Cataloochee

Trigger and I went riding with our friend MMw and a group of his friends yesterday. We left the barn at 5:30 am and hit the road for Cataloochee, NC. These are the woods right before we rode into them...
Here we are after a few hours of riding... Trigger was SO GOOD all day! I was very proud of him. He climbed hills, crossed rivers, walked on rocks, and exhibited remarkable courage and composure when faced with the elk! There were elk everywhere, and they were in rut, which makes them dangerous.. but we made it (despite one semi-close call) and it was an amazing day!!
Here's "the posse".. Don't they look like something out of a western movie? What a great bunch of guys!
THIS is how close we were to the elk! This one is marking his territory by tearing up the ground. We also saw some females running away from the males. They had a baby elk with them that was adorable! But I couldn't get a picture of them.. we were busy retreating from the bellowing male that was chasing them! These animals are almost as big as Trigger... and that's not counting their antlers! I would NOT want to attract one's attention!

When they are in season (like yesterday) the males make a bugling sound that really sounds like a woman screaming or maybe like a 2-year-old throwing a massive, screeching fit. (To quote Bobby, "I b'lieve that'un has done got in touch with his feminine side!")
After the ride, we all stopped for a delicious steak dinner at Binion's in Hendersonville. Our waitress asked how it was that I was the only lady with the group of guys. I said "Just lucky I guess!" They seemed to like that okay.. I got invited back next time at least. :-)

Today: Counseling appointment #2, Buying invitations - Round 2, and Planning the Rehearsal Dinner at the Hyatt.. followed by an FSU game watching party (mmm, chicken wings..!)