Day 40, 2001 XP

[Karen <karen@storallnv.com>]

I can't believe we are finished!  It was a really great and special 
day.  We left Fort Churchill at 5:30 this morning and rode in to Virginia 
City.  We did a loop out of camp in the morning so the mileage would be 
correct...and then headed across the highway and down to the river.  It was 
a nice trail and Weaver knew something was up, because if there has ever 
been a day that I should not have been riding him in a rope halter (which I 
have been for over 4,000 miles now).....today would have been it!  He was 
such a handful that I had to get Kayla in front of us to slow him down.  I 
don't know what got in to him!  He must have known he was heading home.

The mornings trail was nice, with great footing on singletrack trail.  We 
had a couple of gates to go thru and then Dave met us with water.  We 
continued on to the river and the horses drank again and we sponged 
them.  We rode past the vehicle test center and along thru trails and roads 
that Weaver has done a few times so he just really knew that we were going 
home!  We came up over some sand dunes and sagebrush and missed a couple of 
turns on the GPS and did some roaming around.  I had bought some batteries 
at the grocery store back in Ely, and they weren't very good -- the GPS 
kept turning itself off so it wasn't recording the mileage accurately 
nevermind that it kept going off so I couldn't see where the arrow was 
pointing.  We did manage to find our way until lunch when I put in a new 
set of better batteries.  Jim Mitchell didn't ride today so he arranged for 
some troughs to be put out along the way which was really great.  John and 
Dolly also crewed for us and met us with water.  In one spot, John 
tightened up a lose shoe on Khairo.

The trail was now going down alongside highway 50.  They were actually out 
doing road construction on a Saturday!  For many reasons, I was really 
appreciating being on Weaver since he's so good about things like 
that.  Kayla and I were trotting along down the road and everything was 
great then another horse who had been over to the left of us cut us off and 
just as Weaver jumped out of the way, or tried to...the other horse kicked 
him in the side of the front leg.  We were all totally shocked, it sounded 
like his leg had been broken.  Patty said she nearly threw up and Kayla was 
almost in tears.....I suddenly had a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes 
and was so afraid that he'd been injured pretty badly.  The sound was just 
horrifying, and then in an instant my horse went from having his ears 
forward and being strong and happy to holding his head down and standing in 
pain.  We'd already gone probably 30 miles and only had 20 more to go to 
finish the ride, I couldn't believe that this was happening!  I got off and 
walked him for awhile and after awhile he seemed like he was walking pretty 
good, so I got on.  Later when we trotted he felt pretty good and everybody 
said that he was sound.

At the vet check I was so worried that he'd be off or sore or end up 
getting really sore after having an hour break.  I brought him in and P&R'd 
and waited to vet barely able to breath.   Miranda trotted him out and the 
vet said he was totally sound......was I ever relieved!  We went over to 
our trailer and Amy and Julian were there.  We rode right past their place 
earlier in the ride that morning, and Dave had stopped by so they'd know 
where the vet check was and so they came out to crew for me :+).  I figured 
it'd be okay since they'd crewed for me at Tevis a couple of 
times.  <G>  So Weaver got the royal treatment.  We put ice on him where he 
was kicked, and he got walked so he wouldn't get stiff.  He went down to 
the trough and drank really good.  The lump on his leg was swelling up but 
if he kept being walked it went down and he was fine.  After our hour hold 
I led him out of the check for quite a ways.

Soon we were heading up the Chinaman trail.  It's long, steep....and 
rocky.  Plus, it was hot.  Kayla went first since Khairo walks at 5 miles 
an hour....then Weaver and then Dee and Patty Danley.  I got off to lead 
once it got really rocky and Weav decided I wasn't walking fast enough so 
passed me up and I grabbed his tail and he just literally drug me up the 
mountain.  I couldn't believe how much energy and enthusiasm he had and how 
fast he was walking!  Normally you can't tail on that horse, he stops to 
eat too much but today for some reason he knew he had a mission -- he had 
to get to Virginia City!!  We made it up the mountain, taking some great 
photos along the way.  Kayla and I were trying to get everybody else to go 
ahead so that we could ride in together by ourselves.  Patty stayed behind 
us so it was okay......then finally.......the finish line loomed ahead and 
as we approached the horses quickened their strides....Weaver called 
out.....and did his head toss and body twist thing he does when he feels 
really good and we cruised on in to the finish!  A crowed had gathered and 
everybody was clapping and cheering for all of the finishers.

It was a ways to walk into camp from the finish line, but neither horse 
wanted to walk. So we let them trot in.  What a great feeling!  Rode on in 
to camp and vetted the horses thru.......what a great feeling to hear that 
one final last "okay" from the veterinarian!  I was so proud of Kayla who 
had ridden every single mile, and of her great horse Khairo who carried her 
to her first win the day before.....and of course my own horses who did 
more miles as a team than any.....they are my heroes!

I feel like I've lived a fairytale the last couple of months.  It was an 
incredible adventure.....thank you, thank you, thank you to everybody who 
made it possible..........:^)))

Happy XP Trails,

Karen
in Virginia City, NV
& Dream Weaver, 950 XP miles
& Rocky, 975 XP miles