My work in Florida concluded on April 5th and although I loved it, I was ready for the next adventure. Steve manned the 17-hour road trip from Wellington, Florida to Middleburg, Virginia with only a few pit stops including but not limited to: The Waffle House, the welcome centers for South and North Carolina (respectively) and the Cracker Barrel Restaurant and Country Store (sad excuse for southern cooking). We were warmly greeted, however late, by the Alcock family near Middleburg. I worked for Daphne Alcock in Florida on the horse show circuit and we got along with ease. Her three adorable daughters and chipper English husband are probably the nicest people you'd ever meet. Literally.

We stayed a couple short days in Virginia while we visited friends (horse people) and sorted out the details of our coming travels. Daphne and I took two of her show horses (two of the three I worked with in Florida) out on a trail ride into the green, rolling hills of Virginia's countryside. It was breathtaking. I rode her grand prix horse Piedmont "Piedy" or "Peter" as I like to call him and she rode the 6-year-old mare Corifee Z or "Fee Fee." She is an amazing jumper. We walked up and down hills talking about this and that, occasionally trotting up a steep hill. This really keeps them fit, but we were just strolling along. We were so distracted by our stroll that we almost missed some action in the woods nearby. I thought I was seeing someone (a very large someone) sleeping on the ground under a pink blanket outside a parked truck when in fact it turned out to be two people who were not sleeping at all. We were so appauled and embarrased that we quickly turned our horses around and retreated. I don't think the horizontal dancing duo even noticed us. It was quite an end to what had begun as a beautiful trail ride.

We spent Easter Sunday eating with the Alcock family and enjoying the normal and family-friendly atmosphere. It was nice to be a part of it.

On our last day we were lucky enough to ride horses with the Alcock girls at their grandmother's farm, which is quaintly a pasture's walk from their own log cabbin in the woods. And by "we" I mean both Steve and I. I rode Haley's large pony who is well on his way to becoming a handsomly fancy hunter and Steve rode him when I was done. Despite the fact that I shamefully allowed him to jump my right knee into a standard, I had a great time. Steve rode him after me and trotted for the first time! He has a natural position and was brave enough to take a stab at posting the trot. Despite the laziness of his steed he did very well. We caught it on video. ;)

Early the morning of the 10th Steve and I got into Graham's work truck (he is a horse dentist) and he took us to the airport on his way to his first equine mouth of the day. We said our goodbyes and hopped on a Washington D.C.-bound bus. We had just one day to explore the great capitol and we were determined to do so.