Twenty miles southwest of the 7MSN (as the crow flies) is the Bureau of Land Management's Bordo Atrevasado Herd Management Area, home to about 71 wild horses according to the BLM's last aerial census. I set out Saturday morning to find them.
Since I'm not a crow, I had to follow the roads to get there. But what's 90 miles when the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is a herd of wild horses? I had studied the area on Google Earth and identified a big watering hole. That is where I would start my quest.
I left the pavement and drove along a dirt road for 19 miles. The road was decent, certainly not any worse than the road to my ranch...if you don't count that place where half of it fell off the edge of a cliff.
The watering hole was just as I had pictured...minus the wild horses. I looked around for hoof prints and horse poop, but all I found were cow patties. Still, it was a beautiful spot and I enjoyed standing there and imagining a mustang dipping his muzzle into the cold, still water.
Then a gust of wind knocked my feet out from under me and I got back in the truck and drove onward. Next time, I'll pick a calmer, warmer day when the herd is less likely to be seeking shelter in the trees and more likely to be thirsty.
Up a mesa I drove, winding along and down and through and around until finally I reached the top. The view about took my breath away.
Several thoughts ran through my mind:
1. This place is freakin' huge and the odds of finding the horses are not good.
2. My cell phone hasn't had a signal for the last two hours and nobody knows where I am, except maybe one or two readers of my blog who might have been paying attention.
3. It's now a 23-mile hike back to the pavement if my truck breaks down or I roll it into a ditch.
4. It will all have been worth it just to be where I am right now.
I turned the truck around and headed back to the highway, ticking off each mile I wouldn't have to hike should I get stuck.
There was a fleeting glimmer of hope as I reached the southern end of the herd management area.
Alas, the movement I saw out of the corner of my eye turned out to be a cow.
While I didn't see the elusive herd this time, I'll keep trying. Because even if there aren't wild horses at the end of the rainbow, there are green chile cheeseburgers - the Bordo Atrevasado is just on the other side of San Antonio.
Several thoughts ran through my mind:
1. This place is freakin' huge and the odds of finding the horses are not good.
2. My cell phone hasn't had a signal for the last two hours and nobody knows where I am, except maybe one or two readers of my blog who might have been paying attention.
3. It's now a 23-mile hike back to the pavement if my truck breaks down or I roll it into a ditch.
4. It will all have been worth it just to be where I am right now.
I turned the truck around and headed back to the highway, ticking off each mile I wouldn't have to hike should I get stuck.
There was a fleeting glimmer of hope as I reached the southern end of the herd management area.
Alas, the movement I saw out of the corner of my eye turned out to be a cow.
While I didn't see the elusive herd this time, I'll keep trying. Because even if there aren't wild horses at the end of the rainbow, there are green chile cheeseburgers - the Bordo Atrevasado is just on the other side of San Antonio.
HA! You sound like me on Sunday. I went off roading, looking for photos to shoot up in the mountains. Like you, I had no cell phone usage. I was alone until I came upon two guys skeet shooting. They seemed really nice, but...still...I was ALONE! I think I'll take my German Shepherd with me next time I go out alone!
ReplyDeleteGreat post...sorry you missed them, maybe on a better day...glad there was a chile cheeseburger at the end of the rainbow at least!
ReplyDeleteyou are so adventurious... great photos...glad you made it back safely
ReplyDeleteSan Antonio, as in Texas? if so, then I love that area - I got to join my colleagues for a quail hunt in Uvalde. That part of the world is magical to me, even more so because I don't get to go very often.
ReplyDeleteI so enjoy your blog!
What beautiful scenery. Glad you made it out alive and well. Next time tell someone where you're going so they can send out the cavalry if you don't make it home by nightfall. The trip sure looks like it was worth it, great adventure.
ReplyDeleteLook at that sky! So beautiful!
ReplyDeleteToo bad you couldn't find the horses. Maybe next time.
Our sky was almost that blue today! Finally!
Now THAT'S a road trip. Only thing missing was the road. I bet the horses were peeking out from behind bushes and laughing. And, of course, sticking out their tongues.
ReplyDeleteI'd say that view was worth it! :-D
ReplyDeleteWhat a great day, even though you were 'in the illusion' as I like to call it. Those horses are there and, being an alpha in your herd, I'm sure they'll sense you in the neighbourhood and find YOU when you least expect it.
ReplyDeleteDon't give up!
One of the things I love most about your blog, is that you take us on journies with you! Thankyou for today, makes me feel terrible that I have absolutely ZILCH to blog about when I see such great posts, such as this one! ;D
ReplyDeleteI have had the honor of having a herd of wild horses come across us only one time. My son was just a tyke. We had taken a picnic lunch from Las Vegas (lived there for 7 years) up to Toiyabe National forest atop Mt. Charleston to escape the summer heat. We heard a rustling sound and looked up to see the herd about 50 yards away. We sat and quietly stared back until they were bored or convinced we were not a threat and moved on. It's a sight I will never forget.
ReplyDeleteYou weren't kidding when you said, "What a view ....." Whew!! I wish you had found the horses, but at least you'll keep trying.
ReplyDeleteMaybe some of us should come along with you next time. I'd promise to be quiet.
ReplyDeleteI saw some red earth in those lovely photos that made me think of the white horse with blue eyes and such a stained mane.
Wonderful photos, even without mustangs. We have two wild horse herds a couple of hours from here, but the terrain they live in is very different. I'll have to do a blob post about them next time I drive through there; I'll get some pics. Hint- there is still snow there!)
ReplyDeleteWhat fun! I would love to see a herd, take some photos, and make some sketches from life. (it would be asking too much to be able to paint them from life) What a wonderful time!
ReplyDeleteFantastic views!!! I hope you'll post more pics the next time that you take the trip. I would love to hit the mountains someday to find the wild horse herds.
ReplyDeleteWow, beautiful photos, the kind of country I absolutely love. I have seen the wild horse herds in northern Nevada and southern Oregon and it's always a thrill to me. I wish there was less pressure to remove them from the land. Some is, of course, cattle ranchers (since I am one I sympathize with them) and some hunters; but there is something so wonderful about knowing these herds can run free that I have to wish the emotional value of them could be weighed instead of just commercial
ReplyDeleteThat is a truly beautiful area! Yes, go again...but maybe take a friend just in case?!?
ReplyDeleteLinda..........sweeeet! Don't ya know, the destination is only half the delight? It is the journey, my friend, the journey.
ReplyDeleteSo the horses have been driven up here? All whopping 71 one of them? It is beautiful but it makes me think of what was done to the Native Americans. Beautiful country, but ya ain't gonna live a long life....
ReplyDeleteAh, there are too many places to take a wrong turn in the Bordo - although each dead end road does have a great view. I photograph the wild horses there regularly. It's a beautiful place with beautiful horses and other wildlife.
ReplyDelete