Chromo, CO - Part 2

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Stand by for a lot of pictures with this post.

It was a varied, busy, and rewarding (for me, at least) Sunday at the Ranch.

Started with a drive to Pagosa Springs....yes, the city. Well, The Town.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on your point of view, Debbie knows everything. So it's not just a drive into Town, it's a guided tour as well as a soap opera.

"The Merc was originally a hotel and general store. And there was a fire back in (whatever date...I can't remember) but everyone knows it was arson because Jimmy Joe Bob was trying to get even with his wife. After he abused her, the owners of the Merc put her up with them. So Jimmy Job Bob burned it hoping to kill her in the fire and get even with the owners for being nice to her."

"And this is the Bobby Joe Bob's place. He assaulted a woman and if he's not convicted, her brothers are going to come after him for some good old country justice."

"Now this place used to belong to Billy Joe Bob and Betty Lou, but they split up and they sold it to the McCoys, but he got struck by lightening and she couldn't keep it up so now the Mitchells own it. They're from Tulsa and moved out here because...."

You get the idea.

History. Drama. Fascinating.

I know more about life in and around Chromo and Pagosa than I ever would have dreamed possible.

The purpose of going to Town was to attend church services.

Centerpoint Church

It was a great service - lots of music and signing (no songs I knew, but good music) and an insightful sermon on the Crises of Leadership in America. Well delivered by Pastor Dan and timely.
After Church we stopped for a look at what makes Pagosa Springs. The Pagosa Springs.

Natural hot water springs with curative properties and powers.

Pagosa Springs

The above is an actual resort developed around the Springs and business is so good, they're expanding it....building a new, bigger, more modern hotel on the property.

After Church and the tour of Town, we had a delightful lunch with some of Jim and Debbie's friends at the the Pagosa "Hot Spot," the Riverwalk Restaurant & Pub.

The Gang At The Riverwalk

Trent (Pastor Dan and Donna's son), Pastor Dan, Donna,

Jim, Debbie, and Sarah Palin (no, sorry, I mean Jay.)

These are all extremely interesting and extraordinarily nice folks. Trent is home for a vacation from his job....Safari and Hunting Guide in Africa. Pastor Dan and Donna are sweet as can be, have grown the Church over the last 15 years since he took over as Pastor, and just got back from their own Safari and hunting trip in Africa. Guess who their Guide was? Jay can make herself a dead ringer for Sara Palin, was one of the fabulous singers in the Chruch group, and is in the process of earning a degree in counselling while working full time. Admirable.

It was a most interesting and entertaining lunch.

After lunch, we went for a little ride.

This time the ATV's stayed in the garage in exchange for some real horses.

Bud & Buddy

Bud is kind of chubby and on the lethargic side. Debbie has been training and working with him for, I think she said, 8 or 9 years. He's the gentlest of their 6 horses and reserved for the complete horse riding novices (that would include me).

Buddy is one of their newer horses and Debbie is is just getting him well trained. She uses Natural Training so the horses respond mostly to voice commands and very gentle movements of the reins and slight pressure with your legs. No kicking, slapping, whipping, or yanking on the reins allowed. It seems to be more like a partnership and seems not just to work, but to be completely sensible. Debbie was trained in Natural Horsmanship by the guru - Pat Parelli himself.

Buddy & Debbie

Before she saddles Buddy up and rides him, she takes him into the arena they've built and does "ground work" with him." He's relatively new at it but it was very impressive to watch her work with him.

She doesn't use that little whip you see to whip him....but just to gently storke him....like, for example, the swish of the tail or another horse brushing flies off.

She'll gently put pressure on him (not push - just pressure) in various spots and he is expected to respond by turning in the opposite direction with very specific foot work. Then she has him trot around on a lead and he's expected to start and stop, etc., just on her voice commands. Finally, he goes off the lead and they play around for a while ending when she calls him, he comes over, and then she moves (runs, walks, skips) in random patterns - back, forward, zig zagging, circling - at he follows right at her shoulder.

There's probably real name for it. I call it The Dance

Buddy & Deb Doing The Dance

Buddy

He is a rather magnificent creature, isn't he?

Speaking of magnificent creatures.....

Me and Chubby Bud

In case you can't tell, that's me on top.

And, no it's not because Jim and Debbie expected me to fall off and crack my head open. Well, perhaps they did. But regardless, their rule is safety first and everyone who rides one of their horsse - themselves included - is required to wear a helmet. And, it's hunting season right now, so the red vests were considered part of the protective gear.

I say Chubby Bud not because I would recognize a chubby horse from a lean one. I just thought Bud was one of us full figured guys.

But let me just say this. I reinjured my almost healed groin muscle just sitting astride Bud. Your legs go way out to the sides before they go down to get around his girth. And he did have to stop to rest a few times going up some hills that the other horses were running up.

I should also mention, and I'm not sure about this and don't want to accuse them falsely, but I feel pretty strong that I got some rookie hazing on this ride. Not only was I hooked up with Chubby Lethargic Bud, but they pulled out a saddle that I believe was made of solid wood back in the days when torture was legal.

Debbie on the other hand, who has spent her life in a saddle and probably has caluses on her rear, has this foam rubber saddle with a high back so you get back support and padding down the sides leading to the stirrups so as not to chafe your legs.

Meanwhile my butt's on fire, my groin is stretched beyond it's natural limit, and I've got cramps just about everywhere.

Gee, riding's really fun. Where are those ATV's?

Diane & Butters

Diane is a neighbor and a very big shot in Colorado and, I think, New Mexico Search & Rescue. If you ever get injured or lost in the back country around here, you want Diane heading up the team looking for you. Her husband, too. Didn't get to chat with her too much since I was hanging on for dear life, but if she's with Search & Rescue and OK with Jim & Debbie, she's OK with me, too.

Along The Trail

As you can see, I missed the Fall Colors. So everything looks rather stark. Except for the evergreens, the trees have shed their leaves and all the pasture and prairie land has turned from green to brown. It will soon be covered in snow. But that's the beauty of having seasons and it's pretty spectatular right here in Chromo no matter the time of year.

Headin' Home

Remember the bathroom Jim was building the other day? It's done and here's the first customer for the new shower.

Maddy

After a few days running around all over the Ranch and surrounding environs, Maddy needed this!

Sunday evening after the ride, we headed out to dinner - well, a feast - at a neighbor's house. I'll share that with you separately. Gotta go right now.