Colorado

July 24 and 25

We were on our way to Nebraska, and read a few reviews from people who had stayed at the place we were planning on going, and decided to go to Colorado instead. I always wanted to check out the Rocky Mountains, so, why not? We had a 4 hr detour, and started heading towards our new destination.

Rocky Mountains

The first day in Colorado, we found out that doggies are not allowed on the trails in Rocky Mountain National Park and you need to purchase a pass to go inside the park (just like Glacier). So, we found Lory State Park, good for boating, kayaking and pets are allowed. We hiked a few trails near the lake and then decided to go to Arthur’s Rock, which was supposed to be a moderate to hard climb, but we took it anyways. It was just a 4 mile hike round trip, so I thought Luna would be ok. We started our hiked, and all of a sudden, we could not breath as well, half way, we realized that maybe that would be too hard for Luna, but we were already half way, so we decided to go all the way. It was HARD! When we came back down, Mike saw a sign that said the we climbed 1000 feet. At the end, we were at 6000 feet! Poor Lunis.

Next day, I got her a babysitter on Rover (Thank God, all other doggy day cares were full) and we headed out to the Park. If you go, earlier than 9 am, they allow you to go in without the permit only to certain areas. We spent the day in the park, hiking - again, we went up a hill and ended up at 12,000 feet of elevation in one of our hikes! Rock formations are out of this world. We were in the Tundra. Saw marmots, pika, and Elk and deer along the way. Had a wonderful lunch at Lake Irene, and saw a moose bathing at Sheep Lakes.

Overall a wonderful experience. On our way out, we visited the Stanley Hotel where Stephen King stayed in 1973 and inspired The Shining!

Colorado Springs - 7/26/21 - Very interesting day today. We left Wellington and headed towards Colorado Springs. We found a pretty spot at Woodland Park, next to Rampart Reservoir. We immediately headed towards the water wanting to get our kayaks and Luna in. When we got to the gate, the guard said that no animals were allowed in the water, which was a real bummer. He said, “which is why I don’t understand why they have horses in the water”. He had big binoculars and was monitoring from afar. We headed down there anyways just to check the area, and parked at the end of the road. Immediately, I could see a group of what seemed teenage girls trying to get the horses in the water. They were loud and were obviously annoying everyone else trying to enjoy the day. While we were parking, I saw one of the girls hitting the horse repeatedly to get him in the water. He was obviously scared and did not want to do it. I jumped out of the car and started running in their direction. I wanted to stop her! But she had stopped hitting him, and the horse went in the water, she got on his back and the horse got out of the water with her on his back. They did that a few times, and I was ready, in case she would hit the horse again. She didn’t. So, I went back to the car to get Luna out. I came back with Luna, and Mike was on his way, when another girl brought the horse to the water, she went farther in, and when she mounted him, the horse went under for a second or two. The poor horse came out of the water so scared, he took off. The girl fell off the horse a few feet up the trail and was unconscious for about 40 seconds… the horse, nowhere in sight. Mike ran to the car to get his first aid backpack and went to the girl. I had to stay a few feet back because I had Luna. That’s when we realized, this annoying teenagers were actual fucking adult women! I could not believe my eyes. I was furious and concern at the same time. The woman woke up and didn’t want Mike’s help. She said she was fine. I had told one of the bystanders go to the post and get the sheriff, and she did. The sheriff came and they tried fooling him by saying everything was ok. The same girl that was next to me told the sheriff the entire story: horses in the water, woman unconscious for several seconds.

He went back immediately, and told them horses or any animals were not allowed in the water. They all said they didn’t know and how sorry they were. The woman couldn’t answer simple questions like: what day is today? What horse were you riding? Why don’t you have any shoes on?

The sheriff called the ambulance and I told Mike we needed to go on our hike. I was too mad, mad at myself for not screaming what I wanted to scream as soon as I got out of the car: “Hey! Stop hitting him, he does not want to go! Plus horses are not allowed in the water anyways!”.

We went on our hike, and it was so beautiful that we didn’t think about the incident anymore. We saw fish from up in our trail, the water was so clear!

We were taking pictures on a rock and on our way back to the trail, I saw the horse! He was high up on a hill. I asked Mike to take Luna, and I went up the hill to try to get him.

Mike was concerned and didn’t want me to go, but I had to help him. I started talking to him on my way up the hill and he allowed me to approach him. I whispered to him that everything was going to be ok, I apologized for not stepping in, and helping him sooner, and started leading him down the hill.

I love horses, but I don’t have any experience handling them. I thought about my childhood. My dad used to take my brother and I to Plaza Viquez. This small amusement park in the middle of San Jose was perfect for younger children. They had small rides and horses to ride. I will always ride them, but I don’t remember my brother doing it.

I remember that a kid a little older than me, maybe 8 or 10, would pull the horse by the rains and we will ride around the park one or two times, depending how much your parents had paid. It was a very boring ride because they would just walk the horse. I just loved being next to them (which were mostly skin and bones with flies). One day, when I was a little older, maybe 5 or 6, the kid got distracted and I took the reins, and kicked the horse, and it galloped a little faster (fast enough for my dad to freak out and start running after the horse). The horse went on his usual route and stopped at the end with no casualties.

Years later, I must have been 13 or 14, my uncle rented horses for my cousins and I to ride on the beach. My horse was off-white, I loved it. He didn’t have a saddle that I remember or the saddle didn’t have a place to hold on to. Either way, it was not safe. I gave him a little kick to go faster and the horse started trotting. I wanted to go even faster and kicked it again, and he just took off. The beach we were at in Guanacaste (don’t remember which one exactly; maybe Flamingo or Langosta) had trees and bushes on the edge, and that’s where the horse headed towards. He went full speed into the trees and I had to hold on to his neck for dear life. When he finally stopped, I jumped off. My arms and legs had cuts and scratches, and I was breathing hard, but I think that was the most exhilarating experience of my life thus far!

I must have been 17 or 18 when I rode again. My best friend Paula and her family invited me over to ride with them at “El Rodeo”, and we had a great time, until I got off my horse. I was tired and we were taking a break. I was not paying attention and someone else’s horse stepped on my foot! It hurt so much, I thought it was broken. So, that had been my experience so far. I have been near horses after that, love taking pictures of them, but I don’t remember riding one again.

During our hike back with the horse at my side, I was gently asking him: “please don’t step on me”. He was a magnificent horse; young, tall and strong. His torso was taller than my head by several inches (not hard, I guess), and he was very impressive. He came walking down the trail, his face close to mine. The trail got narrower and rockier at sections, so had to have him walk behind me. He was going slow, but because of his long legs, I felt I almost had to run so he would not run me over. We got to a section that I was not going to be able to handle with him behind me, not without a leading rope. It was a rocky slope. He would have to go faster than me, so I wasn’t going to risk it. I shouted and asked Mike to go ahead of me and get one of the women, so she could come pick up the horse. I would stay with him. I didn’t want him getting scared and running away again; and I definitely was not going to tie him up to a tree in bear territory.

He grazed while we waited and I snuck a picture. I didn’t want to let go of his rains, so it’s not a great one.

After a few minutes, he perked up, I tried to listen, but I couldn’t hear it yet. It was another horse coming our way. A younger girl dismounted and she was thankful and apologetic. I told her about the rock, and after checking the horse for injuries (he had minor cuts on his hind legs, and he had tore one of his hooves), she put a leading rope on him and pull him towards the rocks, he didn’t want to go forward, but she insisted and he gave in. He was on the other side. Now, I had to do the same with her horse. She told me not to worry, he was older and gentler and he was the guiding horse of the pack. So, I did it, I pulled him over the rocks and he came out the other side pretty well.

We talked along the way, and she told me that the horses were not hers, she and her mom were invited to ride them and so, she didn’t really know the other women. She looked like a cowgirl. Jeans, boots, helmet (thank God). She reminded me of Woody’s girlfriend, Jessie from Toy Story.

She told me that the girl that fell off the horse didn’t want to ride in the ambulance and she most likely had a concussion, a broken tailbone and a fractured foot (according to the paramedics).

I was sad for her, and I was sad for the horse. I could have said something, but I didn’t. I didn’t want to be the bad guy and stop their fun. I think I learned a valuable lesson today. I will speak up next time. It might have avoided all this pain and suffering.