TEVIS PROTEST AND WARNING TO FUTURE RIDERS

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

DEBBIE EKHAML DEKARAB@HOME.COM
OK RIDECAMPERS, BEFORE YOU LIGHT THE FLAMETHROWERS AND ENGAGE IN ANOTHER BLOODBATH, I HOPE YOU PUT YOURSELF IN MY SHOES AND THINK HOW YOU WOULD FEEL IF THIS HAPPENED TO YOU.  I AM FILING A PROTEST WITH THE WSTF AND AERC OVER 3 ISSUES THAT OCCURRED DURING THE TEVIS 2000 AND ENCOURAGE THE OTHERS INVOLVED TO DO THE SAME.  THE FIRST IS THE FACT THAT A NEW SECTION OF TRAIL WAS 
ADDED BETWEEN DUSTY CORNERS AND PACIFIC MINE SLAB AND THE MILEAGE WAS (ADMITTED BY RIDE OFFICIALS) NEVER VERIFIED.  IT WAS 
LISTED AS 3.4 MILES, BUT THOSE OF US THAT RODE THIS YEAR KNOW IT
WAS CLOSER TO 7 OR 8.  THE CUTOFF TIMES WERE NEVER ADJUSTED MEANING YOU HAD TO RIDE A FURTHER DISTANCE IN THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME.  UPON REACHING PACIFIC MINE, THE "TROT THROUGH" CHECK HAD
BEEN CHANGED TO A FULL VET CHECK.  THIS WAS A VET DECISION BASED
ON A NUMBER OF HORSES GETTING INTO TROUBLE.  I HAVE NO PROBLEM
WITH THAT, BUT WE WERE NEVER TOLD THIS COULD HAPPEN.  TO COMPOUND
THE PROBLEM, THE VETS THERE HAD TO TREAT A METABOLIC CRASH AND THE LINE WAS 23 HORSES DEEP. THIS CAUSED A SUBSTANTIAL DELAY. WE FINALLY DEPARTED AND UPON REACHING DEVILS THUMB, WERE TOLD BY VOLUNTEERS TO HURRY AND WATER OUR HORSES AS WE ONLY HAD 25 MINUTES TO GO 2 1/2 MILES TO DEADWOOD.  WE TOOK OFF AT A GALLOP
AND TROTTED HARD MAKING IT. THE SECOND ISSUE AROSE WHEN WE WERE HANDED OUR IN CARDS, WE WERE TOLD WE HAD A 30 MINUTE EXTENSION DUE TO THE PACIFIC MINE BACKUP.  SO MUCH FOR KILLING OUR HORSES TO GET THERE IN TIME. LATER WE HEARD THIS WAS A DECISION MADE BY THE VET. WE NEVER COULD GET AN ANSWER IF THIS EXTENSION WOULD BE EXTENDED TO THE NEXT CHECKS AND CONTINUED ON TO MICHIGAN BLUFF. ENROUTE, WE ENCOUNTERED THE WOMAN WHOS' HORSE HAD GONE OVER THE CLIFF.  WE COULD NOT SEE OR HEAR IT, NOR COULD SEE HOW IT COULD HAVE SURVIVED THE FALL.  IT WAS SUBSTANTIAL.  AFTER MAKING SURE SHE WAS OK, AND ASSURING HER WE WOULD TELL OFFICIALS AT THE NEXT CHECK, WE CONTINUED TO MB. AS WE ARRIVED WE WERE TOLD THE VET CHECK WAS CLOSED.  ARGUEMENTS ENSUED ABOUT THE TIME EXTENSION. 
GRANTING IT AT ONE CHECK AND NOT THE NEXT REALLY DEFEATED IT'S
PURPOSE.  WE WERE GRANTED THE EXTENSION, BUT WERE TOLD THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE AT FORESTHILL.  WE DECIDED WE WOULD TRY AND CONFIRM THIS AS THERE WAS NO REASON TO KILL OUR HORSES(AGAIN)IF THEY WERE GOING TO PULL US.  WE HAD 1 HOUR TO GO THE 6.1 MILES THROUGH VOLCANO CANYON.  ALTHOUGH WE WERE TOLD IT WOULD TAKE JUST A MINUTE, NO ONE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON AND 15 MINUTES LATER THEY TOLD US NO.  WE RODE TO FORESTHILL, NOT MAKING THE CUTOFF AND THEREFORE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO CONTINUE.  THEN I FOUND OUT FROM A
WITNESS THAT UP TO 10 RIDERS WERE ALLOWED THROUGH THE CLOSED
GATE AND SOME WENT ON TO COMPLETE(THE THIRD ISSUE)THE WAY WE WERE
TREATED BY RIDE MANAGEMENT THROUGHTOUT THIS WAS INEXCUSABLE.
ADMITTEDLY I WAS ANGRY AT MICHIGAN BLUFF,  BUT WE COULDN'T GET AN ANSWER FROM ANYONE AND WERE TOLD "WE SHOULD HAVE RIDDEN 
FASTER" I WAS 1 HOUR AHEAD OF THE CUTOFF TIME COMING OUT OF ROBINSON AND DID RIDE (AND RUN & TAIL) HARD. LAST TIME I CHECKED
WE HAD 24 HOURS TO FINISH, BUT BELIEVE ME IF YOU ARE IN THE BACK OF THE PACK, YOU ARE TREATED DIFFERENTLY.  MY CREW MEMBER HEARD
DEROGATORY REMARKS MADE ABOUT THIS GROUP AT A CHECKPOINT.  WE ASKED DIDN'T THEY HAVE RADIOS OR PHONES BETWEEN THE CHECKPOINTS
TO KEEP TRACK OF WHAT WAS GOING ON AND WERE TOLD "THIS IS PIONEER
COUNTRY, WE DON'T HAVE THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WORK UP HERE" I WAS ALSO RIDICULED WHEN I MADE A REMARK THAT RIDES IN MY REGION ARE NEVER RUN LIKE THIS. "OH, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA" WITH A TONE OF LA DEE DA.  THE VET CHECK FOOD SITUATION WAS EXACTLY AS TAMMY ROBINSON DESCRIBED.  MY HORSE WAS SO HUNGRY, HE WAS GRABBING AT PINE TREES AS WE WALKED BY.  WHEN I ASKED FOR SOME WATER AT DUSTY
CORNERS I WAS HANDED A 16 OZ. BOTTLE OUT OF AN ICE CHEST.  WHEN I
STARTED TO DRINK IT, ANOTHER VOLUNTEER TOLD ME I COULDN'T HAVE THE WHOLE THING!!I CARRY 5 BOTTLES BUT WAS DOWN TO 1 BECAUSE BETWEEN DUMPING THEM ON MY HORSE (THERE WASN'T ENOUGH WATER FOR
HIM EITHER) AND DRINKING IT SINCE IT WAS HOT AND I WAS OFF RUNNING, I WAS OUT.  THEN IT TURNS OUT TO BE OVER 2 TIMES THE LISTED DISTANCE TO THE NEXT CHECK!  THERE WERE ONLY 4 PORTA POTTIES IN ALL OF ROBIE PARK AND THE 4 AT ROBINSON FLAT WERE ALL
FULL TO THE SEATS WITH NO PAPER.  THIS WAS AT 1130AM. AT THE FAIRGROUNDS LATER, WE WERE GIVEN THE TOTAL RUNAROUND TRYING TO FIND DALE LAKE, (THIS YEARS MANAGER AND THE ONE THAT REVOKED THE EXTENSION).  WE WERE TOLD OUR PROTEST "would have no teeth" UNLESS WE COULD IDENTIFY THE PERSON WHO GRANTED THE EXTENSION, WHO TOLD US WE HAD ONE ETC. WHEN I FINALLY TRACKED DOWN MR. LAKE THE NEXT MORNING AND WANTED TO KNOW WHY THE 30 MINUTES WAS REVOKED HE REPLIED "YOU HAD BETWEEN MIGHIGAN BLUFF AND FORESTHILL TO MAKE IT UP".  I EXPLAINED MAKING UP THAT TIME IN A 6.1 MILE CANYON THAT I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH WASN'T REALLY TAKING CARE OF MY HORSE LIKE WAS PREACHED AT US BY THE VETS AT THE PRE-RIDE MEETING WAS IT? HIS ONLY RESPONSE WAS HE HAD A MEETING TO GO TO AN WALKED OFF.  HE STATED HE WANTED A 70% COMPLETION AT THE PRE-RIDE,BUT IF THAT HAPPENED THEY WOULDN'T HAVE ENOUGH BUCKLES, HA HA.  THEY COULD CARE LESS WHETHER YOU COMPLETE OR TAKE CARE OF YOUR HORSE.  I COULD GO ON ABOUT OTHER THINGS LIKE THIS THAT OCCURRED, BUT IT WOULD BE TOO LONG.  AS IT IS I'VE KEPT IT TO THE MINIMUM. SOUR GRAPES? MAYBE TO SOME, BUT MY HORSE HAD GREAT VET SCORES AND LOOKED FABULOUS AT FORESTHILL.  I BROUGHT HIM UP 3 WEEKS PRIOR AND KEPT HIM AT FORESTHILL TO PRE-RIDE THE LAST 30 MILES.  I KNEW HOW LONG THAT STRETCH TOOK AND WE COULD HAVE MADE IT BY 5:15(CUTOFF TIME THIS YEAR)IF WE HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO CHECK THROUGH. I ADDITIONALLY HIKED INTO SWINGING BRIDGE AND COUGAR ROCK TO CHECK THOSE AREAS OUT.  WE DESERVED A COMPLETION OR AT LEAST THE CHANCE FOR ONE.  WHY DIDN'T THE MANAGEMENT JUST SAY WE HAD TO FINISH BY 5:15 AND MAKE UP THE TIME ALONG THE WAY?  THOSE WHO KNOW ME KNOW I AM NOT A BACK OF THE PACK RIDER.  WE NEVER FINISHED WORSE THAN 13TH IN 7 LARGE LD RIDES (WITH 1 BC)AND HAVE 
BEEN IN THE TOP 30% OF ALL ENDURANCE RIDES WE'VE DONE.  I'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR 3 YEARS SO WHILE I'M A NOVICE TO TEVIS, NOT THE SPORT. I'VE BEEN A COMPETITIVE RUNNER FOR 20+ YEARS AND AM ABOUT TO DO MY 3RD RIDE AND TIE SO I KNOW HOW TO PACE AND JUDGE MILEAGE. I ALSO TAKE CARE OF MY HORSE! THAT IS WHY WE HAVE A 100% COMPLETION RECORD. UNTIL NOW. I RODE HIM AT A PACE I KNEW WE WOULD COMPLETE WITHOUT HURTING HIM. THIS IS WHAT IT SHOULD BE ABOUT. THIS WHOLE THING WAS TOTALLY POLITICAL
AND REMINDED ME OF A "GOOD OLD BOYS" CLUB.  YES, I WANT TO GO BACK AND GET WHAT WE DESERVED THIS YEAR.  ON THE UP SIDE, THE 
START WAS CHANGED AND MUCH BETTER.  THE TRAIL WAS MORE SPECTACULAR (AND DANGEROUS) THAN I HOPED FOR AND I CAN SEE WHY 
PEOPLE DO IT OVER AND OVER.  FOR EVERY BAD THING, THERE WAS A GOOD ONE.  THE VETS WERE REALLY GREAT(THANK YOU DR. GOSS FOR CATCHING MY HORSES PROBLEM SO FARRIER STEVE COLLINS COULD FIX IT BEFOREHAND ALLOWING ME TO AT LEAST EXPERIENCE 70 MILES)IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO HEAR SOME OTHER PERSPECTIVES FROM RIDERS. THERE
IS ALOT OF ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT OVER THIS YEAR. TO THOSE WHO MADE IT, I ENVY YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS!  NOT COMPLETING BECAUSE I OR MY HORSE HAD A PROBLEM IS ONE THING, BUT TO NOT BE ABLE TO COMPLETE UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES MAKES ME SICK. BE AWARE FUTURE
NEW RIDERS, THE RULES CAN CHANGE AT ANY TIME.  WE'LL BE BACK!
DEBBIE AND DAKOTA'S GOLD (NOT COMPLETERS, BUT WINNERS JUST THE SAME)GO EASY ON THE FLAMING; IT WAS ALMOST 100 DEGREES HERE TODAY!