Steve-O the Horse

Where to begin with the start of this past weekend's adventure?? Well we left for Mammoth at five in the morning on Saturday, got lost a few times, but managed to arrive by eleven.  When we arrived we knew that our luxurious cowboy weekend was out the window. We were shown to our trailer... now it doesn't look so bad from this picture.  However, it was slanting to the right and when we walked in there was a steak knife on the floor.  That's when we started getting butterflies!! after be shown to our humble abode... we were told to get ready to ride (4 hours)!!! I decided to embrace our conditions and dress like a cowboy... boots and all!! But before we rode we had to have our cowboy lunch (half way cooked Top Ramen noodles) mmmm mmmm good...lol. Then we met our horses, Kim got the coolest and most steadiest horse, Tori got a horse named Mike, that started growling towards then end of the trip, and I got Steve-O, which by his name you could figure out that he was a little different.  Steve-O was a big eater and not a very good listener.  To make him do anything I wanted I had to make sure he had a mouth full of whatever greenery was around.  On our way up Steve-O and I were both stung by wasps, and let me tell you a horse freaks out more than a human does!! Let's just say I was a little nervous!! After we got to the top of the mountain and walked around a bit, it was time to get back on the horse. Well I was the second one to get on, so I had to wait for everyone else to get (which takes some time)... therefore by the time everyone was on Steve-O had a fine patch of vegetation way off the path we were supposed to be on, and he refused to leave!! The guide had to actually come over and drag him away!! Coming down the mountain was so painful and uncomfortable.  I almost fell off once, but I just bit the back of Steve-O's neck... so that saved me...lol!!  When we got to the bottom and off our horses, we were so sore!! That's when we decided that we could only ride for one day and that we aren't very good cowboys.  We stayed the night in about 60 mile an hour winds (thinking the whole time our roof was going to fly off or that we were going to tip over).  Needless to say we woke up inspired by Dorthy and wore our hair in pigtails for our hike in Yosemite....

Here is a picture of Kimmy riding her horse... it was a really beautiful ride through dessert, trees, and water.

I had to chase down this horse before riding.  His name is Trigger and he was really nice.  However I learned that tying a horse knot so they stay is nothing like tying a shoe (even though that's what they will tell you)

Here is Tori on her horse!! This is Mike and he gets crabby when walks/hikes are too long, just like the real Mike ;0)