Horseback riding excursion

Feb 5, 2013

John and I joined a group of 20 riders plus 3 guides to do a 3 1/2 hour trail ride to the top of a local mountain. We assembled at 8 am but it took over an hour to assemble the horses, saddle them and then assign the appropriate horse to each person.

Lenny, the group organizer preps a saddle

John gets his stirrups adjusted

Vic helps pull burrs from mane

Mexican saddles are wooden with the large horn

Nice horse with braided mane

our friend John waiting for the others to mount their horses

Saddling up

By 9:30 am we started on our way.

I was passing another horse that was standing to the side. Just nearing the horse it kicked out with its left rear leg and hit my shin. It knocked my foot out of the stirrup and my shoe went flying 20 feet away. Yes, it hurt but I was not going to miss the ride. I got the shoe back on and tally-ho...away we go despite the pain.

Vic ready to ride, moments before getting kicked in the shin

Heading down the trail south of town

Taking a short beer break in the shade

Some of the wildlife. Mooo!

Another beer break

Arriving at Rancho Los Izotes

Preparing lunch

Rancho Los Izotes is high on one of the hills southeast of Lo de Marcos. The owner bought the property five years ago and has been working to clear the jungle growth and plant flowers and shrubs. He is building cabins for overnight stays. I would call this ranch an eco retreat as it is very basic accommodations, way out in the middle of nowhere, with nothing to do but in joy the natural surroundings. Beautiful. The night sky must be awesome as there are no lights for miles. There is no electricity, although I did spy a generator in one of the work sheds. It is probably used to run tools. There is running water from a cistern located up the hill further so the water pressure is all gravity.

Camp grill

Enjoying the music

Ouchie! Horse kick in the shin

We all gathered under the trees to enjoy the music from Juan and Chilolo on the guitars. My leg was quite sore and I got some ice on it to ease the swelling. Then the ranch owner came over with some 3M medicine...Mexican Mountain Medicine that is. It came in a Cabernet Sauvignon bottle but there was no wine in it. It was some concoction of all natural ingredients that included avocados but I did not understand what the other stuff was. They applied a rag bandage and poured the 3M onto the wound. In about 10 minutes, the leg really did not bother me much. Partly because I was also medicating internally with rum and coke. They guides had lots of beer and at least 5 large bottles of rum and lots of Coke and ice.

The real deal Mexican meal was superb. There was ample chicken, pork, and beef, rice, salad, and tortillas for everyone.

Lenny leads a tour of the grounds.

Inside a cabin. Just a bed.

The front of one of the three cabins ready for use

The group tours the washroom of the cabin.The women on the left is in the shower!

The shower

Typical Mexico. Missing the toilet seat!

Cabin rear view

Romeo pours some more rum.

One dead soldier.

Juan and Chilolo croon the toons

Walking up the trail to the lookout

Huffing and puffing

Looking out towards the ocean. Smear on the lens...shit

We did not have to ride the horses down the mountain. Our asses were sore enough as it was. We got a ride back down in a quad ATV and arrived home at 5:45, in time to join happy hour that had started without us. It was a long and very enjoyable day, other than getting kicked. I would do it again next year.


Feb 18
Update...The shin is healing perfectly. There was never any sign of an infection so the 3M medicine must have worked. The big scab looks ugly and I am sure there will be a scar.