Liberty Run II Part II

[Coujurs1@aol.com]

  The saga continues...

Too quickly we are back in camp.  Goat again drops quickly, and the vet line 
is much more manageable, Dwight Hooten was vetting two horses at the same 
time!  Pretty impressive.  I actually ate something; afraid if I didn't it 
wouldn't be much fun to ride behind me since I have a tendency to call 
"Ralph", as does Duane.  A chicken Salad sandwich (made by me great crew!) 
and a Goody powder and I was ready to go!
  50 miles have been completed at this point.  Lynn Gilbert, Karen Clark and 
I head out together.  The horses are pacing really well together, and someone 
has to run interference for Karen since Jeb doesn't like many horses/people.  
He tolerates Goat, basically cause everyone bosses Goat around, and he did 
share his food with him.  The tubs are still all over the place, water level 
a little lower, but plenty for us.  We come in and Karen and I vet through 
quickly.  Goat gets all A's except guts and mucous membranes.  Lynn has to 
come back again.  And unfortunately doesn't pass.  She was pretty cool with 
it, her mom had just shown up and she said she would be able to visit with 
her.  Karen, Nicki Young (her riding partner Megan Davis also got pulled that 
vet check) and I left out together.  The horses got a little draggy on this 
loop, that is till we made the "invisible" turn for home.  And then it was 
all we could do to hold them back to a sedate canter. We arrive back to camp. 
 This is now mile 80, while waiting to vet through Duane again brings a 
sponge and bucket to the vet line to clean the sand off of them.  Goat jumps 
sideways away from the sponge.  People were sitting nearby waiting for the 50 
and 25-mile awards.  I just shook my head and said that I had gotten that 
spooking stuff out of me 40 miles ago.  Took him to the vet, he went 56/56 on 
his CRI and got all A's!  I on the other hand looked like death eating a moon 
pie!  (A southern expression).  So no more Vet checks till we finish.  The 3 
front runners are about 40 minutes ahead of us, fine with us.  It has just 
started getting dark, and since this was Nicki Young's first 100, she had 
borrowed glow sticks to put on her horses breast collar.  Just as we turn off 
the road heading down the lake loop, I see a glow stick laying on the ground 
and point it out to Nicki, she goes, "darn I didn't have to borrow one 
anyway, since people drop theirs, I can just pick that one up".  We go around 
a turn or two and there is another one, oops that is how they are marking the 
trail, since it is a road they are putting them in the middle of this dirt 
road to tell you the best way.  Nicki said I should have known better since I 
had done 100's before, she said she could have gotten in big trouble for 
stealing tail markings.   Of course Goat was absolutely petrified of these 
glowing things lying in the road.  I tried to explain that they were exactly 
like the ones around his neck but he was having no part of that.  Finally 
thought I had him cured and he would jump away again.  We decided we were 
going to stop and water and get them a bite halfway through again.  As we 
came to the finish line, we passed a ton of people with lights, they were all 
walking to the finish line!  Vickie stopped awards and told them she wanted 
to see the race off.  When we finished the 10-mile loop, and stopped in camp, 
Duane told us that the front runners just galloped through and didn't stop.  
We could hear them finishing.  So off we went.  As soon as we hit the dirt 
road, I yelled back at Nicki and Karen that we needed to move while we could, 
so we didn't lose any more time.  And harm our chances at Best condition.  So 
off at a canter we go, Goat and Jezabelle stay together, Karen decided to 
drop back.  As we are cantering along this pretty lake, a large fish decided 
to jump, Goat jumped straight up in the air!  Never stopped cantering, but 
jumped straight up.  Guys you aren't the only one that hurts!  I decided to 
keep Nicki entertained as we moved out since I wanted her to do more 100's.  
I told her blonde jokes (she isn't one, real or imagined) and did a Steve 
Martin routine.  How is that for dating yourself?  She decided she likes 
100's and might just try another one.  Get this, not for my startling 
company, not for the ultimate challenge of horse and rider, not for the 
points, she wants to do more hundreds cause she likes the glow sticks!  And 
this is a very intelligent woman, a veterinarian mind you!  I didn't tell her 
that she could get glow sticks and ride at home.  
  Since she let me win at Big South Fork, as we came to the finish line I 
told her to either go around me and finish in front of me or get beside me.  
She opted for beside me and we tied for 4th.  Duane met us at the finish line 
and advised us both to stand.  Saying only one of the first three was able to 
stand for BC.  We were to have a 15-min. CRI.  Goat went 56/52 and was as 
sound as can be.  I don't know who was prouder, Duane or I!  Took Pig, er 
Goat back and let him eat for 45 min. till time for his BC check.  He still 
looked good, maybe a little something on one circle.  So I thought we had a 
chance, but you never know, an hour is a lot to make up. 
  I was a little wired, it was only  9:16 when we finished, and Goat had 
finished his first 100 in 10:56 min.  And looked great, in my opinion!  
Dwight Hooten said something about finding me a horse to ride since I was so 
full of energy.  Absolutely not, I was walking around so much because I would 
tie up if I sat down.  Nina Murphy generously offered me the use of her 
shower, probably because I stunk so badly; the entire camp could smell me.  I 
finally took a Benadryl to facilitate sleep and conked out.  I heard James 
Agnew, Gini Wilson and a girl from Brazil finishing around 5 am.  Now that is 
endurance!  
  They told us awards would be at 7 am.  I was really not ready to roll out 
of bed, Duane said to sleep in, but I think not!  Top Ten got these really 
nice vet card pouches made by Teddy at Running Bear.  And then she started on 
BC.  4 stood, I guess because the next finishers behind Nicki Karen and I 
were around 4 hours back.  And Vickie meanly counted down from 4th.  When she 
announced that Rita Swift and Cass were 4th, I was thrilled, that meant Goat, 
Jeb or Jezabelle had won!  It got down to Nicki and I.  Vickie waited an hour 
(or so it seemed) and then called Nicki's name out.  Yes!  Goat won!  Best 
Condition on his first 100.  Vickie said she had a little rump rug with 
embroidery on it for Best Condition.  Being as Goat has nothing that is 
little, luckily she was exaggerating.  It was beautiful!  Duane was like a 
proud daddy, reaching out for the BC form to see just how well he had done.
  We finally get camp down and ready to get on the road.  This time Goat 
loads like a trooper (of course, he is headed home to his woman) and off we 
go.  Next stop:  Hahira Ga and River Run, not to ride, but to work.  The more 
things change the more they stay the same!  We plan to ride both at JD's in 
November.  
  Now, who was it that wanted ride stories?  Sorry aren't you!

Nina and Goat.


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