Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Hey everyone! Shiloh & me are back safe & sound from 100+ miles on scenic
Tennessee trails. I've been wanting to get back to Big South Fork for five
years now, and with Eric offering a 100 miler for only $140, finally had
justification despite the cost of diesel to get there :)

We set up camp across from Don and Nicky Meuten -- tight parking but at
least we could crew from our trailer for most of the holds. Megan Davis, who
was riding all 3 days, kindly took time to go over the trail map and point
out details like where the long climbs and water was located.

Beginning in pitch dark at 6am, Joni and Jodi Buttram led us on a long,
controlled start through tricky turns. I really enjoyed getting to meet and
ride with them for a bit. It was almost an hour before dawn broke enough to
see trail, but we still did the 20.6 miles in about a 10 mph hour pace,
wanting to get as much as possible out of the way before the heat kicked in.

Towards the end of the second loop, I came up on Ruth Ann, Lynn and Nicky
off and walking their horses, two of whom had lost shoes...I loaned Ruth Ann
my one EZ boot and Nicky and I rode in ahead to give the farrier a heads up.

I rode much of the 3rd loop with Nicky Young and really enjoyed getting to
talk to her about Tevis. Then Ruth Ann and Lynn caught up to us and the
three of them were able to zoom on ahead (there was a big climb which I
walked up on foot - Shiloh has never been a hill horse!)

We were alone most of the 4th loop, which was the hottest part of the day
and seemed to go on forever. At one point there was a 4-way intersection
with a water tank and near it three turn ribbons for the pink/black loop,
but no confidence markers after the turn. I consulted my map, which wasn't
much help, and decided to trust the turn markers, seeing a pink/black ribbon
after about a half mile. About 40 minutes later, Nicky and Lynn, who had
missed that turn, came up from behind with Ruth Ann not far behind. I was
glad for their company when we came to another confusing turn right near the
end of the loop. Dana Reeder had walked out from the hold looking for us,
since we were taking longer than they'd expected. We were glad to see her!

Memories of the 4th hold: having Angie P&R my horse while he peed all over
her, which finally made his pulse drop (thanks Angie!), being greeted by my
dog Gus and a freshly grilled hunk of chicken, having Ruth Ann's horse share
chow with Shiloh, and watching Cash Pony trot out - my goodness, he looked
fresh and you'd never guess he'd just done 70 miles!

Leaving out on the 5th loop at a slow trot a few minutes after the others,
Shiloh stumbled and did a face plant. I was worried because the ground was
flat but had small rocks mixed in the dust and jumped off to check his
knees, which were dusty but fortunately not cut up. As I remounted, I saw
Nicky coming back - she was concerned about her horse's gait and decided to
pull. The rest of that loop was a race against daylight, which was fast
disappearing. Coming up out of the riverbed on the 3rd long climb of the
day, I saw Shiloh's head start bobbing and pulled a golf-ball size rock out
of his hoof - note to self: use pads next time! Zooming through the rest of
the loop as a cooling breeze began, I got into camp just in time to chat
with Lynn and Ruth Ann before they left out.

I was all alone on the last 2 loops and they were slow ones. I started
feeling sick coming into the last 20 minute hold and Nicky thankfully had
some cheeze-its that saved my stomach, plus she ran back to my rig to fetch
EZ boots, which helped speed Shiloh up a bit on the rocky sections of trail.
The last loop also went quicker because I remembered landmarks, like the 1st
bridge at 40 minutes and the 3 glowsticks in a row at 60 minutes and then
the water tubs about a mile before the finish. Kathy Neunzig (sp?) zoomed by
me about halfway through that last loop and I was content to let her go on,
keeping Shiloh to his slow but steady trot. The "grouchy old man" did good,
crossing the finish at 12:32pm to be just 110 miles short of the 4k mark in
his career!

I'm very grateful to ride manager Eric, Otis & the other good vets, Susan K.
& Nina Barnett (who put up with my crankiness at the next to last hold ;),
Dana Reeder and the Kemmerers who helped cool my horse in the heat of the
day, a nice lady called Laurie, Lynn K's crew and all the others who helped
me make it though the day. Please continue this 100 next year! It's just a
notch or two below OD in difficulty, but really fun trails and great people!

Mary & Shiloh in VA



=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

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!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=