Fly Fishing Thursday

After yet another great breakfast, we went for a morning ride with Allie.  She took us really high in the mountains.  It was one of my favorite rides!  Had a nice rest in the aspens near the top of the ridge.  We let the horses have a little rest time while we walked around and relaxed.  Larry got back up on Moses and as I was getting back up on Paladin when Allie's horse took off.  He really did not go too far, but Allie needed to ride Paladin to catch him.  Finally we are back on our respective horses.  We did a little loping on the way back.  I need a little more practice, but I am getting better.  I have certainly improved my horse riding skills!

Later in the afternoon James took our family to the Conejos River.  We learned to fly fish!  This has been a goal of mine since I saw "A River Runs Through It".  Though I do not yet have the beautiful casting technique Brad Pitt had in the movie, I loved it!  I fished awhile, then I gave my waders to Devin.  He is a NATURAL!  He walked all over out in the river and his casting was so pretty!!  He had so much fun!

That is the smile of a very happy kid!

All fun things come to an end...James is helping Devin out of the Conejos.



The Little Fisherman of Rainbow Trout Ranch

Devin is riding in the fishing jeep with James and Lianna.

 

 

It was time to get cleaned up for dinner.  And after dinner to work off some the good food, it is country and western dancing!  So roll up the rugs and move the furniture, time to have a good time!
 

Another day at Rainbow Trout Ranch comes to an end.



Wednesday at Rainbow Trout Ranch

The Rainbow Trout Ranch Lodge has a beautiful wraparound porch and at the far end you will find the place where old cowboy boots go to retire.

Not really!  These boots are for horse riders who arrive at the Ranch with no boots.  You must have boots with heels to ride safely.  So if you did not bring yours...start trying on some of these until you find a pair you like.

Time for breakfast and then out to the front porch to see what Devin the Cowpoke will be doing today.

Here comes Paula and Devin after their morning ride.  Looks like Devin's cowboy hat is full of rocks.  They will be learning to skip rocks later this afternoon.

 Larry and I decided that we should take a drive down to Chama, New Mexico.  We are told the drive over the pass is pretty and it is a beautiful day.  We could take the train from Antonito to Chama, but that takes all day...we can drive from here and be back in two hours!

 

 

 

After another great dinner, we had Will Dudley entertain us.  He is a singer/song writer/poet.  His voice has the same timber as Willie Nelson's and so it follows...he wrote songs for Willie as well as others.  Very talented guy!  What a nice way to end another day at The Ranch!

Tuesday at Rainbow Trout Ranch

Breakfast time!  Not sure if it is all the activity or just the fresh mountain air, but I am ready to see what is for breakfast.  Let's see if these old legs can walk down the hill after two rides yesterday?  Really I think walking up and down the hill is keeping me from getting sore.  Guess it worked out well that our cabin is straight up the hill.  Made it down to the Lodge.

What is on the activity board for the Cowpokes?

Looks like the kids will be having fun with a variety of things to do!  The adults are going to go for a morning ride...but first, let's go inside and get breakfast.  And of course, the never-empty-cup of coffee!  Thanks to Doug my cup never gets empty!

After breakfast the kids meet Paula on the front porch to get started with their activities.  Time to get our sunblock on and grab our hats before we head down to the corral.

Our morning ride was great.  I love being up high in the aspens and pines.  The wildflowers are just getting started...it still quite cool early in the morning.

Of course, it is time for lunch after our ride.  Lunch today is burgers at the pool.  The staff plays a game involving shooting baskets from across the pool.  The looser has to go in the pool with their clothes on!  Pretty funny!

Larry and I decided to go for a hike this afternoon.  We hiked up to the top of Charity (the rock formation right above the Lodge area).  Seems easy enough, however at 9,000 feet anything that involves climbing UP is hard on the breathing!  Seems like the switch backs made it a little less straight up!  It sure did warm up this afternoon and I did not take enough water.  I never do that!  And this was not the day to run out of water...but I did!

We can see the Conejos River from the trail.

Larry traded in his cowboy hat for a bucket hat for this adventure.



We are up high enough to find some young aspens.



We are at about the same elevation as Monkey Face (the rock formation across the valley.

We came to a fire circle near the top, due to a lack of rain we will have no fires!
Besides it is too darn hot to have a fire!

View up the valley to the north.

View down the valley to the south.

We have made it to the top of Charity.  The rock formation right behind Larry is Hope.
And the next formation is Faith.  Too hot to hike across to the others.  It is much farther
than it looks!  And it is going to be enough work for me to get back down from here.



The Conejos Rivers really looks small from up here.

We made it back down.  I only fell once...I always fall when I hike.  What a long, hot hike and of all times to not take enough water.  I am dehydrated!  I am too tired to eat...good grief, I must be near death!  No, not really!  I am just not hungry and want to rest.  Besides I have had enough BIG meals for one day!

Now I will tell the truth, the kitchen made me a plate of leftovers!!  That was WAY more than enough for two people.

Time for a good night's sleep and then we will do it again tomorrow!!

Mosey Monday Continues

The first hour of Mosey Monday was beautiful.  The horses coming in from the pasture was a sight to see.  But the excitement is over for now and it is time to go inside to warm up and have a little breakfast.

A wonderful fire had been set in the fireplace and Devin chose the table closest to the fire.

Devin is definitely dressed like a cowboy today.  He is really looking forward to meeting his horse today.  He gets to ride the same horse all week.  This will give him a chance to get to know his horse and his horse will get to know him.

Just noticed there is a very large bowl of dough rising in front of the fire.  Looks like fresh bread will be in my future.  We had fresh bread with our steaks last night, guess we must be having more fresh bread at lunch today.  I can feel the pounds jumping back on my body.

This morning we are having our riding orientation.  Everyone is listening very attentively to Jane.

 

 

 



 

Finally it is time to go to the corral and meet our horses.  Today is Mosey Monday and we will be taking a nice, gentle ride as a family.  Larry will be riding Moses, Devin is on The Boss, Sasha is riding Boots and I am on Paladin.  We had a very nice ride with our wrangler, Cam.  We got a look at the mountains to the west.  We returned to the corral by noon so we could make it back to the lodge before lunch.

 









Larry and Devin taking a break in the shade during our morning ride.

It was cool in the morning, but our afternoon ride required no jackets.  At an elevation of 9,000 feet the sun is very intense!

This evening our meal was served at the picnic grounds along the river.  A casual, relaxing dinner of burgers!  We had fun getting to know more of the guests, as well as more staff members.  The staff is comprised of a unique mix of young people from backgrounds so diverse that it is hard to believe they mix together and compliment each other so well!  They enhanced everyday of our stay.

Now to cap-off the day....a ride in the hay wagon pulled by a beautiful pair of draft horses!

 

 

 

 

 



 

As we left the picnic grounds at the end of the day, the sun was beginning to set.  What a nice way to end our meal.  This trip is truly a dream!



 





 

The hay wagon arrives up at the Lodge...

We have come to the end of a very long day...but oh, what fun we had!  Time to get to bed so we can get up and start all over again tomorrow!



Mosey Monday

Sasha was told if we wanted some great photos of the horses being brought in from the pasture, we should drive down past the barn and over the bridge by 6:15 AM.  Yes, 6:15 AM.  I know of no reason a person should ever be out of bed before 6 AM.  But we laid out our clothes, set the alarm for some ungodly hour and jumped into bed and went to sleep!  I thought Monday was called "Mosey Monday" for a reason...the word "mosey" indicates to me something slow, lazy and relaxing.  Well, how the heck is getting up before 6 AM considered a "mosey"?

Well, whining all the way we crossed the bridge a few minutes early.  We had cameras in hand, ready for the arrival of the horses.  This was a beautiful way to begin our "cowboy" vacation!  I took way too many photos and it was hard to cut them down to a reasonable number but here goes.

The sun is up and shining, but it sure seems cold to all of us...it is about 35 degrees and very little humidity.  We are not used to these temperatures, but the sky is so BLUE!

The wranglers are gathering the horses.  To gather about 120 horses, how many wranglers do you think it takes?  Only TWO!!

Allie is bringing in the horses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The horses cross the bridge over the Conejos River, then head up the hill to the corral.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It must be about time for breakfast, so we are heading back up to the Lodge!  Need to warm up and have something to eat before we continue with the rest of the day.