Who doesn’t like to travel? And if you can bring along your favorite equine friends it’s a win/win!
One of the best horsey vacations I have taken is to the beautiful Ft. Robinson National State Park. I have actually gone only twice, but for my cousin, her family, and some of the horse boarders on her ranch it is an annual vacation every summer. Ft. Robinson National State Park has it all, and for horse lovers it is a dream spot complete with beautiful barns, miles of trails and outdoor space, an arena, and lovely accommodations for the humans too! You can choose to camp or reserve one of the stately “cabins” that served as officers’ quarters back in the late 1800’s. You see, it is an old military base located in Crawford, Nebraska, and it is preserved in such a manner that you expect the Red Coats to come marching over the hill any minute. Brushed with American history, it is dotted with museums and points of interest. With the Nebraska bluffs as the scenic backdrop, there are endless miles of picturesque views accessible via horseback. Of course if tubing, boating, or fishing are more your speed, those options are available too. With an indoor Olympic-sized swimming pool and an outdoor wading pool, staying cool during the hot summer days is easy. If good ol’ terra firma is your preference you could pass the time with a horse-drawn wagon or jeep tour of the park, a scenic hike, or perhaps a stagecoach ride. The options for activities are too numerous to mention here, so be sure to visit their website to see for yourself all that is available.
My most memorable trip to Ft. Robinson, Nebraska took place last summer as my sister and I, horses in tow, met up with our cousin and company for a five-day equine retreat. I hold dear this trip as it was the last I would unknowingly make with my sweet boy, Easy. A specifically notable event took place during this trip that neither myself nor my sister are likely to forget – an event that warranted the designing of commemorative personalized sweatshirts to serve as souvenirs for she and I that never fail to trigger a chuckle, or a least a reflective smile, as we sentimentally offer the telling of the story to interested parties.
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller
We left in the morning from Loveland, Colorado in my husband’s Ford F150 hauling my two-horse slant load trailer with my horses, Annie and Easy safely tucked inside for the five-hour jaunt to Ft. Robinson. It was just my sister, Dawn and I off for a dream vacation fueled by our love for horses and a longing for adventure. We may have gotten a little more adventure than we bargained for. My husband has always hauled my horses, due to his protective nature, and seemed surprisingly relaxed about what would be my first-time-ever haul of two horses (especially such a long haul). When asked why he was letting me do this his reply was, “Well, if you’re going to do this horse thing, then you need to be able to haul horses.” I asked if he was worried about me. “No,” was his answer. After considering his out-of-ordinary responses, I jokingly asked, “Do you still love me?”
Confident with the direction we were traveling, Dawn and I shut off the GPS knowing that our exit wouldn’t be for at least sixty miles. We settled in while enjoying each other’s company. As time passed, I mentioned to Dawn that we probably should turn the GPS back on as I was certain that our exit was nearby. She did so, and much to our surprise it guided us down a very narrow residential road on which turning around with a horse trailer would be impossible if indeed we found that GPS had misguided us. I was nervous about the direction it was taking us. It spit us out onto a dirt road – Van Tassell Road – a road that led to the middle….of….nowhere. You see, I had never traveled from Loveland to Ft. Robinson. I had only traveled from our cousin’s in Watkins to Ft. Robinson. So I would have no way of knowing if we were on the right route….or not. Continuing down the ominous dirt road that we were certain would lead to a paved version, it wasn’t long before we came to a stark realization. We were lost. In the middle of nowhere. Hauling two horses. One of which was extremely difficult to load in a trailer. GPS was questionable at best as connection would come and go. Endless fields and landscape. Dirt road – rough dirt road – as far as the eye could see. And little to nothing else in sight. We took turns panicking. Dawn was calm while I worried intensely about the well-being of my horses in the heat of this scorching summer day. If it were just Dawn and I, I wouldn’t be worried and the experience would have taken on a more adventurous air. But this would be hard on the horses…this slow, tedious travel down a bumpy dirt road with no end in sight. Then I would calm myself, remembering that we had food and water and if we had to stop and let the horses out, there was certainly enough grass in the surrounding fields for the them to munch on as we waited to be rescued. Alternately, Dawn would start to panic. Now remember – I’ve got one horse that does not load well. So once she was out, there was no guarantee that she would get back in the trailer (another reason my husband always hauled my horses – he has a knack for loading difficult horses). With no cell service and unreliable GPS we continued on. Still nothing. No signs. No buildings. No way to turn around. Wait. There’s a bridge, narrow as it may be. It’s paved! Over the bridge….and we’re back on dirt road. Heavy sigh. We continued to take turns panicking though realizing our only option was to carry on. Certainly this road led to somewhere. As our hope waxed and waned, the horses remained amazingly calm. On we went at no more than twenty miles an hour for a duration that seemed would never end.
After a significant amount of time, as quickly as we had found ourselves on that dirt road we were spit out onto the highway. The paved highway! With signs directing us to Ft. Robinson! Whew! We made it! Our Twilight Zone experience had ended without consequence. We made it safely to Ft. Robinson, met up with our cousin and friends, and enjoyed a wonderful time.
After some figuring, Dawn and I realized that we had turned on our GPS too late and had actually missed our exit off of I-25. So GPS re-routed us down the most remote dirt road I never cared to see. I met a gentleman in Nebraska from whom I purchased some hay and shared our tale with him. He knew of Van Tassell road and agreed, “Yeah, there’s nothin’ out there.” Thus was born the quote that embellishes the back of our aforementioned sweatshirts.
“Great things never came from comfort zones.” – Anonymous
It is a trip I will not soon forget, one I will cherish for more reasons than one. It was my first significant outing hauling my horses myself, the last I would ever take with my beloved Easy.
“It is not the destination where you end up but the mishaps and memories you create along the way.” – Penelope Riley
What is your favorite horsey hot spot? Tell me about it in the comments.
2 Comments
Brings memories of when we used to take our horses up to Lower Cherokee Park in northern Colorado. The drive up was on county roads from once you departed 287 not bad. But once we arrived at the gate to get up to the property was the challenge. There was this very steep hill to arrive at the cabin, and no room to park on the county road. Needless to say it interesting situation. We would have to unload the horses drive the trailer up to the top then walk the horses up to the cabin. Once up at the cabin we had a pretty small fenced area for them to shelter in. The rides up at our family fort we’re some of the best times. Riding trails hiking playing games and cooking massive amounts of food to feed our family of 10! Love those times, miss the horses.
Beth, I love your stories!! Thank you for sharing. That sounds like a wonderful time! That would have been a dream childhood for me! I was 36 years old when I got my first horse. I do have plenty of childhood memories of trail rides at ranches and so forth on our summer trips to Montana. My dad always made sure I took riding lessons too when I was a kiddo – his way of making my horsey dreams come true since he was scared to death of horses! Thanks again!