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The 0530 start was a strung out affair with most of us not really
knowing when it occured, horses dribbled through in onesies and twosies,
much more desirable than a stampede start. The first 17 miles to the
first vet check had me riding like a combination of Lee Marvin playing
the drunk in Cat Ballou and George of the Jungle, AGGGHHH WHOOOOAAA
acchk tree, duck, SPLAT! Hal was hell bent on being up in front, even
though he is a tail end of the pack conditioned horse, his HR was mostly
sitting at 130 so I didn't worry too much. Lucky we were using a bit at
this point, no matter how well behaved he is in the arena or on the
trail the start will always be a struggle. The
trail was well marked for this stage, there was plenty of nice scenery,
wheather was cool and overcast and there was plenty of water all of
which remained undrunk - too early and cool. The 75 milers started 30
minutes earlier and we passed a few of these hardy fellows. The ride
photographer shot at us going up a little hill and missed. It sprinkled
a little and the thunder rolled, be nice if it stayed like this all day.
The route takes us mostly along dirt roads and a short diversion onto a
scrub covered trail, footing is wash board and dirt, no bad ruts or
rocks to worry about, some shallow hills.
A few new faces introduced and the usual exchange of personal and horse
histories were exchanged along the way before vet check 1 popped up at
the top of a hill in the backyard of Laura Alexander, the organizers,
house. We pulled in bunched together with the first five arrivals. Hal
refuses to drink, as is expected, scoffs down hay and carrots any time
that he can. He comes down pretty quickly, scores a lot of B's and B+'s
and is given a grade 1 lame on the LF. Odd because he sure doesn't look
that bad to me. We hang out at the check for 35 minutes (20 minute hold)
before venturing out again, this gives all the old hands time to get
well clear. We ride our own ride to the lunch time vet check passing
only one pair on the way, keeping a steady HR110. A few sprinkles keeps
us cool all the way home. Scenery is pretty boring here mostly dirt road
through an area of unsold property lots, but it's only ten miles, and
mostly flat, we follow yellow caution ribbons and it's over quickly. Hal
thinks about lunch and I think about ways to make this Sports Saddle
work properly (Hal likes it fine, I can't find my balance on it).
Hal downs a gallon in one gulp (expected), so we top up his electrolytes
and he starts munching away through a hearty lunch, thinking the day is
done. It starts to get warm and shadows appear. Hal scores mostly A's at
the check and bearly visible lamness on the RF. Figures with only one
good leg and the two in front being a different length, he's confusing
heck out of the vets. I ask the vet what they think about going on and
get an encouraging nod. We spend an hour and a half at the lunch check
(60 minute hold), hoping that Hal will drink more - he doesn't, before
throwing on a saddle and bosal - forsaking the bit for more freedom and
setting off for a hot afternoon ride.
A quarter mile out we get lost and meet a gaggle of other riders coming
back looking for the trail. This was supposed to be easy, hope they have
a lot of booby prizes. I gather a bunch of folk got lost here.
Fortunately a local gal comes riding up behind me on a Paint and guides
us for the next ten miles or so through catus and brush covered, sandy ,
rutted and hilly trail linked together by dirt road. I'm told that the
ribbons are a reddy-orange, I'm red-green color blind and don't see them
unless they are three feet away and I'm looking right at them, the map
is pretty useless for navigation and I'm grateful for the lady's
guidance. Along the way it get's hotter and Hal starts to show signs of
fatigue by stumbling, front and back, but we keep his HR below 110 all
the way. I get off and do six foot miles on the roller coaster hilly
portions where we would have to walk anyway. I do the pinch test and
don't like what I see. Hal refuses to drink at the water stops and the
stream crossings (even with his bridle off) and our guide leaves us
behind at a water stop while I encourage the recalcitrant Hal to top up.
Number takers ask us if we want to know our standings and we tell em,
"Naah." The route is
scenic for parts of this loop we get to see the mountains, lake and
Palomar Observatory, it's hot and not as enjoyable as it could be, the
flies hitch a ride from time to time. We notice sidewinder tracks, see
the white tail of deer skip hopping over the fence of someones vegetable
garden, zards, rodents and a llama. I hand walk Hal into vet check 3 and
he downs six gallons without pause, then digs into the hay, we sneak a
good dose of electrolyte into his meal. There are hoses and all the
horses enjoy a good soak here. He comes down and scores A's and B+'s, no
lameness. Most important to me is the B+ on the hydration measurements.
We spend 45 minutes resting and munching at this check (20 minute hold),
and it's hot.
We follow a rescue trailer out on the final leg, did I mention that it's
hot? Keeping Hal's HR below 100, the dirt road dumps us into a sandy dry
stream bed, navigation is tricky with no giude and me unable to see
ribbons and it's hot. We catch up with a couple of riders, one yells out
to me, have you seen any ribbons lately? Heck no but so what's new?
What's new is that they haven't either. What the heck, I pair up with
one of them and we follow the hoof prints in the dirt. Worse comes to
the worse I could just put a call out on the cell phone for
instructions. It's gentle hills and low ground here so the scenery is
mostly rock and brush. We finally arrive at the water stop but the tubs
are empty, Hal sniffs interestedly at them, "how much further?" our
companion asks, obviously much relieved that we are at least on track. I
look at the map and reply that, if the map is correct we have only five
or six miles to go. The last few miles are a
fairly easy flat trot. Hal characteristically puts his head down and
gets on with it. We slow to a walk when we have the camp visual and
check in with the timer just behind our latest companion. The event is
winding down and they have already awarded the BC ribbon by the time we
pull in. Rumor has it that a lady was driving around pulling ribbons off
the bushes, perhaps an animal rights person?
Hal downs another six gallons and starts chowing on everything he can
get at. We have 60 minutes to make criterion of 60 bpm. Hal is ready
well within that but we spent the next 45 minute cleaning his stall and
packing up before checking him in. This time he's A's
and two B's with one of them being a grade one lame on the RF. We take
Hal home, the two youngsters are glad to see him back, kicking up the
dust. Hal is glad to see them too and shows it by biting both their
butts and chasing them away from the food. He looked great, me I still
had poop duty, truck cleaning duty and unpacking duty to do, and it was
still hot, are we having fun yet? Must be, still grinning.
-- Nicco Murphy, San Diego County 'Open the bay door, please, Hal'
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