The weather for the annual Limon Western Festival Trail Ride on June 13 was absolutely perfect as more than 100 riders set out from River Bend Ranch in eastern El Paso County on the 17th annual ride. This year’s ride was all on private ranch trails.

Riders traversed rolling sand hills to views of Pikes Peak on the western horizon. At about 11:30am under the shade of old cottonwood trees, they stopped for lunch on the Lasater Ranch in Matheson. The home cooked food and shade were much appreciated, as the horses grazed on the lush grass.

After lunch the riders mounted back up, joined by more riders who chose to ride only the afternoon trail, and they set off to return to the River Bend Ranch where they unsaddled their horses and enjoyed a catered beef barbecue dinner.

Following dinner, the Ride Director Don Bailey introduced the Lincoln County Fair Queen and her Aide and several of the local dignitaries and then introduced Roger Stone who sang old time cowboy songs while accompanying himself on his guitar.

Some folks elected to camp out for the night at the ranch, while others loaded their horses in trailers for the drive home. Everyone, however, had lots of happy memories of their day on the trail.