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The cottage we stayed in was called “The White House”, but in my opinion should have been named the “House of Hardwood.” The old, refinished farmhouse had an impressive 6 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, but not a lick of paint in any of them. I mean it – none! The ceilings were even covered in hardwood going every which way. It was an OCD person’s nightmare, but fun to try and find the patterns. Regardless, the place was cozy with all the comforts of home. Sleep came easily that night and dawn perhaps too soon. Eventually, EJ himself arrived with maps in hand. Because he has trails for any and everything, he wanted to ensure our ride was exactly what we wanted. EJ is approximately 70 years old, over six feet tall with large features and kind eyes. He is a true West-By-God Virginia Mountain man that’s lived in the foothills of Pocahontas County all his life. Every time I saw him, his white hair was capped with a dark oil-skin cowboy hat. Though age may have made him a little portly, he seems to work as hard as ever. On the property we regularly found him tinkering with one of the many hobbies in his large shed. We picked out a route that was about 12 miles and would take us between 4 and 6 hours (we walk most of the trails because we’re really there to chat, and watch the world go by). EJ marked the orange lines and showed us the connecting blue trails, then he told us he had a few more things he’d like to get done before the end of the day and with an authentic tip of his oilskin, he departed. The rest of the evening was spent sipping on warm spiked salted caramel cider, heating up Biddy 1’s out of this world butternut squash soup, and “fellowship”. Biddy 3 quite literally used the term “fellowship,” a few times when discussing the importance of what rides like this mean to her. I had never really given it much thought before (Biddy Apprentice here), but the word is defined as “friendly association, especially with people who share one's interests.” It is an important part of the experience and I believe how these women have remained so close for so long. Fellowship with them was a beautiful thing. It was truly something to just sit back and listen to their stories as I watched the boys play and much on the grass in the pasture from the screened in wrap around porch. The following day I climbed out of bed around 7 am. The Biddies told me we were going to get on the trail by 10 am, so there was really no rush. I awoke to find that Biddy 2 had already fed and watered our boys. It was an unexpected delight and one I was truly thankful for. At that point, I began working on my single responsibility for the weekend – lunch on the trail. I knew the Biddies gave me this job because it was easy if mattered little if I screwed it up. After all, who needs lunch if know a killer casserole dinner is waiting for you in a few hours? That said, I was glad they put me in charge of this because little did they know that years of working on the road have made me pretty good at the food on the go. I had planned Honey Maple Turkey Pitas with deli sliced Munster Cheese, carrots, and tri-colored grapes. Because we’re all riding somewhere we knew little about I pre-made two pitas for each person and tossed a box of white chocolate and cranberry Cliffbars ® into my saddlebags. As an aside, the Biddies have a reputation for getting… lost, thus if I was in charge of our stomachs, I made sure we were covered. After a deliciously savory egg, sausage and veggie breakfast casserole prepared by Biddy 3, we were ready to start getting dress. This was honestly challenging because the sun was shining and defying all weather forecasts. We needed to pack for possible, however, the present for forty-some-degrees and pleasant. Layers were the name of that day’s dressing game. Because of the forecast was calling for rain I tugged on my fleece lined Roxy Snowboard pants anyway. I think I’ve used those pants for nearly everything but snowboarding in the past several years. Built like a fleece lined pair of Dickies work pant, they’re just great for EVERYTHING. By the end of the ride, all the Biddies wanted a pair. Before I knew it Jean-Luc and the rest of the boys were saddled and the only thing left to do was ride out. I kept thinking to myself, “man is this just easy.” Often I believe I over think things. The Biddies are old hats. They just know what needs to be done, and what doesn’t. No need to mess around. Just saddle your horse, add your bags and climb up. With one final look at the map, we were off on the Greenbrier River Trail. The horses took turns trying to decide who would lead, but it came as no surprise to me that Jean-Luc ended up in front. He likes to lead, and his gaited nature makes him quicker than the others. Honestly, I was really proud of him. There were a few times I was nervous about our pace since I knew the Biddies didn’t like to go too fast. “Everyone good back there?” I would ask. “You guys are doing great!” a Biddy would yell up. The best compliment of the day came through when Biddy 1 started discussing how impressed she was with Jean-Luc and how far we’d come. “He’s really good at leading the group. He’s turned into the perfect horse for you,” she hollered up. I thanked her for doting on us, and the three of them laughed about how worried they’d been for me when I brought Jean-Luc home for the first time. “YOU have done so well with him,” they emphasized. My ride was made for the rest of the day! I mean how could it not be? I know the hours I have in with Jean-Luc, but these women saw the before and recognize the after. A person can’t help but be filled with pride. The hours in the saddle passed as we covered some of the breathtaking scenery West Virginia has to offer. One of my favorite things involved riding straight into a rhododendron jungle. Rhododendrons are West Virginia’s state flower, but truly they’re more like a tangling bunch of bright green vines that can be impassable unless a proper path is cut – and it was! Riding through the emerald green leafy tunnels made me feel like we were in some sort of fairy-tale, Narnia. The Biddies and I agreed that it would be magical to come back during the June when the Rhododendrons are in full bloom with the purple and pink flowers, and thus promptly agreed to do so. This ride was also my first big river crossing on horseback. At one point, near the end of our ride, we came to a spot that required us to cross a 100-yard span of Greenbrier River. “Whatever you do, don’t look down and don’t stop,” the Biddies told me.
2 Comments
Liz
11/28/2017 02:31:59 pm
Tangle mess is right! We call it "rhodo-HELL" in the world of field biology.
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Ha! so had there not been this amazing, emerald tunnel cut into the bushes, it would have been impassable. That said, I am ecstatic to return in late June / early July. Plus, the trails a just RIGHT THERE, out your door. From the beginning they can change to as technical or open as you seem to want to ride. There's a map on the web-link.
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AuthorMy name is Chelsey. HorseGenerator's Cuevo Gold, or as he's known around this barn, "Jean-Luc Ponycard", was foaled in 2004 from Generator's Hurricane & Cheyenne's Little Bit. Top 10 Blog Favs.Archives
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