Ridecamp: [RC] Top ten ways to display the chip on your shoulder

Howard wrote>>>>>1)  Don't give them a finish line.  Only true endurance
riders have a =
finish line; the LDer is not worthy of such a thing.  And, make sure they
know this.<<<<<<

I have ridden 50s and 100s where the finish line was not in camp, and only
the top ten were timed at the actual line, the rest of the field were asked
to come into camp to finish.  Example:  The Great East Branch Rides and the
current Battle Hollow rides.  I never felt slighted, it was the way it was -
so what.

>>>>>2)  At the vet checks, make sure you allow 50 milers and 100 milers to
pass all LDers in line.  At a crowded ride with this rule an LDer can spend
an eternity waiting to see a vet.  And, the completion, well, you might as
well just forget about the completion.  We will get to you after we've seen
everyone else.<<<<<

There is a reason for that, and it involves safety and courtesy.  I have
been on both sides of this one too - I would gladly let a 100 miler ahead of
me in line when I am doing a 50.  IT IS JUST THE WAY IT IS.

>>>>3)  When you have your new rider's meeting make sure that you only talk
about the LD ride, because, as we all know, only beginners ride in the
LD.<<<<

This too is in your mind.  I would have a hard time believing that it is a
universal feeling.  Hell, I have had vets be harsh or condecending to me in
longer distances.  I stood up and took it .

>>>>>4)  Make the completion rule so confusing that the head vet doesn't
even understand it.  As he tries to explain the difference between the 64
pulse mid way, but, hey, don't forget you need to get to 60 to finish an LD
ride, and yes, this is the only place where you will have to have a 60, so,
try not to get confused, you don't have a finish line, take the tack off,
and, since there is no finish line you won't know when you're really
finished so, just think of it as you're not done till I say you're done.
Any questions?<<<<<<

Maybe you should volunteer to explain it, or better yet, be a ride manager
who caters to 25 milers if you want.  You have that option.  Or better yet,
be a vet, oh wait, I guess that won't work......

>>>>>5)  Put letters on their horse's butts instead of numbers.  You use
numbers for the 50 milers and numbers for the hundred milers, because
they're true endurance riders, but since we've decided to treat LDers like
grade school kids, let's have them practice their ABC's, just for fun.<<<<<

I rode the Old Dominion 100 with a letter on my horse's butt.  I was proud
as hell to be a calvalry rider, and I will be again in '03.

>>>>6)  Let's charge them double, per mile, what we charge the 50 milers and
the 100 milers.  These folks are desperate, they won't notice much and
they're lucky we even allow them to enter our endurance arena at all.  So,
pay up, shut up, and get to the back of the line.<<<<

My my, that chip just keeps getting bigger.....

>>>>7)  Make sure you get to hear all the gossip about how poorly an LDer's
horse behaved at the start.  Generalizations about their riding ability and
their horses are just wonderful tidbits of conversation to make the true
endurance rider feel superior to the LD rider.  After a week-end of hearing
all this crap the LDer has little choice but to want to think better of
themselves and their horse and do a 50 miler next time.<<<<<<

A little sensitive, aren't we???????

>>>>>8)  Make the experience so bad you start thinking that Competitive
Trail, with the judges and extra rules didn't seem all that bad after all.
So, back to CTR you go, wondering why endurance is so popular.<<<<<

Do you know anyone in this scenerio??  I don't.  All of my friends who
started in CTR are in endurance now and came up through the LDs.  Some
stayed with the LDs.  They don't seem to have all these problems.

>>>>>9)  Don't allow the LDer to volunteer anywhere after they're done their
ride cause, since they're not really clear on endurance rules anyway (we've
made sure of that), we don't want them to get confused and muck things up
for the real endurance riders.<<<<

Now I know you are making this up, NO ride manager in thier right mind EVER
turned down a volunteer.  Who piddled on your yule log?????

>>>>10)  Just kind of skip over the LDers at the awards banquet.  They all
race way too fast and don't deserve anything anyway.  Save the best awards
for the true endurance riders.  AND, let's make sure not to really count
their horse's mileage as endurance miles.  Those LD miles don't really
count.<<<<

LD miles are just that - LD MILES, and that is how they are counted.  LD is
NOT endurance - the rules state that endurance is 50 miles.  And as far as
awards, I have seen LDs get the same awards as 50s and 100s, time after
time -

>>>>You really think we don't walk all over the LD rider in this sport?
Take off your blinders; we do, and it's time for a change.<<<<

Hope you got insurance for chiropractic after carrying that chip around so
long and SO far, Howard. And maybe you should check that WHINE in your motor
while you are at it- doesn't sound like an endurance rider to me.

Laura Hayes




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