BCHM Rendezvous Recap and Home Bound

The night before our last day, everyone gathered together for a potluck, and I took a few photos from the evening's activities.

An over-abundance of food!

I had only brought one folding chair with me to camp with, but when I opened it, immediately after I arrived on Day One, I discovered that the chair was cracked and broken and the chair would not stay open so I could sit in it. So, I dug around in my horse trailer and found a bunch of velcro with a self stick backing. It worked perfectly to secure my chair so I could sit in it.

I wasn't able to close my chair, but that was no big deal. I was just grateful to have a reliable chair to use all weekend.

The night before our last day, storms blew in and it rained. It was rainy and dreary the next day, too. So, during a break in the weather, I broke down my campsite, and then loaded up my horse and we set out for home.....with a water crossing to start off our drive home.  

There were lots of puddles on the road.

Driving through the stables.

We passed by some horses waiting patiently in the back of an open top trailer.

More water crossings through deep puddles.

We drove around Bonita Lake.

And as we drove north through Nogal Canyon, we were engulfed in a haze caused by forest fires in Arizona.

It was a great weekend. And I enjoyed camping and riding with my Apache mare in a new and beautiful place.

BCHM Rendezvous Argentina/Bonita Day Two

The second ride Apache and I went on while at the BCHM Rendezvous weekend had everything to do with water.........

Water Crossings, that is!

My friend Sandy and her gelding preparing to cross the creek.

I lost track of the number of water crossings we did on day two, but it was at least twenty. And the day was wonderfully fun and beautiful!

A cave near the main trail.

Yep...another water crossing....

We still stopped at just about every water crossing to give the horses a chance to drink. They were very well hydrated this day...haha!

Another water crossing down below...

The views down in the canyon were gorgeous.

The trail was lined with lush green vegetation.

Little waterfalls made beautiful music beside the trail.

And another water crossing.....

Wow! Another water crossing...haha!

Riding beside the creek was a highlight of the weekend for me.

I was grateful for a horse that isn't phased by most water crossings.

I thoroughly enjoyed how green and thick the forest was.

Just a little water crossing...

And we weren't the last in line this day.

Another water crossing, of course.....

Riding through deep, dark, green forest.

The trail was a lot of fun for everyone.

When we arrived up onto the crest, the trail traveled through beautiful, green meadows filled with colorful wildflowers.

The grass was so tall, we could barely see the trail.

We rode up to an old Forest Service cabin and stopped to eat our lunch. I tied Apache to a tree so she could enjoy a much deserved rest.

Our fearless trail leader.

Some fellow BCHM'ers.

Not long after eating lunch, we rode out to the rocky edge of the mountain.

The views to the west were beautiful.

We rode through many lovely green meadows, and up and down some fairly steep hills.

I always enjoy riding among tall Ponderosa trees. I love 'em!

In the middle of one meadow was a pile of volcanic rock with a rock cairn on top.

The grass was so tall and thick. And the wildflowers were in abundance!

The vistas out to the east were incredible!

Riding through gorgeous green meadows.

Lots of smiles and happiness!

The grass in this meadow was taller than my horse's belly. We were wading through a sea of green.

Nogal Peak in the distance.....

Time to head back down off the mountain tops and ride into the canyon.

 

Which meant more water crossings...

After we arrived back at our campsite and I untacked Apache, I tucked her into her portable corral so she could enjoy some green grass after all her hard work.

And I walked down the hill to soak my feet in the creek.

I had packed hay and pellets, but I barely used any of them. The grass was so prolific and abundant, that I just moved Apache and her portable corral all around our campsite as she munched down the grass.

My only neighbor, my friend Sandy and her boyfriend Bob, with her horse and donkey.

My beautiful campsite. I didn't want to leave, but tomorrow was our last day, so I soaked up every last minute and enjoyed camping with my horse in such a pretty locale. 

Great memories were made!!