In my Backyard...Double 6 Ranch - Apple Valley

I was on Craigslist the other day, just looking, one of my favorite sites is the farm and garden section.  Maybe a few more chickens, maybe a horse or two, maybe, who knows...that is the fun of it, just looking.

I found this:  

The Double 6 Ranch invites you to:

Autism Awareness Day & Rides

Saturday, April 17th

Sign In & Registration at 10am
4 hour Scenic, Guided, Horseback Ride starts at 12:00pm
Dinner served at 5:00pm

 Relax by the Bonfire 'till the cows come home!

$40.00 pre-sale / $50.00 at the door: to bring your horse and including dinner. 

Horse Rentals available for $65.00 and include your horse and dinner.

Want to attend, but don't want to bring your horse or do not have a horse?
Ranch Passes are $25.00 and

include admission into the ranch and dinner.

I read it and then I read it again.  A WHOLE day for $65.00!  Serious?  So, I emailed them and inquired about the price and it is exactly what is reads.  Their website is Double6Ranch.   Check this website out it is really neat.

I went ahead and paid for it and marked my calendar boy were we excited!

All I can say before I write this experience, now, afterward's, is that it was one of the most memorable and pleasurable events I have done in years.  This group is truly some of the nicest, accommodating, and very giving, They were wonderful!

We arrived there around 9AM, greeted by Emma, who introduced us to Ty who owns the Ranch.

They showed us which horse we would be riding for the day, clarifying the skill of riding, which made me feel really comfortable.  I am always VERY leery or you could even say scared of getting on a horse that I have never been on, especially since the accident a had 10 years ago, BAD!! (The horse RAN me into a tree and kept running, 4 broken ribs, concussion and the worst bruising I have ever seen).

They gave Andy Poco who as they say an incredible Gymkhana horse, which was right up his alley!

They gave me Cash, who by the way he was 16 hands!!! Got on him with a help of a chair and he was the best behaved horse!  (More on that, in a minute).  Now don't laugh at my helmet, I had no idea that it was crooked and it takes a very secure women to wear this:

  
Once everyone was saddled up and ready, which were 17 riders, we took off.  The desert was the prettiest I have EVER seen, boy did I get my fill on desert bloom.  WOW!!!!

Cash decided that he needed to be very cautious with me and took his time in walking, to the point that the guide (who was an absolute sweetheart) and I had our own group,  There was no way that horse was going to scare me and he was the perfect gentleman.  I did the 4 hour tour, worried that when I finally got off his back and I wouldn't be able to walk, at first yes, but it did get easier.

Back at the Ranch, we were waited on continuously everyone making sure we were comfortable.  The dinner was catered by Overton Meat Company, which was WOW, good food, good fellowship, who could ask for more.  By that time, everyone were like old friends.

After dinner, we went over to the corral and played with the steers, I was a dynamo!!!!  I roped one that couldn't be roped by ANYONE (actually, nobody tried, except Bill).  I was so proud of myself!  The bull was in love with me, and wouldn't leave my side, so much for being the great roper!

The bull was in love with me, and wouldn't leave my side, so much for being the great roper!

I nicknamed him Norman and wanted to take him home!  AWE!

It looks like a lot of fun, doesn't it?  Hey, do you see the llama in the background, is that llama for roping or riding?  I want to try, BOTH!!!!


When all was done it was time to have the bon fire!  They brought out marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers!  Cool!

Fire going, sitting around in the desert evening, wow it was soo nice!  After being there all day (almost 12 hours) we said our good nights with the promises of seeing everyone the next week.

What is this ALL about?  Double 6 Ranch explains it the best: 

We believe that horses have great therapeutic value for those afflicted with special needs, and have witnessed "first words" at our program because of our horses. There is nothing more gratifying than that!

Here at the Double 6 Ranch we are proud to host a day for children with autism and/or special needs on the LAST Saturday of every month.

This is a time when special needs children, adults and their families,

have the opportunity to ride horses, learn how to rope, participate in arts and crafts, enjoy the petting zoo and just spend a day at the ranch.

Our program is offered as a free service to our community to promote and bring awareness to autism and other debilitating diseases. 

 I was VERY proud to be a part of the fundraiser and am excited about being a part of this great cause, so I will be there this Saturday to help and to be there to see the magic that is going to happen. 

Can't wait to have more pictures and stories to tell, would love to see you there!

In my Backyard....Who says the desert can't be beautiful!

Today we went down the backside of the mountain and I have been waiting for the spring wildflowers to bloom well they have!  Unfortunately, I had both my cameras in my camera bag and only had my cell phone.

The first one is after a quick but powerful storm came in overnight:

This one I had Andy pull over, wow!

As I said in the post title ,who ever said the desert isn't beautiful!

In my backyard….Original Del Taco

We go to Vegas A lot!  I do have to say that after all these years that drive still intrigues me.  There are secret places that people do not even exist…Are you kidding me??????  you are probably saying right now.  No, I am serious!  Take this for instance; did you know that the FIRST Del Taco was in Yermo?  Yermo,?????where in the world is that????


Yermo is located on Interstate 15, 17 miles from Barstow and is where the California agriculture inspection station for traffic heading south on Interstate 15.  Very close to the U.S. Army base at Ft. Irwin.
This is where a secret comes in….when you drive home from Vegas you will ALWAYS hit traffic around the inspection road, take Harvard Road exit turn left and then right at the stop sign and travel along the feeder road parallel to the freeway.  It will save you a lot of time and a whole lot of aggravation. When you are traveling, take a look  on the right hand side, you will see the Burger Den which was where the original Del Taco was.
The road goes all the way to Calico Road where the old mining town is now called Calico Ghost Town.  There you will find a couple of gas stations (by the way, they are the cheapest, that is where we stop and get gas) and a Jack in the Box, where we normally stop and get a quick bite to eat, too! Then proceed to the 15 and head on out! 
We try to help out little towns that try to keep their head above the water or rather their nose. 
History lesson: 

“When Interstate 15 freeway opened in 1968, the town of Yermo was immediately bypassed by traffic traveling to and from Las Vegas, Nv. As a result, 90 percent of the local business's were unable to succeed and closed. During it's heyday, Yermo had 27 gas stations with mechanics on duty, 7 bars, 2 grocery stores, a hardware store, a pizza shop, 4 real estate offices, 3 motels, a thrift store, several restaurants, roadside camping sites and 2 parks.^[ In 2009, Yermo played host to 1 grocery/general store, 1 bar, 1 thrift store and 1 park in town and 3 restaurants, 4 gas stations, 1 motel 3 miles south of town. The fast-food restaurant Del Taco was founded in Yermo in 1964 and the original structure remains active as a local fast food restaurant, The Burger Den.”

It really hurts my heart to see this town sleepy.  But great things did come out of here and we are so happy to see this landmark.  Who knew! 

In My Backyard..Windmills

Here is a post of what I think is one of the wonders of the new world.
Andy and I drove down to Palm Springs for the day, considering it is only an hour and a half away.  Seeing that it was 45 here on Saturday and 75 there, it was time to go have a nice lunch OUTSIDE.  We have a favorite Irish Pub we go to, sit and have a nice lunch and watch people walk by. 
When we are heading home after a lovely afternoon, I always marvel at the windmills that are row after row after row.  The first time I ever saw them was in a movie in the 80’s who I remember had Michelle Phieffer in it  and I thought where in the world are those?  Does anyone remember the movie?  Could it be Tequila Sunrise?  Don’ know….Now they are one of my favorite things to see.  

Can you hear the wind when these are moving?

There are thousands of these lined up.  Man o man are these a sight!
I am so blessed to live where I live.   I never take it for granted….Until the next “In My Backyard”.   I encourage you to go out and explore what is “IN your backyard”.  Let people see through your pictures what you see, you would be surprised once you open and see what is around you. 

In my Backyard…..Last Indian Fight in Southern California

I am very blessed to live in a very special area.  There is so many interesting points and history in my backyard.  SO, I have decided to write about different things that I find really interesting.  Some things may be corny and something's you may even say, really?
Here ya go on my first one…..
How about the last Indian fight in Southern California, right down the hill in Lucerne Valley…here is a snippet of the fight…

 
Chimney Rock in Lucerne Valley was the site of the last Indian fight in Southern California.....There were many events that lead up to the historic fight.....Indians had used the mountain areas of San Bernardino for many years to supply food for their families.....When the white man began cutting down trees and building their sawmills the Indians felt their hunting grounds were being ruined....This began a campaign to rid the area of the white man.
How cool is that?  Stay tuned for more, silly trivia!