Oh How we need RAIN!

Can we say - DUSTY! Beautiful day today... couldn't be any better other than getting rid of the darn dust. We need rain so bad. It was warm.. really warm for November 1st! But we need some rain!!!

OK, got that out of my system.

Met up at Colmar this morning at 10. Had a good group riding, even picked up an extra at the parking area. Started out with 6 rides, 9 riders. Myself, my husband Jim, Carl, Roy and "B", Donnie & Lavon and Wayne & Lisa.

I've known Wayne & Lisa for several years and this is the first time that I've ever seen them in any condition other than spic-n-span, sparkling CLEAN! I worried that they both would really HATE riding today in the dust, but they actually said that they loved it! So much so that he is going to go this week and see about trading in his HARLEY in on his own ATV! That's cool!

Bless their hearts, Donnie & Lavon drove down here again all the way from Paoli, IN. Since the last time they were here back in September they bought a RAZR (not sure of the spelling but it is a SidexSide).

Heading out tomorrow to ride with Dellis and the gang. Will be heading out to Cawood, Kentucky. I've been there so much that I think I could do that ride with my eyes closed, but it is a great ride. If it wasn't I'd stay home. One other thing makes tomorrow special. It is his (Dellis) birthday! Last year we had a good party for him. I've got to get out early enough in the morning to find some cupcakes and take. Guess I'll be making a VERY early morning run to Wally World.

Better get in bed or I'll never make it. See ya'll tomorrow evening or Monday morning with an update.

He's BACK!

Who's back? My Floating Ghost! Now during the day he doesn't look so bad. But at night, when your car headlights hit him.... and floating right beside you is a GHOST.... THAT is when he looks the best!

Looks like a great weekend coming up!

The weather forecast for this weekend is looking GREAT! I know that Saturday the Holler Crawlers have a clean up day (actually Sunday too) on WTOP. Supposed to do some trail clean up, brush clearing, some trail work, brier cutting, trash pick up, etc. Jim and I both will be there to help out. But Sunday I'm playing hookie!

Sunday, November 2 is Partsman's birthday. I've got to pick up a cup cake and a candle for him today. Last year we had the works for him. He had never had a birthday party until he got a big surprise! Had a BIG cake, HUGE card & the works. This year's celebration will not be as big but none the less fun.

Today being Halloween I'm fixing my "floating ghost" again. Haven't done it in a couple years so it is about time to fix another. IF I can figure out how to make it float and film at the same time I'll get some video of it when I get it all fixed. I'm sure that in the daylight that it doesn't look like much. BUT at night... with a car light shining on it..... it will look cool!

I'm outta here for now. Got to get it all fixed up then head out to WalMart for a bit. See ya later!

All Day On The Mountain

I told you I'd do a better job of updating this blog!

Yet another beautiful Sunday was spent out seeing what wonders God has done to the planet Earth. We revisited some areas on the mountain and went to a couple new sites. One is another cave that is near "Rock Church". OK, now I can say that I've been there seen that. Not exactly crazy about the trail getting to there or back from there (had to backtrack). Not exactly planning on going back again. AND if I do it will be by walking!

The second new place that we went to was the overlook to see Wild River. Beautiful! Absolutely breath taking! I took some pictures but honestly they do NOT do it justice.

Had a good crowd that left the Rose Hill parking area at 10 AM. Dellis, Don, Eulis, Morgan & Michael, Dale & Brandon, Chris, Bobbie, Maranda, Autum & myself were there. Everything was going good till Chris's 98 454 Arctic Cat had major rear end problems. He had to be towed back to the truck from the bottom of the backside near the Wild River trail. Dellis was riding his wife's big Honda and so he pulled him back. I was running front for him just in case he needed help to get him up some of the steepest parts. But never did have to hook up. Dale made a statement that made me very proud of "Miss Kitty"..... something about how that thing will pull and climb a tree! She may be only a 300 cc engine but it is a good one!

The highlight of the day was to watch Morgan play on the "Hillbilly Slip-n-Slide". Now mind you this was October 26! NOT July 26! Even though it had warmed up nicely being soaking wet is NOT the way that you wanted to be. That water was COLD! But she had been wanting to go back there for a couple months and this is the first chance that she had gotten to go. She had fun, that was showing on her face. She had the biggest smile you've ever seen and laughing all the way down too!!

Sunday was the first time that I was "wired for sound" via my Chatterbox. I love it! Riding through the mountains listening to everything from Motown to Southern Rock to Bluegrass is a BLAST! Made things a lot more fun. Especially when we would hit a trail and the perfect song for that trail would be playing. Sure didn't seem like we spent 9 hours up there, it seemed to go by really fast. But I felt every minute of it by the time I got home. My knees and my right shoulder were killing me. Something tells me that time, age and weight are getting to me. But I've rested up now, most of the pain is gone and if it was warm I'd do it again today!

Speaking of warmth... it sure isn't warm or pretty out today. Gray sky's and it is only 37 degrees right now at a little after 9 in the morning. Something tells me that it isn't going to be getting much warmer than that. Even saw some snow flurries earlier this morning!

I did give Jim fair warning that one time during the winter that if it snowed during the week that he was NOT going to take my truck to work. Yes it is the only thing that we have that is 4x4. The Equinox being front wheel drive will make it up this driveway just fine, unless it is solid ice under there. I'm really wanting to go down on the mountain and take some snow pictures at least once this winter. I've learned my lesson and know to stay on the south side, that's for sure. But I've got to do it at least once this winter.

I have no idea what this next weekend has in store. There is supposed to be a group of people coming down from Indiana. Not sure if they are still coming or not but if they do I'll be out on the trails somewhere. Till then... take care and ride safe!

Ride, ride and more RIDE!

Where do I begin?

Things have been going really well, for the most part. Been doing a lot of riding off park (WTOP) for the past month. It has been a lot of fun. I didn't realize how much I missed riding on Stone. In the last couple weeks I've been across Stone to go to the Harlan Overlook (Harlan Kentucky) twice. Once it was just my husband and myself and then this past Sunday with the guys (and gals) that visit "ridewhereyouwant.com" aka Partsman and friends.

Also have done two trips up to Hensley Settlement. Now that is an adventure. Trail is for the most part easy to moderate. With a lot of smooth riding. Bad thing is where it isn't smooth.. it is ROUGH! I mean ROCKY - BOUNCE your guts out rough.

I've served as trail guide several times for different groups. I've had a blast. Every group is different. Some like to really see as much as they can see in a day. Others want to see stuff but at a lot slower pace, bad thing is that they miss out on so many other things that there just isn't time to see.

The leaves are changing here and it is getting really pretty to be outside. Bad thing is that it means that you put on a lot of clothes and strip during the day then put back on before you get back to the truck! Thought sure that my riding gloves were going to be enough Sunday. NOPE! My hands got so cold. I kept kicking myself for not taking my good winter gloves. Those would have felt a lot better on my poor frozen fingers. Bad thing is that it really isn't that cold. BUT after being in the upper 80's and lower to mid 90's for high temps all summer, when it gets down to the upper 40's lover 50's it feels like it should be the dead of winter.

I've gotten several really good videos done from all the riding. In fact I've got so many that there is no way to post them all here. I will upload one but will provide links to the others. AND if you like them and are signed up on YouTube then please rate my videos and leave me a note if you can! I love reading people comments... Good & Bad. I do have one more video that I need to get the footage worked up. Hopefully I'll get time to do them before this weekend. In the mean time here are some links to the ones that are the newest ones that I've done.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQcYEiEcK0I (Hensley Settlement PT. 1)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRm-6jqyYB4 (Hensley Settlement PT.2)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tGApUYBWMw (Part 3)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqJfT2YPEAA (Montage)

We, most of the family, went over to my sisters cabin on the river farm one weekend. I'll admit that riding in a pasture is NOT my favorite thing to do. I hate with a passion riding there and dodging the "FRESH Cow Patties"! BUT getting out and riding with 4 generations of my family is awesome!!!!! Not many people get to ride with a family group that range in age from 2 to 79! Here are the videos of that day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBwQYe0TX7s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx-f7psvou4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZODsMQWrQE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wNNlF47AwE

Here is a short video of the inside of the little "cabin" that we built last summer. OH I forgot to tell you that the people that built that was myself, my husband and my sister! It's not perfect but it works!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2OOoO9jqRA

Here is the video of one of the groups that I guided at WTOP. I got an email from them and they liked it so much that they are coming back in a little over a week to do it again!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afE5uW4bUqo

This is one of the trips that we call "Cawood Loop". It's a really GOOD ride!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlJoqSewDCc

This is of my husband and myself going to the Harlan Overlook. Caught up with some friends and rode back with them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT-0jB1MT5Y

Remember I said that I had gone up to Hensley Settlement twice? Well I've saved what I think is my best video to put up on here to view. Hope you like it!

Well I think I'm semi caught up. I know I've said it before but I will do a lot better at trying to keep things updated here.

Till next time! See ya'll.

Sunday Aug. 24

I had almost forgotten how much fun it is to ride on Stone! I hadn't done it in a while.... I'll admit that I don't miss all the really ROUGH parts of the trails up there. They will jar your innards (YES that is a word! lol) loose for sure..... but it is well worth it.

Only 3 started out that day. Dale, Don & myself were the only ones that met up at the parking area in Rose Hill. Those two are very brave souls indeed! They put ME up front playing "Follow The Leader"! I really felt bad for both of them by the time we got back to load up and go home. Don was covered in dust.... but poor Dale I swear had every speck of dust that had been kicked up on the trails on him! I don't see how he could see or breath.

Did the Cawood loop, then drove by the lake to see who was there. Found some riders from Virginia that Dale knew. They had been playing there for a while. I've got some video of that bunch playing and our part of the ride and some video of the Saturday ride yet to work up. I'll try to get in here and get it up soon.

But for now all I have are some photos. OH and we did see some Turkeys on the trail. Live TURKEYS..... not the "idiot man turkeys" that I know! WHICH will remain nameless! hehehe

Looks like next weeks ride is shaping up to be a REAL good ride! Where to? Who knows. But as of right now I know of at least 4 people that are wanting to go that normally don't go with us. I take that back, one is Mudd Puppy! She always puts on a good show.... and what few times I've had her and Ivy together it is even BETTER!

Till next week..... have a good'en!

Saturday, Aug 23

Served as guide this past Saturday to a group that wanted to explore Wilderness Trail Park. Got a late start as one lady is a nurse and worked the late shift and had to get a little sleep before taking off. Didn't get to go very far..... but it was a good ride.

Dust was boiling, as usual, but everybody made it back to the trucks/trailers in one piece.