Re: RC: MORE RIDE ENTRY TIPS -the flip side

[Onefarmgirl@aol.com]

Okay, disclaimer #1:   I LOVE RIDE MANAGEMENT.   I HONOR RIDE MANAGEMENT.  I 
GROVEL IN THE DIRT AT THE FEET OF ANY BLESSED SOUL WHO IS WILLING TO TAKE ON 
THIS DIFFICULT JOB AND PROVIDE ME WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND PLAY ON MY 
HORSE.

Disclaimer #2:  I have attended several rides this season, most recently the 
wonderful Chalk Rock Ride, beautifully managed by Katie Kenworthy.  All the 
rides were wonderful, and represented a ton of hard work for management.  
This post is not in reference to any specific rides, and is just for fun.  

Disclaimer #3:  Repeat disclaimer #1

So, that said, and tongue firmly in cheek, I just have to reply to Maryben's 
original post with my own version of:

            INSTRUCTIONS FOR RIDE MANAGERS

1.  When you advertise your ride on a national forum like the AERC database, 
give only a small local town as a reference point.   After all, even if you 
are in a four state region, there can't be more than one Blue Lake, or 
Westville, or whatever.  The endurance trail begins with trying to figure out 
which state, county, and general area is being used for the ride.

2.  Likewise, begin the directions with a roadway that everyone knows, like 
"Take Johnson Road to Clear Creek Lane...."   This is especially good when 
you list a road whose name isn't exactly what you listed.   Even those folks 
who come from 600 miles away know that "Pear Valley Highway" is the name used 
for a whole section of different roads traversing the local countryside.

3.  Use reference points that are almost probably still there.   After all, 
if the "big construction site" on the corner has turned into a five-building 
industrial park with completed landscaping, we can recognize that it didn't 
used to be there.  Be sure not to attempt to practice actually following your 
own directions.   They were accurate in 1987, how much can they have changed?

4.  For those dummies that can't follow your clear instructions,  be extra 
nice and at critical junctures put an 8" paper plate marked with an ink pen 
up in a nice leafy tree.   Alternatively, if the ride is in a rural area with 
miles and miles of flagged wire fence, put up a separate flag with YOUR RIDE 
COLORS for us to notice.

5. Tell anyone who contacts you about the ride that it is a great ride for 
new riders/new horses.   Tell them this even if it is Tevis or the Old 
Dominion.   Use the euphemism "moderately challenging" for 5000 foot climbs 
through shale and 40 miles stretches of sand.

6.   At the ride site itself, don't worry about establishing a direction of 
travel for the rigs or any indication of roads that dead end in 100 feet.   
If we can't back and turn our 35 foot rigs through the trees in the dark, we 
shouldn't be out there.

7.  Don't offer any visible indication of who is checking folks in.   
Wandering around the ride camp and into peoples' campsites looking for the 
ride manager is a great way to meet our fellow riders. 

8.  Provide at least one porta-pottie for every 200 riders/crew members.   
Pretty much everyone has a self contained rig anyway, and if they don't, they 
should be encouraged to get one.  

9.  Change the time of the ride meeting at least once.   If we saddled up and 
went for a ride, it's because we didn't need to hear any of the instructions 
given at the meeting anyway.   

Gee, I haven't even gotten to the RIDE yet....   guess I better quit before I 
get carried away and find that all my ride applications get, uh, lost in the 
mail.

Repeat disclaimer # 1....  :-)))))