“Shaken, not stirred.” – James Bond

This edition of “Musings…” is being presented by David, as he goes full Country Boy. Mightily shaken, but not terribly stirred. This, after what amounted to an almost three-hour adventure in Chapala’s vibrant back countryside trails. Not on horseback as is Sergio’s custom, but riding shotgun in an ATV. He’s been wanting to share the beautiful scenery that he encounters on his weekly rides with me. And any chance he gets to shake me out of my comfort zone … count him in.

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Not being much of a horseback fan, the next best thing was a vehicle tour to shake my booty and get my bronco on. Sally, leader of Sergio’s riding group, Trailblazers of Chapala, was gracious enough to lend her rugged and mighty off-road ATV. Sergio’s nickname for it: Beastie.

We began the morning visiting with Sergio’s new buddy, Azabache (Jet), a beautiful boy, at the horse stables. The other “jet”, Beastie, stood by, awaiting his mounts.

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What can I say? Letting my guard down as a JAP/City Boy was vital and paramount to the success of this wild adventure. We’re neck-deep into the muddy, wet rainy season at Lakeside and the “roads” are mini-ponds in many places. Believe me, this was no Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride at Disney’s Fantasyland.

Thankfully, Sergio decided against driving hog-wild for my sake (and possibly his); if not for me, he’d have gone racing madly through whatever came his way at breakneck speed. Being totally caked in mud would not have been a pretty sight and my idea of a fun day. He’s a smart man!

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Luckily, my fashionista smarts stayed home and my rugged, outdoorsy persona took over (HA!); wearing comfy flannel, old jeans, a baseball cap, and hiking boots. My Timberland’s say it all, with a shoe flap that reads: “Outdoor Performance” and boy oh boy, was this the be-all and end-all performance; a joy ride, for sure; continuously splish-splashing through the glorious muck and yuck. Quietly, the JAP inside me was cursing, “What the M#%&k!” and OY VEY! Hang in there, Davey boy.”

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The cool, overcast morning made for perfect weather conditions and the moody clouds created marvelous vistas of mountains, the lake and cornfields (everywhere!), and newly planted agave (Tequila!). There were greenhouses full of tomatoes; cows, goats, sheep, horses, and chickens dotted the landscape and the verdant farmlands of this rural area lying on the outskirts of Chapala.

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We did detour into civilization, quickly zooming through the small pueblo, Santa Cruz de la Solidad, truly an authentic Mexican village. Normally, Sergio & his posse would stop in at the local cafe for some respite, but looking like a ragged mudpuppy, we zipped by, waving at the villagers.

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Not quite sure about taming the beast, but the morning ride was better than an Indiana Jones Adventure!

The verdict: AWESOME! But, wait, something else comes to my mind …

Green Acres is the place to be.
Farm livin’ is the life for me.
Land spreadin’ out so far and wide
Keep Manhattan, just give me that countryside.

New York is where I’d rather stay.
I get allergic smelling hay.
I just adore a penthouse view.
Dah-ling I love you but give me Park Avenue.

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source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/tvthemes/greenacreslyrics.html