It's a Horse Life

Taken at Bill and Juanita's 20th Anniversary trip to Yellowstone We are having an in-person memorial for Bill, but he touched so many people worldwide, we wanted to be able to Zoom it as well. The Allenspark Community Church has been kind enough to set it up for us. Bill's service is scheduled for tomorrow, December 2 at 2:00 p.m. MST. If you'd like to join us virtually, the information is below. Topic: Bill Martin Memorial Service Time: Dec 2, 2022 01:30 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88634081098?pwd=OVJhWVZSZVZRWk8wYklCOXR1dS9XUT09 Meeting ID: 886 3408 1098 Passcode: 836848 One tap mobile +17193594580,,88634081098#,,,,*836848# US +13462487799,,88634081098#,,,,*836848# US (Houston) Dial by your location         +1 719 359 4580 US         +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)         +1 669 444 9171 US         +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)         +1 253 205 0468 US         +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)         +1 646 931 3860 US         +1 689 278 1000 US         +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)         +1 305 224 1968 US         +1 309 205 3325 US         +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)         +1 360 209 5623 US         +1 386 347 5053 US         +1 507 473 4847 US         +1 564 217 2000 US         +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) Meeting ID: 886 3408 1098 Passcode: 836848 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/ktRN8sGVw... [Read more]

With the heaviest of hearts we are sharing with you that Lodge owners, Juanita and Bill Martin, were involved in a tragic vehicle accident on Monday, Nov. 21 outside of Moab, Utah.  Juanita was flown to Grand Junction, Colorado for treatment of her injuries.  She is already on the road to a full recovery. Reba, the Lodge Dog, was treated by a local vet and has been released to friends of the family. She will resume her Lodge Dog duties shortly.  Unfortunately, Bill was lost to us in this tragedy. To allow time for our family to heal, the Lodge will be closing for the winter and will be welcoming guests again in March.  We will continue to take reservations throughout this time, though responses may be delayed. In honoring Bill’s legacy of kindness, compassion, and love of humanity we would ask you to do a simple random act of kindness that does not involve monetary support and may be a tad outside your comfort zone.  This would bring such joy to him! Feel free to share your favorite memories of, and about, Bill in the comments section.  We would all love to read them and it is important for the rest of the world to understand the impact that one wonderful man can have.... [Read more]

This morning I went out to feed the neighbor's chickens and ducks (she had her shoulder replaced a couple days ago).   As I was holding the gate and walking out of the chicken pen I started t   I woke up on my knees wondering "Who?  What?  Where?"      I slowly stood up.  Everything was working but I was still a little confused.   I thought  "My God!  I think I've had a seizure!"    After I stood for a few more seconds, I understood.   There was a hot wire strung just above  the gate.  The metal gate I was holding onto.  In the rain.  Wearing a wet ball cap.   I had taken a 10,000 volt hit from an electric fencer through the "ouch button" on my ball cap while the rest of me was as grounded as possible. Damn.   Have you ever been laughed at by a couple dozen chickens and ducks? Damn. Bill... [Read more]

Not my best afternoon. My daughter's facebook post on our noontime "ride"... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We'd planned to have a nice little ride this afternoon. But ... things got a little exciting and now there isn't a hitch rail. It was just a cascade of bad things - I asked Bill to help me tent Skeets' saddle pad, so he left Al tied with his saddle on his back, but not cinched on. Skeets let me fix her pad, but scooted sideways when I went to reach under for her cinch. Al thought that was scary and jumped, which caused his saddle to fall, which caused him to start bucking. He stopped bucking and when Bill reached for him, he started up again, then Skeeter thought bad things were happening and pulled back, which made *her* saddle fall off, which made everything worse, so she pulled back harder and Washoe got to go for a ride when the whole rail broke off and the two of them skittered across the street. They stopped nicely and let us go untie them. Al got put away, and Skeeter got re-saddled. For the very first time since her first saddling she bucked and bucked. Weird, but then I realized bad things had just happened while I was trying to saddle her. Bucking didn't work - Grandma's dealt with pissy mares before - so once she settled down, she got to walk around the block while Grandma and Washoe rode. Her brain was firmly back in her head by the time we got back, so I mounted up and we rode around the parking lot before calling it a day. When we got back, Bill saddled Alloy and made him go for a ride. Now that that silliness is out of their system, the parade tomorrow should be a breeze. Everyone is okay (humans and horses), but leaving the horses tied is going to be interesting for a while. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After riding Al around the block, I was sitting with an ice pack on my leg from a kick (or something during the explosion), when I was asked by a neighbor if I could "put down" her injured pet duck (broken leg, bad prognosis from several vets). Her whole flock of chickens and ducks watched the execution, and RAN AWAY from me when I left the yard, I don't think they will ever trust me again. So coming back into the lodge, limping, with a bloody machete in my hand, I was greeted by a young woman that had pulled up asking for directions to a nearby camp ground. She pretended not to notice that I looked like a mass murderer of some sort. Blood splatters and all. O.M.G. I'm having a beer. Bill... [Read more]

This was supposed to have been published in May of LAST year, but I just found it as a draft...  Last week I was driving down Hwy 7 in Estes Park and almost hit a hawk.  It flew from the side and turned to fly directly in front of me about 3 feet above the ground right in front of my bumper.  It refused to drop the rabbit that was weighing it down, and finally veered off.  I was so glad I did not kill a federally protected raptor.  It would have been even worse, because I was driving a mail truck. Yeah, I've been delivering mail over the winter to  help pay the utility bills at the lodge.  Last Monday was my last day doing it, and now I'm back to working the lodge full time. It had been a long, and pretty lonely winter up here due to the Covid pandemic.  Maintaining "Social distancing"  and wearing a mask in my home was getting kind of old.  So Juanita and I, having been fully vaccinated, made a corporate decision to not require guests to wear masks here in the lodge if they can provide proof of vaccination. Last weekend we had our first full lodge mask free retreat in over 14 months.  EVERYONE was vaccinated.  It was wonderful being able to smile when telling a dumb joke and be sure people knew I was joking, and not just being an idiot. Eating breakfast at the same table with our guests had been sorely missed.  Passing around bowls of  food rather than individual plates of food causes less waste, and is a lot more flexible.  I like "family style".  It was like coming home.  We loved it.... [Read more]

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My heart is still pounding. Earlier this afternoon I had told one of our guests that moose are more dangerous than bears or mountain lions, and 4 or 5 people have been injured in moose attacks this year.  The victims had been walking their dogs, and the moose (mooses?) had taken offence. This evening I was crawling backwards out of the chicken coop after checking to make sure they were in for the night, and had my little pocket flashlight in hand.  I closed and latched the coop door and was still on my hands and knees when I heard something behind me.  I turned and lit up a moose kneecap about 15 inches from my face on the other side of a chicken wire fence.  I made some sort of growling/shrieking sound and the moose ran off, followed by another moose a pace or two behind it. I know moose are big, but when you are on your hands and knees right beside two of them, it gives you a whole 'nother perspective. Since they both left, I guess chickens don't offend them as much as a dog would have. (And surprisingly, I didn't even crush the egg I was holding in my hand...) Bill... [Read more]

Soooooo .... we have actually done some really fun stuff this summer with the horses, the last of which was an obstacles clinic with our favorite Mustang trainer, Jessica Dabkowski at Two Spruce Farm.  The owner, Jody Marken is also very knowledgeable and was a huge help teaching me to slow down and learn how to move your horse 'one step at a time'. It's a lot harder than it sounds.  It's much easier to ask your horse to move in any given direction and have them move three, four or more steps, than it is to have them just move one foot, one step.  Try it. Here Washoe and I finally did the gate correctly, by doing it in one step segments.   Bill sat this one out due to a migraine, then ended up being the photographer, getting some pretty great shots.  GunDiva daughter, Miss LE, and I all had a great time challenging ourselves.  As Jessica and Jody kept telling us, it wasn't about the obstacle, it was about the communication between you and your horse.   Since my horse is pretty great with true trail obstacles, once he understood these were just funky items to play with, we first practiced 'sending' our horses through on their own, then having them stop in the middle of one, or even trying to have them do something on 'just a thought'.   Later I rode Washoe through this particular obstacle, and asked him to stop in the middle.  He did .. then reached down and pulled the yellow noodle off with his teeth and spit it on the ground.  Challenging our communication with them on a large scale - in both directions.     Another fun one.  Washoe couldn't decide if he was supposed to step between the tires - or on them.  After this he totally ignored them and just walked all over them, stepping wherever, and even just standing on them.         Turned out GunDiva and I wore the same shirt that day, making us 'twinsies' according to her.  The horses standing together remind me of the Beatles' song Ebony & Ivory. Dating myself big time here.   Right now, plans are to haul our horses over to Estes Park at the end of September to a Mustang challenge there, happening after one of the TIP auctions.  So we brought our daughter's horse up here until then, so we could practice together on some maneuvers, such as side-passing over a log, backing through poles, and opening gates.  Today, I decided to ride her horse just for fun; Washoe's nose was definitely out of joint, until I put Skeeter away and climbed on him.  Both horses did very well, although they are worlds apart in their training.    Bill and Alloy had a great day today, too, making it about 17 rides or so this summer with NO BUCKING!!!  They seem to have had a great breakthrough in the communication department, mostly Al deciding he could discuss things with Bill without yelling (bucking).   The lodge is running as well as can be expected with all the virus confusion and variants, so we are happily enjoying any spare time we can get with the horses. Until next ride, Bionic Cowgirl... [Read more]

Bill... [Read more]

Juanita and I have been riding 2 or 3 times a week for the last month.   Her horse Washoe has been behaving himself (for the most part.  Just occasional snacking on the trail.) And Alloy hasn't dumped me on the ground so far.  Ten rides now.   I really hope I didn't just jinx it... This spring has had it's normal pollen season that seems to be just about over.  Riding down the trails, if you bump a tree limb the yellow cloud poofs down around you.   It kind of cool looking.  But the pollen does settle down all over everything. One of our guests came in and told me about some prints on the back of her car.  The pollen was acting like fingerprint powder and showed everyplace the car had been touched.   For reasons I do not fully understand, I decided to "roll" my face across the back window.  The next morning, THIS showed up. I find it to be equal parts cool and terrifying....  Bill... [Read more]

In keeping with our practice of staying socially responsible we have temporarily shut down the Lodge for the remainder of November, 2020, to help quell any new uptick in COVID-19 cases for our guests.  This is only temporary; we have major plans to reopen with some exciting new winter packages that we think will help get people through the harshness of our cold winter weather with a bit of fun and quiet peace – and do our share to help stop this pandemic.  We will, of course, reassess the situation for December, but let us all do our part to get our nation healthy and keep our people safe. As a good example, Estes Park has announced they will still hold the Catch the Glow parade’s Festival of Lights – but safely.   You will be able to drive through the town’s events complex (rodeo grounds) and “watch” the parade displayed from the safety of your car.  Use this link  https://www.estesparkeventscomplex.com/catch-the-glow-parade.html?fbclid=IwAR2b6uUyr4USPKcQ-nrXOX99kt9e71VGxeGesAfuEQXobkl2lGE0-U-Uz-U for the formal announcement.  On the plus side of things like the pandemic, it so easy to 'social distance' while riding.  We had many, many good rides with friends and neighbors.  A new neighbor for the summer. A new found friend and neighbor. We actually were able to enjoy so many things this summer that are not our norm.  We met many of the neighbors on long walks; those who are normally here and those who moved here from their town locations, now able to 'work from home' up here. We had time to teach our youngest grandchild the basics of riding. Time to visit with friends from out of town. Time to lay flagstone at our daughter's new house. Expanding our chicken herd flock. Time to visit grandkids at local campsites - who fed Alloy his first grapes. Time for hiking with family in RMNP. Growing my first garden in 23 years - even if the veggies were on the small side. The best of all - the bond that Bill built with his horse Alloy! All in-between serving guests at the Lodge.  Looking back - it was a mighty busy summer. Watch our Facebook page for the newest specials – coming soon! Many, many thanks to all our guests for all they did to help keep us and future guests safe this past season. Bionic Cowgirl... [Read more]

One month ago, we lost our old cat, Kitten Caboodle.She went peacefully during her afternoon nap. She is really cute, and very sweet, But she has a sneeze, so she is in quarantine. Welcome to 2020 Pandemicat. Bill... [Read more]

Our vet called today and asked if he could come by and give Alloy his shots.  (He was in the neighborhood.) This old goat doesn't know what to say, either. Bill (Alloy stood nicely for his shot, by the way)... [Read more]

Sometimes, Alloy the horse loses his mind.  And I lose my seat. I'm not above fat shameing a horse that just tried to kill me. Jerk. Bill... [Read more]

It's been a good week so far. TALL Keebler elf to fill that hollow tree. Bill... [Read more]

Yesterday morning I walked outside and was attacked. just make out the eyes of a black bear reflecting down at me. occurred to me to shoot the homeless guy in the butt. (But, in my defense, the guy wasn't after my chickens...) Bill... [Read more]

RUN! RUN!!! just catch up with them, and then they would continue the figure 8 journey.  They could cross the first river, but we chose to use the bridge, which added considerably to our walking. slick slides into or out of it.  I led the horse up to the cut, carefully worked my way down to the stream and looked up at the horse. hell no."  And spun and ran away. With all of the time we had spent catching the little hay-wrecker, I was NOT going to let go.  He pulled me up that cliff and drug me a little over 20 feet on my belly, face first, until I rethought my strategy. I really am glad the horses are home.... [Read more]

April 11th April showers bring frostbite. Bill... [Read more]

With the covid-19 quarantine in full swing, we are spending a lot of time spring cleaning here at the lodge. Day whatever in quarantine... I've named the dust particles.. Steve's a real asshole He cracks me up...... [Read more]

One of the BEST ways to enjoy the out-of-doors in the winter is just that - get outdoors!  We took our own advice and in the company of a couple friends, hit one of the trails in the Wild Basin area of Rocky Mt. National Park, just two miles from us. hoofed it  snowplowed our way across the unbroken snow to the horse trail that runs next to the Middle St. Vrain River.  A few people had used it, making it perfect:  you knew where the trail was but it wasn't packed down snow.  This trail has a good bit of up-and-down to it without a great elevation rise; perfect for four people who have not been doing much strenuous exercise since the advent of winter.  We finished up by hiking back to the car, using the road.  At one point we crossed over the river on the bridge and had to have a Kodak moment waving at the fish in the open spot of ice.  OK, we pretended we saw fish there.  In all honesty, we all had such a great time, we forgot to take many pictures.  In fact, Bill and I were so excited, we forgot to even take a camera or phone, so fortunately our friend had his phone. Bionic Cowgirl... [Read more]

We have chickens. I called that a win... Bill... [Read more]

We came back from our second task elated, but tired. However, we had one more task to complete before we could call it a day. unicorn into the living room, then throwing a surprise fairy party was so exhausting - but I only had to ride the bull for two seconds. I could do that, so I did. Here's the link to the video: https://youtu.be/3FSbKSVxYus (Cross posted on Just another perfect day)... [Read more]

ride itself was amazing and we couldn't have asked for better behaved horses. They did a great job as Mustang Ambassadors that day. Peeples can be VERY HARD to train". Unicorns and fairies ready All that was left was to set out the party sign and find us some people to surprise. Wilsons' Wild Ones.)... [Read more]

(Note: GISH is the Greatest International Scavenger Hunt, and I (GunDiva) decided that Jay and I were going to do it. However, when we joined, I didn't realize I'd have to recruit Mom and Bill to help. Lucky for me, I have the world's best parents, who are usually up for trying something crazy.) et voila! A unicorn. Wilsons' Wild Ones)... [Read more]

I moved to Colorado over 40 years ago, and noticed the state has a, well, "different" culture. so easy. YoNo?) Bill... [Read more]