Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Here is another view.

I think ride fees SHOULD include the Sat meal.  Maybe $15 for extra 
tickets and $10/person for a FRIDAY night meal too.  As Don pointed out, 
the meals are peanuts compared to the other expenses.

I think a good part of the costs being incurred are the proverbial 
chickens coming home to roost for a lot of Endurance riders.  When I 
started in the mid 80s, a fancy rig was anything with a dressing area, 
even if that area was only 3'x4'.  Those trailers were a lot lighter and 
the trucks needed to tow them were lighter and not as beefed up.  One 
prominent rider hauled his horse in an open top, one-horse trailer with 
wooden sides - super light.  He slept under his truck (or was that in 
it?).  Because we had a meal available on Fri night (extra $8) and the 
Ride Dinner on Sat (included), we didn't have to bring all kinds of food 
and food preparation apparatus, just Sat lunch, leaving more room in the 
truck bed for our stuff.  Stuff was the important "stuff", ie, saddle, 
bridle, hay, water barrel, some grain, couple of buckets, etc.  No 
hibachi, barbecue, shower (actually I remember one RAT couple that had a 
solar shower - cool!), propane gen, indoor lighting, tv, microwave (in a 
truck????), etc.

So now the cost to haul our home away from home has gone into the 
stratosphere and no one remembers how to do a ride frugally.  Everyone's 
so used to living first class they can't POSSIBLY do without the gps, 
internet connection and computer, hot & cold running water.  Well folks, 
all that s**t costs mega bucks to haul around.

Maybe it's time to go back to the future.


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