First 50 Story!! Yippee!!

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

Kerry Dykes kdykes@hotmail.com
I can't believe I can finally stop feeling defensive about being "only a LD-er".....  (Thot I'd start with that comment in light of the recent posts on Ridecamp!)

Paso del Norte was Spiritism and my first 50 and "we" had a great time!  Although the wind was blowing 50 MPH when we got to basecamp on Friday, it was kind enough to die during the night so the day was beautiful, cool but sunny and calm.

Neither of my usual riding partners was on this trip so it was just me and the pony riding the entire distance on our own except for about 5 miles where the 50's and 100's shared part of a loop and I rode with Linda Fisher and her riding partner.

Spiritism was down immediately at each vet check, and sailed through the exams with all "A's" -- I think Barney was laughing so hard at my "trotting out" (I was grade 3 lame) that Spirit really looked great in comparision.

We were riding this for completion - and "pace" instead of "place" so had no idea where we were until it was over and the gatekeeper said we finished 12th (as we raced to the finish line the last mile at a dead walk....)  What a feeling of accomplishment to have finally done it!  Last year I spent doing some LD's on my QH; this year I switched to my arabian and did 4 LD's including a 2 day 30/25, and finally felt we were ready to try the 50.

What a fun ride -- we'll be back November 20th for the Rio Grande (with more blankets on the bed, bbrrrrr, it was in the mid-20's Saturday night).

Kerry  (back in Tucson warming up to 95 degrees today)
and Spiritism (I'm ready, let me at 'em...)
and Lefty (why'd I have to stay in camp????)


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