Honesty, Loyalty, Trustworthy, Thrifty

["Howard Bramhall" <hwb67@msn.com>]

Those were some of the words, along with all the other traits of a good Boy Scout, that were posted along the entrance of Camp Osborne.  I read them as I drove towards Ridecamp, thinking, "Man, I don't have very many of these qualities.  I hope there's not some sort of test or something that you gotta pass to get in here."  Luckily, for me, there was no test.

 

What a fantastic ride!  Man, for a first time ride, it was set up better than some I've been to that have had a long running.  I can't say enough good things about it.  What really made it all come together so well, was the obvious organization, but beyond that was the camaraderie of all the folks running things.  They gelled so well together, it was hard to tell who was the head hauncho.  Everyone did their part, and the coordination involved, because a lot of this ride was on private land, with several different land owners participating, was remarkable.  The fact that they had tons of Boy Scouts and troop leaders involved, all I can say is WOW, as in Boy Scout Pow-Wow.  Some folks have a gift to make things come together, and Randy and Kay and Kim and Levi and Bernie and Eric and Jamie and Chase and Ashley....., this list goes on and on, obviously have this gift.  And I haven't even started to try and name all the volunteers; that list is incredible.

 

OK, you can probably tell I really like these folks.  In fact, if you've been reading any of my stuff (and I wouldn't blame you for not doing so) you might recognize that some of the ones running this ride are people I hang out with, when they allow me to.  So, if you think my praise might be tainted, it would be hard for me to argue the point.  I'm hoping a more non biased view might be entered by someone else who attended; but you gotta go to this one next year.  Get there before it turns into a Biltmore or a Million Pines, because I gotta feeling that's gonna happen here.

 

They got showers, they got free cabins (Boy Scout camping units) that even have electric for things like a space heater (didn't need it), they got a restaurant, run at Boy Scout prices (a buck and a quarter for breakfast), they have more volunteers, everywhere, not only at the Vet Checks, but along the trails.  They have an ambulance, on stand-by, and it was needed, twice. 

 

Speaking of ambulances, I don't want to steal any of Roger's thunder, but he had a near death experience during this ride, that scared the crap out of me.  When I came in from my third loop, I saw Roger, who had just returned from the hospital, with a neck brace on.  I'm sure he'll post about it, so I won't try and give you the details third hand.  I'd probably mess up his story if I tried to tell it, but since I know Roger's a very good rider, I knew something similar could happen to me, or anyone else, in our sometimes dangerous sport of endurance.

 

All I know, is that the land owners, who showed up at the awards banquet, after witnessing the event, were very excited by our sport.  They all got up and spoke about how much better things were going to be next year (they can get better?).  I could tell they were into it, and the exuberant endurance riders and horses just about overwhelmed them.  One of the men almost broke down while he spoke, he was just so thrilled to have us all here and it was obvious he was impressed with what we do at these things.  In return for this fellowship, when the land owners were done talking and walking back to their seats, the entire crowd stood up and gave them a standing ovation!  We endurance riders know what side of the bread our butter is on.  Plus, how could one not be eternally grateful to people who not only allow us to use their land, they go out of their way to welcome us on it.

 

And then Roger spoke up.  He said he just wanted to thank everyone who helped him out after his really bad fall.  He wanted to do this before he passed out, again, cause he wasn't sure if he was going to be able to stay awake for the entire ceremony.  Some folks chuckled when he said this, but I'm not sure he was joking.  Since he was sitting close enough to me, I decided to keep an eye on him the whole time. Roger is a much valued AERC Director at Large, and we really need folks like him involved like he is.  Roger's been doing this sport for quite a while, and this was his worst accident, ever, for him.  He said if he wasn't wearing a helmet, he's pretty sure he wouldn't be where he was right then, talking to us all.  Folks, for God's sake, wear a friggen helmet.  And, AERC, consider making it mandatory.  Life is just too precious not to take this course of action.

 

(More, later)