09/14/25

Today I drove to the County Line Trail head, on the left side of Waites Run Road, just after the bridge crossing. I backed into the trail head/fire road to turn around, then crossed back over the bridge and parked on my right. There is room for 2 or three rigs right here and another side pullover just ahead also on the right. This is directly across from the Pond Run Trail which is on the right as you drive in, or left after you turn around to park.

I rode back over the bridge to where I turned around. Then I started up the fire road/County Line Trail. There was a closed gate almost immediately.

I started up the trail which is nice and lush, excellent footing. Slightly uphill and good for moving out. This trail appears to be green boxed, like a double wide blaze.

It crosses through a clearing that was recently bush hogged.

At about the 2.5mile point there was a large tree down across the trail. I did not see an obvious way around it. If I took Simon’s saddle off, he would have just fit under the higher end of the tree. But it was so buggy and other directions I could explore so I decided to turn around.

Riding back down there is an unmarked trail on the left, it’s slanted forward on the ride down and is not as obvious when riding up the trail. This is part of the Tuscarora trail. It rides forward and branches sharply up to the left.

It does seem to continue forward as well but does not appear to be maintained in that direction. I did not explore that way.

I took the left, and rode up maybe a 1/2 mile. It was a pretty cool trail, switching back and forth, with some rock scrambling. It is marked with light blue blazes.

After about a mile, maybe, I turned around. The bugs were really bothering me and I wanted to be in a place I could move out to create some anti-bug-wind.

Back to Waites Run Road, I took a left and continued down the road. I explored some camping spots on the right along the creek. I also noted a possibly unmaintained trail on the left, angled back so it was slightly easier to see on the ride back in the other direction. It was loosely marked with an old post, no sign attached.

Shortly after this trail I came to the end of Waites Run Road that appears to continue on the map becomes, what appears to be private property. But to the left there is a fire road going up. This makes a spot to turn the trailer around. And there is a small pullover on the right to park. The gate is open on this fire road but does not appear to be a smooth drive in a vehicle. At least at a glance from the bottom.

Waites Run was nice to ride along.

I rode back to the trailer, and glanced at the Pond Trail across from where I parked, on the left and just after crossing the bridge as you leave the area.

This last sign is if you were coming back down the trail to Waites Run Road.

There appear to be other trails along this section that I did not see, or at least have not explored.

4/20/25

I was out on a ride Saturday and was thinking about the joy I got from writing these posts and how convenient it is to look back at previous rides. Did I like that trail? What was the parking like? How long was it?

I am also in a new area, just a bit north of where I was, and I have spent the past year exploring new trails. And I have plenty more exploring to do!

I’m still riding my trusty steed, Simon. He just turned 19yo earlier this month. And he spent the past, nearly year, battling various health issues. Every time we seemed to figure it out and he got better he would slip back off again. I also had some health issues that took me out for a few months (eyes issues. So I couldn’t see). But we are both healthy now and trying to leg up for the games season.

Yep, I am still playing games. Duh! I ride on a fun O25 team, Minor Threat. It’s composed of Jenny and her pony Seven, Averi and Cider, Bailey and Possum (who I think probably has some posts on here when he was my pony), and Lindsey and Chester. I am riding Simon for games right now and while I love him dearly, he is challenging to play games on. He just has zero need for speed.

So hopefully we will add a new pony to the herd at some point. Right now I am still taking care of vet and medical bills. Whomp whomp.

Last year we bought our own little farmette in Winchester. Hence the new area. It’s about 1 1/2ish hours further north. Same National Forest and mountain chain, just a little farther north. I wish I had documented the upgrades on the little barn. Which still has work to be done, but is greatly improved. And one of the exciting things about the new home is the closest national forest trail head is only 15min door to door!

I am also on a fun adventure with my almost 2yo colt, Pip. I purchased him last May after selling my beloved Neville.

Pip is a registered Gypsy and I am considering keeping him intact and standing him. So that’s a whole other adventure to log.

Stand by. I believe my four year hiatus is over!

A few pics from the past month to class this post up.

Games pics by Equistar photography

April 14, 2021

We had one of the first truly amazing weekends and my friend Val had the day off. It was seasonably warm and sunny with a slight breeze. Simon and I met up with Val and Babyface. We shuffled trailers and ponies around and ended up with both ponies and one rig parked at one access point, Lock 34, and the other trailer parked at another access point, Brunswick. It is notable that the Lock 34 parking area in Harpers Ferry involves driving under some train bridges with lower clearance. My bumper pull fit with about two feet of clearance.

Before we got mounted, we enjoyed a chat and some adult lunchables, ie. a portable charcuterie board compliments of Val’s husband, Jon.

If you have not ridden, biked, or walked the C&O, you might not be aware that it is long, flat, relatively straight graveled trail that was original a tow path. It is wide enough for comfortable two way traffic. To one side there is an active train track, and to the other side is the Potomac River. The C&O, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, starts in Cumberland, Maryland, and runs to DC covering 180 some miles.

We parked near Lock 34 on the west end of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, and rode to the Brunswick, Maryland parking area. We clocked just about 11 miles. There were busy areas where we were crowded in with hikers and bikers, and there were other areas that were wide open that we could let the ponies kick up their hooves and cover some ground. We stopped to let the ponies dip their toes in the river and get a drink while we enjoyed the scenery. Val and I both were thrilled to continuously point out all the turtles along the trail sitting on sticks, rocks, and logs in the over flow water. Who doesn’t love a turtle.

Truly a lovely day, and such a nice change from my usual rides in mountains, with climbs, rocks, low hanging branches and knee knocker trees. I still love the National Forest, but the C&O is a real treat.