Pony Express

What an interesting morning. Nancy and I woke up ate oatmeal then ventured off to the nearest Post Office. I looked up directions and wrote them down on a piece of paper. Needless to say, we ended up relying on my GPS that I have on my phone. I call her Jacqueline. We are in a love hate relationship because she either gets me right where I am going or she says...."recalculating route" or "make the next legal u turn" in a somewhat agitated mechanical voice so I just talk back to her... and somehow I feel better when we converse. So, in a rage Nancy and I both talked to Jacqueline....questioning her inner compass...wondering if she knew what a street address even was... but we made it. The directions I had gotten were sort of right and Jacqueline the GPS was right on target after we coaxed her into it. So we went to a CO Springs Post Office and invested in some more stamps. 

Then we headed toward the mountain! We went on a Wildlife Trail Ride!!! Nancy and I busted out our faithful cowgirl boots, jeans, and chaps and mounted our trusty steeds. Too bad my horse's name was Eleanor. There was no real sense of excitement from that...but Nancy's horse was named Jake...at least that sounded more mysterious...not so predictable like "Eleanor". Names aside, we had a delightful time. She and I were somewhat too at ease though because we didn't canter or go fast at all...but it would have been hard/impossible considering that we were riding on a wildlife preserve that was one giant incline. I have never thought that much about a horse's hind quarters...thinking WOW! what a leg workout!!! Nancy and I always love being in the saddle so it was a great ride. The weather was very nice and we saw buffalo and elk!!! We did however overhear that our guide who's name is Rick served in Iraq twice and he might be called to fight again. It was a sobering reminder that our country is at war...and even though we get caught up in our everyday routines, there are men and women fighting and dying for our country. So with patriotism in our hearts and that unmistakable smell of horses still in our noses we headed off to the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame Museum.

We absolutely loved looking at all of the pictures, seeing the saddles, the buckles, and reading the information on Rodeo's finest. There was such an excitement in the air...you could feel the nerves, the passion, the dedication, and all the time surrounded by the many risks of rodeo. After we walked through the museum Nancy and I agreed that we should just give in to our inner cowgirls and live in the saddle. We just need the horses...hint hint moms!!!

Then it was off to a very late lunch. We ate at Zios Italian Kitchen and now we are camping out. Thank you to the nearby RV park that is allowing me to use the web!!! heeehee! 

We've pitched our tent and we set up the hammock. Nancy and I are going to sleep out under the stars tonight. 

Mountain sunrise here we come...

until then goodnight.