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RideCamp@endurance.net
Day 35, 2001 XP
Hello from Dry Creek, Nevada. We're probably outside of Austin about 50
miles or so, camped on the pony trail, at the sight of Bezetal's grave. We
had a really nice ride today, the weather has been gorgeous and the trail
itself is really nice. I rode Rocky today and Kayla rode Khemo Cairo and
he got his 4,000 miles today. We even stopped in the exact spot on the
trail and took his picture :+).
The trail was really nice today, it was singletrack and two track trail or
jeep road type stuff and we did a lot of winding around and going up and
down. Dave crewed for us at the lunch check today. It was a lot easier
for him to get to, and didn't take us as long to get in (no big mountain
climb like the day before). In fact, we zipped along pretty good today,
averaging over 7 mph. That might seem slow but it's not when you are in
the hot desert going over mountain passes and thru sand and soft deep
dirt. Our first water was a ways out, and the horses were pretty
thirsty. Then Terry Wooley and Miranda were out with water about three
miles before the lunch check at 25 miles. We felt like we were going along
pretty good into lunch, at about 6.6 mph up till then, and then about a
half an hour after we got there Trilby came in. So I guess we aren't going
as fast as we think we are <G>. John and Steph were even behind Trilby
(they must have nerves of steel) Kayla and I came in 6th and 7th
place. We didn't leave lunch in the top ten but both of our horses were
really strong. It's not that we are fast, just consistent.
Most all the same people rode that have been riding every day. We saw
Clark in the morning, he opened a gate for us. :^) Then we caught up to
Jeff and Debby and Jim Baldwin. I don't think we saw anybody else until we
got into lunch and there were quite a few people in. Pat Verhuel and Sandy
Skinner, and Dorothy Sue and Phyllis. Jim Mitchell was way up in front but
then slowed down after lunch, riding Smoke. Saw Dave Rabe and Shawn
Bowling (who sponsored Calina), Bonnie and Trilby also starting out this
morning. Carol and Sunny, John and Skoldjur and Kathy and Zane also rode
today, so the three horses that have done the most days are all still
going. Dorothy Sue had to leave last weekend to go get her trailer breaks
fixed, and somebody said the Waltenspiels had to go to Fallon to get a tire
or something.
This morning we passed by a BLM holding pen where they are going to have an
adoption. They had several large pens full of horses, and a helicopter
took off to go out and round up some more. They were interested in what we
were doing and asked us where we were going. "TO VIRGINIA CITY", of
course! :+D Well, when did you start?.........it's a long story....it was
a long time go in a place far, far away.......
Finishing early does have it's advantages though. We have a couple extra
hours to do things like clean up, really get the horses clean, and the tack
-- and to sit and do nothing. Something we don't usually get to do much
of! Yesterday we took 11 hours so were pressed for time just to get the
basics done. Today it's only 2:30 and the horse is already spic and span
and fed, my tack is clean or soaking and I've got my GPS tracks on the
computer. Dave took my camera on a hike to the mine so I haven't got the
photos downloaded yet, but that is next. We're still starting at 5:00 a.m.
I've been going thru desitin like mad -- almost a tube every day. I've got
to keep the sun off of Rocky or else he'll get scratches (sun
sensitivity). A lot of horses in camp are getting scratches and are
getting them really really bad. I don't think I will, heck we've only got
five days left and both horses are clean and we're now riding them in their
home turf. <knocking on wood>
I have been learning a lot of new stuff about my horses. You can never
know all there is to know, no matter how many miles or hours you spend on a
horse. I think that mine are both becoming more human, either that or I am
becoming more like them. Which is worse? <g>
I think that Kayla is going to make every day. They just brought Cairo out
for her, and he's really awesome. She also still has Gem and Buzzy. They
sent Buddy back home when Cairo came out. Only five days left and she
could probably do it on any one horse if she had to. I sure hope she makes
it! We sure have a lot of fun riding together, I think our good moods are
rubbing off on the horses too, they are feeling pretty good. At lunch they
had to change bits on Cairo, he was so strong. Rocky and he are so much
alike it's uncanny. They both ran away with us a couple of times today,
well not really we were laughing so hard they just thought it was all
fun. Then they both spook at the same things. Yesterday I couldn't let
Weaver run with me because I was sure he would try bucking. I don't think
they have ever felt this good before. I sure don't feel like I'm riding
tired or worn out horses, they are moving down the trail with as much
enthusiasm and energy as any horse starting any one day ride. It's a great
feeling. We sure don't want this to end, and have to wake up and go back
to the real world.
My camera is back, I better get these photos downloaded now so I can do
nothing!
Happy XP Trails,
Karen
...in Dry Creek, Nevada
only 5 days left!!!
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