Peaceful Valley 2010 – 3

Well then . . .

Things are winding up with this year’s Colorado vacation. There’s still another day at the ranch and a train ride back to Illinois, but here’s an update from the past few days:

Rodeo – The Peaceful Valley Guest Rodeo brought us all together with events like: Barrel Racing, Pole Bending, Flag Race, Musical Buckets, the Boot Race, Spoon Race, and even the Wrangler Relay. I felt very Cowboy.

We also made a return ride to Beaver Reservoir. Our last ride of the week was an awesome one – we rode quickly on the trail and even faster on the road around the reservoir. I think I shouted “yee-haw!” at one point, thought it may have been just inside my head.

Estes Park – We went “off site” to Estes Park for a day of regular tourist stuff. We took in some Americana with a trip to Ride-a-Kart (Go-Karts, Bumper Boats, Bumper Cars, and the Bungee Trampoline) and then ate at Vega Grill and Bar Terrace Restaurant before shopping in downtown Estes Park.

And then today at Allenspark Community Church it was Christmas in July! The place was packed as we enjoyed the July tradition at the little log church with the Christmas Cantata, “A Christmas Carol Gallery.”

We’re relaxing the rest of the day and tomorrow until we leave for the Denver train station tomorrow afternoon.

The vacation has been wonderful – and I’m ready to head home.

Peaceful Valley 2010 - 2

Oowwwwwwwwww
The past few days have been filled with horse riding. It hasn’t been without pain, but it has been mostly marvelous.

Beaver Reservoir – we rode to a location with a racetrack-like road around a giant reservoir. Though I never got my horse (Sky) into her fastest run, we did move very quickly. Unfortunately, her speed just below her fastest is a little bit rough. Ouch.

Jamestown – We rode to the old Jamestown settlement for a picnic lunch and some time tubing down a short section the St. Vrain River. I’d been to this place several times but had never been in the (cold) water. This time I rode the rapids in an inner tube, got dumped out 3 times, and twisted my knee a little. It was fun, but the knee pain remains. We ended the ride with another fast run down the road back to Peaceful Valley.

Overnight. We took a long walk (3 hours) with riding horses and pack horses to Coney Flats for a campout. The company was wonderful, the scenery breathtaking, the food extraordinarily tasty (campout food usually is, right?) and the night partially sleepless (There were high winds all night that shook and tried to lift the tents off the ground)

All Day Ride. I got another new horse (mine kept having loose shoes – First Sky, then Charlie), Valentine, and we met up with another group and left the campsite bound for Red Deer Lake. We ran as much as we could and arrived at the beautiful lake and glacier for lunch. We had a snowball fight and even made a small snowman. During the first part of our ride back to Peaceful Valley we ran much, but then we hit the part I had (once again) forgotten. That’s the part where your body says, “I’m REALLY done riding for the day” and there are two more hours left. I have a sore everything this morning.

And yet we headed out this morning for Breakfast on the Mountain and then a quick (and fast!) ride to Three Bears. A few of us climbed up Papa Bear (really a big hill, but mountain-ey enough for me!) before heading back to the ranch for a slow afternoon in anticipation of tomorrow’s return visit to Beaver Reservoir.

The soreness is starting to wear off.

Peaceful Valley 2010 - 1

Aaaaahhhhhhhhhh.

I've been in Colorado at Peaceful Valley Ranch for the past couple of days -- what a great beginning to vacation.

These first couple of days have been a warm-up for a week of dude ranch horse riding. There hasn't been much of a schedule or any significant "gotta do this" things during the warm-up. But here are a few experiences I've had so far.

The talent show -- The Moores are total show-offs. Each of us sang, played, or acted in the ranch talent show a few hours after we arrived.
Rooftop Rodeo -- For my first rodeo experience ever (not counting the guest rodeos at Peaceful Valley) I went to Estes Park for one of the nations premier small arena rodeos.
The petting zoo at Peaceful Valley. It's the kind of place you hang out with goats that come up and expect to be pet like a dog.
Mountaintop Chapel hike -- I hiked up to the Peaceful Valley Memorial Chapel - about 1000 feet up from the ranch. The view from the chapel is spirit-awakening.

Tomorrow we start the horse riding. I'm ready to run. And I'm pretty sure Ibuprofen will be my good friend.