Sneaking in another ride...

This weather has been crazy!  We had bitter cold with wind and then it warms up making lots of mud.  What an odd January.

This is Sunday, January 27th, 2013.  Monday the 28th was even worse than this!  Parts of the dirt road are red clay and they were slicker than heck!  Woo wee!

I love the grooming time before a ride, but this is a little much.  What a mess he is, and he seemed pretty proud of himself too.  As if to tell me "If I have to work, you do too."  And work I did!

....but a little bit of dried mud isn't going to stop us!  Let's go ride!






TRIPP:  "Hmmmm, what is this?  I know this is new because I can compare shapes and shades of color.  See the ones on the other side?  They are plain and those kind used to be this kind over here.  I am a mustang, therefore I notice things like this.  Nicker snort...."

TRIPP:  "The Girl read the new thing to me.  Trees wear girdles.  Who knew?"

GIRL:  "Tripp, it is called 'girdling.'  A person takes a chainsaw and cuts a ring around the tree thru the bark.  Bark is the rough stuff on the outside, and underneath the bark there is tissue that transports water and nutrients from the roots to the rest of the tree.  When this is cut, it kills the tree.  This helps other trees stay more healthy, and it lets the tree die standing up.  When it dies, it can be a new home to all kinds of animals."

TRIPP:  "Why don't they just cut it down?  Wouldn't it be easier?"

GIRL:  "Girdling is quicker, easier and cheaper than cutting it down and hauling it out.  The only stuff needed is a human with a chainsaw that works.  Erosion and soil compaction are not a problem doing it this way."

TRIPP:  "Maybe I can live in a tree someday."

I got a later start than I planned this day, and it took even longer having to brush the mud off Tripp.  It worked out very well...we had a beautiful sunset starting with lots of pretty clouds.  I love skies like this...

It was a quick ride but I still managed to get a few miles in.  Another great day...life is good!
Thank you God!

Until later...Karen and Tripp who is shopping for a tree house...