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On our ride, drag riders perform at least two necessary functions.  They are 
safety riders, and they remove our ribbons and signs as they ride.  After a 
100 mile ride, the last thing we want to do is drive and walk out again and 
pull ribbons.  Furthermore, if we leave ribbons up in the parks, the ranger 
calls the next day and remarks about it, with a tsk, tsk attitude.  I had to 
explain that the one area the ranger was remarking about was ridden in the 
dark by most of the riders and definitely the drag riders, so the drag 
riders could not always see the flags.  I asked the ranger to keep the 
ribbons pulled and we would pick them up.  There were three of them.  And 
that was what the ranger was tsk, tsking about.  Sigh...........

Barbara

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joe Long" <jlong@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Laney Humphrey" <laneyhh@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: "Ride Camp" <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, July 24, 2006 12:23 AM
Subject: Re: [RC] 2006 Big Horn 100


> On Sun, 23 Jul 2006 21:34:23 -0700, Laney Humphrey
> <laneyhh@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > Joe Long wrote:
> ...
> > > Vets and well-marked trails, yes.  Drag riders -- nice to have, but
> > > hardly necessary.
> >
> > IMHO, whether drag riders are necessary or not depends a lot on how RM
> > wants its ride perceived by MOST people.  Many, if not most, rides
> > today, have drag riders so they are expected.  If RM chooses not to have
> > them, that should be made very clear from the outset so riders know not
> > to expect help from behind.
>
> I never had drag riders at my rides because I didn't have enough
> volunteers to have them.  I'd say that over 90% of the rides I've done
> did not have drag riders.  In my experience having drag riders is the
> exception, not the rule.
>
> What people have a right to expect at an AERC ride are competent vets,
> well-run vet checks and a well-marked trail.  Everything else is "nice
> to have" but not essential to a good ride.  I'll take those
> fundamentals (and, of course, good scenery) over drag riders, checks
> in camp, meals, fancy awards, and such every time.
>
> ...
> > Joe, you and RM, IMHO, are blindsided to this year's reality at Big
> > Horn.  In most years, from what I've heard, the ride is do-able but
> > tough and should be attempted by only the most experienced.
>
> Rides like the Big Horn are tough, yes, but to say they "should be
> attempted by only the most experienced" is going way too far.  They
> are not the best choice for a first 100, but even that is doable if
> you have a mentor riding along.
>
> > This year's
> > ride did include unusual challenges - having to reroute the trail being
> > the biggest from what I'm reading but also the heat - which RM did not
> > appear to accomodate.
>
> Accomodating such things is not as easy as you seem to think.  I've
> had to re-route a ride "on the fly" staying ahead of the riders, due
> to flash-flooding of the creeks -- it isn't easy.
>
> > I've ridden rides that were acknowledged to be
> > long where RM extended the finish time; I've ridden rides in extreme
> > heat where pulse criteria was lowered in order to slow people down &
> > where additional holds have been added.  There were plenty of very
> > experienced riders on very good horses who could not complete this
> > year's ride.  That should send up red flags.  One of those experienced
> > riders is one who lost his horse.  Another red flag in my opinion.
>
> I don't have the exact numbers, but didn't over 50% of the riders
> complete?  There have been many 100's that have had fewer than 50%
> complete, some fewer than 30% complete.
>
> Holds and pulse criteria are a matter of judgement, and as I was not
> there, I will not second-guess those decisions.
>
> > > In my not-so-humble opinion, anyone who wants to experience the finest
> > > and most beautiful challenge that our sport has to offer, will do the
> > > Big Horn 100 at least once.  You really haven't had the full endurance
> > > experience without it.
> >
> > Several of us have posted very similar opinions about the reality of our
> > sport today.  None of us is arguing for doing away with tough, extreme
> > rides such as Big Horn but we are saying that rides need to be designed
> > for the rider of today.
>
> Gawd, I hope not.  Not if the "rider of today" wants all of the
> obstacles removed, and his ability to complete guaranteed.  And why do
> you keep saying "extreme ride?"  The BH is tough, but it is not
> extreme IMO.  I have some rides that I would call extreme, such as the
> 1980 Heart of Dixie (due to horrendous weather conditions) and the
> 1987 Race of Champions (where only 16 of 88 experienced riders and
> horses finished).
>
> > The most successful leaders lead by following
> > to paraphrase a friend of mine.  If  people want to have extreme rides,
> > designed to be beyond the abilities of most riders, they should go
> > ahead, but not seek AERC sanctioning which opens any ride up to anyone.
> > Laney
>
> Whoa!!!!  Now you've done  quit preachin' and gone to meddlin'.  AERC
> should not sanction tough rides?  The day our sport comes to that
> pass, is the day I move on to something else.
> --
>
> Joe Long
> jlong@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> http://www.chiprider.com
>
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