Ridecamp: [RC] nick warhol- tevis 2002 story 1 of 5

nick warhol nickw@xxxxxxxxx
Tevis 2002- What is it about this ride?
Nick Warhol

Another Tevis has come and gone, and with it around 216 stories of adventure, excitement, and unfortunately, problems.   But what is it about this ride that keeps people so committed to getting through it?  I don?t know, but I know how I feel about it.  Remember in the second Star Trek movie, The Wrath of Kahn, how the bad guy, Kahn, felt about Captain Kirk?  Kahn was so driven to destroy Kirk that he gave up the chance to take over the universe, just to fulfill that personal drive.  When Kahn is on the bridge of the Enterprise, one of his crew asks him why, why, why is it so important to get Kirk?  Kahn looks at the crew guy with venom in his eyes and says: ?Because he TASKS me!?

Why, why, why is it so important to have, ride, and complete the Tevis? I feel sort of like how Kahn felt.   The Tevis, ?It TASKS me!?  I have to go and get through it.  I?m sure it has to do with the ride history, the prestige, and the fact that it is considered one of the most significant rides in the world.   But part of it is the fact that it is a tough ride.  I don?t think anyone will disagree with that.  There are a lot of really fun parts, but there are parts where some people wonder what they are doing there.  This ride has never been and will never be just an endurance ride, no sir.   The rocks, the horrendous dust you have to breathe for hours on end, the rocks, the sweltering heat, the rocks, the steep climbs, the rocks, the long, long downhill descents, the rocks, those damn yellow jackets, the rocks, and oh yes, the rocks.  That trail is getting pretty torn up in spots!  And I still contend that if you can get a horse through the Granite Chief Wilderness without any cuts or lameness issues you are doing a good job.  No matter- the thing to do is to take the challenge and do your best to get yourself and your horse to Auburn in good shape.  This year 216 tried, and only 88 made it.  Like last year, the ride took a huge toll on riders and horses.   If you are one of the few to finish, you really get the feeling that you have accomplished something, and the neat thing is that all those who have attempted the ride know that, really well.

This was my fifth attempt, I?ve started four, finished three, but completed two. (being pulled at the finish has to count for something!)  I was going to ride Warpaint the wonder Appy on his sixth and last attempt, he has finished three of five.  He?s eighteen now, and is near the end of his career, especially on 100s.   When Jackie Bumgardner offered to let me ride her excellent mare Holly, I jumped at the chance.  Judy and I have already agreed that we want to retire Warpaint as a rideable horse, so this made the most sense.  Holly is a big, strong, eight year old Anglo that I have ridden before- it would be her first attempt at Tevis, but she was really ready.  She had finished her last two 100s with ease, as well as 5 days the Schelbourne XP last month.   Judy agreed to crew for me again this year, just like last.  You have to hand it to these people who crew at Tevis.  I?ve done it enough to know it can be as much work as riding!   As much work?  Heck, I?d much rather ride than crew.   We met Jackie on Friday at Robe park, very happy in the fact that we made it to the ride without truck problems.  After losing the wheel on the truck on the way to the XP, along with several other recent breakdowns, I have come to realize that you can?t just assume your truck will last forever.  We set up camp and got Holly vetted through- there was no vet line at all when we went down there.   I took her out for a warm up ride with Gloria Vanderford, who was riding Jackie?s horse Redman, and Quenby Dunlap, (love that name), who was riding her tough-as-nails mare Annie.  Quenby is more than just a rider, she?s the one who rode a horse from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail, all by herself.  You want to talk about an endurance ride?   Annie was Quenby?s pack horse on her trip, and had recently done four days at the XP.  You have to see this horse- she has a Frankenstein quality scar on her chest caused by a barbwire fence during a BLM helicopter roundup, I think.  It really adds to her character.  It would be Quenby?s first Tevis, Gloria?s tenth.   Redman was a little on the ?go-ey? side, so Gloria asked if she could stick the fiery chestnut behind Holly for the start, since they were barn buddies.  Sure, no sweat, especially if it made life easier for Gloria.


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