Fort Valley 55 or "Why are my pants wet?"

["Snodgrass, Bonnie" <snodgrab@ncr.disa.mil>]

What a long, cold, lovely weekend I had in Fort Valley, Virginia. The Old
Dominion 100 Mile Trail Ride Association put on another great three days of
rides, 55/35 Fri, 50/35 Sat, and 55/35 on Sun. I was going to be one of
those dedicated volunteers for the entire weekend but my neighbors, Helen
and John Stacy, asked me if I'd like to ride one of their horses, Harbor
Flyte. We had a couple of weeks to  train together here in Southern Maryland
(is that a seperate state?) and then everyone headed to the mountains.
Harbor had just been switched from a hackamore to a pelham bridle but due to
some rubbing on his cheeks he was switched to a frendh link snaffle for the
ride. Would this ex-race horse be manageable during the first part of the
ride? Yes!

Friday was my ride day, fewest number of entries and not nearly as cold as
Sat. (Sat we had snow flurries!) When the trail opened our determined band
headed down the first bluestone road to the floor of the valley and across
the beaver dammed creek to the Kanavy's farm. I was behind the front 5
riders being led by Mathew McKay-Smith and Adrienne Hewitt. Should I be up
here? In a very short ways I managed to drop a bottle of my electrolytes (I
drink Cytomax thru a ride) and wasn't going to leave it behind. The kind
person in front of me, Tom ???  stopped to give me a chance of remounting.
Off we went, the front runners now gone. We trotted into Fitchetts meadow
where many OD vet checks are held (not this day) and turned onto Seven
Fountains Rd. We came to the intersection where we needed to turn right onto
Milford Ln. to head up to our first climb and the ribbons stopped! I knew
the turn and took it with Tom along with me but the group of riders behind
us weren't sure so they didn't follow.

 Aah well, I headed up hill and eventually we found ribbons again. Vandalism
of ribbons sure is frustrating. Tom and I went up and over Milford Gap,
dropping down to the Shenandoah River then turn southward towards the
infamous Indian Graves loop. We were cantering along a marvelous logging
road, making time while the going was good. Tom was on my left on his wife's
pretty mare. I realized after a while that my right leg and crotch was
feeling increasingly wet and looking down I see yellow drops of liquid on my
pretty white saddle pad! I take a quick look at Tom. He's still on my left,
can't see a thing. With a feeling of dread I wonder if I've peed my pants
without knowing it? What do I dooooo????? Gee, how about reaching around to
my fanny pack and closing the top of my water bottle filled with yellow
electrolytes!!! What a ninny!

Jeff Crandall was everywhere, hauling water up and down two valleys to make
sure all horses had plenty to drink as it has been very dry around here. We
came across Jeff and his buckets just before the climb up Indian Graves.
Suddenly thru the trees we see Mathew, Adrienne and the other two front
horses. We followed them up Indian Graves, Tom behind me. Yes this is one
steep and   awesome climb, complete drop-off to the right with a lovely view
I'm sure. I only saw rocks, mane and horse ears. Harbor dug into the climb
then stopped on the very steepest part, close to the top. I guess he decided
this had been a bad choice on my part and he suddenly started to back down
the trail into Tom's horse! I gave several big kicks and Harbor lunged
forward. I lost my stirrups and bounced onto the cantle of my SS grabbing
for mane. He plunged upward to the top of the ridge with me hanging on  like
a tick to his back. Gee, wasn't that thrilling! Then I looked around finally
at the view, the Shenandoah River to our right with the early morning sun in
your eyes and Fort Valley to your left. Wow!

Eventually we came down off the top of Massenutten Mtn, still following
Mathew and Adrienne and crossed the river by low watrer bridge into VC1. I
was still in the top 6. I knew that I probably should start slowing down at
this point. Didn't want to hurt my friends horse by over riding him. I had
down an internal lecture about DIMR as I cruised along behind the
experienced riders ahead of me. Mathew pulled at VC1, rider option, he
looked like he was in pain. We got thru VC1 in good time and we had a short
5 mile loop thru the Guest-Shenandoah State park ahead of us. This was the
best footing of the ride, lovely forested trails. Harbor just ate them up.
He is so balanced and agile that we twisted and turned thru most of it at a
gallop. I passed a couple of horses and came back past the VC area. I was
wondering how John and Helen felt about me moving up again. They just waved.
After that the rest of the ride was pretty dull. I caught up to Adrienne
just before the climb up to Sherman's Gap. Harbor took the lead up the
mountain as he always seemed to be "on a mission", gotta go, gotta go. He
was tired though. Adrienne was riding Winkie McKay-Smith's horse, I believe.
They got pulled at VC2, for a very hard to see something. It could have been
me and Harbor. After that we just had to get on home, no more big climbs
just lots of hard stuff. We did all the rest of the ride alone and very cold
as I had neglected to put a jacket back on and the wind was increasing. 

Sorry for the long story with no dramatic race for th finish but it may be
the only winning story I ever tell. Harbor didn't get BC. Tom ??? got itor
rather his wife's mare did. Very nice horse and not an Arab by the way. Mary
Coleman's Hawk looked so good and strong all three days. Congrats Hawk and
Mary, and your too Heather!!!!

Bonnie Snodgrass