Day 39, 2001 XP

[Karen <karen@storallnv.com>]

We had another really good ride today.  We left Sand Mountain....or 
whatever the place was called that we were at...and rode to near Fort 
Churchill.  A lot of the trail was on the Brothel to Brothel trail.  I rode 
with Kayla again today.  We're getting excited about the ride coming to an 
end so soon, but neither of us really want it to end.

It had been so hot the day before that we figured we really better get a 
move on early in the morning.  John and Dolly were crewing for us in the 
morning and met us a few miles out with water so the horses could drink and 
we could sponge them.  They are a really great crew!  In order to meet us 
so early in the morning (5 a.m. start) they have to get up pretty early not 
only to get the kids ready but they have another three or four horses each 
day to pack up too -- and usually they can't drive out on the same trail we 
are riding on so it takes awhile to get to the water spots.

Rocky and Khairo were both strong and to the point of being 
unmanageable.  When I try holding Rocky back he acts up and spooks and 
interferes -- so it's better to just let him go at a pace more comfortable 
for him.  Khairo thinks so too <G>.  The trail was familiar and the footing 
was good so we made good time.  In fact, we got into the lunch check the 
earliest of any day of the ride -- even beat Dave there.  He had taken my 
other horse over to Fort Churchill to drop off for the day. That worked out 
well because on the way back he stopped in Fallon and picked up yogurt, 
juice and ice cream (the real important stuff!).  He wasn't there when we 
got in but showed up shortly thereafter.  In the meantime, Sydney and Alena 
took care of us and gave our horses water and hay and us pb&j 
sandwiches.  Everybody has been like that on the entire ride, helping each 
other out without fail.  What a great bunch of people.

It was already getting really warm.  We soaked our shirts and sponged the 
horses before we left and made sure all of our water bottles were full.  We 
left the vet check with Patty Danley and Dave Rabe.  If there is anybody in 
this sport who has a heart of gold, it's Dave Rabe.  He waited for us at 
the lunch check and rode the rest of the way in with us.  The afternoon 
seemed to go by really fast...we rode past more original pony express 
stations, including one that had not been visible in 1976 because it hadn't 
been unearthed yet -- pretty kewl!  We had water troughs out in a couple of 
spots, there is no natural water out there.  It's hot and dry.  We did our 
best to follow the waypoints and did some extra zig zagging, the mileage 
for that day was like 51 or more miles on my GPS but was only supposed to 
have been 49.8.....then from the finish line it was another 2 miles to camp 
so if you walked in it was more like a 53 mile day, more if you did any 
bonus miles.

The footing was mostly good, with some good sandy sections and also plenty 
of alkali.  In the morning we went thru alkali that the horses sank in up 
to their ankles.  We went thru sagebrush and draws down the hillside with 
faint trails and more holes to avoid.  Kayla finished first on Khairo and 
then Dave, me and Patty......Dirty (Dave's horse) got BC.

Camp is really nice, there are lots of trees and even some corrals in the 
back.  Louise and Jack had saved a corral for my horses and that was 
*really* nice.  The only time we can really sleep is when the horses are 
not tied to the trailer.  They itch and rub too much, and lie down and 
roll.....which keeps me up checking on them constantly all night long.  So 
when they have a spot that is safe and secure to put them it's really 
appreciated.

Nikki from Fallon came out and brought us a pizza.  Boy was it ever 
good!  The ride meeting kept getting delayed because of last minute trail 
changes and the printer going kaput.  Everything was in perfect order by 
morning though when we trotted out we got our maps, and the night before we 
got our waypoints loaded into the GPS's.

Laney finally got into camp. She'd been stuck for several hours.  John and 
Dolly tried to pull her out but couldn't, so she finally got rescued.  I 
wonder how many rigs have been stuck alltogether on the ride.  Probably a 
lot!

Trilby didn't ride, she was still recovering from her heat exhaustion the 
day before.

We took the horses down to the river and washed them down.  It was really 
nice down there.  I can barely manage walking both horses by myself 
anymore.  If there is anything for them to munch on along the way I may as 
well forget it.  I get one of their heads up and the other one starts 
eating......arrrrrggghhhh!!!!

It's Annie's birthday tomorrow, so we had a party for her at the ride 
meeting.  Everybody signed a card and chipped in for a gift, and ice cream 
and cake.  Poems were read and it was really special.

Happy XP Trails,

Karen
near Fort Churchill, NV
& Weaver, just one day left to do!
& Rocky.....all done!!