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[RC] Riding at Night - rides2farPlan to actually ride in the DARK. I found that the dark is preferable to moonlight in the woods. The full moon throws bright patches which make the shadows even darker. We were trotting along with our horses jumping hte shadows at 85 miles...singing "I'm being followed by a moon shadow, moon shadow moon shadow. :-) Lights and glowbars - this can be kind of controversial. Some people prefer to have nothing. I've heard of people who get motion sick from the light moving around.> NO GLOWBARS, LIGHTS, ETC ON THE BACK OF YOUR HORSE. My first experience with a glowstick in the tail was at Biltmore last year. Jody had a red glowstick in her horse's tail and if it hadn't been for having that to follow I would have been trotting off trail constantly. It didn't bother me in the least and I really liked it being red so I didn't confuse it with the green ones marking the trail. Honestly, I have empathy for people who get motion sick, etc...but give us folks who can't see in the dark a little break too. I love my breastcollar flourescent light, and when I didn't have one I *loved* following someone who did. Makes the people behind you disoriented. If you are worried about cars or traffic use some kind of reflectors. Closest I've come to getting hit by a truck was an obvious crew vehicle hurrying down the road. For goodness sakes crews...remember we're out there! I was trying to get my flashlight off my neck to shine on my horse's rump but I was around a blind curve with high banks on a dirt road and hearing that diesel coming fast was pretty terrifying. I had always thought shining a light on the rump was the plan but now I want reflectors. > Headlamps - if you are riding by yourself or with someone else who has one these may be okay. I think where people run into problems is when they come up on someone who doesn't. My friends each had a red one on our 100 (there were 3 of us together), as long as they stayed in front of me and didn't look around too much it was GREAT. But if they were behind me their light cast my shadow directly in front of me and my horse. Again, that's why I like the flourescent light. It stays steady, forward and aimed down making a soft pool of light about 8' out so shouldn't cast shadows from anyone else's horse. this is why glowbars are more popular because they don't cause much shadow. I couldn't *wait* to put glowbars on my horse for the first time. Made me really feel like a true 100 miler. Then, as it turned out, for me they were totally useless except to let the competition keep up with my location. By the time they light up something, you've already hit it, or missed it, so what's the use? On the flashlight subject, I hate mag lights because you screw the top to turn it on. Turn it too far or the wrong way and the whole top falls off along with the bulb! No thanks. I have a "push *down* button" model. I carry extra batteries. Only time I needed them was to loan to another rider whose flashlight had a "slide up or down" button had gotten turned on while bouncing in her pack all day and had used up her batteries. I tend to be pretty slow when riding Kaboot on trail in the dark but I can make time on an open dirt road. When riding Jody's horse, following her, we booked through the woods trails, roots & all with no lights. Makes me seriously consider taking some of Jody's pupil dilating painkillers if it really helps that much! Angie Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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