (At least until I bribe her with a peppermint. Then all is forgiven.)

the buzz from Bumble Bee

January 7, 2013March 4, 2014 / Ashley Wingert / 2 Comments

(That was horrible. I apologize for starting the new year off with cheesy, punny post titles.)

I had a blast at the “Lead, Follow or Get Out of My Way at Bumble Bee Ranch” ride (henceforth referred to as the Bumble Bee ride) this weekend. Attending rides is the absolute highlight of my job — I love interacting with riders and had such a great time meeting so many new people this weekend, or finally putting faces with names of folks I’ve either spoken to over the phone or emailed.

Bumble Bee was a new ride, put together by the same management team that does the “Lead, Follow or Get Out of My Way” ride at McDowell Mountain Park in November. I hope Bumble Bee becomes an annual event, because it’s an absolutely gorgeous location with a great basecamp and, from the little bits I saw along the way and based on what I heard from riders, fantastic, beautiful trails.

Friday was my “work” day, being available as a Renegade rep to answer any questions people might have had, check boot fit, make boot adjustments…pretty much anything that pertained to Renegades.

Saturday I was volunteering, which started with me heading out at 0-dark-thirty, navigating via headlights over a 4-wheel-drive road to man a gate that riders would be passing through fairly early on into the ride (within half an hour of the start…not the time to be getting off and wrangling a combo of a gate + fresh horse). I like doing gate work — it’s fun to say hi to all the riders and watch them pass by.

After gate duty, I went scuttling back to camp to start my job as one of the Master Timers. This is the third ride I’ve had that job, and I really like being in the thick of all of the vet check action. Plus, my organized little brain actually enjoys tracking all of the data. Weird, I know.

(I think my ride stories are probably more interesting than volunteer stories…there’s a lot more drama and entertainment as soon as the four-hooved factor gets added in.)

All in all, it was a really fun weekend. I’m really enjoying still being able to go to rides and socialize and reconnect with all my endurance buddies.

Slacker photographer-r-us this weekend, but I got a few pretty pics of ridecamp and such.

The pavilion where dinner and ride meeting was held.
The bucket in the foreground was the P&R area.

The sign really says it all…

Gate duty Saturday AM. Killing time between riders,
jumping up and down trying to keep warm in 30*.

Driving in to ridecamp late Friday morning.
Yes, this is still Arizona.
At least it didn’t involve rain or snow.

Sunrise Saturday AM.

How to Start 2013

January 2, 2013March 4, 2014 / Ashley Wingert / 3 Comments

My morning: Wake up. Realize the forecasters were right and it did get below freezing overnight. Annual reminder of just how cold 29* really is. Realize that there is no way the pony will be happy to get out in this weather. Luxuriate around the house until noon time, the sun is bright, and it is over 50* out. Then go down to the barn.

A horse friend once shared one of her superstitions with me: “Whatever you do on New Year’s Day is what you’ll spend a lot of time doing the rest of the year.”

Read between the lines: Any excuse is a good one to saddle up and ride, right? For years, we had a tradition of riding on New Year’s Day, with a potluck gathering at the trailhead with friends afterwards.

Maybe it wasn’t the long-ride-and-expansive-spread of yore, but I did ride today.

And I’ve got the tights to prove it:

Full-seat tights. Great for bareback riding.
Not so great for staying clean.

I’ve been taking it pretty easy with the pony, sticking with just bareback for now in an attempt to ascertain whether or not my saddle is the cause of her mysterious, tripping-out-on-one-hind-leg incidents that have been occurring since late summer-ish.

Always happy to get out, even if it’s a short ride.

And I came bearing the last of the seasonal treats: leftover peppermints from some of my holiday baking. Mimi loves peppermints. They’re probably her favorite treat ever. Just a crinkle of the plastic wrapper and she will mug you endlessly.