Conditioning Ride 9-17-2011

HRR: 72

HR10Min: 52

Distance: 18.2 miles

Avg Spd: 4.8mph

Time: 4 hours

I took Hoss up to the Laguna Mountains after having received the trail description for the Best of Both ride coming up on October 1^st. I had spent some time the previous evening perusing the trail description and my map of the Lagunas. I decided to stage at the Pioneer Mail picnic area and trail head. From there I could pick up the Pacific Crest Trail, ride that down to Big Laguna trail, and come back around to the trailer.

Pioneer Mail is described on the map as a picnic area and equestrian trail head. Picnic area, sure. There were several families there enjoying a lunch. Equestrian trail head, not so much. The parking area is narrow enough I couldn't have turned the trailer around with the cars parked there. Fortunately, with my plan to be out for several hours, the odds were good I'd come back to a nearly deserted parking lot and not be forced to back my trailer up to the highway.

On my way through, I stopped to pick up a parking pass at the general store. I learned a yearly pass was only $30, so I went ahead and bought one. Now I won't have to stop and buy a pass every time I go up there!

PCT, looking out toward the desert

I packed my trail map and the trail description in my saddle bag before we headed on out. We picked up the PCT out of the trail head and headed south toward Big Laguna trail. The trail here is spectacular with beautiful views down into the desert floor. It winds along the side of the mountain, in some places narrow enough to make me just slightly nervous. Hoss is a rather surefooted mount, and I've become much more confident in him and his ability to negotiate trail. He only makes me a little nervous because he is rather wide in comparison to his predecessor and he still trips if he gets distracted. He gets distracted a lot.

PCT looking down across the desert.  Wow!

Climbing up toward the Palomar Observatory, we caught up with some runners on the trail. The first we came up behind moved aside and let us pass. Unfortunately, the next pair was unwilling to let us by. They were on an organized run/race and wanted to keep up their pace. Hoss was happy enough to stay behind them but it quickly became clear he was faster than they were. I didn't raise a fuss because we weren't on any kind of time limit.

We came out to a staging area at the highway which was being used as a comfort station for the run. Hoss saw it and thought, "Hey, a vet check!" He stopped and we waited for the runners to get ahead of us across the highway. One of the runners stopped here while the other continued on her way. Well, lo and behold, a friend from my church was one of the radio operators for the run. We chatted for a few minutes before Hoss and I continued on our way.

When we caught back up with the runner, she was walking and I asked to pass. She let us by and we stepped out smartly.

Several times I stopped or slowed Hoss to peruse the trail description and map. I was beginning to find it rather confusing. Some of the description is less than helpful. Why do I need to know an area was used as a vet check on a ride that has since ceased to be held? Also, it is formatted in paragraphs, making it more difficult to find where I left off. Still I think I understood it well enough to keep to the trails we'll be using.

The trail splits at a cowboy gate and we took the fork to the left as seemed to be instructed by the trail description. This took us off the trails the runners were using. Now we could move out and not worry about breathing down the necks of competing runners.

Coming around Big Laguna Lake

The trail here is pretty flat and nice, so we were able to keep up a good, steady trot pace. I kept Hoss's speed up as much as possible, keeping his attention focused on what we were doing. I was using the hackamore on him, and I noticed I have a much harder time getting him to collect or even just keep his head down. He pretty much ignores the hack unless he wants to stop. I can turn him with it, and if I really need to, I can stop him, but I think I need to move him back into a bit to get better control of his head.

When we got to Noble Canyon trail, I was pretty sure we were "off trail" as far as the trail description is concerned. I did not see a "rutted road" that we went along before heading down Noble Canyon. By the map I knew we'd make it back to where we wanted to be regardless.

Off Noble Canyon

We turned off Noble Canyon onto Indian Creek trail. We wound our way down into the valley and eventually came to a very narrow, deep stream crossing. I knew Hoss would think I wanted him to step into it, but I most surely did not want him to. We've never worked on doing "short hop" jumps in saddle, so I decided to get off and work on hand jumping him. I hooked one end of his reins to the tie ring on his halter and held the other end. I crossed the stream, and encouraged him across. When he made a move to jump, I praised him and after a moment he jumped across. I let him get a couple bites of the delicious grass growing there before I got back on.

Right after the crossing is a junction. One direction leads up Indian Creek toward Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. The other is a little-used – perhaps even better described as abandoned -- Jeep road. Reading the trail description, I decided I should head up the Jeep road. It joined up after a steep climb with another, more frequented Jeep road, making me feel a little more confident. Following up the road, I could see on my GPS unit we were coming back to Pioneer Mail.

We made our way up the road, which turned to paved, and crossed the highway back to the trailer. By the time we got back, sure enough, there was only one vehicle left in the parking lot. 
I was a little disappointed with our average speed.  After all, we'd been doing steady 7-8 mph trots.  But, I had been forced to slow Hoss down several times to consult the map and trail description.  I really found this trail description less than helpful.  Had the trail description been the only thing I had to go on, I would most certainly have been lost.
After collecting my data, I got Hoss loaded up and we headed on home. My husband, bless him, had a wonderful dinner prepared and waiting for me. I'm on a rather strict diet in an attempt to control my gall bladder pain until the damned thing can be yanked out. Bland, low fat, high fiber, gluten free seems to be helping, but wow, is it ever boring. I can't tolerate anything more "spicy" than salt, so it's rather tasteless. My husband, however, can make the most boring meal at least tolerable. He made for me a lightly spiced chicken breast, broccoli and rice. Perhaps it was just because I'd missed lunch – other than a granola bar – but it was a pretty darned good meal!