year-in-review, 2013 edition

While I'm the first to admit I'm not a prolific blogger by any stretch, 2013 was my second-best year to date for actually managing to chronicle some of my adventures. It's been my best year by far in terms of ride attendance. So, what happened this year?

January

I started the year off with volunteering at the Bumble Bee ride. Then I jumped back into the competition saddle and did my first ride in two years at Fire Mountain on friend Kaity's horse Kody. (A road trip that also involved my first tire blowout in all of my years of travelling for rides.)

January also marked my one-year anniversary of working for Renegade.

February

Most note-worthy happening of the month was going out to the 20 Mule Team ride and crewing for friends Lucy and Kaity, riding the 100.

March

Brought a successful ride weekend at Sonoita, taking Rocco through Day Two of the ride and Frenchy through Day Three, making it my first time at back-to-back 50s.

April

Mimi was appointed the "barn babysitter" when we started going out for more trail rides with other boarders at the barn.

I did the Prescott Chaparral ride, riding Rocco on Day One, and riding and falling in love with Liberty on Day Two. Gina and I got to ride together on Day Two, which was a total blast and the first time we've had the chance to do so.

May

A wild mallard duck hatched out eggs in our backyard and proceeded to amuse us for the next several months with their antics as they grew up. (Incidentally, we still see "Mama" and some of the "Littles" on our morning walks.)

I rode some more on other people's horses, then packed up and headed out to New Mexico over Memorial Day weekend for another ride, in which I had my first top ten in a 50...and turtled at the same time.

Mimi turned 20!

June

I got my first AERC mileage patches in the mail, for 250 Endurance miles and 250 LD miles.

And I rode yet another different horse.

July

TEVISTEVISTEVIS. I got to pre-ride the last few miles of the trail, and once again have neglected to write up the actual crewing part of my adventure. I crewed for my bestie Kaity and her horse Kody, seeing them to their first Tevis finish (first Tevis for both of them)! Plotting to crew for each other at Tevis has been a long time in the making, so I was thrilled to be a part of their Tevis team.

August

August was typical for Arizona -- you just try to survive. Mimi got to go out several times, and was happy as a clam since she loves hot weather.

August is also my birthday month. Since it was completely unmemorable, I'm pretty sure I celebrated by doing something like working.

September

Mimi got a massage for the first time since we stopped actively competing, and it seemed to make a big difference in how she's moving.

October

I failed to write it up (work-in-progress, kinda like my Tevis story), but I went out to Kaity's again and rode Kody two days in the LDs at the Bill Thornburg ride. Had a blast riding with Kaity again, and Kody is always fun to ride. (Edit: Ride story is now complete!)

November

I got a puppy! Artemis will become my ridecamp and traveling companion, and she's doing a great job of completely upending my life (in a good way).

December

We went on An Adventure -- pony, puppy and I packed up and headed down to join friends Lucy and Patrick for a horse camping trip down at Catalina State Park. We had a great time, Mimi was better than she's been in ears, and Artemis proved she's going to be an awesome ridecamp dog.

A hat tip to 2013, and a champagne toast (if that's your sort of thing) to a bright, productive, fun 2014!