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[RC] Wickenburg Ride Story - from someone who rode it! - Nat NelsonI crewed for my nieghbor last year at Wickenburg and
couldn't wait until this year to ride this ride! It is
so beautifully managed and supported by the community.
There were 113 riders that were supported by 4
volunteers each from the Wickenburg community - that's
the sprirt of this ride! The rider's meeting was
complete with pizza and beverages - beer, wine, soda,
water, gatorade, they covered all the bases.
I followed the weather for two weeks for this ride.
Two weeks prior we were in the mid 70's and got up to
82 degrees! Then out of the blue this storm system
came forcasting rain for ride day dropping the
forcasted high tempture to 62. I vowed to ride it
anyways.
I live in Buckeye a little over an hour away so I
drove home after the ride meeting. The following
morning I loaded up my mare and headed towards
Wickenburg. When we (my nieghboor was crewing for me
this year)got to the rodeo grounds it looked as if it
snowed, but it was hail on the ground. There was MUD
everywhere! Ride managment posponed the start an hour
to let the storm pass. At 8 am the 50 milers left
followed by the 25 milers at 9 am.
I was riding the 25, it was my second ride. My horse
stood quietly in the starting area so I went off with
the group at the start. Mistake! My poor little mare
had never done an uncontrolled start before and was
totally blown away from the commotion. I had to get
off twice in a 4 mile period and hand walk her.
Once we got on the trail I rode with Janet, a gal I
meet at my first ride in Rodeo, NM. It took another 2
miles for my mare to settle down. But once she did she
did as beautifully.
The trail was muddy and in some places slick from a
100 plus horses going before us since we were at the
tail end of the LD. This Arizona desert rat was
apprehinsive of going through the mud, but my Oregon
horse didn't have a problem with it in the least!
But it was absoulutly gorgous! The skys cleared and
got warm enough for me to strip my jacket and got my
picture taken in my new Kerrits vest just before the
vet check.
The vet check was extremely muddy and you were lucky
to keep your shoes on as you trotted your horse for
inspection! But the volunteers had everything there
for you, bran mashes, bermuda hay, alfalfa hay, beet
pulp, carrots, apples for the horses. Gatorade, water,
chips and sandwhiches for the riders. Even though all
the deli meat was gone I enjoyed a lettuce, tomatoe,
and onion sandwich!
During the tail end of our vet check the sky started
to darken with faint rumbling, the tempature dropped.
I put back on my jacket and fished out my rain pants
from my saddle pack.
We left the vet check and got maybe 4 miles down the
trail before the heavens opened up and pelted us with
hail the size of large peas! My horse winced and
jumped until she figured out I was beating her, Mother
Nature was. Then a LOUD clap of thunder sounded off,
my horse bolted, but quickly responded to my cue to
whoa. I continued to talk to her though the storm,
praising her every step of the way. We both needed to
finish the ride together, and I needed her help to do
so! What a bonding experience!!
The storm quickly passed, but there was threats of
another one to hit soon. So our group increased our
pace to try to out run the next storm.
Much of the trial goes through wash beds. With all the
rain the washes were bound to run. While we were going
up a wash, a wall of water came towards us pastern
high. The horses started to back up and we were
looking for escape routes. Fortanly the water stayed
pastern high and we continued to follow the ribbons
down the wash and was relieved when we saw a ribbon
going out of the wash.
The whole desert had runing streams of water working
their way to the washes! Complete with water falls! A
sight that is very rare to see in the desert!
ABSOLOUTLY GORGOUS!!!!
Out of all the LD riders that went out all completed.
I believe there was 48 LD riders. At the awards
ceromony we find out about there was tornado warnings
and funnel cloud sightings in Circle City which is not
to far from Wickenburg. Managment was going to cancel
the ride in progress for safety reasons, I'm glad they
didn't! It was a ride I will always remember and
cherish!!!
~Nat~
Buckeye, AZ
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