Sunday morning was cool, but heated up pretty quickly after that. Merhle called early in the day and we got to talking about his plans for the barn expansion. One bidder informed him that it was foolish to set wood pillars into concrete. I know that is normal construction practice around here. I’ve seen it done the three ways: poured concrete footers, pillar resting on a large, stable rock, and posts anchored to concrete piers.
I let him know that our new barn is set on concrete piers, with angle-irons bolted into the concrete. Our old barn in West Virginia (1930’s vintage) is sitting on large rocks. The newer barn there has the posts in the ground with concrete poured in. He came right over with Tom, his barn manager and resident trainer.
We had a nice visit, then I resumed the laundry duties and straightening up the kitchen. He decides to go to Sears and buy a pressure-washer for the upcoming barn staining and house paint projects. O boy. We went riding instead.
It was getting hot in the sun, we decided to go to the Agricultural preserve. We were the only ones there, naturally, and to get to the trail head you must ride in the meadows and bean fields, in the sun. In the shade it was pleasant, but nary a breeze. In the sun it was a cooker.
We rode 'under the bridge' into SVU #11 and #12. There was evidence that horses had been back there, but not many and not recently. Tom hacked through the downed limbs and invasive plants trying to cover the established trail.
We managed to find our way to Muncaster Mill Road, but the return wasn't as easy, more downed trees, limbs blocking the trail. We crossed the Rock Creek and made our way along the other side, choosing to enter the Creek again from a fairly steep (vertical) embankment. I went first, and Tom was not keen on the idea. It was dry, no mud, no roots or limbs in the way and the first step would have been into the solid creek bed. I kept Fluffs head up so he didn't vault into the creek, which was about 5 inches deep at this point.
He went into the creek easily and stopped for a drink. I told Tom to grip the cantle and lean well back. He did but Skip vaulted into the creek anyway. Solid ground, five inches of water. So dramatic!
We made our way back mostly on the old trail that wasn't obscured by downed trees and limbs. The upper trail is in pretty good shape, the lower has more trees down and needs some serious attention, like with a chain saw. I'm not carrying a big saw into the woods, we'll have to deal much later. Have trails closer to home that need such attention and that should be the priority.
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