[RC] The Fort Valley Rain Dance (part 1) - steelsidedown
While I have not viewed the
original text, it must include something about; marking 50 or so miles of trail
with brightly colored ribbons, inviting all whom are crazy enough to attempt to
traverse said trail on horseback, and parking those loonies in a lovely grassy
meadow, (like we'd be happy in a gravel parking lot, aye?), then suckering 30 or
so chipper volunteers to spend a perfectly good day off work standing in the
middle of the woods with only a slight clue what their exact purpose
is. Yepper, it happened again!
This time I was lucky enough to depart camp without the aid of farm equipment
though! Not so sure on those who left Sunday.
Due to the fortunate fact I am employed, I had to
ride on Saturday. Just daring the weather gods to fulfill what the
weatherman had promised. Two inches of bone soaking, mud
creating, Tide commercial inspiring, down pour. Let it be known,
Fort Valley was in a mild drought when we arrived, dust poofing up at every foot
fall. Touche' ! First omen, arriving
Friday afternoon at 3pm, and asking "Who won the 50?" Reply from Mary
Coleman, "I don't think they've finished yet". Oh great gobbly gook!
It can't be true!!!
Friday dinner, awards, and meeting; was wonderful,
informative, humorous, and light hearted. Seems we're all at peace
with the weather, and we're dog-gone-it gonna have fun anyway! Wild story
told about saddle and rider going over the rump of a horse climbing up Indian
Grave, and reports the photographer caught it all! (oh bageez, its not bad
enough to fall off in public, but someone had to take pictures of it?!?!)
Learned Friday's 30 had a 100% completion rate! Way to go
guys! And Tom and Tektonic won the 50! Woohoo! We got to
meet the lovely raffle horse, Symetrie. (I'm so jealous Kathy!)
OK, so down to business, Sat's 50. 1st loop 18 miles, a few moderate
climbs, and quite a bit of gravel roadway by the river. 2nd loop 20 miles,
including new *dirt* trail, and the dreaded Indian Grave climb. 3rd loop
12 miles, Martha Ann's loop, all on private property, zig-zagging looping,
looks like loads of fun! Two 45 mins holds, parameters of 64.
Spirits lifted!
Sprinkling at bedtime. Leaped out of bed a
2am, when *something* shook the trailer. Turned out to be the heavy
wind lifting my awning, fixed, gave pony more food, then back to bed.
(That 2am gust was topic of several "startling" stories on Sat!)
Tacked up in sprinkles, and really warm, not bad,
I can do this. Off we go, controlled start, following Henry up the paved
road. I'm really impressed how slow, quiet, and well behaved, all these
wild arabs are this windy morning! Footing is actually great,
just enough rain to knock the dust down and soften the hard packed ground.
We stayed in a group up and over Milford. Then down to a nice grassy
rolling road that got everyone stretched out. I found a great riding
companion going my speed, we chatted it up while watching for the
ribbons.
Returned to camp and VC1, and found it to be pretty
wet, but everyone still laughing and having fun. I fretted over soundness,
my poor pony was slip sliding over those wet rocks, he seemed fine, eager to go,
but there wasn't an inch of flat ground to check soundness. No worries,
Dr. Nick says he's fine. Removed all soaked clothes, new dry ones on,
stuff pony full of food, and back out we go.
Loop 2 was to die for!!!! The trail was so
much fun, nice dirt trails, twisting, turning, DIFFERENT, loads of great
views. But it was getting noticably muddier. Towards the end of the
"new" part we were fetlock deep in mud. Sigh, I never thought I'd be
hoping to see those familiar rock
trails.
