California hunting

I was so eager to get out of snowy Maryland for my California foxhunting weekend, that I forgot to take all the whipper-in "ratshot" bullets out of my hacking jacket, which I was wearing on the plane to save suitcase weight. So, as you can imagine, there was a "minor" incident after I went thru TSA security at BWI.  Embarassed and a little worried I tried to explain "hound training"to some very blank stares. Luckily a really, really nice agent told me to go back, throw them out and come back!  I complied, happily! After missing our connection in Salt Lake City we finally made it to LA via Vegas and found daughter, Sarah. It was so warm and lovely it was hard to believe we were on the same planet as the frozen East Coast. The next morning we drove north to Los Alamos, north of Santa Barbara to hunt for two days with Santa Ynez Valley Hunt and Red Rock Hounds (joint meet). Our motel seemed a little sketchy at first (think Bates Motel) but was actually charming, clean and full of friendly foxhunters. It was the beginning of an awesome hunting weekend.
While the East Coast was cancelling and most hunts haven't been out in weeks, I spent two days galloping up and down dune like hills and thru canyons and scrub oak coverts chasing coyote. My first time in California to hunt was an eye-opener. The vistas are endless, the fixtures enormous (11,000 acres !), and very dry this year. What is similar are the people, the hounds and their huntsmen, and the hunt for quarry. Foxhunters speak the same language worldwide and they welcome newcomers as best friends. We were entertained warmly and well fed and still had some time to meet a star or two- such as Miquel Ferrer of NCIS:Los Angeles fame. We missed Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell who were in town the same night, opening a wine-tasting bar in Los Alamos.

My horse, named Peanut Butter, was a sure footed pure- white TB/Appaloosa cross. He was great and took good care of me. My friend Kathy Breshears, a member of Santa Fe Hunt,  met us there and also had a great time hunting.
I came back to Los Angeles on Sunday, put Michael on a plane back east, and have stayed to visit Sarah and Kevin. We have planned a road trip to Temecula to hunt with Santa Fe and then onto San Diego to see another friend, Julia Roehling before I have to go back myself on Friday.