What this Ole Cowgirl Thinks

   This is what this ole cowgirl thinks,

As I look around, watching, listening to all the things happening in our world today I sit here with pride and at the same time shaking my head.
  I see the good and evil. I see the greed and the helping hands. Folks walking through high waters to save strangers and at the same time I see folks offended by the past, a color, or just about anything they don't agree with. We really need to see a lot more helping hands and doing better than offended. I'm pretty sure that just offended someone somewhere.

  How this ole cowgirl sees it is like this, all you folks who are offended by anything you don't agree with and only see the bad side might want to think about this.
If you want to see just how bad you got it, hit rock bottom see how many helping hands pull you up. If you have just one you are rich my friend. Drop a tear and see who wipes it away. Even if its just one hand you are still rich my friend. This ole cowgirl really thinks its time for all of us to step back, slow things down just a bit. Start looking around at what you have and how far you have came.

  Everything and every person is not evil. Start working on you before you start in on others. Start looking for ways to help, not hurt. Just because you don't like something doesn't make you right. Ask yourself this, Why are you offended? Why are you taking this personally? Because someone said you should be? Learn to think for yourself with an open mind. What this world needs is open hearts , open minds and closed mouths. There is nothing wrong with standing up  for what you believe in but make sure you are not just following a herd of mindless sheep.
 But at the same time a person's most useful asset is not a head full of knowledge or a bank account full of money, but an ear ready to listen, a hand ready to help and an open heart full of love. Try and listen to both sides. You really might want to think about that the next time you try and judge someone. And we are all guilty of judging someone in someway.

   If you have never rode the saddle they are riding or walked that fence in their boots then you might want to think and listen before you speak.

     That's what this ole cowgirl thinks...

Don't be a Ghost Rider

Dear Ghost Rider,

  Well here goes, I know this post is going to make some folks mad but it needs to be said. I'm going to address horseback riding and camping. This can go for anywhere you ride not just Uwharrie. This is for all you "ghost riders"

   Folks at this point you are wondering what a ghost rider is. Well a ghost rider is someone who rides horses, pays very little if at all to ride and / or leaves a mess. This mess could be as simple as leaving horse manure in the parking lots for day rides or throwing your trash on trails , leaving your trash, hay and manure at a campsite when you leave. Why do you think this is ok?? These are the very same folks who complain  about the rules, trails closing or complain campsites are not to their liking. I mean really?
  Here's the deal, its up to everyone to save our trails. Its up to everyone to keep our campsites and trails open and clean.
  I went camping the other week in Uwharrie National Forest outside of Troy, NC. I was going to park in primitive camping. When I got there it was full!! I then took a chance to see if any sites would be open in Canebrake Horse Camp. Well I thought it would be full after seeing how full primitive was. Boy was I wrong. Now I know folks park in primitive for all kinds of different reasons. Just keep reading.. Canebrake to my surprise was about empty! I really didn't understand this. So I went and started asking questions. Why is Canebrake empty? Canebrake has everything you need. Full hookups, water for horses, bath houses and nice campsites. Then I realized why. It hit me like a slap in the face. Canebrake is not free and the host will make you follow the rules.
  Before you folks get fighting mad keep reading. You know what I'm saying is true. You can come up with a hundreds of reasons but you know this is true too.

Primitive camping at Uwharrie

   I got to say I'm guilty of this myself. Thinking I can park at Heathen Camp for free and do what I want too. Who cares. Well it hit me that weekend. I realized that this is not a good way to think.  Here is the thing, if you don't pay at Canebrake the state of NC doesn't know you ride there. They don't know you use the trails. What they do hear about is the trash, trash on the trails and no money coming in to help. They get calls about the host being a bad person and trash everywhere. Why keep the place open? Why put money into a place to fix trails? Fix camping? To even mow? Think about this because its an idea we all need to look into. Did you know 4wheelers put more money into Uwharrie? Well they do. 4Wheeler riders pay for a day pass or a yearly pass. That puts more money into Uwharrie. Horse riders do what? Pay to camp at Canebrake? Not if the place is empty. we don't have passes like that. But we need them. Did you know we could lose the right to ride at Uwharrie? We could if folks don't start doing their part. Now folks are sitting there going why should I pay to park in primitive? Well, Do you use the trails? Do you camp? Do you go to Canebrake to get water? To use the bath house? Why do you think you should not pay??
 
  There is a great group of folks working hard to save your trails and your right to ride. They are try to be your voice. They are the Back Country Horseman of Uwharrie but they need your help. You want better trails, better campsites, better marked trails? Well folks get out and help and pay. Its going to take us all. Because if all you do is camp at primitive and ride, and never clean up after your horse or your self you my friend are a " Ghost Rider"

You can pay fees at this box
in Canebrake. It even tells you
what to pay.

   Its time we all get involved with all our trails. See how we can help. Yes I'm even talking to myself.
Let's get the whole horseback riding world involved. Let's fill Canebrake, lets tell the ranger we are here to help do our part. Let's see if we can do a yearly pass or day pass. Until then go to Canebrake and get a pay envelope and pay for  primitive its not going to hurt you. Show them we are here. Show the rangers we can do just like the hikers, bikers, and 4wheelers. Let them hear your VOICE! This goes for anywhere you ride. We either use it or lose it. Its really that simple.

                           Sincerely,
      A fellow trailrider who is from this point on
             going to do their part.