Launi & The Big Boy Trail

A friend & I took our horses camping for the opportunity to ride two days on the Western States Trail, aka Tevis trail.  I knew the trail would be challenging, but had no idea it would be quite so challenging.  I knew I'd have to trust Launi on narrow, somewhat dangerous trail but had no idea just how much I'd have to trust him.  I wasn't even sure if Launi was mature enough to be safe on an extremely challenging trail.  But the WST is some of my favorite trails to ride & I was looking forward to hopefully having a great weekend of riding.  Hopefully Mr Too Big For His Britches would put on his big boy pants.

After a 2 1/2 hour drive we arrived at Foresthill at 8am Friday.  We saddled up & hit the trail by 9, heading up trail towards Michigan Bluff.  I knew there was a good sized creek crossing at the bottom of the canyon & had planned on leading Launi across.  It'd been years since I'd ridden this section of trail but I remembered the creek as being very rocky with boulders & the water could be deep & rushing.  It was actually worse after years of erosion & to get into the creek we had to clamor down rock to an 18" wide ditch that went into the water.  I crossed the creek, barely keeping my feet on the slippery rock.  Slowly Launi followed, all the while listening to me telling him it was ok.  I let Launi walk a few feet up trail while we waited for my friend & her horse.  The trail was slick & Launi fell, smashing my left stirrup.  Fortunately I wasn't on him, he didn't panic or get hurt, & the stirrup still had enough room for my toes.  My friends horse scrambled through the creek & ended up plunging up the side of the mountain.  After crawling through some brush they made it up to the switchback & we were on our way.  It was a nice ride into Michigan Bluff.  For years I'd crewed for friends riding Tevis & Michigan Bluff was my favorite vet check.  I have wonderful memories of riding into Michigan Bluff on my successful 1986 Tevis.  I whispered into Launi's ears, asking him if he & I could ever ride into Michigan Bluff while riding Tevis.  Talk about goose bumps.

My friend & I got our exercise as we led the horses down the canyon on our way back to Foresthill.  It was an uneventful, beautiful walk until we once again reached the dreaded creek.  Launi was a trooper & trusted me to keep him safe as he followed me across.  Unfortunately my friends horse fell, scraping his legs.  We tailed for a ways up hill until I found a rock tall enough to let me get back in the saddle.  It's not easy being a short person riding a very big horse.  We rode 12 tough miles on Friday & I was very impressed with Launi.

Saturday morning we set off on a 20 mile trek from Foresthill to Drivers Flat.  We'd moved one of rigs to Drivers Flat & the ride organizers shuttled riders back to Foresthill.  We had to ride along Foresthill Rd for a couple miles, passing a town wide yard sale.  Down California St & onto what's known as The California Loop.  At Tevis most riders will be riding this extremely technical trail in the dark.  It might actually be better to ride it in the dark because what you can't see can't scare you.  LOL  

Launi started the day with the best walk he's ever had.  We were flying at a brilliant walk down into the canyon, riding behind someone I'd met a few years earlier.  I was so proud of Launi when the other rider trotted on because he didn't fight to keep up.  He just kept up his wonderful walk.  My friend & I got off to cross the first larger creek we came to because our horses were nervous after Friday's dreaded creek.  My friend's horse, a stallion, was quite excited & the other horses coming from behind & passing him on narrow trails was setting him on edge.  We did our best to keep our horses calm & moving forward.  They even got good at crossing all the little streams on the trail.  After 5 or 6 miles a couple of riders passed my friend & got between us.  The trail was too narrow for them to pass Launi & I.  As we got further ahead of my friend I could hear her stallion throwing a fit.  I called back to her but heard no answer.  I couldn't find a spot on the trail wide enough for the other riders to pass.  It was turning into a very scary situation as my friend was losing control of her horse.  She'd been off walking & he was coming over the top of her.  Finally the woman behind me got off her horse & on a ledge no wider than 8", she & her horse squeezed passed.  I slowly slid off Launi, hoping not to fall over the edge of the cliff.  I handed Launi to the woman so she could keep the horses walking, looking for a safe spot to stop.  I crawl passed her husbands horse & made my way back to my friend.  She was frazzled & frightened & her horse was almost totally out of control.  His eyes were glazed over & he would have gone over the edge in another minute.  I took the reins, balled my first, & hit him in the cheek as hard as I could.  Much like slapping a hysterical person, it worked because his eyes cleared & he stopped while I made bridle adjustments.  I lead him a short way until we found a spot where my friend could get on.  About that time the woman came back with Launi in tow.  I had no idea what she was thinking because they trail was too narrow to get him turned back around, or so I thought.  Launi, who'd been my Moose Baby, & was now my BIG BRAT, very slowly lifted his front feet up the side of the hill & pivoted on his hind feet as I held my breath.  I still can't believe he managed to turn around without going over the edge, many 100s of feet down the canyon.

With Launi acting as brakes for my friends horse we went on down the trail.  It was such a gorgeous day weaving along the switchbacks under tree cover.  At times we could see the American River far below, at others we could only hear it.  Where the trail was flat I let Launi trot & he moved nicely on a loose rein.  He was so much fun.  At times I wished we could just keep on trotting at the nice pace, about 7 - 7/12 mph (maybe a tad faster a couple times).  We spent 25 minutes at a nice creek crossing, letting the horses eat grass & the little bit of grain that I carried.  Launi stuffed his head into the zip lock bad & I had to laugh at his attempt to suffocate just to get some oats.  Launi truly did trot for oats that day.

The last 3 miles were uphill, along Drivers Flat Rd.  It was literally a dirt highway for white water tour buses.  Other than a 360* turn when Launi saw the first bus stacked with rafts go by, it was an uneventful trip up the road & to the waiting rig.  While I doubt I'll ever talk my friend into riding this trail with me again, I had a fabulous day riding my most wonderful horse.  This was Launi's growing up weekend & he really did grow up.  He was solid & sane & safe & I'm so very proud of him.  I can't wait 'til we ride again.