crewing Biltmore

[SL S <stepnout@swva.net>]

Hey!  I had a fine time helping two other folks crew for an awesome quartet
at Biltmore:  three folks doing the 100 and one doing the 50, namely Darolyn
Butler, Kathy and Mark McBride, and Joaquin, the nice guy whose surname I
missed in the commotion.  Besides what I learned from the riders,
particularly Darolyn, I had fantastic mentors "on the ground": Darolyn's
hubby, Mark, and Christine, a friend who flew in to help them.  As clueless
as I was, these folks made me feel appreciated and tolerated lots of "DUH?"
I shoulda tried this route years ago--no substitute for getting up close and
personal with performing horses and knowledgeable horsefolks.  In between
the nearly nonstop crewing hustle I encountered several cyber-pals and a
couple of in-the-flesh pals from Ridecamp.  

My only negative learning experience:  I need some sox that won't rub my
toes raw when I'm trotting along with wet shoes, in this case also loaded
with fine river sand.  I tend to jog wherever I go in camp, and the wet
shoes/sox began to annoy the feets after about three hours.  Mebbe find some
river-runners shoes?  Mebbe try the old standby "blister-free" double layer
soft runner's sox...anyone have another idea?

IF I didn't need to ride as badly as I do I'd offer to crew again at OD in
June.  Yeeha.

Sally Spangler in Floyd, VA