6/22 Oberon snow then Canberra

It snowed the previous evening and part of the night, making the beautiful normative landscape into a beautiful snowy landscape. (Most of these pictures are taken by Beth).

Unfortunately, this was the first opportunity to go riding, the morning at least, since we were driving toward Canberra after lunch. So Jay, Kylie and Amy drove to High Country Trail Rides, on a wet, snowy morning. Even the very stout Percheron (what Percheron is not stout?) I was mounted on did not produce enough metabolic heat to keep me warm, unless I put my gloved hands directly on his back. I just about considered going bare back for the benefit of his radiated energy, but sitting in the saddle was challenge enough for one morning.

The riding was a pleasure. Pauline, of High Country Trail Rides was a very effective teacher and a safe manager, and walking through the woods, mounted on a strong horse for a dampened hour and a half broken only by chatting and conversation made a grand morning. Who can possibly finish riding without thinking to themselves, "I wish I had a horse!"

From Oberon we drove over highway 13 to ward Canberra. We passed Lake George, a lake very like Sumas Lake in BC, Canada which has been drained and is now farm land.

A short while later we sited the skyline of Canberra. Thinking back now, we wish we would have stayed an extra day In Canberra to see some of the historical records, monuments, government, etc. However, we were into the Canberra Motor Lodge in the evening (actually a permanent travel trailer with 2 bedrooms; comfy in a minimal-efficient way.