EHSC -- I'm baaaaaack......

[Merryben@aol.com]

I feel human enough now to write my end of the story.  Karen and others have 
written about the ride and how great it was.  I have to write about my 
perspective of the ride, which is mostly thank yous.

I was terrified to ride and came close to not getting on the horse in the 
morning.  And to set the record straight, it was Karen's defective step 
ladder that I fell off of.  When Karen said that by the look on my face 
coming into lunch, she thought I was thinking about stopping she probably 
meant not so much the look on my face as the tears.  Anyway, she and Trilby 
absolutely refused to even consider my not finishing this ride and they were 
right.  I have to beat Heather Bergantz to 8000 miles and she is right behind 
me.  The second loop was much better.  Of course, the drugs probably helped a 
lot.  Living well through chemistry or whatever General Electric used to say.

Here goes the thank you list and I hope I did not miss anyone.  Jackie 
Bumgardner for putting on the ride with the original wonderful and beautiful 
trail I last rode a long time ago. Bing Voight for endles moral support; 
Julie Suhr, who I could not face calling to tell her that I did not finish so 
I had to keep going; Robert Ribley for checking my cinch at 5:00 a.m. and 
offering to get on the horse first if I was nervous; Traci Falcone for 
lending me her bridle at lunch [I still have it and really will give it 
back]; and the greatest crew in the world, John and Libby Bass and Libby's 
two little friends from Beatty Nevada.  They actually brought my mounting 
steps to the vet check.  They were wonderful and without them I probably 
would not have made it.  Trilby also never gives up or lets you give up.  
When we came across the meadow with 5 minutes to go, we could not see the 
riders at the banquet because of the trees but they could see us and we heard 
them yelling and whistling and cheering.  That was great.  And last to Karen 
Chaton and Dream Weaver.  Thank you Karen.  Without you and Weaver I would 
still not have done a 50 again.   You are the best.......Maryben