Memoir Monday, June 14, 1957

 I was just done with grade school and diving into much more cowboy girl stuff in the vacation time  between 8th and 9th grades. 

June 14, 1957 Friday (?)

Got up at 6:30. Fed the stock etc and packed the Jeep. Louie and Stormy wouldn’t load in the trailer together so we just saddled up. Left about 11:00. It was quite windy but otherwise pleasant. It was very pretty up on the North Point Trail. Got to the top about 3:30. Took lots of pictures, some of me on Louie and Stormy with my chaps on. I really hope they turn out good. We reloaded and left at 5:50. We really came flying down the mountain. We got home at 9:10.  Put the critters up and ate supper.  We saw 6-8 deer, two big bucks. Also a fox.  Bed sure felt fine! Notes: I was quite sunburned. Hope it doesn’t peel. Guess we’ll take Stormy home tomorrow.  Adios Luz de Oro Scarlet

This was my frst ride up to the North Point of Mingus which became a favorite and much loved place to visit when it was hot weather. It was fun in the winter, too. Not sure on the day of the week but I think it was Friday. I was in a doofy nickname stage about then (Light of Gold and Scarlet?? Yikes!) LOL, 

This trip. Dad had borrowed our freind Charley Bryant's fine horse Stormy. I am not sure why we did not take Lady or Chindy except they were getting older and maybe not up to an all day 40-50 mile trip including a climb of  about 6500 feet! Tina was still too young and not trained yet so it was the mule, Louie, and Stormy who made the trek.

We followed a route up the grassy ridge to the south of the Clarkdale-Jerome Highway and then may have gotten on the Allen Spring Road or cut across below it for a distance and then headed up across it and on to the  top of Mingus. The North Point Trail did intersect with the Allen Spring Road but we often short-cut that since the junction was a ways south on the road.

The trail was established and roughly maintained at the time. Whether it still is now or not, I have no idea. Anyway, it was steep, rocky and ascended in many switch backs. It got to be very familiar over the next ren years since it was a good place to try out new mules and some horses for mountain worthiness and to exercise some who had more energy than good behavior for awhile.

Among the photos I mentioned were several favorites so I'll insert them below. I had worn my new chaps, a gift earlier that year. They came in handy riding through the thick brush at times.  Mostly I was wearing my beat up old black cheap (wool felt versus fur felt) hat that was about to the end of its days but the shot of me on Stormy, I had on Dad's good Stetson. The view out across the valley from up there was amazing!! This was before the summer rains began so it was a bit hazy with dust and no clouds in sight. I surely cherish these memories. 

About 500 yards before the crest. 

Stormy, a real fine cowpony

Riding Louie and holding Stormy--what a view!