I just got all my stuff dried out from this weekend's ride at Top
of the Rock. I decided to head on up to the ride Thursday after the
thunderstorms and try to ride both Friday and Saturday. Bill Wilson's
place had dried out beautifully from the devastating mud at Chicken Chase
(and Bill had dumped more gravel) and everyone got their trailers parked
uneventfully.
But the rain started again on Thursday night! We saddled up
Friday morning with no rain and thought it was over. About three
miles down the trail, however, the rain started with a vengeance and it rained
all day! The trails turned into running streams and the hills were
treacherous.
I was riding my 8 year old gelding who was attempting his first LD
after a laminitis attack last August. I rode with Molly Krumlaw (on her
new horse) and we tried to keep each other's spirits up by saying, "I think
the rain is JUST about over, don't you?" LOL Both our horses
navigated the trails nicely and we completed with a ride time of 4-1/2
hours. We laughed about the fact that the two of us have SO many
miles and yet were SO proud of our LD completion!
I can't even believe I went out AGAIN on Saturday with Sue Keith on
HER new horse! At least the weather on Saturday was gorgeous and the
trails had started to dry out some. But the hills were still a mess.
Sue and I had a blast and our boys traveled well together. I even trimmed
about a half hour off my time from the previous day! :)
I don't know all the results, but here is what I can
remember: Laurie Tichenor won the 50 on Friday, Lois McAfee and her
granddaughter, Kyla were 2nd and 3rd; Karen Lynd won the 25 and BC on
Friday; Karen Cummings won the 50 and BC on Saturday, and Vickie Crance
was 2nd. I know there were two on the 100 miler and one got pulled, but
the other finished at 3:30 a.m. Sorry I don't know all the other
placings.
A HUGE thanks to Bob McAfee for managing this ride under
difficult conditions and to ALL the volunteers who stayed out in the cold
rain all day Friday to take care of us riders.
