The leader of the pack on Wednesday morning is Ed Harshbarger, self-described as "one of the only real cowboys in Tombstone," who periodically interrupts the silence with one of his stories of his experiences living in a cowboy town.

Ed's friend, a fellow cowboy who calls himself "Wyoming" is along for the ride and to fill in the blanks in Ed's stories. And with Ed, there are always blanks.

The ride begins with the tough task of getting up onto the horse, which Ed makes appear as routine as tying shoelaces. To newcomers, however, it's not quite that simple.

After riders saddle their horse and mount up, the journey begins. Or at least it will begin when Digger decides he is ready.

Digger is a beautiful, black horse. Ed describes him as a "mutt" because he's a mix of about three different breeds. Among Digger's heritage is Arabian. He may only be three years old, but he is already Ed's top horse – and one of the most stubborn.

The first few minutes on a new horse can be difficult to say the least and that is the case with Digger. He decides that he wants to do his own thing.

"Show him who's boss," Ed yells. Easier said than done, especially for a first-time rider. A little kick to Digger doesn't do the job; time to put a little more force in it. The second kick has more power, and Digger races to catch up with his fellow horses.

Holding on for dear life is important at this point.

This isn't just any trail; Digger is trotting through history. Legendary Tombstone figures like Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday were regulars along these trails. The hills are lined with the spirits of fallen western warriors. Buried along the trails are Cochise, a former Apache chief, and Ed Schieffelin, Tombstone's founder.

As the group of three passes Schieffelin's Monument, the landmark prompts Ed to inform the outsider in the group about Tombstone's history, his second tale of the trip until this point. Ed's charisma is part of the entertainment on the ride.

Though the trails are loaded with historical relevance, it is soon discovered that the real draw of the trails is the landscape. The trail is full of rocks and sand; the area is broad and serene and hills surround everything.

The path up the hills is rocky, twisted and tough, but the effort is worth it once riders reach the peak. The view from the top of the hills is breathtaking, as open land is all that can be seen for miles.

The history of the trails is interesting and the landscape is beautiful, but the best part is the feeling of tranquility that comes with the fresh air.

The ride is soothing and relaxing once Digger has settled in and grown calm. It is impossible to be stressed in such a calm atmosphere.

It's been almost two hours and who knows how many miles. The trip has come to an end and Digger puts a little extra umph in his trot as he sees that he is approaching home.

In the end, the hardest part is leaving Digger because after two hours, a bond has formed.

The business side of sitting the saddle

Just last summer Ed Harshbarger was working in Colorado when a friend of his had the idea of moving to Tombstone to start up a trail-riding business.

His friend backed out but Harshbarger decided he would still go.

"I figured I could at least get out of the cold," Harshbarger said.

Harshbarger arrived in October and immediately began setting up his new business. With the trail riding season starting up he has stepped up his marketing. All over town, fliers can be found promoting his horse rides along trails that have seen the likes of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday.

Trails West offers many different options for families on vacations or even for local Tombstone residents.

Harshbarger is available for private rides, sunset rides, dinner wagon rides or non-specialty rides. The rides start at one hour and can last up to five hours. Stops along the trails include historical sites, old ghost towns and mine areas.

The rides aren't just historical, nature's beauty can be found all around.

The prices for rides start at $38 for one hour. A trail ride and dinner is $85. For reservations and questions, Ed Harshbarger and his employees can be reached at (520) 226-2512. Walk-ins are also always welcome.