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February 8, 2017: Pick a Title:

-- Enough Daylight
-- Further Adventures on the White Highway
-- One Amazing Dog
-- The 5th Pony, Hestar

The plan today was for me to work for a few hours on If You See a Fork and then get the horses out. The temps, by noon were in the 20s, and the sun was shining brightly. I got out at 1:30 p.m. I first decided to go for a fat tire(d)! bicycle ride, taking Ryder with me and leaving Tyra behind. I figured that I would do the five-mile Grizzly Camp Loop in short order and have enough time to play with the other four ponies.

It was a beautiful day – windless, sunny, perfect weather for a ride. Ryder and I moved right along, and were soon at Grizzly Camp which is about two miles from home. From there, it’s a long downhill ride to what we call the Corridor Trail, named such because it’s a major thoroughfare for snowmobiles and 4-wheelers.

I got down to the Vicinity of the Corridor Trail, but then rather than go left, in the direction of home, I went right, in the direction of Wendt Road. It must have been my brain chemistry, the endorphins activated by



exercise. I just had this incredible urge to keep going. I came up with a destination – my midway point would be our friend Dick and Mariann Stoffel’s place.

I was soon glad that I kept going because the trail and the surrounding landscape were nothing short of amazing. The terrain was absolutely flat, hard packed, easily navigable. And the Talkeetna Range, to my right, was in full view. I kept thinking, wow, this is in my back yard.

Wendt Road goes through a subdivision, as does Sun Valley Road. One leads to the other, which leads to Palmer-Fish-hook Road. It is a major thoroughfare. I had hoped to make it to New Hope Road, where Dick and Mariann live but turned back on Gold Bullion Road. I had Ryder with me, and while she is bicycle leash-trained, she still has a strong herding instinct. I also couldn’t help but think that my dog Digger was killed on Gold Hill Road. Gold Hill Road – Gold Bullion Road – I put her leash around my wrist and wrapped it around the handlebars.

Once we were back on Wendt, I let her loose. She resumed running. We headed for home, doing our original route backwards. We saw two other cyclists, one passing going ahead of us and the other passing going the other direction. Ryder went bounding after both. I had this realization as I watched her and that she believes her job is to bunch us all together. I don’t think the others think this – they did not seem very enthused about seeing my supposedly disobedient canine. Well, if they stopped and told her to go to me, she would.

I began to tire when, finally, I came to the place where I went right instead of left. I wasn’t so tired that I felt like walking. And the terrain was slightly downhill with an occasional rise. And, I wasn’t at all in danger of having to navigate my way in the dark (I had not brought a headlight along) because – now there is plenty of light. I felt jubilant in realizing that we are over the hump.

I took Raudi’s Raceway back to Murphy Road. It’s a side trail coming off the Four Corners Trail. Tyra, Ryder, and I were on it yesterday. The fat tire(d) bicyclists have yet to discover it. It was challenging because it isn’t hard packed, but I liked the variety.

I hooked Ryder back onto her leash and we headed up Murphy Road. This road is a gradual uphill climb with a steeper climb at the top. We met up with our neighbor Jim who was out for a walk – he studied my bicycle quite carefully – taking a close look at all the components. I thought as he talked that perhaps I should have taken a closer look at all the components when I purchased this bicycle. Well, it fits and I am having a really good time riding it. Ryder, tired, rested at Jim’s feet.

Onto Oceanview, Ryder with her third and final wind. The horses were all standing at the fence, wondering when I’d get them out. I tended to them and even sang and danced for them. The price that I paid is that I am going to be working late on Fork and on my two body awareness presentations. It is a small price to pay – I realized that as I was writing this and reliving my wonderful afternoon.

Next: 40. 2/9/18: My Horses, My Teachers

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