100 miles: 11 starters, 9 finishers 1. Dennis Summers - SHA Ebony Rose - 12:22 - *BC 2. Ron Sproat - Ladys Dividend - 12:22 3. Dory Jackson - BJD Not Alotta Spots - 13:41 4. Dick Root - Flaming Will - 13:41.01 |
75 miles: 6 starters, 5 finishers 1. Ernie Schrader - Captain Calypso - 10:51 - *BC 2. Terry Ross - SAR Tiki Eclipse 3. Molly Farkas - MacDuff 4. Mary Krauss - Maui's Independence 5. Clara Berner (Jr) - Benjamin |
50 miles: 55 starters, 47 finishers 1. Bill Miller - - HA Lady Valarrie - 5:30 *BC 2. Suzy Hayes - RS Silverado - 5:31 3. Doug Swingley - Alibanta - 5:31 4. Celena Pentrack - Northwinds Thunder - 5:32 5. Carol Giles - SAR Tiki FS Warrior - 5:35 |
25 miles: 66 starters, 53 finishers 1. Poppy Mussallem - horse? - 2:48 2. Megan Jurasek - Starbucks Precisely Right - 2:49 3. Michelle Kronsburg - Maggie - 3:04 - *BC 4. Rondi Johnson - Corky C - 3:12 5. Lori Walker - Rainbow's Fancey - 3:12.01 |
12 miles: 9 starters, 9 finishers 1. Christine Schoengarth - Smokey Forest Lewg - 2:22 2. Julie Lewis-Schot - Destiny - 2:32 3. Natalie Byfield - Joker Blazineskont - 2:32 4. Andrea Wurtz - Ruby - 2:37 5. Lori Hines - Wind Song - 3:33 |
25 mile Ride N Tie: 5 Teams start, 4 finishers 1. Tim Rubin/Carla Eigenauer - Five Star Fantasy - 4:38 2. Jim Clover/Annette Parsons - Kiger Desert's Golden Rose - 4:41 3. Lucas King/Autumn Larson - Fleesa Flyer 4:48
12 mile Ride N Tie: 2 Teams start, 1 finisher |
Saturday May 15 2010
It takes a LOT of work to put on a big endurance ride like the Mt Adams 12, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mile endurance rides, 12 and 25 mile Ride N Tie, and Trail Ride. That's all on one day - May 15.
Just ask co-managers Darlene Anderson and Steph Irving. Just ask Terry Ross who started working clearing trails April 16th, (literally, hundreds of trees). Just ask Max Merlich, who spent 5 straight days the week before the ride, helping clear more downed trees (80 trees from just the red loop - and then they had a windstorm that knocked more trees down on the same trails they'd already cleared), and then being Water Boy for the ride. Max drove around with a pile of chainsaws in the back of his truck and used them every day, whether he needed to or not... apparently there were some cool chainsaw log carvings out there : ). Darlene called them her Enduro-Loggers.
And this was by no means the only volunteers who worked hard on this ride, before, during, and after. The community of nearby Trout Lake also helps out with the Mt Adams ride in various capacities, including the Trout Lake Class of 2011 (all 11 of them) who cooked meals one night to raise money for a school trip.
I must also put in a plug here for the Heavenly Grounds Espresso on the corner by the lone gas station - their huckleberry smoothies were TO DIE FOR, and I tried to die several times during the weekend by drinking them.
But all that effort provided a lot of pleasure for the participants - just ask approximately 155 riders and 148 horses who were there. Just ask the two junior riders who finished the 25 miler (Andie, who won the Junior Best Condition award, and 5-year-old Garrett, who finished his first endurance ride and grinned for 3 days straight!). Just ask the junior Clara who rode and finished (and got Junior Best Condition) her first 75 miler. Just ask SHA Ebony Rose, the 19-year-old mare of Dennis Summers', who won the 100 (and got Best Condition). She was mum, but she sure looked like she was enjoying her job, and she certainly made it look effortless.
iPhotos:(view gallery) |
10 things I learned from managing the Mt Adams ride:
1. When you tell people they don't have to bag their horse poop, like the USFS makes us do at all the other rides on public land...they're going to do it anyhow, and then they're going to put their regular garbage in there too & the BCH are going to be really pissed at finding all that in their horse camp poop bins! Side note ~~> THANK YOU Terry Ross & Bob Wooldridge for going up there w/Bob's tracter & trailer & emptying all those bags & clearing out the BCH bins of the rubbish.
2. When you offer to do a 100 miler if you get X # of entries, thinking if you get 1/2, you'll get really stressed out the week before the ride when all but 5-6 of the pre-entries cancel. We ended up with 11 entries. Note to self #1...only offering a 75 miler next year, not matter how much anyone cajoles me!
3. Have friends w/big hearts & bigger chainsaws. Ask them to bring their gloves & boots.
4. No matter how well you explain the trail (I'm a minimalist folks...my ride meeting consists of, "Follow the correct color ribbon, which will ALWAYS be the right color on the RIGHT side of the trail!"...someone is going to get messed up & go the wrong way, or miss a turn, or misunderstand what you said. I tried...really I did.
5. No matter how many miles a person has, they may still make a mistake & you're going to have a crisis of conscience in doing the right thing by the ride & by the person. I hate that feeling...
6. Involve the local community as much as possible. The little town of Trout Lake, WA, feels such ownership of this ride that they will do about anything to make it happen each year. I was amazed at the people up there. It was refreshing to see how much they care about this ride.
7. Give decent awards. Steph & I wanted to give away a cup that Max had won at another ride w/fresh sharpie writing over the bank logo it had on it, "Best Condition 100 miles, Mt Adams Ride". We got vetoed. ;)
8. Don't overwork your friends/trail crew, they won't come back if you do!
9. If you do overwork your friends/trail crew...FEED THEM WELL! Food & good beer cures a multitude of evils. Really...it does.
10. Build it...and they will come. We had a record number of pre-registrations & equally as many people showed up w/o pre-registering. Can't thank you guys enough. Made my heart happy.
Bonus #11. Have people there that take really good pictures. People love pictures of their ponies. I know this because I do. :) Thank you Jessica & Merri!!
Addendum...Note to self #2...no matter how well you condition your horse, how much you prepare him for 100 miles, find the best jockey available (thanks Mom!)...your favorite horse in the whole world might still find a rock w/his name on it after 37 miles. Ack...
It happened so fast.
I heard the clattering hooves on the hill behind me and nudged Taz off the single-track trail.
One of the skills I was perfecting this time out was swiftly getting out of the way of other horses and riders. There was a reason for that.
Back to the beginning
The ride started at the Mt. Adams horse camp on Saturday, May 15th. I had a plan - discussed with my friends Cathy and Wendy, whose horse I was riding - to go as slow as we reasonably could and still finish within the six-hour time allowed for a 25 mile limited distance ride.
I thought this might be within Taz's grasp, based on his last few conditioning rides. I could have tagged along with a group of others doing the 25-miler, but I wanted to ride alone so I could adjust his gaits to the terrain rather than to another horse. I couldn't count on finding a ride partner as well matched as Louise Baker and Tika, who I hooked up with at the Home on the Range ride in March.
I also knew we might be pushing near Taz's limits, and riding alone would give me a better read on his real energy levels. He's not one of those self-sufficient, lead-mare type horses - it's hard for him to let go of a trail companion, even if they are going faster than him.
You know how it is if you have ever done this on the highway. Having another horse "pull" you along might be useful occasionally, but sometimes it sends you into a speed trap.
[...more] http://blog.seattlepi.com/horsebytes/archives/206506.asp
Ride Camp Location: The ride camp is located at the Mt. Adams Horse Camp in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Trout Lake, Washington.
Directions: From Oregon's I-84, take exit 64 (Hood River), go north across Columbia River, west on Hwy 14 for 1 mile, north on Alternate Hwy 141 for approximately 4 miles, continue north on Hwy 141 about 20 miles to Trout Lake. In Trout Lake, bear right at Chevron and follow signs to ride camp or the Mt. Adams Horse Camp.
Weed Seed Free Hay is now required in the Gifford-Pinchot National Forest. We will have a flatbed of certified WSF hay for sale at the ride site on Friday and Saturday. It will be a grass/alfalfa mix. There should be plenty for everyone who needs it.
Trail: Ride through the forests above Trout Lake Valley in the shadow of a snowcapped 12,276-foot volcano. Excellent trails and old forest service roads. Good footing, beautiful loops, and views.
Vets: Head vet: Mike Foss, DVM. Vet-in starts at 3 pm, Friday, May 15th.
Meetings: Pre-ride meeting 7 pm on Friday. Awards are Sunday morning.
Meals Included With Entry Fee: Friday and Saturday dinners are included with ride entry. Additional meals for non-riders may be purchased on site. Proceeds from meals go to support various classes at Trout Lake School and/or Trout Lake 4-H.