White Sands National Monument Ride

In early February, I helped organize a weekend of riding a glamping with two of my friends. I had already been to White Sands National Monument twice before to ride. Both of my friends had never been there and they were excited and relieved that I was going to show them around.
Our original plan was to ride White Sands National Monument on Saturday and ride Fort Stanton on Friday, while staying at my friend Dana's vacation home in Carrizozo, NM both nights.
But the weather changed our plans as high winds were expected on Saturday, and White Sands is not a place you want to visit on a very windy day.
So we headed down to White Sands National Monument on Friday, driving about 4 hours. We planned to ride for a few hours and then head up to Dana's vacation home, about an hour and half drive north of White Sands.

On the drive down, I led the way and we all convoyed together with our own rigs.
Here we all our lined up at the Equestrian Parking Area at White Sands National Monument.

As soon as we arrived, we all watered our horses and led them over to an area where we could let our horses enjoy a good roll. After 4 hours of hauling, they all seemed to enjoy that a lot.

Afterwards, we saddled up and got ready to ride!

Apache waiting beside my trailer.

I was surprised at how warm it was that day and was I was happy that I had packed a t-shirt to wear. Temps were in the upper 70's, but with the reflection of the sun on the white sand, and the lack of any breeze, it felt more like mid-80's!

Dana and Judith riding ahead.

Judith and Dana surrounded by dunes of white sand.

White Sands Selfie!

There are no official trails for horseback riders, so it's great fun to just head out and explore.

But it's important to bring a GPS and a compass because there is rarely ever a line-of sight and after riding up and down the dunes, it is easy to get disoriented.

I had brought my GPS and I guided our ride all day. But we didn't follow any hard and fast route and we each took turns picking different directions to go.

Apache and I enjoying the experience. This was her third time at White Sands, too.

Dana and I riding up a dune.

My bright pink shirt really stood out against the bright white sand.

Even though we were only able to ride at White Sands for a few hours, we felt it was perfect because the temps were so warm, that we were all feeling a bit overheated by the end of our ride. And after the long drive down, we didn't want to arrive at Dana's vacation home too late.  

Apache the One Eye Wonder Horse and me!

Between the Ears at White Sands National Monument

My friend Judith too some great photos using her phone.

And I took some photos of Judith and her horse Bucket with my camera.

This photo just needed black and white!

Judith and Bucket at White Sands.

Dana and Blaze at White Sands.

Apache the One Eye Wonder Horse! She is so incredibly awesome!

White Sands for as far as the eye can see!

Both Judith and Dana were so amazed to be riding at such an incredibly unique and beautiful place.

Judith and Dana waving!

Such breathtaking views!

Horses tend to get a bit excited by the high expanse of sand and want to trot or run. Even my normally slow-poke-ish mare can get a bit forward at White Sands. Apache was pretty near perfect on this day though and although she did want to trot a bit, we had to slow back down to a walk when Dana's boy Blaze got so excited that he started bucking and even rearing up a couple times.

All three of us kept the rest of the ride low-key so that Blaze wouldn't get so worked up. He is still pretty green being only 5 years old, and a mustang that was just gentled and ridden for the first time last year.

Dana and Blaze down in one of the valleys between the dunes.

Having the GPS was especially important when finding your way back to the trailer parking area at the end of the day. With all the tall dunes and deep valleys in between the dunes, it's next to impossible to find your way back without a GPS.

How lucky and blessed I am to have had the opportunity to ride my Apache mare at White Sands National Monument three times! It's truly a bucket list kind of place!

We found our way back to the equestrian parking area as the shadows grew long.

Riding through the parking area towards my horse trailer. My portable corral is attached to the back of the truck for glamping in Carrizozo this night!

One last photo beside the trailer at White Sands. This was important, because it was my first time driving my own rig to White Sand,s as the previous two times, Apache and I had hitched a ride with other people. It's so much better having my own rig and not relying on anyone else to get me somewhere and hauling my horse. I love the independence!

After unsaddling and watering, I led Apache over to some soft sandy areas and invited her to enjoy a good roll.

She loved it! She even rolled twice! What a treat!

My Happy One Eye Wonder Horse!

Apache, thanks for a great ride! Are you ready to head up to Carrizozo to glamp for a couple nights? Let's go!

Apache and I loving life at White Sands National Monument!!




Life is Good!!!

The Promise-Breaker, Fake Friend

This particular fake friend was only in my life for less than a year. I met Latana in early 2013 through Facebook when I was looking for places to stay with horses down near White Sands National Monument for a group riding weekend that I had planned. Latana offered her place to me and my friends and even offered to ride along with us and provide a trail guide at White Sands. She quickly integrated herself into my group of friends and friended all of them on Facebook. And I included her in all of the rides I organized and she drove the several hours from her place to participate. I even invited her up to stay at my place one weekend so I could show her some of my favorite trails. During that weekend, I held a campfire in her honor, but she sequestered herself inside her camper with a family member she had invited up for the evening, and only showed up, after much pleading, for a few minutes and then complained about how much she disliked the S'Mores that we had provided for her. Barb was one friend who had come over that evening to visit with Latana and said it was rude that Latana couldn't at least sit with us by the fire and visit.

In early December 2013, my former friend, Barb had asked me if I would go with her to White Sands National Monument so she could ride there for her birthday. She probably wouldn't have asked me to go with her, but her husband couldn't go and she needed a place to stay down there and she had never met Latana and didn't feel comfortable staying at Latana's house by herself. So, I agreed to go with her. I never realized what a negative person Barb was until we did that road trip together. The weather wasn't all that nice that weekend and was windy and cold. We ended up not riding out from Latana's house because it was too bitter cold and windy, but Latana did offer to take Barb and I on a cart ride pulled by her little donkey. I thought it sounded like fun, but Barb sulked and complained that she didn't drive all that way just to get pulled around in a cart. She was also very anti-social and withdrawn while we were inside Latana's house. Latana never said anything, but she didn't act like she was all that happy that I had brought Barb to stay at her house.

But we did get to ride at White Sands one day and we enjoyed a very nice ride. I had helped organize a group of riders to meet us at the monument so we could all celebrate Barb's birthday. The only negativity we had was Latana trying to keep everyone from trotting or cantering or trying to pass her mule, because she said it got her mule too upset. Which was a shame because White Sands is a place that just begs to be explored flying across the dunes on a trotting or cantering horse. So, we all just stayed mostly in a single file line behind Latana for much of the ride.

But after the ride, the weirdest thing happened. Latana loaded up her mule before anyone else and she just left, without saying anything to us, or even waiting for us. I had only been to Latana's house one other time, a year ago, and I wasn't even sure if I remembered how to find my way there coming from White Sands. Barb was really angry about Latana leaving us, and made threatening remarks that she was going to have a "few words" with Latana when we finally got back to her place and she was glad her husband wasn't there because he would tell Latana off. She complained about Latana being a rude, annoying person. She even tried to convince me to just drive the several hours all the way back home instead of staying at Latana's that night.

But during our drive back to Latana's house, I was able to calm Barb down and told her not to say anything to Latana or cause a scene. But Barb said she never wanted to see Latana again.

Well, just two months later, I had plans to drive out to Catalina State Park in Arizona for 4 days to camp and ride my horse, and I had already invited both Barb and Latana before all the drama at Latana's place. I was surprised that Barb said she still wanted to go. But then as the date drew closer she started to make up a lot of excuses why she couldn't go. So Latana texted me and told me that if Barb ended up not going that she would gladly drive up to my house and pick up my horse and I and we would all drive to Catalina State Park together.

Well, at the last minute Barb did back out, so I asked Latana when she was driving up to get me. Well, she basically blew me off, breaking her promise to me. She also backed out, too. She tried to make excuses by saying the timing and the weather weren't right, the drive was too long, and "poor Barb couldn't go, so we should reschedule".

But I had already made my plans. And another friend and her husband we're already planning to meet me in AZ, so I was going. I called Latana out on her broken promise and said she should have never offered something she had no intention of following through with. She got offended and I figured the friendship we had, although very brief, was over anyway, so I told her about Barb's behavior down at White Sands a couple months earlier, since Latana seemed to think that Barb and her were such great friends. I wanted Latana to know the entire truth so she could make up her own mind. Plus I had been carrying around that heavy information for so long and I didn't feel it was fair for me to keep that secret any longer.

Well, when I got back from Arizona, I apologized to Latana for telling her about Barb and for calling her out on breaking her promise. But the friendship between us was already over. And of course, those two fake back-stabbing friends, Barb and Kendra had become thick as thieves while I was in Arizona, so I had quite a bit of loss to deal with in such a short time. It sure was an eye-opening experience and taught me a lot about fake friends, betrayal, liars, and backstabbers.

When we are young, we are taught that bad people don't always look like ugly, scary monsters. They can look friendly and kind and smile to your face. But these people cannot be trusted because their true intentions and character are evil. That's a good definition of a fake friend.......

White Sands National Monument Ride, Revisited

Last month Apache and I revisited a very special place down near Alamagordo, NM. We were heading back to White Sands National Monument.

Me, Rosemary, Barb, Annette and Shelley, with Latana behind the camera.

My friend Barb wanted to celebrate her birthday by riding at White Sands, but since she had never been there before and didn't know of anyplace to stay, and she knew I have a friend who lives not too far away who had offered her home and barn, she asked if I would join her. I didn't hesitate, and immediately said yes.

So, we stayed with my friend Latana in Las Cruces, about and hour from White Sands. Barb also invited some of our Cloud Rider friends, from Ruidoso, to join us at White Sands to celebrate her birthday, too. I was excited to see Annette and Shelley again and to finally meet Rosemary.

Riding at White Sands is truly a Bucket List kind of ride, so having the opportunity to ride there twice in one year is pretty darn amazing.

There are no established trails at White Sands. It's a fun place to just wander around and explore. There are some amazing gypsum sand sculptures to play with, too.

Apache was very forward that day and eager to explore and check everything out.

This sand sculpture reminded me of a cake. Rosemary and her horse were inside the cake. haha!

Shelley and Annette lost their gloves and cell phone during the ride, but went back and were able to find them, with Rosemary joining them. Apache and I, along with Barb and Latana stayed back and waited for them to return. Apache really just wanted to keep moving forward. She didn't seem to care if she left everyone behind. She really seems to like exploring White Sands, too.

Rosemary, Shelley and Annette.

I love the wide open spaces and beautiful vistas.

It's really so surreal to ride at White Sands. The last time I rode there, a couple friends said it probably wouldn't be as special to ride there again, but I can safely say that each time riding and exploring at White Sands is amazing and very special.

These tall sand mountains are created by sand gathering among the roots of shrubs. They are kind of Dr. Seuss-like. Such an odd thing to see popping up out of the sand.

But they make for great photo opportunities.

Me and my Apache mare.

Apache and I decided it would be fun to circle around and ride the entire base of the Dr. Seuss mountain.

She is really enjoying being the lead horse more often and I'm so proud of her bravery. And mine, too.

Barb and her horse Alex and me and my Apache mare

It's a blast to canter up the dunes, but we didn't do much of that this ride, because one of the riders was too nervous to canter. Apache and I did a little cantering away from our group and it was lots of fun.

The dunes at White Sands National Monument can grow over 50 feet tall! They can travel up to 30 feet a year! Rosemary and her mare rode up to the top of this tall dune, so I could get a picture.

Amazing vistas!

The flat areas between the dunes can be very fragile with vegetation, burrows for animals, and cryptobiotic soil. Hikers and horseback riders are supposed to ride around these areas, along the edge of the dunes.

Towards the end of our ride, the wind kicked up and started pelting us with sand at the tops of the dunes.

The way the sand softened the dunes as the wind blew it around was mezmerizing to watch.

And the wind created interesting patterns in the sand.

Barb, me and Latana. We're all wearing our felt western-style HideaHelmet helmet covers.

One of Apache's favorite aspects of riding at White Sands National Monument is being allowed to roll in the sand after the ride!

Rolling...........

Rolling....................

Rolling...............

Aaahhhhh......feels soooo good!

Barb and I were thrilled to be riding at White Sands! And what an awesome place to celebrate her birthday!

Apache and I both say: "Life is Good!!!"