SASO IV Ride report (long,dull... :)

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From: Judy Long 
Email: julong@cisco.com

Hello all!

Well, I had a great ride at the SASO IV held at Grant Ranch (CA)
this past weekend (4/25/98).  Although it was SASO IV, I think it was the only 
one that didn't get cancelled this year due to bad weather.
In spite of taking 1/2 day off work, Nick and I didn't 
get to Grant Ranch until about 8:00 pm Friday night (just in time
for the ride meeting).  Lucky for me that Nick was doing the driving
because that road is skinny and twisty.  Not too much fun driving it in
the evening light.  There is a fantastic view but you are far too
nervous to look at it.

Nick didn't bring Shatta to this ride because he is taking him to
Washoe next week for the 100.  We decided to trade off on crewing
duties so this week was my turn to ride Warpaint the wonder appy
and Nick's turn to wait eternally for me to show up.  Plus this was our 
last chance this year to use the SASO entry that we won in the Pacific 
South Raffle last year (you can't pass something like that up!)

We got up Saturday morning and were checked in by able ride vet Jamie
Kerr. I think the last time he saw Warpaint was last June at the
Oakland Hills ride.  It was there that Warpaint was able to finagle
yet another summer off.  He had a sore tendon at that time, so we
didn't do the ride and later took him to UC Davis for diagnosis.  
He had what turned out to be (after a lot of worry) a splint that just
needed some time to heal.  (They said it was either caused by trauma
or it was a tumor!).  Since then Warpaint has healed up and did three
days at Death Valley this last Christmas.  Jamie found him OK to go so 
we got ready to ride.

This was our first endurance ride since Death Valley and we really hadn't
been doing much riding at all, so I planned to take it very easy and go
slow.  Warpaint and I started out in the usual way which means he jigs and
runs and hops and wants to go.  We started out with a fairly controlled
jig which was not too bad.  He was easier to control because the course
started out with a nice long hill.  As it turned out, the whole course
seemed to be either up or down hill!  I had the best start on Warpaint
that I've probably ever had and I think it was because we didn't ever
get going fast in the morning.  We did have a couple of spooks at things
I couldn't see, but Warpaint was definitely disturbed by.  This park has
a big population of wild pigs.  Warpaint apparently does not like pigs at all.
But the most amazing thing was that I actually had brakes!  Warpaint would
actually stop or slow down when I asked him to.  (It's only been 7 years)

After about two plus hours to do the first 12 1/2 miles, we came into the
vet check.  Things were pretty uneventful there (except of course for
seeing our endurowest buddy Kirsten Berntsen) and we went back out on
the trail after our 20 minute hold. 

The trail itself was in pretty good shape.  There were just a very few
boggy spots and the scenery was gorgeous:   steeply rolling hills 
covered in green grass and wildflowers along with oak trees.  It was sunny
and comfortably warm and we were having a nice ride.  I actually rode with
a couple of other riders for a few miles without my horse going nutso.
We just kept trucking along towards the lunch vet check which was back at
camp.  When we were coming down a long hill we came across a rider whose
horse was being a wild man.  He was doing all the crazy things that 
Warpaint does when he wants to go.  He was jigging, going sideways, and
chewing madly on his snaffle bit.  All these things looked so familiar to
me but my horse was actually behaving fairly well instead of acting the
same way.  I ending up talking with the rider and walking in towards camp.
We ended up talking and walking right past our turn and went out of our
way for a while.  By the time we realized we had to turn back, we had about
forty minutes until the 12:30 pm cut off time.  As we turned back we came
across two other riders  who had made the
same mistake.  I felt much better that I wasn't the only one!  We boogied
on back and found where we went wrong.  We made it into camp at about
12:00 or a little past.  I had spent more than 3 hours riding time from
the first check!  Talk about woolgathering...

Our lunch vet check (this time by Melissa Ribley) went well and elicited a
few polite comments on how Warpaint was "in fine flesh".  Ok, he's fat right
now.  Actually most of the horses had good weight.  There hasn't been as 
much endurance activity as there usually is by this time of year so they
all seem to be on the chubby side.

We got ready to leave on time, but I was the last rider out!  Jen and Stasia
had done the 25 so they were done. Trilby and the rider with her had made it 
in before me, and the rider I was with had pulled.  The second half was the
same as the first, so I at least knew what ground I had to cover.  I ended
up running down a lot of hills on foot and kept up a fairly steady pace.
We got to the 3rd vet check in 2 hours so I was fairly comfortable that I
would make it on time.  

We kept moving along at a steady pace until we came to a loop that we had
done in the morning.  Warpaint now knew that the way to camp was to the
left and he thought it was an incredibly stupid idea to go straight.  
After I convinced him to overcome his reluctance, we moved along nicely.
I didn't start to worry about time until Trilby and her friend passed me.
You know you're in trouble if you are riding BEHIND Trilby.  I knew I
would be able to make it on time but that still doesn't keep you from
worrying.  I've decided that I don't like riding that close to cutoff
because it takes some of the fun out of the ride.  I was a little anxious
until I made it down to the flat part of the trail where I met Nick.  He
had just run on the trail back from the finish.  He told me it took him 45
minutes and that I had 45 minutes left to get to camp.  Since it was mainly
flat and I knew Warpaint ran faster than Nick, I was able to relax and
we trotted out the last couple of miles.  I think that was more trotting
than we did all day.  I made it in to the finish at 6:09 with 21 minutes
to spare.

Camp was a little empty by that time, except for the three piglets that
kept skittering around the camp.  They're sure cute when they're small.
After passing the final vet check, I could celebrate.  Another completion!
The Warpony is getting close to 2000 miles and these 50 were probably the
most relaxed I have ever had on him.  I didn't even have sore arms from
pulling! (Those of you who have seen us on the trail know what I mean).
I had a great time and my horse even looked good after the ride.  He had
lots of energy left.  He looked great the day after and definitely looked
way better than I did.  Running down hill is something you should condition
yourself for, especially if you don't want to waddle down stairs for days
afterwards.   

That's about it for my ride report.  Not an eventful ride but isn't that
a lovely change?  I'll just keep my fingers crossed for the same type of
experience at Diablo Vista...


Judy Long and Nachi Sunshine (Warpaint)
Hayward, Ca.

P.S.  We're moving to our own 6 acre place on Monday! 
      Happy horses, happy riders!