LEAVING LAS VEGAS

After 2 days of camping just behind Sam's Town in Vegas we are heading to Arizona. Our friends and neighbours from Merritt Ross & Irene Walker (whom we have been traveling down with) and ourselves wanted to get all our horses fitted for Renegade boots. Renegade is in Kingman AZ and are only open Monday through Friday. So we decide to spend the weekend in Vegas and leave first thing Monday morning. 

More about Horsemen's Park it is down East Flamingo at 5800 E Flamingo Drive. It is a little confessing heading in so when you see this sign below turn right even though you feel you are going down the wrong way of the road because there is a road that parallel's it. Horsemen's Park has it own road in. 

Turn right ! Right at this sign to get into Horsemen's Park

Driveway in and out to Horsemen's Park

Lots of room for Huge rigs

There are 3 or 4 riding rings as well as a round pen

You find these envelopes between the barns just fill in and put in the box with your monies

Sam's Town Casino is walking distance 

Lazy cat

 Trying to pack everything up including our espresso machine before traveling but the cat is trying to get warm by sleeping on it LOL

Heading to Hover Dam

Crossing Hover Dam 

Driving into Kingman

Down the gravel road to Renegade Boots 

 Renegade Boots was not easy to get to, our GPS sent us farther down the street but Ross's GPS found it. You drive about 15 miles out of Kingman on the old historical Highway "Route 66" . The Lander's have over 200 acres were they live, ride and manufacture boots. Maybe call a head and get the directions.

Our friend Irene getting her horse fitted for boots

If you go to have a fitting make sure you contact Kirt or Gina Lander first to see how busy they are. We were lucky enough to have both of them fit all 5 horses we brought in yesterday. They also had 2 other staff members there to help us. Their factory employees 20 workers. Ron and Ross were lucky enough to even get a tour of the factory. They are very knowledgeable about natural hoof care. Not only do they manufacture the boots right there at their factory at home but they breed, ride and compete on their endurance horses. They know what they are talking about. It was a very educational day for us. 

                                                                Renegade® Hoof Boots, 

http://www.renegadehoofboot.com/.

Lander Industries, Inc.

sales@renegadehoofboots.com

Phone: (888) 817-4794 

Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00AM-5:00PM MST

11361 North Classical Drive

Kingman, AZ 86401

Heading to Wickenburg following Ross and Irene Walker

Into the Sunset

1st Arizona Sunset for 2014

We said our good byes to our neighbours the Walkers 

 We had such a great trip down traveling with the Walkers hope to catch up with them later this winter for some great rides. They just purchased a home in Wickenburg this past winter so this will be their first winter down here as home owners. They have some fencing to do to get their property horse friendly then they will be able to catch back up with us for some rides.

First sunrise in Arizona 

 We headed to Cave Creek to visit some friends and old neighbours from Aldergrove. They have a beautiful property close to everything here in Cave creek and Scottsdale. Here are some pictures of our first morning in AZ

VIVA LAS VEGAS

Leaving Wells NV

 We got on the road nice and early heading to Vegas for the night. It was still cold here this morning below freezing in Wells NV. 

Rock formations just past Ely NV

It is a little confessing getting out of Ely NV you do not want to stay on Hwy 93 after Ely.  You want to go through Ely take the first left in town following signs to Las Vegas but instead of staying on Hwy 93 you will take Hwy 6 to the right just at the MacDonalds and go through the short mountain pass then follow on Hwy 6 until you see the sign for  Hwy 318. If you stay on Hwy 93 you will go through a HUGE mountain pass up to 12,000 feet it will take you to the same place but not worth the extra miles and more chance of snow. Hwy 318 will take you back to Hwy 93 south and through Ash Springs and Alamo on word to Las Vegas.

 Just before you hit Hwy 93 again you go through a really cool Canyon with some lovely rock formations. 

That would be Vegas in the smog 

Viva Las Vegas temperature today 70F

 We are heading to a place I have not listed yet on my web site "Horsemen's Park" it is a huge facility I believe owned by the city of Las Vegas. The address is 5800 East Flamingo Drive. When you are coming down on E. Flamingo you will see the sign for "Horsemen's park" turn right at the sign even though you feel you are heading down the wrong side of the road. (Our GPS told us to turn left don't listen to the GPS if it is wrong LOL) .The park has it own road in on the right. You do not have to make reservations there is paperwork to fill out in-between the barns just put the monies in one of the envelopes. Cost is $15 for your rig and $6 a horse you can take the paddock on the far right by E Flamingo or there are hundreds of stalls. You can walk to the Sam's Town Casino if you dare. (some people say it is not safe)

Lots of room for big rigs

Lots of stalls and paddocks

You can use the rings and round pens

Time for Apple Pie

Once we got settled we walked to Sam's Town Casino for dinner with our neighbours from Merritt Irene and Ross Walker. Had a great meal at Billy Bob's steak house then played some slots. I lost my $10 fast but Irene played the .25 machines and just seconds before she lost her $20 the machine started going crazy she won $466.00. At that note we called it a night and walked back to Horsemen's park. I think we will stay another night and wait for our friend Darrel Brown and his soon to be wife Edna to arrive.

WE ARE GETTING CLOSE

Leaving Hermiston rest area early as the sun rises

Today our plan is to try and catch up with our neighbours Ross and Irene Walker somewhere in Idaho and then head to Nevada to find a place to overnight.

Accident just up the hill from Pendleton Or

This area always scares me. From Pendleton you climb up into the mountains. The roads are clear but very icy like a black ice. We came to the top of the hill to find this horsemen jackknifed in the middle of the highway. Thank god all horses and people were ok. The tow truck and police had been called.

Just before Baker City OR

 Road conditions for the first few hours were very dicey with fog and ice. Once we made it out of Baker City things got better. 

Snake River in Idaho

 The first part of Idaho was very foggy but we made it through to clear sky's and beautiful views.

Bliss Idaho

Hwy 30 and a Thousand Springs

 This is such a cool area with thousands of springs coming out of the rock cliffs.

Potato fields as far as the eye can see in Idaho

Nevada Sunset

 We caught up with our neighbours in Blur Idaho and headed over the state line to Jackpot then down to Wells rodeo grounds for the night.

Wells rodeo grounds

We got to the rodeo grounds just as the sun was setting The horses all had big pens to move around in.

 Here are some pictures of the Rodeo grounds in Wells Nevada 

Ready to head to Vegas now. 

On the road to Arizona

 On Wednesday morning we packed up he horses, dogs & cats and hit the road for the coast. We had an appointment with the Vet at Thursday morning 830am and 9am appointment with Art from US fish & wildlife for our cat Duma at the Sumas crossing. Arizona here we come. 

Ann our house/horse sitter took this picture as we were leaving

I will miss my beautiful Merritt view for a few months. Here is our new home until then.

  Road conditions to the coast were good just some fresh snow on the mountains.

Break check on the Coq

Here are some cool icicles with the view of our truck in the back ground. 

Wednesday night we stayed on the coast in Aldergrove at Gloucester Downs http://www.gloucesterdowns.com/ . We were up early and headed to the boarder about 8am

For the past 3 year when we cross the boarder the weather is always the same rain rain rain.

Here are a couple tips for those of you going south from Aldergrove or Sumas on Guide Meridian there is a gas station called Midway. Found it on our app "Gas Buddies" Diesel was only $3.79 a gallon if you paid cash. We have seen diesel as high as $4.49 today so when you are filling up a Semi you want the most reasonable price. $700.00 later we are on the road to Arizona and should make it all the way without another fill.
We also hit Safeway for groceries and then headed to Bellis Fair to load our Wifi Hotspot card at Verizon celluar.

No snow on this mountain pass before Ellensburg

Today the road conditions were good going through the mountains. Little or no snow. Once we got through Yakima we hit really bad fog almost pulled over a couple times but made it just past Hermiston OR about 25 miles from Pendleton.  

The sunset as we drive down into the fog. 

Tonight we stopped just past Hermiston about 25 miles from Pendleton at the Rest area on Hwy 84 they have 2 HUGE corrals big enough to pull our big rig right in to and let horse out for a run and roll. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.

HAPPY TRAILS 2014

We are so looking forward to 2014. Plan on heading South the end of December (less then a week). Horses have had their blood pulled for their health and coggins, should get paperwork back this week. Trailer is almost packed up, our Semi Truck is tuned up and ready to roll.

Our Western Star was in the garage for 6 months and just started up like a star (LOL)

Getting ready for a trip is not all that easy. I have been planning a route for weeks. Making PDF printable files of places to stay along the way and Check lists for the truck and trailer. If you go to our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/campingandhorses/ click on files you will find lots of good printable info.

Our Gaits and home are all decorated for Christmas

If it wasn't for the Holiday season we would already be down south. I love spending the holidays with our sons. This will be our first christmas in Merritt and there is always snow to make you feel in the holiday spirit.

Even my old wagon wheel has lights around it 

Before heading out make sure your horses are in shape. If not maybe do easy rides for the first weeks down south. We try and get ours out even if there is snow.

Ron & Cimaron

Love this shot I took below last week out on the trail. Ron and Cimaron in the sunlight makes for a get shot.

I took this shot and sent in to Global TV and it was on of the top photos of the week

I will miss our young boys Tracker (HuntyaDown) and Tricker (Heza Hot Streaker) both born this year. We have a good friend staying with them well we are gone. Our friend that is the host at Lundbom Lake will be here until the campsite there opens in the spring. She is experienced with horses. All the other critters will be leaving with us.

Tricker & Tracker our up coming stallion prospects having fun in the snow. 

The young boys have lots of room to move around the property. Just love these guys too cute

Going to miss these little guys 

 Make sure you follow the blog I will be posted places to stay along the way as well as trails we have ridden. We have a facebook page as well as a web site

http://www.campingandhorses.com 

Happy Trails