midwest rides

[Pat Gluckin <a1234@gte.net>]

At 12:58 PM 1/3/98 -0600, you wrote:
>Is there any one out there that rides in the Midwest..? Would like
>information on trails and groups in the same.  Thanks  Elaine - Wisconsin
>
Hi Elaine, 

I'm from Indiana and have seen some of the trails at the Chicken Chase in
Henryville, IN and the White Water rides in Hesperia, MI. I am not an
endurance rider as yet. Still working at it.

Hesperia has mostly flat easy trails. Absolutely beautiful! Many pine
forests with pine bedding to ride on and non-gravel two tracks. Most of the
trails allow for 2 or 3 abreast riding. The trails are so nice that I think
a horse could do them barefooted. I only walked 10 of the miles (one loop)
so I'm generalizing the rest of the trip. I grew up in that area.

Quite the opposite is true of Henryville (Clarks State Forest). Very hilly,
rough traveling in places but breathtaking!! We got to see it on a wet
weekend after many wet days prior to the ride. Some riders pulled because
they felt the terrain might compromise their or their horses'safety.

There are riders on ridecamp who have been to the Henryville rides who could
advise you better. Maybe some have been to the Michigan rides. The Petosky
ride is supposedly very sandy and rough on horses that aren't conditioned
for that kind of turf.

By the way, you might want to check out the multiday ride that is across the
state of MI in August. It will be their 2nd run. 5o miles each day. Info in
is the midwest AERC rides for 1998.

I bet Wisconsin has some gorgeous trails. Especially up in the north.

Good luck and enjoy.
Pat