Official Event Website
2008 Bandit Springs
Images by Merri Melde
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RESULTS
100 miles
17 starters, 13 finishersWinner (Tie for first): Naomi Preston on Karlady, Lee Pearce on JAC Mr Turner
80 miles
7 starters, 6 finishersWinner: Frank Elmer
50 miles
66 starters, 59 finishersWinner: Karen Brauer on Frodo
30 miles
43 starters, 37 finishersWinner: Michelle Green on Tucker
Ride N Tie - 30 miles
4 Team starters, 4 Team finishersWinners: Liz Perkin and Darcie de Feritas on Punkin
Photo Galleries
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 Saturday I |
 Saturday II |
 Saturday III |
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Sunday July 20 2008 - The Morning After (Bandit Springs)
I. WOW!Look at the finish percentages for the ride:
100% on the Ride N Tie
86% on the 30
89% on the 50
85% on the 80
76% on the 100
II. WOW!
Oso was found! At 7 AM Max Merlich was back out searching on the 4-wheeler for the lost chihuahua, and running towards him on the road was Oso... being chased by an antelope! That was enough to terrify Oso into seeking out humans as a refuge again. Darlene didn't let go of him after that!
Saturday July 19 2008 - 2008 Bandit Springs
Well, I HAD good intentions: I set my alarm to get up to see Nance and Jazzbo off, with 16 other starters, on the 100 mile start at 5 AM (along with seven 80 milers). I DID open one eye, and saw that it was too dark to take pictures, so I closed that eye after re-setting my alarm for the start of sixty-six 50 milers at 6 AM.I opened both eyes for that one, and saw the light was good for photos, but it was oh-so-chilly outside - frost on the ground and inside my tent! - and I was so warm in my sleeping bag, so I missed that start too.
I did finally get out of bed for the 7 AM start of the forty-three 30-milers - including Bruce and his daughter Belle, and the four teams of 30-mile Ride N Tie. The sun was up and had melted the frost, and the grounds were quickly warming up.
Hundred mile riders started coming into camp off their first 20 mile loop at 7:10 AM. Some of the front runners got lucky and saw some wild horses; and in fact Nance and Jazzbo were followed briefly by a stallion, which might have not been so lucky if the stallion hadn't lost interest after a while.
Friday July 18 2008 - No Tevis: Bandit Springs
Like a great number of other people, my plans for going to Tevis changed when the decision to cancel because of the smoke and fires was announced. So I headed off to Bandit Springs, Oregon, with Idaho locals Nance and Bruce Worman and Bruce's daughter Isabelle, where for the 18th year an endurance ride took place in the Ochoco National Forest on the eastern slope of the Cascades Mountains.While ride manager Jannelle Wilde was sorry about the cancellation and smoke and fires and headaches (and worse) for many people, she was tickled that at least 15 extra riders that had been headed for Tevis decided to give Bandit Springs a try this year. There were plenty of rides to choose from: 100 miles, 80 miles, 50 miles, 30 miles, a 10-mile trail ride, and for the very intrepid: a Ride N Tie. And not only a 30 mile Ride N Tie, but an elevator - if you didn't get enough at 30 miles (!), you could elevate up to 50 miles, 80 miles, or 100 miles.