The view from my train window this morning
One of the most popular shore excursions in Skagway is the White Pass train ride. As you know, I have a newfound love of train tourism so I was thrilled by this option for a morning activity and as you can see it was a feast for the eyes.
MGM noted however that there was time to:
1. visit the township: a shamelessly commercial recreation of 19c gold rush Skagway.
2. Enjoy the Train ride
AND
3. Do something adventurous, like a horse ride.
While still get back to the boat before curfew, with even the possibility of not being last on the boat and incurring ‘last back’ disapproval from the rolls checking us back in. MGM was right (he always is, I find this trait very comforting) we did fit it all in. We did make it back to the boat, not last but still frown-worthily late.
Now horse riding … I’ve never done it. Always wanted to, I was not at all sure I could do it and pretty sure I didn’t want to miss what might be my last chance, it’s not really something that comes up in your average day to day options really is it … so trepidatious as I was I decided I’d give it a red hot go.
Nine of us were picked up from the boat and driven about an hour out of town to some sumptuous forest land to meet our guides & horses.
The guides were very reassuring and calm, and before I knew it I was RIDING A HORSE whose name was Red. MGM’s horse, Mouse, was more interested in eating than walking in line. he kept wandering off the path in search of delectable horse food with no regard for the warm body on his back being buffeted by trees and bushes or the trailing horses who were following along behind him. By and large we rode successfully along the path, with one minor (terrifying) spontaneous trotting experience, as Red decided it was the front of the pack for us. The randomness of this decision, in which I was not consulted, was quite alarming, and there was quite the volume of screaming (horses do not respond to please stop doing that, whatever volume it is said at) until I worked out what the guides were shouting at me and was able to slow the flow and bring him back into the fold. The goal of the ride was some stunning open pasture land. Here we could let the horses drink & graze for a bit also pose for pictures.
I was quietly grateful when it was time to return bc I was getting tired … everywhere. So it was a stroke of blind luck and adrenaline that I managed to stay ahorse when a guide’s horse took a fright from a car that drove too close and threw her. This upset all the horses and Red bolted. The horse that was spooked was behind me so I didn’t know what was coming and you know what, it is extremely difficult to remember all the things you’ve been told 40 mins earlier in terms of pull down/pull up/pull the reign to the left/right/into a tight circle when you are galloping along on an out of control horse trying desperately not to fall off. Especially seeing a riderless horse come racing past - WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT RIDER?!
So I’m galloping off down the path, bouncing around like a sack of potatoes. I don’t think I was vocal, you’d have to ask MGM, I do know I was terrified. They’re huge, horses, and you need a heady mixture of knowledge and physical strength to command them when they have a mind to go somewhere fast. I’ve gotta say it was an alarmingly adrenaline infused five or ten minutes and I was not at all chagrined for Red’s lead rope to be in the hands of a guide for the rest of the ride. I was pretty sure another little outburst like that would unseat me.
Not far from the camp I realise my next adventure would be getting off. While I was very much looking forward to it my seat and feet were numb and while I couldn’t exactly feel my legs I was pretty sure they were wobbly and entirely unsure they would support me - please let me dismount by myself, please let me dismount by myself 🙏
We had a bonfire and a drink/snack before the ride back to the boat. Unexpected trotting aside it was a wonderful experience. Our dinner was immediately consumed because we knew sleep would be another involuntary thing for us this evening.
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