Springime babies

On my early morning ride yesterday I came up on a
doe that had just delivered a set of twin fawns. She jumped up and bolted off. I felt so bad and hope she came back for them. Not that I need anymore deer around here but they were so beautiful and so brand new! A little later in a back field I saw another fox and family of kits playing near the edge of the woods. The fox kits ran away immediately but the vixen watched me for a awhile. So lovely in the early morning to see the natural wildlife just doing their thing. We scared up a couple of turkeys but thankfully Red doesn't spook with them very often.
It is warm enough to sit out on the patio now and enjoy my morning coffee. I asked Lynne , the competitor from last year, if there was coffee available in the mornings in Mongolia and she said NO!. I was horrified and the prospect of 10 days without coffee was the worst news I had heard about the Derby. She suggested Trader Joe's had these little pre-measured packets, coffee, cream and sugar, to which you just add hot water. I found them the next day and they are definitely going in my 10 lbs of gear! Mornings without coffee are awful. All my gear is now upstairs, strewn on the guest bed. I keep riding with the GPS to track my miles but I need to start putting in "Waystations" and learning to navigate to them. I hope YouTube has a tutorial! On the Mongol Derby site they are putting up rider profiles and I am starting to feel seriously outclassed. Some of these participants are real adrenalin junkies, world-class adventurists! I am getting excited though.

25 mile ride at Rosaryville

This is the beginning of Week 11. I took Red to Rosaryville State Park and went for a twenty-five mile ride. We averaged about 7 mph and did the 25 miles in 3 1/2 hours. Red seemed fine. He canters and trots, picking his own speed for the most part. I think he got a little tired but finished well. He finished better than I, because as we approached the van to go home, just walking, he suddenly jumped to the side and dumped me hard. I was completely taken by surprise and called him a few nasty names. Another rider on a Western pleasure horse trotted over to see if I was OK and I nodded, "Yes", while explaining that I thought Red had just "gotten me back" because we had just finished a twenty-five mile ride. My back was sore and I was hoping several Advil would do the trick. It does feel better now. Earlier, we had been galloping away from a property that we hunt, down a section of power line that we do not usually cover which was high with grass and he had jumped sideways again. This time at a puddle and I hit the ground a little more softly this time. What is it with Thoroughbreds that they can switch their whole demeanor in an instant and be airborne in a millisecond. All I can hope is, if the Mongolian ponies dump me, that it is closer to the ground from a 13 hand pony than from Red, who is 16.2 hands high. I am a little sore, but good news is that the 25 miles was pretty easy. So, we are going to register for the 50 mile ride in June and keep training! Red is awesome.
Today on the remote power line stretch, I viewed  a fox "couple" and 5 kits. I made the pass twice and they were out sunning both times, the cubs playing in the dirt. Very cool and because we have had such trouble with trappers this year, it was wonderful to see a whole family. Closer to out regular hunting area I viewed a bald eagle in the new-mown- hay fields by Donnie Christmas' farm. He circled once as I rode by, then landed again. There must have been a mown-over snake or something. They are impressive birds. There were also wild turkey that flew up and luckily Red did not spook. We see a lot of them. Oddly I saw very few deer. Came head to head with several groups cycling and realized as I kept riding the perimeter of Rosaryville that the bike-riding trails are better maintained than the horse trails. Many old ones are becoming completely overgrown. As I passed Greg Bush's house his brindle dog happily joined me for the last leg of my ride. I finally called Greg to let him know and swung by his house as he blew his hunting horn. His dog ran home thankfully.
So, I can do twenty-five miles fairly easily. Now I have a month to get myself and Red fit for a fifty-mile ride.

Preakness 2014

Preakness Day was wonderful. California Chrome won the Preakness and is headed to the Belmont. What a wonderful boon for racing to have a modest horse with regular working owners grab the national spotlight . Everyone cheered when the horse went by and every time the announcer said "California Chrome" the crowd erupted again. Carol and I went both Black Eyed Susan Day and Saturday for the big race, Preakness Stakes. Donned our fancy hats and partied turfside.

Mother's Day

Had a wonderful Mother's Day with Sam and Will. Missing Sarah who was in LA with Kevin. We were remembering the beach week last summer and making plans to reunite in late August if possible. We will have all been traveling and it would be so much fun to compare stories. Mine from Mongolia, Will and Annie's from SE Asia and Sarah will have been in Switzerland with Kevin's family!  World travelers indeed! So mark that weekend guys!
I made it back from Kentucky safe and sound, leaving Dreamie and foal to be bred. The rest of mares will go to various breeding sheds this week I hope and I will get back to logging miles horseback. I am still planning on my 50-mile ride in June and really hope this is going to be enough training. Still riding 10-15 miles every other day and just super busy the rest of the time. Starting to think the trip to Mongolia may be restful! Counting my blessings and appreciating my family.

I won an award!! Dubious but fun...

 Cool Earth and The Adventurists
 The Countdown Begins
THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS
Greetings jolly Derbyists,

It is now just 96 days until you'll be sat upon your steed, frantically applying those last dollops of anti-chafing cream. ... By now you're hopefully into full fundraising swing. The big question is, can you hardy band of Derbyists surpass last years sterling fundraising effort.

The class of 2013 managed to raise a very impressive £7,213.29. This was enough to build and stock a medical outpost in our Ashaninka project in Peru.  (* This is the Cool Earth project that I choose.)

 Humiliations Cup
FUNDRAISING HUMILIATIONS CUP
Kudos this email goes to;
 Barbara Smith
Everyone loves a blog, and Barbara's is excellent. All her busy training preparations are well documented including a run in with a heron and the eternal struggles of using a printer. A wonderfully mediocre prize is on its way to you.
Now keep up the great fundraising efforts and don't tire yourselves out with all your frantic training you marvellous bunch.

Onwards, save the world, we salute you.
James and the Cool Earth Team.