Skagway Excursion #1: Paddle and Saddle, part II

Our group met up with our wranglers, a gal who was a seasoned competitive rider with a killer Stetson and her husband, and donned our helmets [Helmets?! I wasn't about to get on a bike, I was getting on a horse! What the heck was this about?] to reduce risk and liability. Even in the Yukon they're concerned about litigation. Hrmph! My trusty steed, Ice, was the youngest of the fold with limited training, which was fine by me. Afterall, me and my childhood best friend had jumped a fence when we were kids and I hopped up on a horse grazing in a field and rode it bareback... until I got bucked off that is (there's a reason I told you that story). Anyway, we all saddled up and headed for the trail.
It is truly God's country up there. The foliage was already ablaze as we rode on this beautiful sunny afternoon.


Everyone was enjoying the sweet serenade of John Denver songs by our gal wrangler. It was so majestic, so tranquil... until the clown (I say that in an endearing tone, I swear), in front of me gently tumbled to the ground when his horse stumbled and then reared up. Not such a big deal if it's just the two of you but not so good on a precarious part of the trail with 13 other now-nervous horses to contend with. The wrangler from the back came bustling forward, threw me his reigns, quickly dismounted and ran to the aid of the fallen rider, Bob. In the meantime I'm trying to keep the elderly woman behind me calm, and her horse, as well as my own. It added an exciting dimension to the ride! I can assure you Bob was none too keen about the final 20 minutes back to the lodge. I, however, was soon lost once again in the splendor of our surroundings. Happily snapping away, capturing the best the day had to offer from horseback.

A perfect time and place for reflection. This rugged and beautiful landscape reminded me of my Dad.



I was so grateful to add this adventure to my cache of life experiences. "Stay in the moment, live for today."

Here's one last pic, taken on the ride back to Skagway.