Extreme trial ride 2007
I fell in love this past weekend. No, not with a man; not even a very
cute new horse; but with a place. The place is the Point Reyes National
Seashore and I had occasion to be there thanks to Peggy Hollister organizing
an OPRC camp at the Pt Reyes Country Inn and Stables. If nature in all
its resplendent glory, the solitude of no cell phone or TV reception, and
miles and miles of trails are not your idea of a party, then this definitely
is not the place for you. If you are, however, intrigued, then this
magical location should be added to your life’s “to do” list.
The Inn itself is a charming Bed & Breakfast wherein Tom Evans, the proprietor,
and his staff take great pains to make sure your stay is comfortable and enjoyable. As
the nights are typically cold (colder than our central valley nights anyway),
you sleep in the comfort of down filled bedding, your room and the towels
are refreshed daily, a fire is built in the common fireplace most evenings,
and a decanter of port is provided for the guests’ enjoyment. Breakfasts
consisted of pancakes and sausages the first morning, a wonderful egg, potato & cheese
concoction the second morning and a scrump-diddly-umpcious blueberry coffee
cake type of casserole the next day. Following long days in the saddle,
I would soak my tired bones in a hot bath, after which, tubbed and scrubbed,
I would fall into a comfy cozy down covered bed feeling like a kid again. Most
of my fellow “Inn-mates” occupied the rooms above the stables,
which was where we whiled away our evenings dining on chili, lasagna, and
all manner of yummy victuals. (That is one of my favorite things about
this club….we know how to eat!) The rooms above the stables,
while not as private or spacious as those at the Inn, are separated into individual
rooms which include a bathroom and kitchenette. There is a lovely common
room at the front of the building, and I do believe there may have been down
hiding under the horse print duvet covers. Another fantastic feature
is that the Inn cleans the stalls! Now that is a TRUE vacation, no poop
scooping! If you love spending time with your horse and friends, then
this is the place for you. I’ve already reserved my room for next
year and I hope to see more of our membership there then.
Before I go too much further, I do feel the need to add a note related to “getting
there.” Although I’m sure we are all seasoned trailer vets,
the roads, regardless if you take HWY 1 or Sir Francis Drake Blvd., are very
narrow, steep, and winding. There are portions of HWY 1 where trailers
and trucks in excess of 26 feet in length are not allowed. There were
portions of the drive where I broke a sweat, chewed my lip compulsively and
had to keep reminding myself to breathe. The moral of the story, don’t
be in a hurry and I wouldn’t use this route to take a new trailer on
its virgin voyage. Another helpful tip, make sure your tires and brakes
are in good shape.
The trails were Heaven! I know its hard to believe, but Dugan and
I were late and missed the first group ride, so our first solo excursion was
rather uneventful save for the hordes of school kids running around asking
to pet the pretty horse, and my being mistaken for a park ranger on numerous
occasions. Whose idea was it to make our colors dark green anyway? The
subsequent rides were not entirely uneventful but so worth every step. The
beginner trails are well maintained and a feast for all senses. The
smell of Eucalyptus, Cypress and Monterey Pine were so dense and rich that
I thought I may be swimming in a bowl of potpourri. As we plodded along
we were treated to the sounds of Tule Elk calls, the long grasses rustling
in the wind, babbling brooks, the sound of our horses breathing, and the soft
dull sound a horse’s hoof makes as it meets the forest floor. Peggy’s
group encountered entire herds of Thule Elk making their way along the coastal
trails. At one point we encountered a bobcat crossing the trail who,
incidentally, seemed entirely unconcerned with our being there; if only the
horses had been equally disinterested. We also watched coyotes playing,
herds of deer leaping through meadows covered in wildflowers, hawks and peregrine
falcons flying overhead and all manner of birds sporting indescribably vibrant
colors. Of course our favorite outing had to be our ride at the beach. We
opted to introduce the horses to the water before we tacked them up, a plan
that served us well later in the day. Not being Dr. Doolittle myself,
I couldn’t offer this next observation with any surety, but I think
I heard our horses laughing and screaming with joy as they bounced in and
out of the waves and rolled in the sand. Galloping through the waves
had always been a dream to a few in our party, and by the end of the day we
had fulfilled those dreams. When not splashing in the waves, ruining
our riding boots, laughing hysterically, body surfing with our horses (ask
Cheryl about that one, but if anyone knows a manufacturer of wet-suits, I
hear Mr. C is in the market for one), we were treated to the sight of herons
and pelicans taking off across the water, harbor seals pupping & molting,
and miles of breathtaking seashore scenery.
So you see, this is a trip not to be missed next year my fellow OPRC-ers! Start
saving your pennies now; get those horses fit and your trailers in tip top
shape! Even if you can’t make the group excursion, this is one
place that simply has to be explored on horseback! Happy Trails!
Campers:
Karen Hurley Peggy
Hollister Dee Norma
Varrati
Koni Nugent Joan
Lewis Cheryl
Clason Amber
Goss
Alek Majtenyi Sylvia
McGee Barbara
For information about how to find this Inn, contact us. We will gladly share
it with you.
Point Reyes National Seashore
1 Bear Valley Rd.
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956
Park Information
(415) 464-5100
http://www.nps.gov/pore
Author: Sylvia McGee
For pictures visit our club space in the photo gallery.
