TravelingMel

A few more photos from the horsepacking trip. The first ones are here.

Getting ready.

Oliver loves being on the trail.

Guacho in the creek.

John in front of some pretty nice scenery.

Monkey flower in Sentinel Creek.

View from my tent.

Sentinel Creek near the spring and our camping area.

Packing Lars for a day trip.

Bill during a quick break.

Nancy watches Peter ride up.

Peter joins the crew.

Sunset Lake.

Sunset Lake outlet.

Lake Ha Hand

The lake from above.

Horses and my tent.

Asters

Last week I had the good fortune to put my equitation class skills to the test in the beautiful backcountry of the Madison range.

My friends own Willow Ranch Outfitters. In addition to hunting trips, Peter also takes folks on backcountry fishing trips (front country, too, you should call him if you want to go fishing!).

I tagged along on a one of the fishing trips in hopes of wrangling up a story (I'm pretty sure I sold the story, but I'll keep my mouth shut until it's definitely sold).

In addition to me, Peter (our guide) and Brad (his sidekick and guide-in-training), there were four amazingly nice clients from Texas and 11 Norwegian fjord horses (seven for riding and four for packing gear).

We rode in about eight miles to Peter's camp, set up tents, cleaned the horses (that means take off all their tack, for you non-equitation class graduates), set up a kitchen, cooked and ate food and relaxed under big sky surrounded by countless wildflowers. Peter and Brad did all the work (I helped out a little) and the clients--John, Nancy, Bill and Susan--got to soak in one of the prettiest places in the world.

The second day, we rode up to a lake in the Hilgard Basin for flyfishing. Not being an angler, I took photos, hiked around and thought about how lucky I am to get to go to places like this. I don't know how people survive without a healthy dose of mountains, lakes and wildflowers from time to time.

We rode out the third day and I was feeling pretty good about my horse skillz. I tried not to think about how easy my horse was. She was a sweetie, but I'll continue to pretend it was the rider, not the horse, that made it so pleasant.

I took Henry's fancy camera. I'm just posting a few of the photos here, but you can tell the difference.

Waiting to get on the trail.

The meadow we camped at. It was ok looking.

Of course I'll post another wildflower photo. Thank you for asking.

Brad and Peter hard at work in the kitchen.

Riding above treeline on our way to the lake.

John tries to lure in a fish.

Reeling it in. The cutthroat were throwing themselves at these anglers when we first arrived.

Bill catches another trout.

Peter takes Nancy's fish off the line.

Peter shows us how it's done.

Obligatory fish shot.

Bill, Nancy, John and Susan enjoy an evening around the campfire.

Pretty horses.

Brad, Susan, Bill, John and the campfire.

Boiling the dishes.

Wait! There are more photos here.

Mom, Anders and I went to the Demolition Derby during the Park County Fair. It was extremely loud.

This is how Anders and I watched the whole derby.

The cars are revved up and ready to go. Anders really liked the tractor that picked up the logs around the arena to let cars in and out. He'd be upset that I don't know the name of that type of tractor. I call it the "claw thingy."

A kids' bike race spiced up the time between heats (matches?).

I didn't get any photos of mom, which is too bad since she bought us elephant ears (and she's pretty.) I was too busy holding my hands on Anders' ears to do much else.

Mom, Anders, Finn and I spent a little time playing by the Yellowstone River on a lazy Sunday.

Mom and Anders make their way over the rocks.

Finn finds a stick.

Anders found a stick, too.

It's nice to have a place like this in the neighborhood.

Mom.

We've been wanting to take the boys out on the river for awhile now, but H hasn't felt like our canoe was river-worthy enough for the precious cargo. With Jen and family in town, the time seemed right to borrow Big H's drift boat.

Big H brought the boat over last week and he, H and the boys took it for a trial voyage. Everyone made it home, so we figured we were ready to take guests.

We put the canoe on the top of the truck and towed the drift boat, loaded up with food, life jackets and sunscreen, and headed to the river. We put in at Mallard's Rest and took out at Pine Creek. If you live around here, you know that isn't very far. Since the kids were less into floating than playing on the islands, that worked out well.

We floated a little and stopped at an island for awhile. Then floated ten more minutes and stopped at another island. The kids loved throwing rocks, getting wet and playing in the sun.

Anders in his sunnies. He kept them on for about 5 minutes.

Reading the river in preparation for the big float.

We put Jen and James in the canoe for a little alone time. Very little.

H was in charge of rowing the kid boat. I managed the kids (that means hanging them over the edge of the boat.)

Cait (in back) and Sophia took turns in the other free seat. They both tried to persuade Finn to sit on their lap, but he wasn't having it.

Cait dips her toes in the Yellowstone.

The view is pretty nice if you like rivers and mountains.

Jen and James had to keep waiting for us since the canoe is so much faster than the drift boat.

Parade wave. Jen is hoping to be Miss Stockton and ride on a float.

Eating tortellini on the island.

Lunch!

We are pretty interested in something.

The boys love the river. And lunch.