Hiking: Penn State Forest

 A few weekends ago, Mike and I headed down to the Pine Barrens for a hike with Julio in tow. We ended up walking five and a half miles without another soul in sight, and made some fun discoveries along the way.

Driving Miss Booger

 Just popping in to break the silence up a bit. Things have been chaotic around here. What else is new? I have a few posts in the works, but just wanted to dump some driving photos of Booger from last week.

I needed Mike to help me put out round bales before we headed to Virginia for the weekend. I asked him to bring his camera to snap some pictures of Booger in harness. We did change directions and gaits, but all my favorites were tracking left in the corner where the light was best. 

Booger loves to drive and I keep telling myself I need to make more time for it and upgrade some of her gear. I have a long list of expensive and time consuming hobbies, though, so the jog cart at home will have to do for now.

In Which We Need a Tune Up

 A week after the LD, Geneva messaged me to let me know that Hopper had signed herself up for the fifty at Foxcatcher. It would be her first one. (Spoiler alert, they completed and came in third!!)

"I guess I should probably ride her tomorrow, huh?" she wrote. 
"If you want, I'll come join you!" I replied.

Turns out this wild animal needs new brakes.

March

 March came in like a lion and went out like a... wet lion. I still have to blog about my last ride with Geneva, but I'm otherwise mostly caught up.

We had some pretty wild sunsets this month.

Booger's First Endurance Ride

 I filled out the entry form and hit send, then closed the computer and made a list of things to pack. Getting ready for an endurance ride always consists of a flurry of activity. Go, go, go. It wasn't until the initial frenzy died down that the date struck me. Rabbit Run was being held on March 18th. It was the five year anniversary of Ozzy's death. The realization hit like a ton of bricks. 

The following weeks flew by and the knot in my stomach grew. The date felt like a sign. Would it be a good sign like the eagle I spotted on the last loop of the cold and snowy fifty at Foxcatcher, or a bad sign like the tree blocking the road on our way to the airport for Tevis? Only time would tell.

Thursday night I packed the trailer. I climbed in the truck and the engine roared to life. I pulled out of the driveway, heading for home. Sirius XM played on the Mosaic station, a leftover perk of the truck's last owner. From the moment of silence between songs, the familiar chords of The Goo Goo Dolls rose and filled the cab. Name. The song that always makes me think of my heart horse and his larger than life personality.

"I think about you all the time
But I don't need the same
It's lonely where you are, come back down
And I won't tell 'em your name"

I pulled into the driveway at home with tears streaming down my cheeks. 

"I hear you, buddy," I whispered into the gray of the evening.

Good sign.