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Robert Kelsheimer has ridden horses for as long as he can remember. But a recent thrill was a 125-mile ride across Death Valley.
This was the second time Kelsheimer has gone on this ride. This year was memorable because it was the 50th year for this annual ride. The Death Valley ride is sponsored by Equestrian Trails, an organization affiliated with Xanterra Parks and Resorts. This business, which descended from the Fred Harvey Company, was known for years as the finest restaurant and travel accommodation company in the West.
Kelsheimer first learned of the Death Valley ride from a lifetime friend in Phoenix, Ariz., who made the arrangements. When Kelsheimer received instructions for the ride, they began by warning the participants that the ride would be difficult and said rider and mount must be in tip-top shape.
Kelsheimer is no stranger to horseback riding. He smiled when he recalled his first horse, Trixie.
"She was a sway-backed old mare my dad bought me for Christmas. He paid $27 for her," he said. "I was 8 years old."
Now Kelsheimer's favorite horse is Frosty, a beautiful palomino.
"Frosty is the smartest horse I've ever known," Kelsheimer said. "I ride him, rope off him, and use him to do tricks."
Because Frosty is a trick horse, he performed for the riders on the Death Valley ride one night. "We could not bring along his props," Kelsheimer said. "But he still could pray, and lay down, and take off people's hats."
The massive views and desert scenes on his ride are things Kelsheimer will never forget. "Photographs will never capture how large it (Death Valley) is," he added.
A wide variety of terrain was seen on the trip. There were big canyons, mountain ridges, desert, and some areas that looked like a moonscape. Riders even saw ice, and rode near snow once.
The trails go through some of the driest terrain in America and 20 miles of the trail actually follows the old Borax Mule Train route.
This five-day trail ride was in November so temperatures were not extremely hot.
"There was a cold spell this fall," Kelsheimer said. "The highs were about 60 and the lows in the 20s."
The trail was all in Death Valley National Park, and all areas of the park are not open to vehicular travel. So the number of miles traveled each day varied as the night stop had to be in places where the support crew could drive.
An interesting sidelight was the Teddy bear that rode in Kelsheimer's saddlebags on both Death Valley rides. It was in honor of his kid sister.
"She dreamed of doing something like this, but she died young," he explained.
"I'll be 77 years old in five years," Kelsheimer said, "but I told them I would like to go on the 55th Death Valley ride then."
Happy trails.
Robert Kelsheimer has ridden horses for as long as he can remember. But a recent thrill was a 125-mile ride across Death Valley.
This was the second time Kelsheimer has gone on this ride. This year was memorable because it was the 50th year for this annual ride. The Death Valley ride is sponsored by Equestrian Trails, an organization affiliated with Xanterra Parks and Resorts. This business, which descended from the Fred Harvey Company, was known for years as the finest restaurant and travel accommodation company in the West.
Kelsheimer first learned of the Death Valley ride from a lifetime friend in Phoenix, Ariz., who made the arrangements. When Kelsheimer received instructions for the ride, they began by warning the participants that the ride would be difficult and said rider and mount must be in tip-top shape.
Kelsheimer is no stranger to horseback riding. He smiled when he recalled his first horse, Trixie.
"She was a sway-backed old mare my dad bought me for Christmas. He paid $27 for her," he said. "I was 8 years old."
Now Kelsheimer's favorite horse is Frosty, a beautiful palomino.
"Frosty is the smartest horse I've ever known," Kelsheimer said. "I ride him, rope off him, and use him to do tricks."
Because Frosty is a trick horse, he performed for the riders on the Death Valley ride one night. "We could not bring along his props," Kelsheimer said. "But he still could pray, and lay down, and take off people's hats."
The massive views and desert scenes on his ride are things Kelsheimer will never forget. "Photographs will never capture how large it (Death Valley) is," he added.
A wide variety of terrain was seen on the trip. There were big canyons, mountain ridges, desert, and some areas that looked like a moonscape. Riders even saw ice, and rode near snow once.
The trails go through some of the driest terrain in America and 20 miles of the trail actually follows the old Borax Mule Train route.
This five-day trail ride was in November so temperatures were not extremely hot.
"There was a cold spell this fall," Kelsheimer said. "The highs were about 60 and the lows in the 20s."
The trail was all in Death Valley National Park, and all areas of the park are not open to vehicular travel. So the number of miles traveled each day varied as the night stop had to be in places where the support crew could drive.
An interesting sidelight was the Teddy bear that rode in Kelsheimer's saddlebags on both Death Valley rides. It was in honor of his kid sister.
"She dreamed of doing something like this, but she died young," he explained.
"I'll be 77 years old in five years," Kelsheimer said, "but I told them I would like to go on the 55th Death Valley ride then."
Happy trails.
