At first, it appears to be endurance riding but at second glance, we can't
really isolate the endurance riding parts from the mudding events so
perhaps endurance riding is a misnomer....
It needs a name that is indicative of the different elements of the sport
(kind of like 3-day eventing) as well as the team nature between
rider/crew:
1. Friday P.M. - Arrive in hot, muggy humid weather. Camp is set up. Rain
begins. Rain ends. Grounds are already damp from rain on Thursday. Still
hot and muggy. Rider and crew (in this case *mom*) lug water (3 pickle
buckets and two five gallon containers of water) up steep, slick, muddy
hill because you cannot drive up the hill any longer due to a traffic jam
of stuck trucks at the entrance to the pit crew area. Set up crew station -
field now looks like a MASH unit ready for incoming with 300 different
water containers and pile of hay....This part of the event must take
several hours but should be completed by dark or the rider's meeting -
which ever comes first.
You are judged on how few four letter words you say, how many times you
slip and fall, and how much water you spill. Excess distance (like 1/2 mile
or so) and change in elevation between camp and crew area is good for bonus
points.
2. Saturday A.M. - Prepare for endurance riding part of event - may be
raining at this point or this may come later in the morning but must rain
to qualify....grounds get messier, rider manager announces (at 5:30 a.m.)
that crewing area will be moved to camp due to noone being able to get up
that hill - motored vehicles or two-legged crew....This cause much cursing
and scurrying as buckts and sponges are up *there* and rider will be coming
in *here*. Riders take off - crews are left to figure out how to handle
this...Management goes up hill, empties said 300 containers (or maybe it is
3,000) of water, piles them in truck(s), brings them down to camp, and
unloads. This creates slight amount of confusion for crew as not *every*
piece of equipment from hill got marked with name....Temperature drops
during day and wind picks up.
Judging on this part looks at the rider, crew, and environment -
Both are judged on ability to hold your tongue when announcement is made.
Rider is judged on ability not to snap at crew because equipment is
scattered, weather is crappy, and camera is nowhere to be found -- first
loop goes by nationally known historical residence.
Crew is judged on ability to suppress urge to throttle rider as none of
this is crew's fault. Throttling rider at this point can be grounds for
team disqualification. Fortunately, crew, aka mom, is *very* experienced as
this part.
Both are judged on ability to NOT go up to people in 2WD trucks that are
obviously stuck and only getting stucker and simply take their keys away.
Depth of mud in driveway thru camp should be ankle deep.
Bonus points if a big 2WD roll-back, car-hauler parks in front of rider's
white truck and gets stuck. Car hauler should spin and slide enough after
realizing the inevitable so that rider fears for her truck's safety. Rider
should have cell-phone and car insurance agent's card in case she needs to
leave in a different vehicle than she arrived. Car hauler should take a
mininum of 45 minutes to get out of mud as he attempts everything but the
obvious solution to get out of mud he should have known better to park in
in the first place. Rider and crew (females) should resist strong urge to
tell (male) driver of stuck car-hauler that we knew what he should have
done in the first place to get out.
3. Sunday A.M. - cold, windy, everything must be muddy and wet/damp. Pack
up for 8 hour drive home.
Both are judged on ability to pack in an orderly manner, not say any four
letter words while trying to arrange damp, muddy equipment while hands are
freezing because gloves are at home. Must resist urge to throw everything
in one big pile and leave for ride management to take out with trash.
Bonus points if crew resists urge to leave without rider since this was
*Mother's Day* weekend and rider used argument of beautiful weather and
flowers to talk crew into coming.
Some details like a consistent point system, description of exactly what is
"crappy weather", and judging differences for crew that are not family
members need to be worked out before this event can be expected to really
flourish in other parts of the country. Until then, riders in Southeast
will continue the trailer race to compete in this event in the hopes of
receiving as yet to be determined year-end recognitions.
If you have ideas on what to name this sport or if you want details on how
to become a member of this fast-growing sport, please contact me.
Tina Hicks (who is pretty sure she is the SouthEast Mud Queen) and Mom (who
should be bestowed with sainthood since the two times she has been able to
crew for me this has happened)