tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33913883593021710512024-03-10T20:23:02.670-07:00MuleTrailThe adventures of a FrontCountry MuleWoman. Trail riding in the mountains of Southern and Central California on a gaited Rocky Mountain Mule.luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comBlogger192125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-21067744121956067772023-11-11T23:00:00.000-08:002023-11-18T13:23:16.563-08:002023/11/11 Veteran's Day Pre-Deluge ride at Live Oak Heavens to Murgatroid take a look at that weather prediction ! The weather apps say a second massive El Niño is coming.Which they say is the first time in recorded history two years in a row.Last year we lost MONTHS of trail riding as the local trails were closed due to storm damage. So today we made a plan to get a ride in before the storm... &luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-58297743462526091532023-07-09T23:11:00.018-07:002023-07-14T15:09:17.467-07:002023/7/9 LIVE OAK LIVESIt has been a LONG six months since last we rode at Live Oak. Tobe Mule and I were grateful for the rain that fell last winter, but that turned to dismay as we were told that the trails were made impassible and giant sinkholes appeared in the parking lot. So we waited. Finally today we rustled up our favorite two trail compadres and went to see how things looked.We didn't go far off the main luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-41311482148189954302022-12-21T23:11:00.003-08:002022-12-25T20:17:49.852-08:002022/12/21 Winter Solstice Victory ride at Live OakThe view we love, looking out from the Live Oak trail toward Lake Cachuma on the horizon. The Horse and Mule Trail Riders in the 805 MeetUp was proud to organize a
Winter Solstice celebratory ride to commemorate the recent judicial
decision to return the Live Oak trails to EQUESTRIANS ONLY !
I did my part by drawing the logo above, and a small and persistent
group of riders never gave up on luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-1707201218577588082022-10-14T23:00:00.003-07:002022-10-15T16:19:59.489-07:002022/10/14 La Purisomnia The most beautiful visual from the overcast day were the stands of opuntia cactus, with their fruit still golden and not yet ripened to crimson. We had a simple goal to reverse a recent route, and circumnavigate the upper Western Mesa of the Mission La Purisima property. Usually we strike out looking for adventure. But today, we were like people who exercise just for the sake of doing it. luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-25107495802900067982022-10-08T22:58:00.033-07:002022-10-10T01:33:57.784-07:002022/10/8 Ellwood Devereux Mesa Open Space SojournThe Ellwood Mesa is a coastal property, either 137 or 230 acres (depending on your source) that includes 10 miles of trails within the Ellwood Devereux Open Space, a 600 acre multi-agency parcel that
includes open areas and reserves on UCSB’s North Campus and West
Campus, lands within the University System’s Coal Oil Point Reserve, The
Land Trust’s Coronado Butterfly Preserve and the City of luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-67524814198389827412022-09-30T23:11:00.016-07:002022-10-03T15:03:09.539-07:002022/9/30 Cuclillo de Tierra Trail at Mission La PurisimaOnce again the weather calls us up North to Mission La Purisima, often reliably cooler and overcast making for pleasant rides. This view is looking out over the Lompoc Valley from the Cuclillo de Tierra Trail, which translates to "Ground Cuckoo", and is apparently a nickname for roadrunner. I have only ever seen one here, but I'll keep looking!As we are still catering to my mule's healing hind luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-55543035501582133692022-08-28T23:21:00.011-07:002022-09-22T01:10:10.813-07:002022/8/28 A Slow Stroll at La PurisimaThe weather is turning to Fall, the stark skeleton of a manzanita stands in the chaparral amid crimson poison oak. We went for a ride to see the seasonal changes at La Purisima Mission above Lompoc.Instead of our usual exploration of the sandy trails, this time we stuck to the paved and dirt roads surrounding the central valley and then walked up to the water towers for the overlook.Tobe Mule hasluckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-49341332773130609292022-05-14T23:20:00.352-07:002022-05-17T02:15:03.262-07:002022/5/14 Vandenberg Saddle Club Poker Ride & BBQ What an opportunity! Tobe Mule and I were so excited to have the chance to ride on the grounds of the Vandenberg Space Force Base.Obviously a privilege and an honor, to penetrate into the high security zone and see this nearby and yet forbidden territory!The exclusive equestrian facility on the base, limited to the active duty military and their dependents, was permitted to holdluckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-20930192894444982072022-04-30T23:00:00.011-07:002022-05-10T00:04:49.419-07:002022/4/30 Brown Ranch in Los Olivos with the SYVR Time for a visit to a slower pace of life.Up to Foxen Canyon in Los Olivos, to the Brown Ranch where cows amble and coyotes howl, between the more civilized neighboring acres of famous vineyards.We did a scenic 6 mile loop, mostly sticking to the ridges of the canyons, so lucky that the Santa Ynez Valley Riders are friends with the ranch owner and allowed to traipse about on this very luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-40262072897778054182022-04-10T22:00:00.013-07:002022-04-24T00:11:55.389-07:002022/4/10 Huasna Endurance Ride An enjoyable opportunity to ride on the 30,000 acre Huasna Land and Cattle Company private ranch out East of Arroyo Grande, participating in a fundraiser for the San Luis Obispo Parks, Open Space and Trails (SLOPOST) Fund, supporting trail maintenance in and around San Luis Obispo County.The Serious Endurance Riders were there to ride 25 or 50 mile loops each day.My Charro Compadres and I luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-75460739791136366842022-03-26T23:00:00.002-07:002022-03-28T15:40:47.729-07:002022/3/26 Mountain Trails at Midland School with SYVR Tobe Mule and I ventured up and over to the Santa Ynez Valley, where a bright sunny day awaited on which to explore the trails on the 2,860 acre property of the Midland School.Joining 5 other members of the Santa Ynez Valley Riders, we followed a trail along Figueroa Mountain Road and headed up toward Grass Mountain.These trails are open to the equestrian and hiking public by reservation, luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-13647642927780189782022-02-27T23:30:00.151-08:002022-03-08T21:56:01.122-08:002022/2/27 Legend of the Lost Calf What's wrong with this picture? That calf is on the wrong side of the fence!X marks the spot where the lost calf was stuck on the Live Oak Camp side of the fence that divides the public lands from the Rancho San Fernando Rey property.It was a short ride, just a leg stretch, up the winding trail to the first gate, then along the straight boundary fence, and out over the bluff that looks out luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-44172006480754696492022-02-19T23:11:00.011-08:002022-02-25T03:14:20.912-08:002022/2/19 Live Oak with the SYVRAnother beautiful day in Paradise. I actually started out heading to an ETI ride in Agoura, but got trapped on the Southbound 101 behind an 8 car pile-up and flipped around and joined the Santa Ynez Valley Riders on their monthly ride.The jewel of local riding opportunities was the chosen location, Live Oak Camp that never disappoints.Outward onto the usual trails we will go, winding our luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-17473819095605665002022-01-16T23:00:00.001-08:002022-01-22T21:34:35.617-08:002022/1/16 Blue Skies over Live Oak first 2022 rideThis was actually the last photo of the day, taken as we exited the Live Oak Camp parking lot and headed off to the 154 and back to Santa Barbara. But it is just too good not to feature on this, the first ride and blog of the new 2022.Because some of the trails might still be a bit soggy after our annual rainy season over the holidays, we stuck to a well known route.All in all we traveled 5.6 luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-30760204266573246562021-12-19T23:00:00.001-08:002021-12-24T16:35:17.636-08:002021/12/19 The last ride of 2021 at La Purisima MissionA milestone ride! The 100th adventure of the Horse and Mule Trail Riders of the 805 MeetUp group, and the last ride of 2021.The group now has 467 members, of which about a dozen come on the regular Sunday rides. We have NO idea who the rest of them are! We look forward to meeting them in 2022.Today we chose La Purisima Mission for our ride because recent rains had closed or made difficult luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-10715782960205471692021-12-12T23:11:00.023-08:002021-12-15T19:35:21.426-08:002021/12/12 The Gaviota High WayLooking out to the sea and one of the oil platforms, the high view from Gaviota State Park, at Las Cruces where the 101 and 1 split.As you can see from the map we went up and over and then came back.It was a view stroll, getting ourselves and the animals out before an oncoming rain storm would keep us all off the trails.So here Tobe gazes at his compadres, Woody the white, and Mosca the black.&luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-84687203704187934932021-11-28T22:53:00.253-08:002021-12-15T18:01:38.372-08:002021/11/28 Where the Wild Things GoSeeing the wild Bucking Horses at Live Oak is always a special thrill. Tobe Mule gets very excited to see the feral brethren at play. For my birthday ride today we explored some canyons to the East, away from the lake, and saw beautiful stands of oaks bordering the Rancho San Fernando Rey.It wasn't a long ride, it was very hot and we just wanted to be out in nature for a while, escapism for luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-59087961474309305532021-11-21T22:00:00.000-08:002021-11-24T23:09:01.726-08:002021/11/21 Live Oak Life MeetUpA fine day to take a leisurely stroll with the MeetUp through our favorite Live Oak trails bordering Lake Cachuma, the jewel of local riding opportunities. Five riders, 3 lady equestrians and 2 cowboys, 4 horses and 1 mule.The day started in Santa Barbara morning fog, and felt like Summer was turning to Fall. But of course it is always a different world once you pass over the crest of the luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-28534267036285244692021-08-29T23:11:00.002-07:002021-09-11T02:14:49.058-07:002021/8/29 Pismo OceanoThe tranquil waves of the Pismo/Oceano/Grover beach. It was a hot day, so we went in search of fog.With all of our interior trail riding options way too hot, we set our sights on the Grover Beach access to Pismo Beach, where equines are welcome in the dunes and on the beach.As the map shows, we tracked through the interior dunes, then out to the beach for the stroll back.But first, after luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-33844596115643875722021-08-22T23:11:00.013-07:002021-08-23T01:18:04.911-07:002021/8/22 Gaviota Pass MeetUp The mountains that form the Gaviota Pass, bringing Highway 1 out to the Central California coastline above Santa Barbara.We begin this ride at Las Cruces, where the 1 and 101 split. Some of the trail is rough and washed out and untended, some is access roads. All is beautiful.When we rode here last month it was socked in with maritime fog, and today we wanted both to escape the heat on luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-60294921697691517742021-08-15T23:11:00.007-07:002021-08-19T21:01:57.616-07:002021/8/15 Los Flores Ranch TensomeLooking West from the Solomon Hills toward the Pacific Ocean across Santa Maria and Orcutt.The map gives a sense for the topography, dry grassland well suited to ambling cattle.We had ten riders MeetUp to explore the trails on a hot sunny day. Ten humans, ten horses, and one mule.The staging area is directly adjacent Highway 101, convenient for all. The ranch welcomes equestrians, hikers and luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-68369023203170331022021-08-08T20:08:00.008-07:002021-08-15T18:40:49.178-07:002021/8/8 Baron Ranch on the Gaviota Coast Tobe Mule and Pat Fish at the entrance gates to the Baron Ranch The Santa Barbara County Trails Council has been working for the past several years to open up this jewel of a trail for the public. Finally it was time to go explore it!Getting there is easy, but there is no signage off the 101. 24 miles north of Santa Barbara and 2.4 miles past the Refugio Road exit turn luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-80804547147850769582021-07-25T19:00:00.018-07:002021-07-26T20:48:06.457-07:002021/7/25 Fog Blog of the Gaviota CoastThe plan for the day was to ride on the Gaviota mountain trails overlooking the Pacific Ocean, looking down across Hollister Ranch. But there was such thick maritime fog THIS was our ocean view. We started out at Las Cruces,where Hwy 1 northbound splits off from Hwy 101.As the story goes, Las Cruces ("The Crosses") got its name in the early
1790s when a group of Franciscans from luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-71205368348741989262021-07-17T19:17:00.002-07:002021-07-17T21:09:37.066-07:002021/7/17 Viva La Purisma Plantlife Tracking through a little-used side trail on the grounds of La Purisima Mission, a pretty patch of ferns with bright poison oak.A very short ride.Went out for a ride with some MeetUp folks and the Santa Ynez Valley Riders. This was pretty much our view all day.It was a very early trail time, and I discovered that in the morning before the heat is when all the nice people walking dogs are luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3391388359302171051.post-90771103127483061872021-07-11T23:11:00.004-07:002021-07-25T16:55:36.522-07:002021/7/11 > 77 degrees at 11:11AM on 7/11 at La PurisimaOn a day too hot to ride elsewhere we chose to explore the forests and back trails of the La Purisma, where it was comparatively cool and shady.We went up the right hand side of the middle valley, up to the water towers, and then on the way back down bashed our way on the Western Edge through the relatively unmaintained trails alongside the water treatment plant.We are so fortunate to have this luckytrailshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943995658501035670noreply@blogger.com