Equine_Woman
11-10-2008, 11:25 PM
I know I just did a trail ride report but I got to go to Grapevine Lake this last weekend with Sterling and I thought I'd post the few photos that I took. Didn't have the real camera, just the play one again so nothing spectacular. One day I'll be brave and ride with the real one. . just not when there is water involved!
Saturday was was a GORGEOUS day!! Sunny and around 66 degrees. (although it felt hotter in the sun!).
Sterling and I haven't been to Grapevine Lake in over a year and a half. The last time we visited the trail was mostly closed because of the lake being flooded. It was nice to get back and see what the water did to the landscape!!
It was just Sterling and me so we didn't have to wait on any slowpokes or grandpa horses. Grapevine Lake has a wonderful parking area with a bathroom and two roundpens, not to mention running water. Plus their parking area is video monitored!! Wow!
Sterling and I set off and had to eye the large soccer net monsters that are on the beginnning of the trail. (the trail head is right by a ton of soccer fields and a city owned fishing pond. Lots of little girls yell horsey when you walk by which is always fun!)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3197/3021718370_3e14c25ae3.jpg
This is the view behind you as you head out.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/3021703296_4c36ddf5b2.jpg
The trail on the way out. .. it's a lot like a road for most of the ride, but there are tons of side paths that you can take.
In fact the funniest part of the ride was me taking two private entrance paths instead of the main trail i was looking for. (It'd been a while since I'd been there). Sterling was so miffed when I turned her around at 2 dead ends that after the second time I made a u turn I could tell she was second guessing my judgment on every step. Lol. Not sure if y'all have ever had your horse do that.. . it's like Sterling thought I couldn't be trusted. (I mean sheesh. . .I make two wrong turns in a dozen trail rides and I'm about to be voted out as navigator.). Luckily I got to a bigger trail (that was obviously a trail and not a side trail) and Sterling stopped second guessing me. But the whole thing really cracked me up. Made me realize how much I let Sterling blaze the trails for me.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3169/3020873277_0f2efb5d45.jpg
I love watching Sterling's shadow. It's so graceful and smooth! Lol. Had to share the photo.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3162/3021710992_5b89d057e1.jpg
The last time i was here this was as far as you could ride. The lake was severely flooded and this whole area was under water!! (you can see the water level on the tree to the left!) It was fun to be able to take the scenic trail again but it didn't look like a lot of people were riding it. . .and about 2 miles in I found out why! A tree was blocking the whole trail and there was no way around it. Sigh. I hate backtracking!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3143/3021715182_96de2c1448.jpg
We decided to stop and have a drink in the creek when we passed it the second time. . .
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3138/3021713444_7806e459d2.jpg
Can't tell it, but that's an overlook down into the creek. It's probably about 7 feet down. .
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3038/3021715864_46f3c62466.jpg
Since we couldn't get to the scenic overlook we decided to go to the lake.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3272/3020884353_e1d4121d3b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3187/3020885591_4ceda0b7e5.jpg
It was so nice just standing in the middle and letting the little waves wash towards us. (I should have taken a panoramic shot. We are a good 70 yards away from the shore either direction in this shot. The water is about 3 inches deep here. Just a little more drought and this little part of the lake will be bone dry again.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3001/3021717448_481a13ff42.jpg
All good things must come to an end! Back at the trail head.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3253/3021717704_d79ddc8193.jpg
Decided to check out the fishing pond more closely. . and scared a family of frogs.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3136/3020886531_621709fbbf.jpg
Lots and lots of kids over there. . .That will be my life in a few years I'm sure. . . but for now I'll spend my Saturdays with my horse!
Saturday was was a GORGEOUS day!! Sunny and around 66 degrees. (although it felt hotter in the sun!).
Sterling and I haven't been to Grapevine Lake in over a year and a half. The last time we visited the trail was mostly closed because of the lake being flooded. It was nice to get back and see what the water did to the landscape!!
It was just Sterling and me so we didn't have to wait on any slowpokes or grandpa horses. Grapevine Lake has a wonderful parking area with a bathroom and two roundpens, not to mention running water. Plus their parking area is video monitored!! Wow!
Sterling and I set off and had to eye the large soccer net monsters that are on the beginnning of the trail. (the trail head is right by a ton of soccer fields and a city owned fishing pond. Lots of little girls yell horsey when you walk by which is always fun!)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3197/3021718370_3e14c25ae3.jpg
This is the view behind you as you head out.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/3021703296_4c36ddf5b2.jpg
The trail on the way out. .. it's a lot like a road for most of the ride, but there are tons of side paths that you can take.
In fact the funniest part of the ride was me taking two private entrance paths instead of the main trail i was looking for. (It'd been a while since I'd been there). Sterling was so miffed when I turned her around at 2 dead ends that after the second time I made a u turn I could tell she was second guessing my judgment on every step. Lol. Not sure if y'all have ever had your horse do that.. . it's like Sterling thought I couldn't be trusted. (I mean sheesh. . .I make two wrong turns in a dozen trail rides and I'm about to be voted out as navigator.). Luckily I got to a bigger trail (that was obviously a trail and not a side trail) and Sterling stopped second guessing me. But the whole thing really cracked me up. Made me realize how much I let Sterling blaze the trails for me.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3169/3020873277_0f2efb5d45.jpg
I love watching Sterling's shadow. It's so graceful and smooth! Lol. Had to share the photo.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3162/3021710992_5b89d057e1.jpg
The last time i was here this was as far as you could ride. The lake was severely flooded and this whole area was under water!! (you can see the water level on the tree to the left!) It was fun to be able to take the scenic trail again but it didn't look like a lot of people were riding it. . .and about 2 miles in I found out why! A tree was blocking the whole trail and there was no way around it. Sigh. I hate backtracking!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3143/3021715182_96de2c1448.jpg
We decided to stop and have a drink in the creek when we passed it the second time. . .
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3138/3021713444_7806e459d2.jpg
Can't tell it, but that's an overlook down into the creek. It's probably about 7 feet down. .
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3038/3021715864_46f3c62466.jpg
Since we couldn't get to the scenic overlook we decided to go to the lake.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3272/3020884353_e1d4121d3b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3187/3020885591_4ceda0b7e5.jpg
It was so nice just standing in the middle and letting the little waves wash towards us. (I should have taken a panoramic shot. We are a good 70 yards away from the shore either direction in this shot. The water is about 3 inches deep here. Just a little more drought and this little part of the lake will be bone dry again.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3001/3021717448_481a13ff42.jpg
All good things must come to an end! Back at the trail head.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3253/3021717704_d79ddc8193.jpg
Decided to check out the fishing pond more closely. . and scared a family of frogs.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3136/3020886531_621709fbbf.jpg
Lots and lots of kids over there. . .That will be my life in a few years I'm sure. . . but for now I'll spend my Saturdays with my horse!