First ride for me to volunteer, before I actually jump in. (Or with Rascal it may be 'fall in''). Found out you really should pack all camping equipment and horse equipment so you have more time to wash your mud encrusted horse before leaving.That is of course if you don't have to take one child to physical therapy, another to soccer game, and grocery shop after stoping at the new SAMs grand opening the day before. And of course if you haven't camped with 4 people in 17 years you might have a better idea of time involved, even if you did make a list, of food, equipment, and horse parapehnialia.So we didn' t leave at the projected 10:00a.m. , but 1:30, and arrived at 5:30 at Fort Gordon, near Augusta, Ga. Nice campground on the lake. Actually had a shower I found the next day. (Note: bring flip, flops to shower in, lots of muck tracked in, showering in my socks was wierd, but necessary).Checkin had closed, so I said we are here, what do we do? Vicki nicely fed all four of us free dinner first, and we attended the ride meeting. I stayed and listened to instructions to the new riders. Bedtime next. Ha. !.)NEED TO FIND OUT HOW TO GET SLEEP IN A TENT.I am a light sleeper anyway, was excited about being there. And could hear Rascal(who we brought to camp and get used to the hubbub before a ride), eating all night. Then there was the compulsorary loose horse, occasional whinneys (I think I counted 18), and the trips to the porta lets. I slept my 45 min. then heard the 5 100 milers come down the road (20 feet from the tent), then the 50's, I really wanted to see them off, but I could barely grab my glasses and peek thru the window and see much in the grayness. Then my husband and sons got out, and I had to shake myself and remind myself how much I wanted to do this (lack of sleep can make me a zombie).Once I was up , I was almost ok, I remembered they had coffee at basecamp, couldn't stomach the donuts though, I'd crash if I ate them,fruit and yogurt were better for me. I took my stethiscope and reported to Vicki, she had told me I could scribe for the vets!Great oppurtunity,just what I wanted. Gave my S. away to a nurse who was doing PR. And the day began. From 8:00 to 4:00 we were pretty much constantly vetting. There were 85(?roughly )25ers, 40something 50's, and 5 100's.The vet and I got a minute here and there to go the bathrioom or get a drink. We finally sat down to eat the free lunch at about 1;30, just as another set of riders came in , the vet said 'just a minute ,I really need to eat something,a(nd we scarfed down our sandwiches, and jumped up,(my stomach allmost didn't come with me.)And vetted again. The temperature rose beyond expected, got to 87 and the humidity was high. The riders were as soaked as their horses, I actually think the horses looked better than the riders in a lot of cases.Some were very pale and ill looking. (Note 2. take care of self.)
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