What a great ride I had at Leatherwood once again
this year! this was my 3rd endurance ride up there and I really enjoyed
myself!
The morning started off cool and it was just
getting light at the start at 6:45am. I had butterflies in my stomach
trying not to think about 3 weeks prior to that day I had fallen off of one of
the mountains up there with my horse (look for this story later). My girl
at the start was doing her usual excited collected canter and was ready to
go! My plan that day was just to finish safe and sound. My mare had
just been to Dawsonville two weeks prior and I wanted to just complete that
day.
The first loop started out with that long 2 or 3
mile climb straight to the top. We went easily up and made it out to
the only flat section at Leatherwood. This was easy for us to and we met
up with a really nice lady named Susie who lives at Leatherwood. She was
doing her first 50 on her Rocky Mountain gaited horse. We became partners
for the day and enjoyed lots of great conversation on the trail. After the
flat lollipop loop you go down into one of the tougher trails named
Cowboy. I kept looked for John Wayne or Gene Autry to pop out of the woods
but never saw them! After climbing out of Cowboy you run the ridge and
start down. Just when you are almost down the mountain you go back up and
traverse what seems like 1/2 of the mountain. then you basically fall down
a trail called thunderbolt. Thunderbolt was not a happy trail that loop
because some bees had decided to put a nest right on our trail. My mare
got stung on the face and kept her cool despite some violent head tossing.
Just as I was rising in a post one of those devils stung me on the back of the
leg. Whew the end of the first loop! At base camp I heard that poor
Sandy Thompson had fallen off of her horse onto her face. And then stood
up into bees. She got stung a few times too!
My mare looked great at the vet and we were off
with Susie and Blue to endure the worst of the mountain. The yellow loop
that is what I call the devils trail. This is where the horse I was riding
in the spring threw a temper tantrum and I thought I would not make it out alive
at that ride. The loop starts off straight up again about 3 miles then
runs the ridges until you start one of your many decents down, down, down, down,
down. This loop is TECHNICAL. Up and down all the time, and when you
go up, you go up until you think you can touch the sky. We passed several
riders on this loop and just kept making our way to endure the loop. As we
started down the spirit trail before the famous Bobs Branch trail I saw a very
scary thing. A young fellow was standing on the trail with a horse that
did not look good. the horse was just standing with a funny look in its
eye and panting very hard. We asked if he was ok and he said his mare had
just stopped and would not move from that spot. We could all see the mare
was in trouble. He was in a hole. There was not much we could do but
ride on for help. we all gave him all of the water we had from our saddle
packs for the mare. Then came BOBS BRANCH. There were 4 of us that
met BOB together that day and he was one tough trail. Straight up with
several twists and turns. I thought I was holding my mares ears to get out
of that one! and then it was over, the hardest part of the mountain was
done. We only had 2 miles back to camp. as we approached the road
back to camp I saw a scary thing again. This time it was BEES again.
But they were in a swarm about 5 foot high! I stopped and told everyone
behind me to haul a#$. We managed to be saved from stings, but some poor
rider 6 horses back got stung pretty bad. Finally back in camp. I
noticed Claude Brewer at the farrier. He said he had walked the last 6
MILES of that loop on foot!!
Almost time for the last loop. There went
Claude trying to make up time ahead of us. Susie and I leave out
again. this loop is a repeat of the first. finally back at the top
again. We walked that 2 miles up!! The spotters up there told us we
were 10th or 11th. Hmmm, we were doing better than I had planned. My
mare wanted to pick up the pace so we did. Gini agnew caught us on Cowboy
and my mare stuck right along behind that gray tail. We made up almost 30
minutes on that last 8 or so miles. Felt like we were deer on that
mountain. Gini did not know where we were in the placings so I told
her. She and I made it exciting at the finish and gave the spectators a
little race.
She won by a nose. then we found out we were
11th and 12th. Oh well it was exciting to race anyhow! Onto to
vet. My mare came right down and we came into the vet before 8th - 10th
place came in. My mare looked great!!! It was over!! I hugged
all of the vets I was so happy!!!!!!
Ok, I know your all wondering what happened to the
horse who was distressed on the trail. Hugh hanchey took Nicole one of the
vets down and she bagged her with fluid on the trail and then they got her
out.
Also Claude who lost a shoe and walked those 6
miles. Made up time and came still in 6th!!! Sandy Thompson also
finished with some stings and a sore mouth.
This is a tough mountain and not for
beginners. I do love this ride and even those tough trails. I do
highly recommend this ride for you experienced riders out there. The
people are excellent at this ride and the food is great!!! Inside toilets
and showers too and if you want you can rent a cabin with a hot tub!!!
Many thanks to Abbie and Hugh for excellent ride management and to Otis, Don,
Nickki, and Nicole for being the vets! I'll be back in the spring to ride
again and I hope to see you all there!!
