How it started….
In November, 2010 several friends met at Caprock Canyons
State Park near Amarillo, TX for some fellowship and riding. Jim Conant – he was
on MCTR (Mexico to Canada Trail Ride) in 2008. He
was telling us about the Shore to Shore Ride in Michigan next June. There will
be several others from MCTR on this ride. So I decided if I was going to do
this ride, this would be the time to do it.
I looked at the Michigan Trail Riders Association web site www.MTRA.org and found out there are several
rides each summer. Some go straight across the state; others have several rest
days along the way. Jim let us know he had chosen the early June ride as school
is not yet out – therefore fewer kids – and probably less participants. So I
joined the MTRA and signed up for the ride.
I asked Marian Raney to go with me. We have traveled
together on several trips – like 3 weeks to New Mexico last summer. Marian has
been the “drama queen” but has smoothed out these dramas and will be going.
Marian and I talked about food, clothes, etc. We decided to
go to Shawnee Nat’l Forest in southern Illinois first and ride there for 5 days
before going to Michigan. I wanted to see Shawnee as I have heard it is the
best riding in the country – although I doubt if it will beat our riding here
in east Texas…. AND, by going to Shawnee first, we will avoid traveling over
Memorial Weekend.
Well, today, May 24 we are ready to go. Both horses have
been washed, the trailer is loaded – and how! I have mowed the grass in front
of our house, mopped the floors, done laundry, and dishwasher, cleaned the
refrigerator, and ….. Whew! Time for bed as we leave around 7:00 tomorrow
morning!
Happy Trails,
Nancy
