01.20.02
As
another surprise for Ivy, the other bridesmaids planned a day of horseback
riding...and today was THE day! *yikes!* We checked out of Hill House
at 9:30am, loaded up the minivan, and headed over to Sugarloaf Ridge
State Park in Sonoma. It was yet another sunny day, and the drive was
beautiful...the countryside and the vineyards were breathtaking. In
an email sent out last week: Am I game? Well sh*t...coming from my lil' sister, it's the same as getting a "I double dog dare you!" challenge. So for the past week, I've been psyching myself out. Ironically, one of my New Year's resolutions was to face a fear or overcome a fear...not specifically horses...but well, I guess when opportunity presents itself...*deep breath*
Once we got to the stables, and after signing a bunch of liability release forms, we saddled up.
I
made sure to let our trail-guide, Cindy, know that I had a fear of horses.
She gave me the gentler of the bunch - 'Chip'. Bett got 'Cody', Cin
got 'Henry', Wil got 'Cowboy', Mayu got 'Bo', and Ivy got...hmmm, I
forget. =P
The ride was two hours long and the trail was pretty tough on our steeds...narrow, steep, and muddy. We trekked up the mountain in a single file line, making sure to space the horses or else they might aggravate each other...and we can't have none of that! By the time we reached the summit, the view was awesome! (below) Going down the mountain took less time than going up, but it's also a lot scarier. I felt like I was going to get pitched head over feet. I was so relieved when I finally saw the stables. hehehehe Overall, I think I overcame my fear of horses. It was a good experience. Not sure if I'd do it again any time soon...but I'm happy. =D After that, we headed back to SF, and grabbed a late lunch at Kitaro (one of Cin's favorite eats). YUM! KITARO
I'm
pooped, and I kinda smell like poop, too (horse manure, to be exact)!
I---must---shower!
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