Re: Millenium Moonlight

["superpat" <superpat@gateway.net>]

Dear Becky,
How beautifully you describe your magical ride. (and I thought mine was
special). If I could wish for anything in this world, it would be to be a
part of the ride you described. Thank you, thank you for your beautiful
gift.
Pat super


----- Original Message -----
From: Becky Huffman <TOS@htcomp.net>
To: ridecamp <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Thursday, December 23, 1999 12:43 PM
Subject: RC: Millenium Moonlight


> We had the most incredible experience last night.  Three of us rode to
> celebrate the last full moon of the millenium,  which was in conjunction
> with the shortest day of the year (Yeah!!  days will start getting longer
> again!!) and a 133 year cycle, in which the moon was closer to the earth
> then normal, *and* the earth was closer to the sun.
>
> We started out after full dark, wrapped and layered, the horses blowing
> white breath, into the unbelievably large and bright rising full moon.
> After riding some open trail, and about a mile of lightly wooded section,
we
> headed up the 'Mountain'.  The normally majestic view from the Platte was
> literally magical.  After going down the long slide, we trotted up the
road
> to the Bobcat trail. Walked and trotted that, then around to the old
> stagecoach station to let the horses graze for a few minutes.  By then the
> Moon was full up, the ranch roads literally glowed, reflecting the suns
> light back to the moon.  We Galloped across the back of the ranch, around
> behind the lake and into another short wooded section, that would take us
> the  Wild Lot.  By now, we were all very warm, and  jackets were open.  It
> was a perfect night, absolutely clear and cool, without a breeze.  We went
> into the Wild Lot and galloped the side trails, and the back, until we
came
> to the Interior Trail.  We had discussed riding this section, as is it
very
> thickly wooded, and difficult to follow, even during the day, but there
was
> no backing out....  This was the ultimate night ride, and nothing would be
> left for regret.  We took the lead, and I gave Shadow his head as we
walked
> out of the intense moon, under the heavy canopy. He slowed his walk, and
> swayed his head, watching, carefully staying on the narrow, twisting
trail.
> The loud rustling of the leaves made chatting difficult and we each
traveled
> with our thoughts, trusting our horses to take care of us.  Although we
had
> glimpses of the brilliant moon thru the branches, the light couldn't
> penetrate to the floor, especially into the deep washes that the trail
> crosses and follows in several sections.
>
> Coming out of the last thicket into the meadow, the moon was brighter and
> more welcome then ever, and invited another gallop, which we happily
> accepted.  Only one short wooded section remained on this loop, sandwiched
> between clear, open pastures with good dirt roads. Alternating our lopes
and
> trots, we finally pulled the horses down to a quiet walk and headed back
to
> the ranch house.  Everyone was quite cool and thankfully, the water had
been
> put on, and was ready for us, boiling when we came in.  Each of us had a
> double hot chocolate with a big dollop of whip cream on top!!  (I had
two!!)
>
> Altogether, a Wonderful, Memorable Experience....  quite an appropriate
ride
> to mark the closing millenium.
>
> Becky Huffman
> Huffman's Arabians ~ The Original Series
> http://www.htcomp.net/Huffman/
>
>
>
>
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Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp   
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