The base camp was at 9000 ft. We went down to
the first vet check at 6000 ft. Then climbed back up to 9 - 10 000
ft. It was one tough ride. 88 horses started, 18 or 16
finished. I pulled around 80 miles. I was sicker than a dog. I
remember Brian with Laura and Wayne crewing. They camped next to us, and
Laura and Wayne offered us stuff somewhere after the half
way. I remember at the halfway that a helicopter landed to take a
rider out and NONE of the horses spooked. I remember as we traversed the
rocks, passed over a gravel slide on the side of a mountain, saying, "why are we
doing this?" And of course "are we having fun yet?" I remember
Maggie Price trotting her horse out the next day for BC while I was trying not
to puke. All those who went for BC were just awesome. It was an
extremely tough ride and those who finished it were just incredible, horses and
riders. When I finally pulled somewhere around 80 miles, I finished
the last mile as it was finally dark. I couldn't find the glow sticks (of
course with my horrible eyes, I don't see well at night anyhow), I remember we
were somewhere around 9000 ft and crossing a meadow. I was so afraid that
I was going to fall off the edge. I suspect I had vertigo at that
point. There was no grazing along that trail, our horses were just
starving, at the half way, the sheep rancher did not want crews because he did
not want his pasture tore up, I remember a hug from Matthew Mackay Smith.
I think I was fairly close to tears. He sure gave me a lift. I
remember crossing a lake, the ribbons took us across the lake. I remember
my mare drinking forever. I was so spaced out that I almost fell into that
lake. I met wonderful folks, got to meet Julie Suhr, and of course rode
with very nice folks along the way. I was sick for two days after that, my
hubby dragged us to Bryce Canyon, the north side of the Grand Canyon where he
and the kids enjoyed the tourist stuff and hiked while I laid sick in the
camper. I can still see Brian around 10 PM cantering down the berm of the
road to the finish. He was just an awesome super nice person with a great
crew who thought nothing was impossible. I always enjoyed riding with both
Brian and Laura in Ohio and PA. Jeanie
