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Day 35, 2001 XP



Hello from Dry Creek, Nevada.  We're probably outside of Austin about 50 
miles or so, camped on the pony trail, at the sight of Bezetal's grave.  We 
had a really nice ride today, the weather has been gorgeous and the trail 
itself is really nice.  I rode Rocky today and Kayla rode Khemo Cairo and 
he got his 4,000 miles today.  We even stopped in the exact spot on the 
trail and took his picture :+).

The trail was really nice today, it was singletrack and two track trail or 
jeep road type stuff and we did a lot of winding around and going up and 
down.  Dave crewed for us at the lunch check today.  It was a lot easier 
for him to get to, and didn't take us as long to get in (no big mountain 
climb like the day before).  In fact, we zipped along pretty good today, 
averaging over 7 mph.  That might seem slow but it's not when you are in 
the hot desert going over mountain passes and thru sand and soft deep 
dirt.  Our first water was a ways out, and the horses were pretty 
thirsty.  Then Terry Wooley and Miranda were out with water about three 
miles before the lunch check at 25 miles.  We felt like we were going along 
pretty good into lunch, at about 6.6 mph up till then, and then about a 
half an hour after we got there Trilby came in.  So I guess we aren't going 
as fast as we think we are <G>.   John and Steph were even behind Trilby 
(they must have nerves of steel)  Kayla and I came in 6th and 7th 
place.  We didn't leave lunch in the top ten but both of our horses were 
really strong.  It's not that we are fast, just consistent.

Most all the same people rode that have been riding every day.  We saw 
Clark in the morning, he opened a gate for us. :^)  Then we caught up to 
Jeff and Debby and Jim Baldwin.  I don't think we saw anybody else until we 
got into lunch and there were quite a few people in.  Pat Verhuel and Sandy 
Skinner, and Dorothy Sue and Phyllis.  Jim Mitchell was way up in front but 
then slowed down after lunch, riding Smoke.  Saw Dave Rabe and Shawn 
Bowling (who sponsored Calina), Bonnie and Trilby also starting out this 
morning.   Carol and Sunny, John and Skoldjur and Kathy and Zane also rode 
today, so the three horses that have done the most days are all still 
going.  Dorothy Sue had to leave last weekend to go get her trailer breaks 
fixed, and somebody said the Waltenspiels had to go to Fallon to get a tire 
or something.

This morning we passed by a BLM holding pen where they are going to have an 
adoption.  They had several large pens full of horses, and a helicopter 
took off to go out and round up some more.  They were interested in what we 
were doing and asked us where we were going.  "TO VIRGINIA CITY", of 
course! :+D  Well, when did you start?.........it's a long story....it was 
a long time go in a place far, far away.......

Finishing early does have it's advantages though.  We have a couple extra 
hours to do things like clean up, really get the horses clean, and the tack 
-- and to sit and do nothing.  Something we don't usually get to do much 
of!  Yesterday we took 11 hours so were pressed for time just to get the 
basics done.  Today it's only 2:30 and the horse is already spic and span 
and fed, my tack is clean or soaking and I've got my GPS tracks on the 
computer.  Dave took my camera on a hike to the mine so I haven't got the 
photos downloaded yet, but that is next.   We're still starting at 5:00 a.m.

I've been going thru desitin like mad -- almost a tube every day.  I've got 
to keep the sun off of Rocky or else he'll get scratches (sun 
sensitivity).   A lot of horses in camp are getting scratches and are 
getting them really really bad.  I don't think I will, heck we've only got 
five days left and both horses are clean and we're now riding them in their 
home turf.  <knocking on wood>

I have been learning a lot of new stuff about my horses.  You can never 
know all there is to know, no matter how many miles or hours you spend on a 
horse.  I think that mine are both becoming more human, either that or I am 
becoming more like them.  Which is worse? <g>

I think that Kayla is going to make every day.  They just brought Cairo out 
for her, and he's really awesome.  She also still has Gem and Buzzy.  They 
sent Buddy back home when Cairo came out.  Only five days left and she 
could probably do it on any one horse if she had to.  I sure hope she makes 
it!  We sure have a lot of fun riding together, I think our good moods are 
rubbing off on the horses too, they are feeling pretty good.  At lunch they 
had to change bits on Cairo, he was so strong.  Rocky and he are so much 
alike it's uncanny.  They both ran away with us a couple of times today, 
well not really we were laughing so hard they just thought it was all 
fun.  Then they both spook at the same things.  Yesterday I couldn't let 
Weaver run with me because I was sure he would try bucking.  I don't think 
they have ever felt this good before.  I sure don't feel like I'm riding 
tired or worn out horses, they are moving down the trail with as much 
enthusiasm and energy as any horse starting any one day ride.  It's a great 
feeling.  We sure don't want this to end, and have to wake up and go back 
to the real world.

My camera is back, I better get these photos downloaded now so I can do 
nothing!

Happy XP Trails,

Karen
...in Dry Creek, Nevada
only 5 days left!!!



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