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[RC] Grand Canyon - Bruce WearyDayna and I just returned from riding days three and four of the Grand Canyon ride. Base camp is nestled in a beautiful open meadow, flanked by pines and aspen as far as the eye could see. The ride is timed to coincide with the turning of the aspen leaves, which dotted the entire countryside with their flickering leaves of various shades of yellow and gold. Day three dawned chilly and breezy, having calmed from gale force winds the night before. I slept very little as I lay there and wondered just how much wind it would actually take to knock the motor home and trailer on it's side.:> We were rewarded for our sleepless night with a most beautiful Grand Canyon day, and Dayna and I rode together for the first time in months, as she has been campaigning her little gelding, Crickett, competitively all season, and I have been between horses, trying to line up two good candidates. I think I finally have them. I rode my young Arab gelding, Chester, on the first day, and he was an absolute joy to ride. Extremely brave at five years of age, he led much of the day, paced himself nicely, was very sure-footed, and when he tired a little, rewarded me with the most delightful, slow, rolling canter to break things up a bit. The lunch vet check took place among the pines with distant views all around, and the smell of woodsmoke wafted from the campfire that warmed the volunteers. The day ended all too soon, as the trail wound through meadows and multi-colored forests on our way back to camp. Dayna enjoyed the break from the tension that goes with competing at faster speeds, and she stopped calling me "Ol' what's his name."More El Nino winds that night, and some riders went home, as there was a predicted chance of rain and snow showers the next day. Around 40 brave souls, including us, trusted Father Nature and saddled up in a very cold and windy camp, and we were once again rewarded for our "endurance" with an ever clearing day, warming to the lower 50's. This time Dayna turned Crickett loose, and she had a great day riding with her new friend, JoLynn Maynard. JoLynn has a very nice gelding who is only happy in the front, so the two of them rode together all day, finishing 1-2. They even tried a little cavaletti jumping over a downed tree, and while JoLynn and her horse made it, Crickett made it--without Dayna. He shied just as he touched down on the other side, and Dayna slid off to confer with Mother Earth. Except for a gash on her elbow and a bruised ego, she's fine. Crickett always has the decency to stay nearby whenever she comes off. She claims he gives her that "What are you doing down there, again?" look each time she launches. My day was spent more leisurely. It's time I came out of the closet. I'm gaited. Again. There. I said it. After my career with Sugar, my foxtrotter mare, I thought I was done with experimenting with gaited horses for endurance riding. My wife indulged my pursuit one more time, and the result is an 8 year old gelding, whom we call John Henry. He is the most charming (he nickers whenever he sees a human being), smooth, sure-footed and talented gaited horse I have had--and that includes Sugar. He has been a working horse all his life, having packed on elk hunting trips and carried ten year old children. He does everything right. No spooks, perfect manners, etc. We saddled up and headed out last, more or less, and he simply took over. He traveled straight, went wherever he was pointed, never missed a step, and gaited or cantered all day. He is quite fast, and looks to catch other horses. Sometimes it takes a bit of convincing to leave a horse once he has caught it, but he eventually got the idea. His recoveries are remarkable (better than Chester's, for now) and we finished his first 50 in 12th place. Not bad for an unregistered gaited horse from Kentucky. Having not slept for the last two nights, we decided to head home, as we only live about 5 hours from camp. After garnering some lovely parting gifts and a hug from Annie, we drove home last night through continuing high winds, which calmed as we drew closer to home. You know that tired, achy, satisfying feeling you get after you have had a really great endurance ride? We will be feeling that all day today, and probably into tomorrow. In some places more than others. Create the chance to do this ride. You won't forget or regret it. Bruce Weary =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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