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Icelandic Vinka,

I am creating a post just for you because you keep leaving the same kinds of comments on my blog posts and you don't seem to be coming back to read my replies to your comments. I would leave a reply on your blog or send you an e-mail, but you have chosen to keep your profile private so I am not able to contact you except through my own blog. If you would bother to check back on your comments, you would be able to see my replies, like on the 29th when you said this:

"What great pictures as usual! Seems like this trio are a great riding team! I do worry about you all out there just the three of you though... are you "prepared" for mountain lions or surprise encounters with those not so nice I hope?

And this was my reply to you:
6/29/2012 7:02 PM Laughing Orca Ranch said...No need to worry about us, Ice. I can guarantee that we are very prepared for those 'situations' ;)

And now today you leave this comment:
"Lisa,I just love your pictures. This one of you at 10K plus feet and the stone structure is amazing! I love that! But I hope that at least one of you or your friends has a nice leather scabbard on that saddle with a nice shot gun or rifle tucked inside just in case of BEAR/MOUNTAIN LION encounters! "

and then you left this comment:
"Lisa,Love the pictures and the one of you next to the stone structure is amazing! Love that! I sure hope that one of you girls has a scabard and a nice shot gun in it JUST IN CASE OF BEAR/MOUNTAIN LION etc... that is a long way away from civilization..."

Now, since you keep bringing this up and it obviously is such a major concern for you, I will get more specific...with the hopes that you will take the time to come back here and actually read this.

First of all, where we were riding may be National Forest and Wilderness, but that term is used lightly around here. We can be in civilization is less than 20 minutes at any time, either by driving, or by taking the tram down from the top of the Sandia Crest. And there is a heli-pad at the top for any extreme emergencies. There are emergency phones placed along the Crest Road, and there are more than 10 picnic/parking/trailhead areas all along the center of the Sandia Mountains. Forest Rangers are very active in the Sandia Mountains and at the top there is the Crest House, the Sandia Peak Restaurant and the Tramway Station.

Yes, there are mountain lions and black bears in the National Forest and Wilderness area, but they avoid humans at all costs. I have a friend that has hiked and camped in the Sandias for over 45 years, logging in countless hours and miles, and he has never once seen a mountain lion nor a black bear. And I have hiked in the Sandias for almost 20 years and I've not seen a bear or mountain lion either.

But that doesn't mean we don't come prepared for our safety, as well as our horses' safety. Besides the normal 'making lots of noise to alert bears and lions', we also carry bear spray and a .357.

I disagree with your suggestion that we carry a rifle in a scabbard on our horse's backs. A rifle or shotgun is a not a good weapon to carry on a heavily populated mountain, on horseback.
Besides the unnecessary weight and cumbersome quality of a rifle, a rifle is difficult to wield inside the confines of a tent (if we were planning on horse camping). And, if a black bear (or wacko dude) is coming at you like a freight train, it's doubtful you will have adequate time to shoulder the weapon, settle the sights and start shooting accurately. You are probably not even going to manage to get one shot off.

So, thanks for your dire warnings, and your excessive worrying, but we do believe we are more than prepared for riding our horses in the National Forest.