Even though it rained almost the entire weekend, I think everyone had a
good time. Ride management was impeccable - the trail was very well marked,
local ham radio operators were everywhere (or so it seemed :->) so our
whereabouts was always known to management, there were "caution" signs
before any particularly bad areas, lettered signs tellng you how far you
had gone and giving you reference points on the trial, plenty of p/r people
at the checks, tons of awards, and good food! What more can you ask for?
I rode Samm's stallion Desert Embers (who is a doll to ride, I might add) -
it was my first time ever on him and the first time in that saddle (yes,
maybe not too smart - but it all worked out <g>) and boy did I learn a lot.
--If you think you're stirrups are too long - adjust them NOW - not at the
next vet check. Do you know why? Because if you ride to the next vet check
and then adjust, the outside of your ankles will swell and you'll hardly be
able to walk the next day :-<
--Gore-Tex doesn't do you any good if the hood to the jacket is down so
that water runs into the back of the jacket - soaking it from the inside
out. Next jacket - no hood. Next rainy ride - gonna wear a poncho.
--You can never bring too many dry socks or extra sweatshirts :->
--Tents really do stay dry in the rain but are snail magnets in the morning
--Don't put your open package of fig newtons down amongst all the other
junk at the vet check. Part of it will get muddy and the other part will
get eaten by other ravenous end. riders :->
--I brought waaayyy too much food - I don't know what I was thinking when I
was grocery shopping but I now have some groceries with about 500 miles on
them :->
--There is no substitute for a crew that knows what they are doing. While
I'm sure I could manage to do a ride without one, I don't think I want to!
--Ham and cheese sandwiches taste just fine after they have been rained on
some.
--Carrying water on the saddle is the way to go for me - I ditched my fanny
pack with two water bottles after the first check.
--The padding on my tights *really* does help.
--Riding your first 55 with an experienced end. rider is really nice -I
recommend it to anyone new to the sport and especially to a first timer in
distances above 25 miles.
--Nothing feels better than having the vet tell you your horse looks
fabulous, is definitely fit to continue, and could go back out - at the
finish check!
--Those cylinders for the coleman laterns don't last as long as they should.
--What other sport gives you a two-for-one if it rains? I mean you get an
endurance ride on Saturday and get to see a tractor pull on Sunday :->
--Don't believe your "sponsor" when she says - oh, we'll just *canter*
across the finish line <VVBG> - I won't go into details but let me just say
that our crew (Samm's husband) was not too thrilled that he had to walk/run
from the finish line where he was waiting all the way to the camp because
we went by at a speed just a **TAD** faster than a canter and couldn't
stop in a, ummm, timely fashion <g>
--Always be on the lookout for extra things on the trail - like rubber
duckies in the big puddle and an inflatable Shamu in the pond!
I came in dead last (by a whisker <g>). Got a nice carved wooden turtle for
it, too! The way I look at it - there is no where to go but up from this
ride! I mean I have zero pressure on me for my next ride, right? Also, I
definitely got my money's worth out of that trail!! And, one day, when I
make it into top ten, I can say that I started out by coming in last on my
very first 55 miler and worked my way up from there. <g>
Looking forward to other lessons learned reports from those a little new to
the sport like me.
See ya on the trail!
Tina and crew
hickst@nichols.com
Huntsville, AL