When I rode into town I thought, geez no one will starve in this town! I have never in any town that I have ridden through, seen so many fruit trees. Apples of many varieties, pears, plums, peaches, apricots, choke cherries, gooseberries. The trees dripping with fruit, branches burdened with heavy loads of delicous rippening fruit that the horses and I have been feasting on.
Hot Springs is I must say one of the most unique towns that I have ever ridden through. It is a mecca for the outlandish, the unusual. It is fertile ground for the creative for those chosing an alternative life. But it also has a thread of conservative influence of long time ranchers and farmers in the community and although there remains differences as does in any town this town fosters a high level of tolerance. It is a FIDO town. Dogs…you are welcomed here.
I have my camp set up at Leroy’s. He has a set of corrals and a shed and water, nice set up for me and the horses. And my campsite is next to his “Big Medicene Hot Springs” this is Tribal land belonging to the Confederated Tribes of the Salish and Kootenai Nations. I will be traveling across Tribal lands (with a permit) and hope to stop in St. Ignatious to present the Tribal Elders with a gift, a thank you for letting me cross their Tribal lands.
Claire and Hart did so well on the 17 day ride down. However Claire has gone home to Theodoras Garden, it was enough for her. Hart will continue on. He really is doing so well, I contribute much of his well being to the SOURCE MICRONUTRIENTS that I have been using. I am glad I brought him out again. Such a dependable, loving horse he is and a grounding force to the mares that can be so silly at times I wonder that they are even my horses.
From here I head due east to Seeley lake. OUTFITTERS SUPPLY has sent out a few items that I need and I will pick them up there. It will be a short stop might have to do horseshoes. The higher elevations are tossing out colder weather at night and I have added more woolens to my saddle bags. This is now the best of weather to be riding in. One must hide out during the heat of the day but mornings and evenings are purely…. perfect.
I head back out in the morning. The Mission Valley lies ahead, then it is up and over into the DeerLodge National Forest, I cross Champion Pass east of Deer Lodge then drop down into Boulder, Montana to visit friends for a 5 day lay over. I believe it will take 3 weeks to ride over there, not much more but like I say its a whole lot easier to say your going to ride here and there and every where, its a different thing to do it. Happy Trails to all of you that follow the ride. Bernice
