Norco Riverdance 50 swimming pool

Just got back from the Norco Riverdance 50 (loved it and Lynne and her crew did a fabulous job!!!!). Since my experience last year was less than ideal (experience follows below) Lynne thought it was great that I finished this year. However, we still had quite the little ... umm ... mishap?

To make it brief: "be careful at the crossing," Lynne says, at the pre-ride meeting, the water will be up to some of the riders' feet. "No problem," I think, my mare is kinda tall. As I unkowingly near the "crossing," a rider is heading towards me with trail volunteers. She has a bloody nose and tells me that her horse went down but that she's okay. Her horse went down!!! What? Where? When? is that where I am going Right NOW????? Yep. I see the crossing ahead and it's just a little marshy spot about 12 feet to the right and left but it stretches up ahead further than I can see. A sign is posted to my right. "NO LIFEGUARD ON DUTY" I start to laugh and think "Yeah right!" We step in and whoosh! down goes my horse. Holy guacamole think I! My mare leaps to the left, goes back down, comes up, lunges, and off into the water I go! She starts swimming fast and the first thing I do is grab her tail and a-skiing I go! As she continued bucking and lunging and dog paddling all I could think was, "don't kick me and pleaseohpleaseohplease stop soon! AND, lo and behold she did! She stopped rock solid in water that was above my waist and quick as lightning and with superhuman strength I leaped into the saddle (soaking wet up to my head) and hung on for dear life! 'Cause as soon as I was on she took off lunging and bucking 'till we were back on dry ground covered in mud and streaming water. Two trail volunteers were waiting just down the trail and I thankfully slid to the ground so that I could stop shaking. I couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry. I think I might have been doing both!

Lynne, thanks for putting on a great ride and I can't wait to see what you'll throw at me at next year's ride!

Karen - September 5 , 1999

Here's last year's experience:

Well, I didn't finish my fifty. You may ask, Why not?"

The answer is, "It was hot!"

I tried real hard to do my part,

But it would seem - I'm not real smart!

The hill was large, "I'll tail," thought I.

We got to the top, and I wanted to die!

It's not too far, just three more miles.

We traveled on, grim faces, no smiles.

There's the vet check just ahead,

I wasn't sure though, I thought I was dead.

They gave me some water and a yucky "bar,"

I said "I'll make it. It's not that far!"

They helped me get back on and wet my scarf,

When no one was looking, I leaned over to barf.

Sas kept on trotting as strong as could be

I kept moaning, "give me an I.V.!"

For seven more miles I puked over the side.

I was sure I could do it - it's an endurance ride!

But alas, I collapsed to the ground at mile twenty.

I'd thrown up a lot and figured, "I'd done plenty!"

Two trucks came and carried us away.

They cared for my horse and for me all day.

There's a lesson for me to learn of course,

When the hill's real big - stay on the horse!

Karen Sweaney & Sassy

Karen & Montoya DSA
sweaney@lightspeed.net (home)
ksweaney@pbvusd.k12.ca.us (work)

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