Mercedes and I got our first LD completion! Yippee!!! A huge thanks to everyone responsible for putting on a great ride (Ken, Karen...sorry I'm still don't know many people's names) I have NEVER felt more welcome at a horse related event-campout-show-trail ride-whatever.
Mercedes did great...all As and A-s on all the checks. The deep sand and hills (yeah, they're hills to us!) really whupped our butts, but we took it easy and finished happy, healthy, and strong. Our only goal was to finish "fit to continue" in under 6 hours and we did it in 5. Looking back I believe we should have gone a little slower in the beginning...did I mention the deep sand?....The only negative on any of her vet checks was that her CRI was off at the mid-point check. But I listened to the vet who said to take it easy on the way back and listened to my pony and we finished great! I could not have been prouder of her! She ate, drank, pooped, peed, behaved herself in the crowd....everything a good endurance horse should be....as far as I know anyway! 
What I learned......that endurance riders, crew, and volunteers are super-supportive and friendly........that my little mare really does love me.......that we need to do more conditioning in sand before the next ride.....that my husband thinks it's funny when I puke up Gatorade at 6:30 in the morning (really, he was a very helpful and supportive crew otherwise)
Special thanks to all the ridecampers who answered my questions over the past 8 months.....all the hubbies/boyfriends/ misc guys that made my husband feel welcome while waiting around for me...and to Elaine, Nancy, and the lady with the QH stud for letting me hangout/ride/chat with ya'll!
See ya at Goethe!
Patti (never noticed my shoulders being sore from riding before)
Mercedes (Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......zzzzzzz)