Pleasant Creek

We LOVE to go on weekend trips. In the summer we will be gone any weekend we can. However, we are in the nursery in our ward and need to make it back in time for Sunday mornings to watch all the cute little kiddos. Russ's dad was seriously born in the wrong era. He loves to be out on his horse in the middle of nowhere. They have a picture of his dad riding a horse and shooting a buffalo with a bow and arrow. Intense. He likes to take people out on big horse back riding trips and we were invited last minute last weekend. His dad was going to take a man that is terminally ill from Cancer out on a trip. Unfortunately his health turned for the worse and his dad had already bought all the food and packed all the horse. Russ told me Friday morning we had been invited on a horseback riding trip and he really wanted to go. So I went to work and came home, showered and packed. I asked him where we were going and how long it would take us. We were going near Lake Powell!! Come again? We are going to drive 4+ hours and its like 7 pm? I wasnt expecting that one, but it was great! We bought a little car that would could just put tons and tons of miles on for road trips so why not? We drove down there and by the time we got there it was 1 am. Russ does not do well driving late at night. He falls asleep super easy, and I dont do well driving when I dont know where in the heck I am going. So as tired as I was I fought to stay awake so Russ wouldn't fall asleep. We found the camp where all the guys were of course sleeping and drove down the road to blow up our air mattress. Russ found this pump for the air mattress that was like $1 and its no wonder..its seriously as loud as a jet flying overhead. On the side of the road in the middle of nowhere blowing up our air mattress
We didnt have anything to tie it to, so we just threw it on top of the car and he had one hand out the window holding one end and I had my hand out the window holding the other
We pulled into camp and found a spot. The sand was SO soft, and our camp was right next to a creek. The best part is..it was still like 75 degrees. PERFECT for camping. The next morning came really early but his dad had cooked an amazing breakfast in the dutch oven and we got all ready to load up the horses. **Quick Story: I didnt grow up riding horses. I have by far been on more horse rides in the few short years of being with Russ then my whole life combined. When I was first meeting Russ's family, he invited me camping with his family. We again got there really late and some were already asleep and some werent coming until the next morning. His dad woke us up really early the next morning and asked us if we wanted to go for a quick ride before breakfast. We literally went from our sleeping bags on to a horse in minutes...only, my horse wasnt a horse, it was a mule named Ingersol. After a few hours (not a short ride at all) we came riding back into camp, more people had driven in, breakfast had already been eaten and I come strolling into camp riding a donkey in my pajamas. Not how I had imagined my first time meeting people, but still cracks me up to this day. Back to last weekend. I got the pleasure of riding Ingersol the mule again. I didnt know any of the gentleman we were with, but I can tell you they are all legit cowboys. They were literally taking pictures of what I was wearing. I loved the soft sand, so I was wearing my flip flops and they were like...are you riding the horses in those? No, you silly cowboys. There were a couple of slick rock areas on the horses that made me tense up a bit, but it was fun! Russ's dad decided to take a nap in some shade, so he put me on his horse and Ingersol just followed behind like a little puppy. We had a really pretty ride along a creek. We also got to ride up to some petroglyphs. I dont love a lot of things about the dessert. Just really isnt my scene. But I do love cactus and how in the middle of dry land, a pretty flower can pop up! Would you take a look at this hot cowboy? I think he is dead sexy on a horse. It was actually a really pretty ride. It was super hot, so it was nice being able to ride along the creek. Russ's horse like to play in the water so I would walk my horse next to him and get a little cool down. That is a legit cowboy behind us. Im sure he thought I was something else. This is my nice father in law helping me with my stirrups (I learned a lot of lingo out there). Thanks for the invite Lee! And that is Ingersol in the corner. He's pretty awesome. I will give $5 to the person who can pick out my shoes first. I told the cowboys I wasnt wearing my flipflops for a horse ride, I wore my converse!