[RC] Death Valley Rocks! - Carla RichardsonHi all, I've been gone for almost a week and there are PAGES of new e-mails to read - going to take me a while! Just got back early this morning from the Death Valley Encounter XP ride, and I'm so very proud to report that my wonderful "new" horse, Khid (SS Kharady Khid) now has 100 miles -- we did two 50's, at the DVE. It was my first (and then second) 50 mile completion, and Khid's also. What a wonderful way to end 2007 and to start the new year in endurance! It was also my first XP ride. I have all of the Duck's rides on my calender and hope to make them all in 2008. What a fun group of people, I met many on the trail and in camp, and saw familiar faces and horses, too. Most were from California, of course, I may have been the only rider from Colorado, it WAS a long trailer trip, about 14 hours, 750+ miles. We arrived at camp Friday morning at about 1 am or so, and the ride started at 7 am. Not much sleep! Khid was great, though, no problems, sailed through vet checks and drank well, ate well, all day long. We did the first loop in 4 hours, I estimate about 6.5 to 7 mph. The next loop was more hilly and rocky, so we went slower. I could hardly walk the next day (not unexpectedly - ha!) so we took two days off and then rode again on Monday. Monday I felt great, and so did Khid. We rode slower on Monday, due to a very rocky trail -- wow, LOTS of rocks in DV - I think we saw them all :-) so with the early sunset, I rode for about an hour and a half in the dark back to camp. I have much more respect for my horse, he did so well in the dark (my first time to ride him in the dark) and he was so confident he made me confident. I had a great riding partner, too, on Monday, I met a new friend on the trail, Tom Perkins, who also had a young horse he was being conservative with, like I was with Khid. So much more fun to ride with someone -- especially when you end up riding in the dark. Yes, it was a GREAT weekend!! Carla Richardson Colorado =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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