The Blackberry Ride

I played hooky from work yesterday afternoon so that my friend Ulla could whisk me and Ah-D away in her trailer to Turner to ride with a mutual friend we had both just met, Sue M. Our hostess and her mount Ridley showed us around in grand style! We explored four-wheeler trails and back roads that Sue had been dying to try out on Ridley; they just needed that extra boost of confidence provided by us first to set a good example. AH-D WAS PERFECT. He was agreeable about everything, very relaxed and happy. He was instrumental in allowing me to eat more plump, ripe blackberries than anyone else on the trail that day. He had his share as well. The sun was strong, but the trails were cool and inviting. We saw an old Studebaker and a luxury cabin (um, in about the same state as the Studebaker) in the middle of nowhere. We rode by a beaver pond.We explored an old homestead which is now just a stone foundation with lilies in what used to be the front yard.
Sue M. lives near this beautiful little pond. The sun sparkled like diamonds on the water, and it was so quiet, fresh and clean. Ah-D thought he might like to try a swim but I wasn’t too sure about the footing and nixed that idea.
We had a lot of fun chatting and joking around together. We were ambling along and spied where someone had used logs to put a 2’ barrier across the trail, so I commented, “Time to run!” which brought a small shriek from Sue M. She threatened we would lose our status as great guests. Ah-D jumped it twice, Ulla and Gabby jumped it once, and Sue M. went around the road block twice.
Great company, great trail horses, (great lawn grass, too!!!) ~ who could ask for more?