Castle Rock!!

[Linda Cowles <lindac@gilroy.com>]

Yesterdays Castle Rock ride tops them all for spectacular weather,
scenery, camping accommodations, good company, excellent vetting - it
was what I dream "perfect" endurance rides should be like! 

Castle Rock is the toughest 50 I've ever done. Like Tevis, it is "The"
50 to ride, and is not for snivelers! The McCrary's and the Summit
Riders take good care of everyone in camp, and set us up for a good ride
with well marked and planned trails, but this is a trail of legendary
toughness. If you finish, you finish an extraordinary ride. Castle Rock
is the first ride I ever dreamed of completing.... and now I have. 

The trail runs up the picturesque and rugged California Coast, and is
nonstop views of the ocean and coastal mountains. We rode through
redwood and oak forests are carpeted in powder blue Forget-Me-Nots and
Ceanosis (sp?) and wild iris in lavender, white and shades of blue, with
the sound of waterfalls, running streams and wild birds as a backdrop.
The hills were thick in knee-deep green grasses accentuated by poppies
and other wild flowers too numerous to mention, all waving in the 60-70
degree breeze under a bright sun and perfect blue sky.

I don't have the statistics of who won, how many rode, how many were
treated... I heard that there were 120 entries in the 50, and was told
that we came in 62, and that 30 more riders were behind us. It seemed
like there were many horses treated for metabolics, because this is a
tough trail and for this ride, was very fast because of the perfect
weather. There were pulls for lameness too... this is not a racetrack
ride!!

Gav did great. The plan was slow and steady, and to get straight A's. We
came close! 

I started out the ride as a calm walk to hear Lori O. of Quicksilver
call out "LINDA!!! What is that BIT doing in Gavilan's mouth????!!!!" 

I stuck a snaffle on him for the start after having him be a handful at
the last ride, SASO Grant Ranch. He was an excellent guy though, and
while it was good insurance, it was unnecessary and I dropped it at the
first water. 

Our Quicksilver club members were everywhere, smiling, encouraging and
supporting each other. It feels so good to have these people, who have
so much knowledge and experience, telling you how good your horse looks!
When Becky, Lori, Steve, Maryben, Judith, Brian or Julie tells you
something like that, it really means something. These folks know - what
a group of fine horse people! If you want to join a good club, folks,
this is it.  http://www.homestead.com/qsendurance/files/  Super
people... Many Ridecamp friends were there too - Ridecamp lurking is a
major form of entertainment here in California! 

Barbara and Lud - yesterday was heaven. Trotting and cantering along the
creek after lunch was one of the riding memories I'll cherish for a
lifetime... thank you for sharing your forests and meadows with all of
us!

  -- Linda


P.S. My new friend, Sammy, was able to join us because Barb lifted her
No Dogs rule!!! A few folks took advantage, but not many. Maryben
deserved a citation book in recognition of her efforts to make this a
VERY successful experiment for the ride, and I hope Barb allows us to
bring our friends next year!

Was Sam good? Well, every good dog has a story to tell, right Valerie?!
He tried to have an adventure, but it was thwarted... maybe next time!

-- 


  Linda Cowles   
  Lion Oaks Ranch 
  Gilroy CA



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