Memorial Day Weekend Campout – Marandy Spur

The Altoona Trail Riders had a terrific campout at Marandy Spur over the Memorial Day Weekend. We had long rides in the morning and managed to get back in time to beat the rains. Hosts Andy and Marcia Michel had their place all decorated with flags and red, white and blue streamers everywhere.  Marcia had put up a bulletin board where we all could write the names of relatives and friends who have died in battle.  She wanted to make sure we did not forget what the weekend was all about.  Andy added a fancy chandelier to the eating area, enlarged the kitchen counter and  put in a redneck living room complete with big TV.  Mighty fancy place to camp and ride!

     We had Hawaiian shisk-ka-bobs for dinner Saturday night.  Everyone brought a dish to share and we had enough food to feed an army.  As for riding, Andy took us to some new places in the forest where we had not been before.  Sue Roger’s said it was like going to Tennessee.  We went up and down hills and got way up on top of a hill and could see all the way over to the Crystal River Power Plant.  It was an awesome view.  My GPS said we were 175 feet above sea level.  Not too high by Tennessee standards, but pretty high for Florida  The view was wonderful.  We rode past an old cemetery where we took a break to read some of the old tombstones.  And we had some great home-made cookies from Mary Lee Allen. 

     The men cooked breakfast for all the ladies on Sunday morning and the pancakes and sausage were darn good.  Except for the batch that Sue got.  Said it was tough as rubber.  And to prove it she taped one on her boot and walked around in it.  Did not tear the darn thing up one bit.  (Check out the photo on that one!) On Sunday afternoon, Sue asked to borrow Andy’s jeep and she and daughter Jordan, Margaret Shuman and Barbara Woodring took off into the forest for a spin.  Andy thought they were going out for a quiet ‘girlie’ ride in the forest.  He sometimes underestimates Sue.  They had had lots of rain, which meant lots of mud puddles.  He was getting nervous that they had gotten stuck out there somewhere. They had a great time mud-boggin’ in his jeep and came back several hours later pretty much unrecognizable!   It was a fabulous weekend.  I think we had as many dogs there as horses.  Camping for their very first time were Bella’s 3 week-old puppies; the result of our last campout at Marandy!  What happens with the dogs at Marandy, stays at Marandy…… and the pups all have good homes!