Home > Trip > Dispatches > Daily Dispatches 2013 > Daily Dispatch #28

January 28, 2012: Trip Plans, Continued

Now, in addition to being cold, it’s also quite windy. I can again hear that Niagara Falls sound, which is an ongoing roar. But hey, the sun’s now shining brightly. And it’s now up until 5:30 p.m. or so. Spring is on its way. It’s far too cold and windy to ride, so I’m working on trip plans, mainly by doing some mental organizing.

The return of daylight means that our date of departure is drawing closer. Planning continues. Was it all this complicated and overwhelming the first time around? Must have been, I just don’t remember.

Last night we met with Nick and Leah, our potential house sitters. They are renting a



place in town, so they aren’t needing to stay here. But they’ve agreed to take Jenna on, and as well, our garden project. They’re wanting to involve others – this is along the lines of what Pete and I originally envisioned, that is a community-based gardening project. We’ve done the gardening legwork so this will be easier for them than it might otherwise be.

Leah is also going to show me the ins and outs of Facebook.

And Brandon, a local community activist, may end up being our actual house sitter, in which case he might take on caring for the remaining animals, Ranger, Rover, and Tinni. Pete’s going to contact him about this today.

This morning CJ called about Raudi’s saddle fitting process. Between our putting it on her back and getting it in the box, it shrunk, so we’re going to have to make yet another mold. CJ apologized profusely for this unforeseen complication. I said that Pete and I are glad that she’s being so attentive to detail. It’s just imperative that our horses have gear that fits.

This weekend Pete listed Raudi’s previous trip saddle on Craig’s List. Her Len Brown saddle is a real beauty – it looks great in our kitchen addition, so I hate to part with it. But it must go. It was meant to be used. If it doesn’t get sold on Craig’s List we’ll put it up on E-bay.

Hrimmi, and what to do with her, also an integral part of our trip preparations. Yesterday we went and visited her. It reminded me of Pete and my purchasing Raudi, and our making repeated trips out to Chugiak, where we spent time with her, in the same way we yesterday spent time with Hrimmi. The difference is that we have had Hrimmi with us since Day 1 of Part I of Tolting the Divide (remember she then traveled in utero), so we are all quite close. (We being Signy, Pete, me, and Hrimmi.)

Vicki is taking excellent care of Hrimmi. Her stall was spotless and she had access to food and water. And she had plenty of shavings to lie in. We took her out of the stall and I walked her around – Pete, in the lead, checked to make sure that nothing was touching the electric fence, and Hunar, behind, followed us. We then did another loop, this time, with Hrimmi off-lead.

After, Pete walked away and Hrimmi made a mad dash in his direction. Her message to us all came through loud and clear. It was, I am happiest these days when I’m with you all. We agreed, but then put her back in the stall, where she again began to neigh for us.

I later jokingly said to Vicki that the problem here is that Hrimmi needs to be weaned from us. I meant this as a joke. But Vicki, after thinking about it for a bit, said that perhaps it would be best if Pete and I stayed away for a few days, this way Hrimmi would attach herself to Hunar. I agreed-- what Vicki said makes sense – Hrimmi and Hunar might become buddies if left alone together. But I also disagreed. It might make no difference at all if Pete and I spend time with her. She will either bond with him or she won’t. We can’t choose her friends for her.

So, it’s a day later, and I’m now leaning towards our taking Hrimmi with us on our long ride. And I have told Pete that I’m putting my trip planning energies in that direction. I’m first going to finish my book proposal on long distance trekking. And I’m then going to seek trip sponsorship, saying to the Sundowner Trailer Company that we’ll be including photos of their trailer in our book. I’m also going to get my substitute teaching forms in, so that, if need be, I’ll be able to act on yet another option, which would be to have Signy shipped to America (that’s Vicki’s word for it) via a trailer hauler.

In the meantime, I’m going to be house cleaning today. An appraiser is coming over tomorrow. We’re refinancing, at a much lower interest rate, which is going to further insure that we’ll be able to pay our house bills and trip expenses.

All this is a lot to think about. But I’m glad that I have it all to think about.

Next: 29. 1/29/13: A conversation with Signy fra Dareg Dair