The heat wave broke, so we went riding!

Harley wearing his bridle branch at the old quarry.

John took the mountain bike, and I rode Harley. Today's foray was to find a loop ride from the Jepson Farmstead, past Pike's quarry, and back to North Point. Thanks to Michelle's tip, we found the route. It was a beautiful day for a 2 hour ride, although the dang deer flies were a horrendous in the woods. As we used to do at camp, I stuck a maple branch over his poll under the bridle to keep the deer flies from landing out of my reach. Then I carried another to swish them away from his ears and off his neck.

We followed the road around the new pit and came an old unused quarry with rusting equipment and a boom over the hole. Who knows how deep it is. I used to ride past defunct slate quarries at camp and we were warned away from swimming in them due to unknowns depths and equipment possibly under the water. They looked so inviting, yet also held an element of fear.

The road forked in a couple of places. I just kept going to the right. My sense of direction told me that had to be the right way. Once Harley realized where he was, he stepped right out into his "I'm going home" power walk.

Taking a break on Cheney Woods Rd.

From Cheney Woods Road, it's a nice ride down an overgrown trail (watch out for low flying branches). John stopped to move a downed tree and made it into a jump. Harley spooked at it the first time. So I rode him more forcefully at it again and he popped over. But then I got smacked in the face on the other side by a low bough. That trail could really use a hair cut--just enough so you can duck under the branches and ride it in 2 point without taking it in the face!

Except for the bugs, it was an awesome ride. We could have added another loop onto it and gone further--maybe next week. Once we got home, Mr. Klutzy, stepped on his own hoof, caught a clip, and pulled a shoe. Now we'll have to wait for the farrier to come visit. That's my guy, a little clumsy at times.