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[RC] Manzanita Ride, part 1 of ? - NancyI seem to have a bit of writer's block as of late. Please excuse my tardiness with this ride story. Daughter Danielle, horses Lyric and Jazzi and I were very excited about the Manzanita ride. This would be Jazzi's first real endurance ride and this would be Dani and Lyric's 3rd or 4th 25 miler. Our neighbor Jill and her beloved RC Lawman were doing the 50. Friends Tara, Craig and their daughter Danielle were all signed up for the 25. Tara's Danielle (Walker) was taking her new mare, Bell. The Elfin RV and the new trailer was just about fully packed Thursday, the night before. I had my clothes washed and snacks packed. All the water bottles and the Camelback were found and filled with filtered water. A bale of hay was secured in the back corner of the trailer by a new set of D rings waiting the test run. Lyric knew something was up and she started pacing in her stall with the Friday morning feeding. I kept running the list in my mind, over and over. Finally the packing was done and the horses loaded in less than 5 minutes. At 12:30 pm Friday the Elfin RV's big V10 roared to life and we were on our way! The RV hummed and the horses were quiet as we snaked up the San Elijo canyon past the Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve where we train. This is perhaps the most dangerous part of the entire drive as the road is very narrow and windy with no shoulders and no room for mistakes. The locals call it "the narrows" and in spite of it's beauty from the hundred year old coast live oak canopy and murmuring creek, this is no place to day dream about an endurance ride. I pray for safe passage as we traverse this section, asking for divine protection in a green gate to hell. In minutes the danger is passed and we rumble past the smelly chicken ranch and retired dairy, beacons of a previous life. Soon to be a new horse community; homes in waiting. With the smell comes cell service. Jill had somehow managed to get 20 minutes ahead of us and we chatted on the cell phone about the traffic, food and our horses and kids. We fill the Elfin RV with gas (oh that hurt!), chatted with a endurance want to be and we are gliding down the 15 south. as usual Dani has her nose in a book and I am looking for traffic reports and some traveling music. I settle on Jimmy Buffet, Living and Dying in /4 Time. We hit the ride camp in a bit before 3 pm. Terry, the ride manager has very funny signs instructing us to locate our assigned hook up and place in life. Quickly the horses are unloaded, hay bags and water set out, RV leveled and plugged in. Time to find friends and vet in. As if directed from a supernatural power Jill and Tara have set up camp next to each other under a massive oak. Bobbie and Karl are next to them. We spend time catching up and all to soon the sun is starting to set and we still need to pre-ride the finish! A quick tack up and we are exploring the groomed dirt and sand road as it gently rises toward the scrub covered hills that will test both horse and rider the next day. Dani and I wonder out load if Lyric and Jazzi remember the trail from last year. I assume they do remember as both Jazzi and Lyric are relatively quiet and have dispensed with the silliness they displayed last year. In what seemed minutes the sunlight is gone and it is time for the ride meeting. As with many sacred riding areas, Manzinita has experienced growth that has blocked trails. Terry is funny when explaining that the start of the ride is a bit different than last year as the new neighbors have not given permission for the ride to trespass. I am thankful we will by pass most of the cows due to the unfriendly new residents. The third loop for the 50 is new too. I am too hungry to listen and my "mental-pause" infected brain has shut it self off for the night. Dinner is a Mexican pot luck affair at Tara's RV. We all get in and chow down on scrumptious chicken tacos, cheese enchilada casserole, salad and beer. The two Danielle's are happily reconnecting, Jill is making new friends and are tummies are happy. Our horses are happily slurping their beat pulp and electrolyte soup and their hay bags are stuffed full. I only let my self have a couple of beers. I learned not to drink too much alcohol at the Descanso CTR earlier in the summer with my neighbor Jaisia. I played a big price for one too many glasses of wine and I was not going to repeat that mistake! Still I am in heaven. The companionship in ride camp is some thing I cherish. It makes bedtime come way too soon. Nancy Reed Lazy J Ranch Elfin Forest, CA =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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