[RC] No Frills! No tractor pull this year.. ;-) - steelsidedown
Well, again in 2007, the weather was the center of attention!
HUGE GRATITUDE to the Crandells for once again allowing us to
terrorize their field, farm, and general peace and tranquility. MANY
MANY THANKS to the multitude of volunteers willing to stand outside in the
cold, wet, weather just for us riders!
Friday's weather was a tad windy, but dry, and allowed us to set up camp,
enjoy a hearty dinner (several different soups, salad, baked potatoes with all
the fixins!), enjoy a humorous ride meeting (for future reference: make sure you
tell Lani she fits her horse
perfectly or hide the knives!), and get all tucked
in for bed without a drop of rain.
Saturday morning was lovely, seemed warmer than the night before, tricked
us into wearing comfy fleeces, you know the type that ISN'T
waterproof? (I know, I know, by now I should have learned.)
Loop 1, was a slow reintroduction to the rocks, lovely well
marked trail, plenty water (on the trail, not falling from the sky --
yet).
Vet check was a horse's dream buffet. Management put out a zillion
different kinds of hay, beet pulp, and grains. My horse pigged out,
sampling every food item available. This years spot was much more spacious
than last years.
Loop 2 was, well ... honestly ... LONG ... 25 miles of it. The
weather demons decided that would be the proper time to start misting water at
us ... no wait thats ice ... oh no wait .. now snow ... oh no wait .. now
pelting ice ... OUCH! Sigh, this is endurance right? We
plodded along, horses were tired and hungry, but still
willing. All were very happy to see that vet check! ;-)
Loop 3 was a nice, easy, gravel road, well marked -- a very good thing for
us frozen brained riders! The horses really recharged at the buffet, er,
um, vet check, and zoomed right along to finish.
Completion vet check ... the biggest edge of your seat event of the day
.... "B" on impulsion .. I can live with that .. 10 hours, 55 miles
of rock, a sound horse with no tack rubs, not even a
scratch! ... I call that SUCCESS! <huge grin>
We used the lower driveway to exit this year, while the ground was
muddy, heavy trailers encouraged the trucks to go ahead and slide down the hill
without aid of a tractor. Yep, I'm slightly bummed, I kinda enjoyed the
"show" while packing my trailer the last couple years! However, I did see
a few tire tracks dangerously close to fence posts -- someone had a little
excitement trying to leave!
Congrats to everyone that completed, as with all OD rides,
completion is the ULTIMATE accomplishment!
Jen
PS -- Does anyone have the website for the photgrapher?
