Colfax Coal Rush

["Michael or Susie Jones" <mjones@springercoop.com>]

I've waited the last couple of days to read glowing reports from riders re:
the Colfax Coal Rush.  Since I'm on the digest, I may be pre-mature in
assuming no one's writing about it... but having been involved since the
idea was conceived about 1 1/2 years ago, I can hold my tongue no longer!

Susan (Sue) Norris-Romero performed an exceptional job at managing her first
25/50 mile ride.  I, Susie Jones, was the unofficial "assistant manager" - I
referred to myself as the "ass manager", but when it came right down to it,
I didn't deal with any asses at all (equine or otherwise).  Sue is a
perfectionist - and it showed at this ride.

Sue worked for over a year devloping community support & working on the
trails (poor me... I had to go ride all these gorgeous trails with her &
tell her how I thought we needed to ride them more to figure out how to best
layout the trails for the ride!) .  Sue's husband, Ralph, and my husband,
Mike, were also a big help in making this ride a success.  And I can't even
begin to name all the local & endurance friends who chipped in to make sure
everything ran smoothly on ride day.  And the list of local & national
sponsors is really impressive (I'll try to get that from Sue to post to
ridecamp).

There were lots of factors that made this event a huge success.  The first
was the cooperation of the NRA Whittington Center, where the event was held.
They not only allowed, but encouraged us to hold this ride - and officials
from the center were present on Friday & Saturday to monitor the event,
support the event, & encourage us as it unfolded.  Community interest was
another large factor: lots of local merchants contributed money &
merchandise for ride prizes and raffle items (the raffle held at this ride
was the largest "local ride" raffle I've ever seen... in fact, with $20
worth of tickets, my husband & I won a camp chair, saddle bags, and a $35
gift certificate to a local restaurant!).  Another facet of community
interest was local volunteers - friends of Ralph & Sue really chipped in to
help... and a local vet (Mark Jansen) was so interested in getting involved
that he ASKED if he could come help vet the ride!

Then there were those experienced endurance riders/crew members that stepped
in to help at the last minute.  I hesitate to name names because I'm sure to
leave someone out, but there was a BIG group of "experienced" ride people
(10 or more?) who were there to help with last minute trail marking & vet
checks.

Sue held a 15 (really 17) mile "fun" ride in conjunction with the 25/50.
Twenty-two riders participated in this and were treated to a
pre-ride/post-ride vet check, a lunch, and a "poker run" in which the riders
with the highest hands won various prizes at the end.  The 25 mile ride had
29 starting / 28 completing.  The 50 mile ride had 35 starting / 31
completing.  I heard absolutely no reports of anyone getting off trail - as
Ralph put it "Stevie Wonder could follow this trail..."

The post-ride banquet had the largest number of riders (and volunteers/
specators) attending that I'd ever seen at a local ride.  27 of the 29 25
mile starters (& crews & families) were there... 33 of the 35 50 mile
starters (& crews & families) were there... a few of the "fun riders" &
various local volunteers, spectators, & their families were there...  it was
a really impressive event!

Although Ralph insisted on referring to this as "the LAST Colfax Coal Rush",
I think that with enough pressure from various factions (and local factions
have ALREADY begun to apply pressure) we may be able to at least move on to
"the 2ND Colfax Coal Rush"!

Thanks to all who participated!  Maybe, someday, if I really behave myself,
Sue will let me ride this ride, too!


Susie Jones
Miami, NM
mjones@springercoop.com










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