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[RC] Trace Tribute - rides2farGreat first time ride and cudos to all involved! You know, you never quite know what you're getting into going to a first time ride...trail may be dangerous, or not measured well, management may be unorganized...so many things to learn, etc. I was prepared for any and all and got NONE of that. You'd have thought they'd been holding this ride for years and already had the kinks worked out. This was my first time going to Columbia, TN. It's not that far from where I live "as the crow flies" but no major direct route. Found out it's *gorgeous* country, big rolling hills that are cleared and in pasture. Looks strange to me since down here all the big hills are still heavily forested and rocky...but these were *huge* ridges that are completely in pasture. I cannot imagine how they mow them without rolling the tractors. Camp was the crest of a line of these ridges. When you turned in there was a dirt driveway for maybe 3/4 mile, but it was far too steep to drive a vehicle off either side. Finally, the ridge widened out enough to park one line of vehicles on each side forming a long, linear ridecamp. At the end was Roger Barrett's house on the crest of a big bald knoll. I'm sure the view was beautiful, but BOY! does the wind cut through there! I was in a short sleeved shirt when I'd left home 3 hours earlier, but the temperature was dropping fast and the wind was bitter. I think we all had on every coat we owned by 7 PM. By the time we had the ride meeting in Roger's front yard I had my horse's wool blanket around me like a tent. Roger did a great ride meeting. I've always said you can tell a lot about how the manager rides by which awards he emphasizes...front runners give great prizes for front runners...completers give lots of "special" awards, etc. but Roger's the first person who you could tell how they rode by their ride talk. For instance," the concrete bridges are slick, you'd better walk them, unless you're going for it then...be careful" or "This trail is an out and back, I know you've all paid your entry fee and have a right to be on the trail but if you're just dilly dallying around, yield the trail to the ones that are going for it". It was all in fun (if you're out there getting your ire up) and got a good laugh. Believe me, when I saw Betsy Knight, Melissa Crain, Kare Disbrow and Neilia Rooter galloping at me, I yielded trail! The BEST part was due to the lay of the trail they wanted to start the 30's first. I thought he was kidding at first but he wasn't. Woo hoo! I liked that. :-)) The trail was a mixture of woods trails with excellent footing, groomed shoulder of road, dirt roads and a tad of pavement but pretty much always a trottable shoulder. I really enjoyed the dirt roads with the old type Kentucky looking white farm houses and the gorgeous creeks. We passed one house out on a dirt road and I saw two deer crossing the yard and then a huge German Shepherd was galloping toward them. I was watching to see them clear the fence but then they just all ran around together. We asked the woman in the yard if she had raised them and she had. Jody asked her what kept them from jumping the fence and she said they'd been raised with the dog. The weather turned out PERFECT for the ride Saturday...cool...in the 50's and clear. The horses did great. I think there were something like 36 in both distances and not many pulls. Betsy Knight won the 50, Melissa Crain was 2nd, then there was a guy I don't know who won BC, Kara Disbrow and Nelia Rooter. Not sure that's the right order on the last 3. Didn't know the 30 winner. Bud Davidson and his nephew were top 10 too. Jody Buttram, Joni & I rode together prepping for our OD excursion. I'll be riding her mare "Aries" in the races leading up to it. Can't ask for more than for somebody else to bring you a nice horse that they've worked all winter and feel that thing just skip up the huge long climbs like they're nothing. Aries is *such* a Cadillac that today when I rode my horse I felt like I was in a jeep on a rutted out road. :-P It really was a great ride and I recommend it to anyone, couldn't have asked for anything more other than maybe heated seats in the Porto-John. :-) Angie =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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