[RC] Southern Cal Weather, Warner Springs ride - Nancy
In one word the weather here is wet, really wet. I am
in northern San DiegoCounty and between late
last night and now (almost 10 am) we have received about 2 to 3 inches of
rain. (The real story is I am unwilling to gear back up and go read the
rain gage on the deck. I can see with the binoculars the gage is almost
half full! ) The rain is coming down steady with a moderate wind.
The hill tops are obscured by fog and rain. I have a fire going and the coffee
pot is full. I am thankful to have cleaned the drains by the barn and to
have functioning rain gutters. My property is on the side of a mountain and
thus I have no issues with flooding, just do not wish to slide off the
mountain.
The horses are on the bottom of the property in a flat area
with good covers and mats. All is well with them, but in about 24 hours
they will be real tired of lazing in their stalls. We are fortunate as we
have several trails that take this weather well and thus we can get out and
blow the beans out. However, it can be a bit tricky getting to these 2
trails with so much rain.
All that said, I was signed up to ride the Warner Springs
ride today, but Jazzi has, again, developed white spots on either side of her
spine just behind her withers. I am unwilling to ride her until I get
this fixed. OK, I am not unhappy about this, in fact, I am almost happy
to have a real excuse not to ride in the wind and rain in the mountains at WarnerSprings!
Dani and I rode in the rain in September at FortTejon
and I have no desire to repeat that experience. Jazzi is young and I am
old, so I have a real fear of injury to both her and I. I have no desire
to slip in the muck and freeze at the same time. Maybe someday I will
have forgotten the pain of riding (hiking) in the rain, like you forget the
pain of childbirth, but I suspect that day is far off.
I spoke to Jennifer at ride camp at Warner’s last
night and they had about 140 riders in camp, ready to go. I understand
today, the rain is coming down, but those riders are hardier folk than me as
they are out in it, doing an endurance ride. Good for them, but me, well I am
happy to be home with the fire going and a good cup of coffee, looking at the coming
years’ ride calendar dreaming of rides in far off places.
