Bucket List - Eastern Dude Ranch

My first Blog -oh font is to large -maybe this ?or this is better or or or or -no cursive ah this is better -softer

Ok, my first blog is about my ongoing adventures in Bucket List Land. :))))) that is a smile with a double chin

I recently took a trip to a Dude ranch -which was on my list. Now I wasn't sure I really could ride a horse -i hadn't been on one since before I wore a bra and that was long ago - I have a lot more ,ah , bounce now, but I now own a sports bras. Have sports bra will travel. LOL - SO i decided not to go out West but find someplace on the East Coast -with western saddles (something to hold on to).

I have lost some weight since my TIA stroke and heart attack and stents and need to loose another 50 pounds -but why wait? On the website the Rocking Horse Dude Ranch in Highland NY, said they had horses for 'heavy' riders. Happy to say i did not qualify - because I had trouble getting my legs around the horse i got. After a hour up and down the Mt. trails (the horse definitely knew the way -because I had my eyes closed most of the time) it felt like someone had played wishbone with my legs. Horses are OFF my Bucket List. I dint care to ride the next day. Yes I wore a helmet. But I did it and have a picture to prove it ! I am very proud of me!

I did alot of outdoor hikeing and stuff -the first day we took a 'tour around' . Or a three mile hike in 40 minutes up and down the moutains -not alot of seniors finished. I could hear my heart working -it felt great ! When I got back to my gym -I had lost a POUND!

I saw the ad in a local newspaper that the Senior Citizen group was running a trip. I dint know anyone but my parents belonged to the group and I could afford the single room and the 4 day stay and coach ride. It was Senior Citizen week at the ranch. I was one of the youngest ones there. I had a blast -man those 80 year old's can kick some ass. The ranch is really a 1960"s family friendly resort or conference retreat on about 500 acres in the Catskill Mt's. Just beautiful and the nicest staff and horse wranglers. Most of the meals are family buffet style with good food. Even , to my surprise -heart healthy -choices (if I looked) . The best part was everything was included in the price. It may cost a little if you drink at the bar or play video games -but for me -i tipped table waiter and the room maid -everything else was the published price

Our last day a local nursery school had a day field trip there (the kids played and rode the ponies) and it looked like a group of out of town 8th graders came for a class trip. They even brought their own DJ --ok I admit the music was way better than what the Seniors were listening to at the bar -so I danced outside the 8th grade party -hey sometime you just gotta dance. The kids were wonderful and so well behaved and FRIENDLY -it must be the 112 horses in the air.

This would be a great time for a family or Grandparents with grandchildren. Now I wonder if I could convince them to run a singles and single parents (grandparents) with kids -week

Next? Las vegas in July and I still want to learn to Scuba Dive!