Silver State - Ride Story <long>

[DreamWeaver <karen@chaton.gardnerville.nv.us>]

Finally have a sec to write a bit about the Silver State ride this past
weekend.  First of all, I'd like to thank Claire and Peggie for doing such
a fantastic job and working so hard - and also their spouses and all of the
other volunteers and LVDR members who helped make this such an enjoyable
and memorable event. Btw, Peggie has a really awesome ride management
software program - *really* nice.   If any other ride managers are
interested, you may want to contact Peggie (PEGGASIS@aol.com) and get more
information.  

I rode all three days on Weaver, who is now going to get a well deserved
vacation for working so hard all year. I think we managed to squeeze in
something like four multidays, four one day 100's and a few one day rides,
accumulating a total of 1,455 miles.  There are lots of people that have
done even more than that - isn't that amazing?  I think Trilby did a
thousand or more miles than I did - wow! 

We had a really great ride, and I didn't really want it to end so even
though I was happy that we had such a great ride season I was a little sad
that it was over.  Lynne Glazer came out and rode my other horse Rocky for
me on the third day of the ride. They did really well together, and in
fact, I think Lynne is still talking to me <BG>.  

It was great fun getting to see so many old friends and getting to make new
ones.  The trail was very well marked, and loads of fun.  I just love
getting out on those narrow two-track trails and out of sight of
civilization!  We had a blast weaving thru the cactus and joshua trees -
and of course we never once stepped on a rock (never, really)  <haha>. (saw
more easyboots on horses than I could count) The trail had lots of dips and
bends in it, definitely not flat or boring!  There was plenty of water for
the horses and even some grass for them to munch on in sections.  We saw
herds of wild horses.  It was even t-shirt weather most of the time! And as
if that weren't enough, we were very well fed too!  It's very nice being
next to a casino (for 2 days out of 3) that has hotel rooms, restaurants,
restrooms, etc.  We even got to watch a movie on the last night (Thanks
Brian!), and of course I cannot even recall how many wonderful friends we
shared meals with over the course of the entire weekend.  It was a whole
lot of fun!! 

The first day is all based out of the ridecamp in Jean, Nevada.  We are
just outside of Las Vegas by about 20 miles, behind the Nevada Landing
casino.  The first loop was 35 miles with a one hour check, then the
remaining 15 mile loop.  On the second day we move camp and ride 50 miles
out to Blue Diamond.  The vet check is about 30 miles into the ride, where
we had an hour hold.  We started at 7 a.m. on these two days.  On the third
day, we ride back to Jean.  On this day we started at 6 a.m., which was
really nice because that way everybody gets done earlier.  The vet check
was only a 1/2 hour hold due to it being so chilly in the morning, and only
20 miles into the ride.  On the last two days we sent our crew bags out
since there was no crew access.  Barney Fleming was the head vet, and some
other guy ;^) was there vetting too, but I never got his name (sorry).  
 
On the first day our completion awards were horseshoes welded to make a
hook holder thingy, and painted.  It sort of looks like a grappling hook.
The second day we got buckets.  I got a purple one :))).  The third day was
bucket holders that you screw into something solid to hold a bucket.  Each
day they drew ten vet cards to give the top ten awards to (instead of
giving them to the top ten riders).  Lynne and I both got one on the last
day.  Peggie had decorated (with paint) some 5 x 7 frames and in them was a
cartoon showing all three days of the Silver State ride.  It's really cute!  

Oh yeah, I also went over 3,000 miles on this ride. Though in comparisson
to everybody else that was at this ride, it is just a miniscule amount. ;=0
 My horses together did over 2000 miles this year, with no pulls (how is
that for jinxing myself for next season?).

Rocky gets to do Death Valley next...and looks like Weaver will get to
teach my husband how to ride.  This could be real interesting :).   

Happy Trails,

Karen
in Gardnerville
& Weaver, 2455 miles
& Rocky, 850 (or is it 800...or is it 900?) hmmmm