Planning Spring Rides

While the temperatures are well below freezing, Steve spends a lot of time studying maps, figuring out where he wants to ride as soon as weather permits. 

The snow melts first at the lowest altitude.  The lowest land close to us is at about 4600 feet, near the Green River. In past years, some of our earliest rides were in the Ouray Wildlife Refuge, where there is lots of room for galloping along the river and overlooks. 

It's truly the land where the antelope play!

With luck, and if the snow, or lack of it, cooperates, we'll be riding there in February. 
Soon after that, we can usually ride in the desert near our home:

We like to go down to southern Utah in February.  A couple of years ago, we rode on BLM land near the Canyonlands Hans Flat Ranger Station:

And also rode along 50 Mile Bench in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument:

Yes, we're dreaming of hoofbeats every night.  Only a little longer, and we'll be in the saddle and on our way.