From: HAROLD & ELAINE WILSON
JULY 4th at SEVEN SPRINGS LODGE

To see the photos I took on the ride click on http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=k4qtmvb.2e5wd7s7&x=1&y=24tkio

Last year on the July 4th weekend we went to the Sportsman Lodge near our home in Lowndes County, Alabama. We really had a good time. We were joined by a lot of AlabamaTrailRider Group members, many that we had never met before. We decided we wanted to do this again this year, but not at the same place.

First of all we wanted to ride with ATR members that we had not met before. We always want to go somewhere we have not ridden before. We started looking for a place a long time ago. Some of the criteria was it had to have some trails, an air conditioned lodge with kitchen and it had to have sleeping facilities for those members that did not have living quarters. We also did not want to go to any facility that had an organized ride going on that weekend. We soon found that this was not as easy as we thought.

About a month ago one of our members suggested going to Seven Springs Lodge. I had heard of it, but knew nothing about it. We started talking and investigation it. We soon found that it had everything we wanted and was located in northwest Alabama. In fact, if they were much further north we would have found ourselves in TN, and if they were any further west, we would have been in MS. We were told that they had two GRAIN BINS that they used for two story bunkhouses. I couldn’t believe this. We were also told that the bathhouse was another grain bin. I had to see this.

We made our reservations for the weekend for ourselves and of course Hallee. Then our daughter, Heather and her daughter, Hannah said they would like to go with us. Then Nan and Rick said they wanted to come and bring their granddaughters but there was no “room in the inn“. We said they could share with Heather and the girls and we would sleep in our trailer. Then last week Elaine’s cousin Lauren said she would like to go with us. Sure there were plenty of bunks in the grain bin, she could come.

Now we had to figure out how to get horses there. We have a three-horse trailer and now needed six horses. We knew this was not simply a trail ride but a social event with horses so we decided we would share horses. We ended up taking three horses and Spirit the Wonder Pony. We could take the saddles out of the tack compartment, close the walls down and put the pony in it. The saddles were put on the couch and all the coolers were put into the back of the truck. I put the hay just behind the back window, and put my leveling boards on top of the hay.

We went up on Friday and arrived in the afternoon. We immediately saw Craig Bradley and Dawn Ringer. They had come up earlier in the week and had already been riding the trails. Carol and W.W. Smith pulled in right behind us. Danny, the lodge owner, greeted us and showed us the grain bin the girls would stay in. It was really quite cute, had a living room on the main floor and two bunkrooms up the stairs. My only thought was what would happen if a fire started at the door and at the bottom of the stairs, there was only one way in or out. We had thought we had reserved stalls but found that all the stalls were taken, we could only picket. And sure enough, when I cleaned out the tack compartment, I had taken out everything we would not need, including the picket line. I did have the rope we were going to use to make rope halters, so I strung it out from the ONLY tree in camp to a power pole. I make my picket line out of a cargo strap so it will get tight and not get slack. I knew this rope would get slack in it. Sure enough, the following morning I found that Cortesia had gotten slack and had gotten a foot caught in her lead line. Luckily, it was only a ‘burn‘ and nothing serious. So I took the horses off the picket and tied them to a couple saplings next to the fence. The next afternoon Cortesia caught her foot in the fence and had to be cut out. But no injury of any kind. From now on, I will bring my picket line even if we have stalls.

I wish I could say that picketing was our only problem for the weekend. WRONG. We picked the campsite closest to the lodge so we would be near to the ‘girls‘. We pulled into the spot and I went to get my leveling boards from the top of the hay. I pulled and it stuck, so I gave it a bigger pull. The end of the board swung around and POP the back window was a million pieces of small glass. Lane says that I said a bad word, really loud, but I’m sure I would never do that.

We got everything set up, horses fed and watered and then it was time for us to get fed. The group had agreed to have a potluck ‘salad supper’ in the lodge and the ladies soon had the bar covered with food. I know I won’t remember all of it, but there was crabmeat salad, chicken salad, two pasta salads, cole slaw, fresh fruit cubes with dressings, assorted crackers and chips, and at least 3 cakes, 4 pies and several kinds of cookies.

Ok, let me see if I can name all the attendees. With us were Hallee, Heather, Hannah and Lauren; Craig Bradley; Dawn and John Ringer; Laura and Al West; Carol and WW Smith; Nan and Rick Crites with granddaughters Marion and Katherine; Debi Houston and daughter Emily (their boyfriends joined us later in the weekend); Melanie, Keith and Caitlin Webb; Missy and Shawn Hudson, and lodge owners Danny and Faye.

Morning was beautiful and I was excited about riding. I skipped breakfast but was told it was great. Carol make a breakfast casserole in her crockpot, and there was sausage and all sorts of doughnuts, sweet rolls, juice, milk and coffee.

Laura West had purchased a horse from me a year ago. SPF Stevie had always been a favorite of ours. He was a grandson of Heather’s first horse, and was named for her husband, Steve. Stevie had been Heather’s favorite mount until she started back to college and knew she would not be able to ride very often until she graduated. Laura asked me if I would like to ride him. Of course I was anxious to do so. Laura would ride Little Man and Heather would be on Cortesia. Laura’s husband Al would ride with us on his horse.

We saddled up and I asked Danny where the trails were. I found that he did not have maps of the trails but I discovered that once on the trail whenever there was a fork in the road, there was a white wooden arrow pointed toward the lodge. He did give us directions to the Indian Shelters. The trails were beautiful and we soon found ourselves on a single file trail through the woods. We found the shelters and I took photos, but it was so dark in the woods that the photos did not come out. The shelters and rock formations were spectacular. The only trouble with the trail was that it did not make a loop. I NEVER like to ride back the same trail I rode in on.

When we got back from our morning ride, Danny told us that there was an Indian shelter right there at the lodge. He pointed out the trail down to the shelter. I found a great shelter right under where my horses were tied. The shelter was right beside the deer pen. They have a tame deer named “John” (original) in about a ten-acre pen that starts below the lodge porch and runs around a pretty lake, fed by SEVEN SPRINGS.

After our hike to the shelters, I went back to the lodge and found Danny and his aunt sitting on the porch. The porch goes around three sides of the lodge with many swings and rocking chairs just inviting you to sat and visit. The side porch is over the deer pen and overlooking the lake. While we were talking, Jeff and Sonya Still and their son Cody came up. They had hosted a family party for Sonya’s nephew’s first birthday the night before and driven over that morning, since they only live an hour away. Jeff and I sat on the porch and talked for a long time about the Alabama Horse Council. Lane says that we can talk all day and it still won’t change anything, so we might as well just save our breath. Much as I hate to admit it, as usual she is right.

While we were riding that morning, Elaine, Hannah and Lauren went to Wal-Mart for some serious shopping. During the after dinner conversations on Friday night, Elaine discovered that Missy had not finished the nursery for her first baby that is due on Labor Day, so she started whispering to everybody and it was decided to pool funds to buy her a baby bed from the group.

Unfortunately, when they left Wal-Mart, Lane took a wrong turn and they had a nice drive in the wrong direction and got back to camp too late to make the catfish fry our whole group had been invited to for lunch by Missy‘s family. Everyone who did go, told us in great detail, I might add, how good it was and about the many desserts and side dishes in addition to the standard fish and hushpuppies. But what we really heard the most about was the hospitality. You just can’t beat southern hospitality!

That afternoon several people that hadn’t ridden with us that morning wanted to go to the Indian shelters and wanted me to show them the way, so I went back again. After the first shelter most of the group wanted to turn back, but Lauren and Nan wanted to go on. We saw all of the shelters and got back to camp just as a thunderstorm broke loose. As we rode into camp Hallee and Heather met us. I started taking the saddles off and told them to start putting them up. I tied the horses up in a pouring rain and ran back to the trailer. The back door of the trailer was left open and I went to close it. Just as I was pushing the door closed lightening struck. It felt like I had stuck my hand in a light socket, I wasn’t hurt, but got a good shock. Lane was sitting in a chair under the awning and felt a tingle in her bare feet. We later found that a tree about a hundred yards had been struck and shattered. We were VERY lucky.

By the time the rain and lightning quit, we were hungry again and hurried to get the grill going for chicken and hot dogs. Rick turned out to be our grill master for the weekend and did a wonderful job. We had hot dogs with every imaginable topping, baked beans, salads, chips and even more desserts. PLUS 3 or 4 different kinds of homemade ice cream, and of course we had to taste them all!

After dinner we presented the baby bed and mattress to Missy. Baby beds aren’t like the ones that were around when our kids were babies. Now days, you can convert them to toddler beds and use them for 5-6 years! Missy said the white bed would go perfectly with the comforter (horse print of course) that she has picked out.

We had made plans to ride to the Coon Dog Cemetery early Sunday morning. When we started to saddle up it looked like it might rain. Some of the group (I won’t say any names but the initials are Jeff Still) thought it was going to rain so they didn’t ride. We started off with a light mist and soon crossed the pavement into a single-track trail. This was a perfect trail. I don’t like groomed trails that you just plod along on. I want to know I am on a TRAIL. There were logs in the trail, and limbs you had to push out of the way to get by. This was great. We then come out of the woods onto a gas line. If you tell anyone that has ridden one that you rode a power line or a gas line, they know you did some hills. The line goes in a straight line so you cannot go around any hill or stream. You have to go with it, generally steep up and steep down. The gas line was cleared of trees and had just short brush on the right of way. This looked great until we realized that there was no shade. IT GOT HOT. We rode the gas line for about 45 minutes before we hit a dirt road. Jeff Still met us there in his AIR CONDITIONED TRUCK. After a short break it was down the road, along a power line and 45 minutes later we were at the Coon Dog Cemetery.

When we arrived at the Cemetery we found three big tour buses there with a group that had left New Orleans on a steam boat trip and they had docked nearby and came by bus to see the Cemetery. This was their last stop before going back down the river. The people from the Cemetery were there to host the tour and provide info and lemonade and sliced watermelon for them. When the tour left they had left over watermelon which they offered to us. We ate all we wanted and ended up feeding the horses some when we got through. The Cemetery was not impressive except for the fact that the whole Cemetery was of Coon Dogs. I was glad I went to see it.

By now it had gotten REALLY HOT. Back down the road, down the power line, and gas line the way we had come before. I asked if there was a trail we could go so we wouldn’t backtrack and found that there was one, but it was longer and harder. Did I tell you I do not like to take the same trail back?

While we were out riding, Elaine was cleaning up the glass from the back window of the truck. Danny had brought a powerful shop-vac from his house for her to use. I think she spent the whole morning getting all the glass out of the back seat and bed of the truck. Duct tape and heavy plastic kept the rain out!

Just as we got unsaddled the storm came up. I learned my lesson the night before and wasn’t about to get out in the lightening again. I did get soaking wet before I got the horses put up and the awning down. We all gathered on the porch and in the lodge to visit while we waited for the storm to pass. Luckily, there were no lightning strikes that we could tell. As soon as the rain was over, it was time to start getting dinner ready.

Rick was manning the grill again with chicken leg quarters and fresh corn in the husks. WW had brought spare ribs and a Boston butt. I’m not sure who made the sauce, but it was better than anything you can buy in the store! There was also potato salad , deviled eggs, baked beans, Lane’s black-eyed pea salad, chips and bread. There were some new desserts added to the ones leftover and more homemade ice cream. I think we were all afraid to count calories!

After supper I pulled out the rope and gave a class in hand tying rope halters. I can do one in about 15 minutes blindfolded, but I had trouble telling someone else how to tie one. While we were working on the halters, Jeff and Rick went down the hill and gave us a great fireworks display.

After the fireworks the kids told us they had a play they wanted to perform for us. They had a very cute play about a robber (he did get shot). They did ALL the writing, directing, and performing on their own without any adult help. The next day they were working on one in the Indian Shelter but never got it finished and we never saw it.

I had discussed riding with Jeff, Sonya, and Cody Still and Rick and Nan Crites, and their granddaughters, Katherine and Marianne on Monday morning while Lane broke camp. I was lazy and decided I had better help her. They rode out without me and came back just as we were ready to pull out. Cody and one of the girls had changed horses. I think this was the first time Cowboy Cody had ever ridden in an English saddle.

Once again, all good things must come to an end. We had a great time again. Not a lot of riding, but a very nice social event with horses. We were able to have friends and family with us and were not afraid to have our young kids in the group. We will have to do this again next July 4th. Everyone start looking for a lodge for us to go to.

We have family gatherings for the next two weekends, so the horses will get a rest and we’ll get to stay inside with the air conditioning.

If any of you are looking for a great book to read while you are staying inside where it is cool, I’d like to recommend one we are reading. THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF “COWBOY“, by Jean Ikner.

I’ve heard of ‘Cowboy’ from my good friend Jimmy Shell many times (Jimmy is mentioned in the book) and after reading this book, I am very sorry that I never got to know him better. I had ridden with him on the L.A (Lower Alabama) Wagon train but never got to know him well. Cowboy had a lot of ‘horse sense’ and I know I would have enjoyed sharing a trail or campfire with him. Whether you want horse training tips, advice on judging a man, or a love story, this book has it all.

You may order the book from Jean Ikner, 1288 Cowboy Road, Monrreville, AL, 36460. $28 + $5 for shipping. Or email her at: jeanikner@hotmail.com"

Until next time, don’t just ride .....GLIDE.

Harold and Elaine

P.S.

I am happy to report that our ‘bonus daughter’ Tracie Lewis is home from the mid-east. She is now at her home base at Hurlburt Field at Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Don’t forget to thank a soldier for their service to our country, especially those overseas. If you don’t know one, please drop a note a card to one near and dear to our hearts, listed below:

SPC,Wilson, Joseph D.
HSB Battery, 3-82FA
1st Cavalry Division
APO AE 09379

Joseph Hilger
HHC 2-27 IN S-1
APO AE 09355-9998