Ridecamp: Re: [RC] Riding in the Dark

On Mon, 15 Jul 2002 07:36:53 EDT, JanCol@xxxxxxx wrote:

>Hi All,
>
>I am doing my first ride in the dark this weekend, the Moonlight in VT 50.
>Ride starts at 2 PM so expect to do last 15 miles or so in the (hopeful) 
>moonlight.
>Any preparation suggestions would be appreciated:

Use as little light as possible, as little as possible.  Your horse
can see quite well in the dark if you don't destroy his night vision
with a glaring flashlight.  You may be surprised at how well you can
see with no flashlight, too, after your eyes have had time to become
accustomed to the dark.  But a few seconds of flashlight glare can
take minutes to repair.

I hate helmet lights, especially if the person riding behind me is
using one.  The glare and shadows *that* causes is horrible!  I will
do whatever it takes to avoid riding in front of a rider who is using
a helmet light, or one who is constantly shining a flashlight around.

Glowsticks on the breast collar have good and bad points, I personally
don't use them.  A glowstick in the tail can be unpleasant for a rider
behind you (you wouldn't think it would, but if your eyes are
dark-accustomed even that light source is surprisingly bright).  One
of the popular "glow bracelets" woven into the tail would probably not
be a problem, though -- long and thin, and not too bright.

A trail well-marked with glowsticks is easy to follow, but be warned
that it is difficult to judge how far ahead a glowstick is until you
are quite close.

-- 

Joe Long
jlong@xxxxxxxx
http://www.rnbw.com


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