Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Heidi said ..."But I've found over the years that unless it is durn near vertical, 4-leg drive beats heck out of 2-leg drive any day!"

 

 

Except for Sherman's Gap in the OD.   

 

Until you've actually ridden that 3 mile west face trail up, and 3 mile east face trail down the Massanutten, you have NO idea of how very difficult, rocky, rough, AND exhaustingly vertical it is on the upper portion of the trail.  My pony goes downhill like an Olympic slalom skier, and is a powerful hill climber, but I've ridden Sherman's Gap enough times (and this year marking and unmarking the west face)  to know  the final approach to the top is by tailing up (or leading down on the descent).  The smart people get off and lead that final mile to the top, trust me, AND they lead down the first 2 miles on the east face.

 

And Mary is right -- on the OD's steep rocky slopes you can move MUCH faster leading your horse, and lower greatly the risk of loosing horseshoes. I'm a pretty good "downhiller" myself, and  leading my horse in hand on the most difficult sections of the OD I've easily passed (at a relaxed jog with my pony jogging behind me) other riders still sitting in the saddle as their horses struggle to pick their way through the rocks.

 

The OD  is like no other ride -- you can't "book" down the slopes of the Massanuttens no matter how athletic and talented your horse, unless you're willing to risk some very serious injury to either yourself OR your horse.   I will guarantee that if you ever  ride the OD, and come face to face Sherman's Gap at the 80 mile point of the OD 100, you'd  be singing a different song.