Blue Mountain Gallop Update

["Brickson" <brickson@delanet.com>]

We welcome riders to the Blue Mountain Gallop in SE PA near Summit Station
this Sunday.  (Sat 3pm vetting-in at the *outskirts* of the parking area
because it is a horse show grounds with 4-Hers in progress in the ring.)
HEre are important details for those planning on just showing up without
telling me (but I need to know, so please call)!

WEATHER update for Auburn area (near VC2/3) from the Weatherchannel.com:
High 85F, partly cloudy day.

TRAIL  This is a challenging ride with some sparsely shady movin'-out places
at first and also a slow going through a somewhat rocky 0.8 mile section at
about mile 3 as you are climbing gradually to 1400 ft above Base.  After
going through some light low brush a mile before reaching the dirt road top
of the Blue Mountain, there are some really nice galloping sections on a
straight, mostly sandy wide gravel base.  Watch for a pipe gate across the
road, though.  There are a couple half-mile sections of new 1in. gravel
usually on the hills.  After that, there are some really nice shady dirt
roads in the hemlocks.  There is a really steep downhill on the far end of
the loop that will be done twice.

VC are both out from Base but reachable by car on single-lane for VC2/3.

WATER  Throughout the Ride there are 8-10 places, either troughs at checks
or running mountain streams to cross, but only one small ditch up on the
mountain's dirt road, in a 10 mile section.  You'll have to look for it
going under the road in a pipe culvert.  I plan to mark it Friday with lime
spots on the ground leading up to it.

ACCOMODATIONS  The campground which is 3-4 min. down the same road from the
Horse Show grounds Ride base is taking reservations for the 5 rear sites now
for those who must arrive before Sat.  The Christmas Pines, 570-366-8866,
$19/night, no grass.  I haven't yet been able to reach the show grounds for
permission for camping other than Saturday night, which of course we did
arrange for way in advance.  The show grounds has a padlocked gate during
the week.  As soon as I get a reply to my plea for this from the show
grounds I'll let the people who have requested know.

That means if you want to come early you MUST let me know.
Brickson@delanet.com
610/489-1419

Bridget
Jeff and Bridget Brickson