Longstreet's Charge... My side

[NdurN@aol.com]

Well you have heard about the ride from Angie's view....Now it is time for 
the REST OF THE STORY.... After successfully completing hot Biltmore I 
decided to test my lytes every hour and Coujur  at a tougher mountain ride.  
Well, it wasn't enough that the trail was so much tougher, the humidity was 
off the scale and I was pretty sure the Couj wouldn't be able to take in 
enough replacement to make it thru but decided to start anyway.
This ride has to be about the longest 50 miles I do.  The first leg up the 
Mt. is 13 miles (ha ha).  Took over 2 hours with walking only the very rocky 
parts.  Stopped just before the crest and gave first dose and when we hit the 
first pond , he dived right in and drank..Yeah....Came into first VC alone 
and came down fairly soon but was really hot hot hot.  Did not eat much here 
but that was pretty usual as it was early on and I figured he would make it 
up at the hour hold.
As I was leaving, told Joe Schoech that if he picked up just a speck, I would 
wait for him and about 6 miles out on this 17( ha ha) mile loop, I saw him at 
the bottom of a long hill and hollered that I would walk and wait.  Coujur is 
good alone but really likes to lead another horse and thinks he is boss.  
Bogie, Joe"s horse likes to follow best so the 2 of them moved well together. 
 Joe said he was surprised to be this far up in the places, but I reminded 
him that we were not going that fast because of the trail, others were just 
not going as fast.  Took another 2 hours on this loop but again Coujur came 
down pretty well for him.  He was not as hot this time and I had thought the 
humidity seemed to be a little bit less on this loop.  Bless the hour hold,  
Coujur did not take his head out of food for about 45 minutes of it.  My 
hubby had managed to come to crew for me for once so he mostly let Couj 
graze..  I forgot to mention that he was still drinking fantastically at 
almost every opportunity and I lyted during the last loop also.
Joe and I left for the "short" loop of 10 miles.  Took an hour and about 20 
minutes.  Does have a very long stretch of rock and climb near the end and 
there at the top of that 2 other riders caught up with us but as I later told 
Joe, I thought what they took out of their horses to catch us might be the 
edge for us to beat them.  Into the VC and Couj came down the quickest he had 
all day.  Joe and Lynn Carlson at the same minute and about 3 or 4 more 
riders 3 minutes behind I think.  Off we went for the 12 miles home...mostly 
downhill.
Lynn is about one half or less my age and Joes so we told her she should 
probably respect her elders...she said she did...I said no I mean from about 
10 paces behind.  Joe had already told me that he knew his horse could not 
stay with Coujur on the downhill but I did not know how Lynn's horse was.  
Well as soon as we hit the first steep downhill,  Her horse was bouncing all 
around , ignoring the rocks and her orders and generally scaring her ...that 
was my clue that it was now or never so gave Coujur his head when it was 
clear enough of rocks to trot and off he flew.  The rest of the way to the 
finish line was just him going and going.  I did stop twice at creeks but it 
just made him mad that I was being stupid  enough to slow down and he 
wouldn't drink but he "wore the water" anyway.  Really surprised my hubby at 
the finish line as I had given him 10 reasons why I probably would not win at 
the last VC. We had to walk about a mile into camp and when I got there, 
Coujur was down so I got my completion and then celebrated.  I always wait 
until "the fat lady sings" before I get too excited.  Took care of Coujur and 
went back for BC.  He looked pretty good but I definetly thought Joe's horse, 
who was 3rd, was much sounder looking so I was not surprised when he won BC 
and was happy to be reserve BC.
Now Angie failed to mention that at all rides her club puts on, she is the 
designated "talker"  She does the trail talk at the pre -ride and the talking 
at the awards meeting. She is almost as amusing talking as she is writing, so 
she is the logical choice.  I knew I was in for it when it came my turn 
because she knows I don't get mad and we have been friends for many years and 
have lots of stories about each other.  She began by saying how we had lost 
several of our SE riders in the last couple of years and she thought their 
ride should come up with an award in my "memory" while I was still 
alive...She went on for a while on the possibilities of what to call the 
award etc.  I turned to the audience and told them to tune into Ridecamp 
tomorrow for my revenge.  LOL  Said Howard would be tame compared to me.  
As usual I really enjoyed this "well run" ride.  They really did have some 
hard work to get enough water out or there would have been more horses in 
trouble.  However the SE riders who were there, are pretty smart and humidity 
savvy.  I see I failed to mention that I followed my usual routine of a dose 
of Lytes the day before and another dose an hour or so before the start on 
ride morning.  I am pretty excited that I may really have Coujur's routine 
correct at last.
Had been real excited to learn that the Carlson family were planning on a 
trip to the National Championship this year, but since I discovered that Lynn 
is a Middleweight and therefore, my competition, I told them it dampened my 
enthusiasm a bit  LOL
Thanks to all the members of the Club who worked so hard to put on a great 
ride. 

Susan K