A Ride in the Fog

One November day I headed to the local equestrian park with my trusty Appaloosa, Whistler. It was about 3:00 in the afternoon when we arrived, cold but sunny. I saddled up and we headed out on our ride. Then I started getting worried about what time the park closed. I'd failed to look at the sign when I drove in. In the summer months it closed at sunset, but in the winter was 5:00 or 6:00. Campbell Valley Park has several entrances and 3 parking areas. Two are for hikers, the lot I parked in was larger to accomodate truck and horse trailer rigs. The Shaggy Mane Trail is 7 miles around the park. Around the 3 mile mark I met up with 2 women riding in the opposite direction, but no one else was in the park that day. Shortly after I passed the 2 riders it started getting foggy. I pushed on. It got foggier. It started sacking in pretty good. The trail is wide, mostly hog fuel. I knew as long as I didn't leave the trail I'd be OK. it would eventually bring me back to the parking lot. I was about a mile away - there are sign posts marking the mileage - and I could barely see 10 feet. Now this was getting spooky. Someone could be hiding in the fog near me and I wouldn't see them. I finally crested a hill and knew I was on the downward path to the parking lot. If it wasn't foggy I'd be able to see the lot, my truck and trailer, the riding arena and barn. As I entered the lot a truck and horse trailer drove past me. The two ladies I'd run into on the trail an hour earlier. Oddly enough a woman had just got out of her car and was walking her dog, heading up the trail. It was 5:00. What time did the caretaker come by to lock the gates? There was a van in the parking lot, engine running. What were those people up to? I didn't stick around to find out. I unsaddled my horse, loaded him into the trailer, and drove out of there quickly. Normally I brush the horse down first, but I was finding the fog way to spooky to stick around in. As I drove out of the park I glanced at the opening hours. The park is closed at 5. The gates weren't locked yet. I hoped that woman wasn't planning to walk her dog too long.