Lost Wheelbarrow Mine and the little maniac

["Steph Teeter" <steph@endurance.net>]

I have to echo Karen Bratcher's comments on this ride - 
it is really one of the prettiest in the Northwest. 
Sarah Metcalf has been putting it on for 8 years now,
and the trails are just right. It's not easy, but it
is beautiful. Lots of hilly twisty wooded trails, hardly
any rock. No repeat trail, even for the 80 milers. It's a 
2-day ride over Labor Day weekend, so I really encourage 
some of you folks that are a little farther away (from 
Northern Idaho)to make the trip. It is a friendly and
beautiful ride. I don't have the official results but
the day 1 50 and BC were won by Sonny Hornbaker, day
2 50 was won by Ridecamp's Karen Steenhof on Amber's
Thorn - her little gelding with over 6000 career miles.
Suzanne Hayes pulled Kooter out of the pasture for
a 50 which put him over the 6000 mile mark as well.
Pretty amazing. Day 2 50 BC went to Sue Summers and 
her mustang mare, Banshee.I did the 80 on Santini, our 
little  maniac horse that my husband has been riding this 
year. A few weeks ago he innocently suggested that I try
riding the 'little sucker' on an 80. He hasn't been
able to get him tired on a 50, and he really is
an obsessed animal in a pack. I said sure, and
then saw the gleam in John's eyes... and wondered
what sort of terrible mistake I'd made. I fretted
all night before the ride, even took the time to
apologize to everybody in case I couldn't control
him at the start (it's pretty rude to go blasting
out at the start of a longer distance ride where 
pacing and control are everything). As it turned
out there were only two of us doing the 80 - the
other was Mona Thacker on her nice little gray
mare. Her mare was content to let Santini stay in
front all day (he HAS to be in front) so we had
a wonderful start - and one of the most fun rides
I've ever had. The 'little sucker' never did get
tired - he's a short strided power house - sort
of like riding a moto-cross bike. Mona and I rode
together all day, and finished before dark (a record
on this course) - we had a blast! Mona is having
saddle fit problems, and didn't show for BC because
of her mare's sore back - so Great Santini did his
first fast ride, and won his first BC. (I love these
small rides :) I was thrilled with the ride, thrilled
that I didn't make a total fool out of myself riding
an uncontrollable horse. At one point a couple 50
milers were racing in the last 5 miles and blew by
us. I was able to keep Santini under control but
I looked at the heart rate monitor and he was at
200! For real - this is serious anxiety. Such a 
different ride after my big smooth long strided
Khruschev - but wow that was fun! I think John
just lost his horse...

Steph


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