“Horseback Trail Riding Adventure in Michigan” or “Follow the Blue…..”
The Michigan Trail Riders Association’s Shore-To-Shore trail was completed in the early 1960's with the assistance of the Michigan DNR by stringing together and marking a series of trails, two tracks and forest roads. The first ride on The Michigan Riding and Hiking Trail took place in 1963. That was the year The Michigan Trail Riders Association was born. It was one of the few trails in the Midwest offering a long-distance ride complete with established trail camps along the way.
The trail was to be marked with blue paint on the trees and markers painted blue…
"HAPPY TRAILS" Roy Rogers and Dale Evans
It was the summer of 1966, A group of friends and family decided to take our horses on a trail ride…A ride completely across the state of Michigan. From the coast of Lake Huron, near Oscoda, Michigan. Following a wilderness trail across the state to Lake Michigan near Empire, Michigan. (Just South of Travers City)
As we left our homes we gathered at one of our friend’s farm. I noted an assorted array of vehicles and horse trailers starting to gather in the early morning sun. The dew was lifting off the grass and trees, we could smell the fragrance of the first cutting of hay, had been baled and stored in the barn just the day before…The late June flowers were blooming and brightening the fresh morning air…
The men were wearing cowboy hats, jeans and of course cowboy boots. The women were wearing mostly the same. Neil had just a week before purchased several partially trained cow pony’s from a sale…(really Quarter Horses) They had come from Kansas. We had our Tennessee Walking horses and a couple of quarter horses and two American Bred Saddle Horses in our trailer, seven in all. Neil had two, two horse, horse trailers pulled by pickups and, was pulling his two horse trailer and Sam was bringing up the rear of this procession with his truck and two more horses…Now add in two more cars and a motor home….Looked like a wagon train going down the road.
I remember stopping at the Turkey Roost restaurant, near Kawkawlin…LOL they specialize in turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, freshly baked rolls and strawberry shortcake….Has been there for decades and still there today…and thankfully the parking lot was large enough to accommodate all of us….
We now traveled up to Standish and started following route 23, North along the Western shore of Saginaw Bay through East Tawas and a Tawas City along the shore of Lake Huron to the out skirts of Oscoda…There entering the first nights camp the starting point of our trip on horseback.
The unloading of the horses and walking them was a real treat after being confined in the vehicle all day. The poor horses were thrilled to be out of the trailers and have some freedom of movement again…The horses were picketed on a rope between two large trees and we all went about setting up camp and tending to the tack and other equipment….
As evening approached we had finished our first meal on the trail consisting of steaks and baked potatoes with baked beans and potato salad…Coffee, Cokes or beer if old enough….
We sat around the camp fire, talking, telling jokes and stories, Larry always had stories to tell. The jokes were great, they told stories of other trail rides, of horses they had owned in the past. We talked about what to expect on the trail in the following days and the best way to handle different situations.
One more check on the horses to make sure all was well with them…I got my sleeping gear and rolled it out near the camp fire…The stars were bright and twinkling in the nights sky so infinite, the tall pine trees that surround the camp were dark and reaching upwards toward nights sky. The fire was reflecting its brilliance in shadows dancing around the campgrounds. The horses let out a snort once in a while, the fire crackled and broke the silence as I slid off into my nights rest.
Movement was starting in and around the camp it was about 5 AM, I checked on the horses and lead a couple to water and then fed them. Others were doing the same…A few of the guys had little hangovers and soon coffee was brewing. I walked down to the shore of Lake Huron watching the sun rise from the East, reflecting its glistening heat rays as it rose higher in the mornings sky…
We had breakfast, picked up camp loaded the supplies in the trailers, some of the guys were going to drive ahead to the next camp site and move the equipment and set up the new camp for us…The deal was we would all take our turns with this chore…The horses were saddled and loaded with our lunches in the saddle bags, with some dry ice to keep stuff cool. The canteens were filled and loaded…Several cokes were taken along also…
Now we were ready to start our first day on the trail. I had mounted my horse and the others were starting to mount theirs when one of Neal’s “New” horses started rearing and bucking. Oh my god it was like a rodeo for a second then all of the sudden most of the horses bolted out of control. Oh yes the riders were still attached, they took off running at a full gallop bucking once in a while and trying to rid themselves of their riders. (To be continued)
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| “Horseback Trail Riding Adventure in Michigan” or “Follow the Blue…..” |
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leprichaun_magic
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Feb 11 @ 7:11PM
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wow ,that sounds like a wonderful . holiday ,, 
did you get the nik -- name ,,of Roy Rogers .. then !!lol:)?
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HUGS4UANDME
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Feb 11 @ 7:25PM
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yeeeeeeeeeeeeehawwwwwwwww ridem cowboy .....this sounds like fun.............more more ....  kudos sweetie 
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summerbreeze916
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Feb 11 @ 8:08PM
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I love this story, IB4U! I'm hoping it turns out to be a whole lot of fun that you had, though! It sure sounds like it would be.......  
Keep 'em coming, Cowboy!!!  
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1frantastic
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Feb 11 @ 9:34PM
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You sure ya not in Texas?  
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CHARLIgurl1
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Feb 17 @ 11:28AM
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errrr.. part 2? 
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