Horseback Adventure in Shawnee National Forest

It was Friday morning, the second day of camping in Shawnee National Forest. A group of 15 of us plus four guides were in the process of mounting horses for a four-hour expedition on horseback. Though I grew up with horses all my life, riding was not a big part of that experience.

Now Uncle John's family, my six children, and a few friends were milling among the horses, trying to find the right horse for the right people. The younger children were matched with the calmer, more trustworthy ones, which were among the smaller horses. I loved watching the sparkle in Hosanna's eyes as I showed her which would be her horse.

Five-year-old Joshua and I would ride one with a buddy seat. They brought a nice standard-breed gelding which looked like it could have some spirit, though it was trained to follow like all the other horses. Though riding was not something I had done a lot in the past, I was eager to give it a try. "What's the horse's name?" I asked as I swung over its back.

"Charlie Joe."

The lady in charge quickly adjusted the stirrups for a good fit, then handed Joshua up. He settled in behind me. At first he clung to my dress until he discovered he could hang onto the straps provided for the second rider. "Mom, I can use these," he said.

"Yes, do that. Hold on tight — you'll be fine."

As we waited for the rest of the group to get situated, Charlie Joe shifted this way and that. He was ready to go, and so was I.

After 20-30 minutes, we were all situated and ready to head out. The lead horse turned to go, and another lady in charge instructed me to follow. I turned back to watch the rest get into line. It was an awesome sight — best of all was observing my little ones, who were once babies, stepping up with their horses and being part of the expedition. There was Julia, who had Elijah on her buddy seat, Austin with his paint, then Hosanna and Jesse, who are both avid horsemen.

We followed Kim, who was on Jack, the lead horse, as we made our way out of camp where we were staying for two nights and onto trails which were all part of Shawnee National Forest.

"It's even more fun than I thought it would be!" Joshua declared.

At first, Charlie Joe was as good as could be. He seemed to enjoy it as much as we did. After a while, we stopped at a creek for the horses to drink water before heading on. Joshua and I dropped back in the line. At one point, one of the guides came up next to us with his horse, and as he did so, Charlie kicked at the guide's horse.

"Hold on, Joshua... Easy there, you're okay, Charlie."

Back on the path, he was still upset. He snorted a bit and made a lunge down the hill.

"Joshua, you've got muscles — use them," I instructed.

I do like horses with some zip and spunk, but with my youngster on the back, it was crowding the edge. He seemed to settle down as we headed on to where we planned to tie the horses and take a break for lunch.

At the designated resting spot, we dismounted. It felt good to stretch and go for a walk to the bluff where we planned to eat our picnic lunch. When we were finishing up our meal, one of the guide boys dared my nephew to jump into a mini pond from a rock above. To his amazement, Jalen took the dare, followed by most of the children and even three of the four guides! We cheered, made memories, and got to know the guides much faster than we thought we would. On the way back to the horses, they dried somewhat and were ready to go again.

Charlie Joe did well for the first part until he decided to again make a quick turn and kick at the mule and rider beside him. Joshua did well, though he was not exactly amused.

I decided I'd drop all the way back to the end of the line just to be safe, but Charlie was not in agreement. He would get upset and insist on going up ahead.

Someone suggested he might want to go up with Jack again, so I decided to give it a try. There he settled down. It was where he felt like he belonged.

We returned to the cabin four hours after our departure that morning. The children said they could keep riding on and on. I had enjoyed it very much but was ready to be back again.

The rest of the day passed pleasantly and swiftly. After dark, we roasted marshmallows over the fire and made s'mores and shared stories. I enjoy picnic meals, but at the top of the list ranked my sister-in-law's summer wraps. Your imagination will be the limit on what to add or omit to make it just right for you.

Summertime Wraps

Perfect for picnics, camping, or any outdoor adventure!

Ingredients

Flour tortillas (large size recommended)

Grilled chicken, diced

Black beans, drained and rinsed

Bacon, fried and crumbled

Shredded cheese (your favorite variety)

Onions, chopped

Bell peppers, diced

Sour cream

Salsa

Barbecue sauce

Instructions

Lay a flour tortilla flat on a clean surface.

Layer the ingredients in the center of the tortilla in this order:

Spread a thin layer of sour cream

Add diced grilled chicken

Sprinkle black beans

Add crumbled bacon

Top with shredded cheese

Add chopped onions and diced peppers

Drizzle with salsa and barbecue sauce to taste

Fold the bottom edge of the tortilla up over the filling, then fold in the sides and roll tightly to create a wrap.

Wrap each completed wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours before serving (this helps the wraps hold together better and allows flavors to blend).

Tips

Make ahead: These wraps are actually better when made a few hours in advance — they're less messy to eat and the flavors meld together beautifully.

Customize: Feel free to add or omit ingredients based on your preferences.

Serving: Remove plastic wrap and slice in half diagonally before serving for an attractive presentation.

Serves 4-6 people