Just like home

I had such an awesome ride today, I am savoring the memory of it over and over, re-experiencing the bliss.

It's our watershed. I cannot resist it. It is completely forbidden to enter, there is a huge fence around it. I cannot help myself. I found a hole in the fence. (Just like I did the Cedar River Watershed back in Issaquah, WA.)

It is so much like home, because in Seattle's mountains, you ride all day and never see a soul, only wildlife. That is not the case in Germany, where Nordic walkers and dog walkers share the trail with horse people. I realized today that if I fell off, it would be weeks before my body was found, just like home.


Our watershed - the Grosse Duehnntalsperre - is an enormous manmade lake, where they say houses once stood, but there is no trace, just forested hills and deep green water. A jeep track runs around the shore of the entire thing. It is soft grass, and the perfect medium for us. When you enter that realm, you can see across the water to the other shore, like looking across Lake Washington back home, but you are the only one there. I found myself holding my breath, and holding the reins unrealistically tight. Baasha was fully alive, walking out happily, and I know he was wondering what my problem was. I would stop him every few minutes and just listen for a forest ranger vehicle. He'd give me my moment, and then impatiently proceed. He's not what you'd call a patient horse. I'd check the woods for a hiding place over and over. I found myself whispering to him, instead of talking. He has no idea why I act this way down there.


The thing is, since it's so strictly forbidden, I cannot stay long. It's like a personal dare - how many minutes can I walk along the water before it's too much and I have to turn around.

I made it 19 minutes today. We turned around and I let the reins go and Baasha walked out, covering the same distance in 10.

The place is untouched. We saw many pairs of geese, and their odd noises scared me a little. They're different geese here.

It was so pristine, I know that if and when I'm caught, it will be worth the money I'll have to pay.

Afterwards I gave Baasha 4 sliced nectarines and some muffins, and said "Thank you."

Here is one of the maps you see as you circle the talsperre on allowed trails. Has anyone figured out where we live on this map?

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PS - The photos on this entry were taken from tourism sites for my city. I sure hope that is OK with my city.