Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

In a message dated 4/4/2006 11:53:53 AM Central Standard Time, guest-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

> I would hate someone at a ride I manage to feel so let down as we felt when we arrived to an empty base camp.


Dodie,
This is something that is part of distance riding.  When a ride is more than one day, the last day is usually on Sunday.  It is simply not reasonable to expect all other riders, volunteers, etc. to delay their trip home until the last rider has finished the ride.  I'm the RM of a 2-day ride, and there's no way I expect that.  I rode the 50 both days at a 2-day ride a couple of weeks ago.  I finished last on the second day...it was my horse's first time to do two consecutive days, and I rode very conservatively, even more so than usual, since the terrain was much harder than where we condition.  When I finished, the vast majority of riders, and some volunteers, had already packed up and left.  There was no one waiting at the finish line, but the timers could see it from where they were sitting at the P&R area.  

Did I feel let down?  Did I feel like no one cared about my finish?  Did I feel less important than riders who finished earlier?  No no, but HELL NO.  I felt good about our ride, and I was very, very proud of my horse.  I was on top of the world.  The timers and vet who completed us quietly congratulated me.  We joked about my slow ride, and I told them I bet they were darn glad to finally see me thundering down the final stretch at a walk.  I don't ride for applause, back-slapping, whatever.  I ride for my personal enjoyment.  I certainly don't expect the world to stop spinning on its axis on my account.  People have lives, they had to go to work the next day, there was severe weather coming that night, and I would have felt bad had people stayed late...for what?  To applaud me and my horse walking across the finish line?  Good grief...if that is all people ride for, then perhaps distance riding is the wrong sport for them.  And I don't buy the idea that this would leave a bad impression on a first-time 50 miler...on the contrary, if I had been mentoring a first timer that weekend, I sure as heck would not have made a big deal of there being few people left in camp...newbies need to realize (as I'm sure most do) that ride management, vets, etc. have lives.  I'd have made darn sure anyone I was mentoring focused on the positive, not the fact that no one was out there waving flags as we crossed the line.

This sport is about much, much more than fanfare and fireworks.  One needs to look inside and examine why they ride...and if applause and cheering crowds are the most important factor, perhaps a change in equestrian activities is in store.  JMHO

Dawn in East Texas 
and Bear (I don't think I would have liked anyone waving a flag at me)