Ride The Long Beach: Eat The Ribeye!

Photos courtesy of MWmediaone

Nancy as Annie Oakley and Tucker show their ribbon-winning style

My “pardners“ and I make up the “Fab 4,” an equestrian riding team specializing in accurately portraying our female western heroes in parades. As Annie Oakley, Dale Evans, Belle Starr and Sacagawea, we recently won first place in the Equestrian Division in the Sandy, Oregon, parade this summer, part of the annual Sandy Mountain Festival. To celebrate our win, we headed for Long Beach, Washington for a few days to – what else?- ride horses!

No trailering or towing this trip; we gals left the horses at the barn but packed our boots, hats, jeans and bikinis, grabbed a few western- themed movies, and headed out to our friend Nancy’s vacation rental on Washington‘s enormous stretch of beach appropriately called “Long Beach.”

One of several beach towns along this Pacific coast peninsula, Long Beach boasts a small town feel, an old painted horse carousel, handmade ice cream shop, several good boutiques, a horse camp, antique shops, cranberry bogs, incredible oysters and crabs and great restaurants (Jimellas, The Depot, Shelbourne Inn). On alternate evenings we barbecued steaks on our condo lanai and ate plump pan- fried oysters at Jimellas, but you could do something really memorable and opt for our friend Josh Haug’s Back Country Wilderness Outfitters’ Ribeye Ride.

Yep, Back Country Wilderness Outfitters, known around these parts for their horseback rides on the beach, offers a really cool adventure/dining opportunity for you and your family or for a bunch of crazy cow gals like us. Located near the beach at the end of Sid Snyder Drive in Long Beach, mount up for a dinner ride on a sweet, smooth quarter horse or paint trained by Stephanie or Josh. One hour down the beach along the water’s edge, a 12 to 16oz USDA choice Ribeye steak is soon sizzling on the grill beachside in a secluded cove with your name on it . Grab a baked potato, some beans and a salad and sit right down to enjoy while your horses are tended to by your wrangler.

Even in the early-morning gray chill, the beach ride offered by Back Country Outfitters is a fantastic adventure

To top off your meal, fruit or a dessert is always offered as a sweet end to this delightful experience. Another hour along the beach heading back to the corral and you are riding into your own private sunset. Do not miss!

Reservations are a must for the Ribeye ride with discounts for couples and groups. Carriage tours of the beach towns of Seaview and Long Beach are available, as are hitch wagon rides on the beach and weddings, too! Some walk- up reservations available in the morning for the beach rides. Check out
www.longbeachhorserides.com and www.backcountryoutfit.com or call 360-642-2576 for more. Tell Stephanie and Josh the “Fab 4” said “ Howdy Pardner!”

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Michelle Moranha Winner
http://www.ifwtwa.org/public_profiles/michelle_winner
Vice President , IFWTWA, www.ifwtwa.org
Co-Chair Conferences and Media Trips
Member Society of Professional Journalists
Freelance writer, travel editor, photographer
www.culinarytraveler.com
office: 503-668-0107 ( PST)
MWmediaone@gmail.com