Author, Mary Coleman, part III
Thursday Day 4
First Time for Everything Day: It was cooler and this was the first day Hawk did
not fail the CRI. First day Cindy succumbed to Aleve, first time I ever ate a
Whopper (yes Charles has turned into quite the pit-crew) first time we had road
riding which meant we were done before 4. And best of all first time we got to
eat at a restaurant all week! Complete with flush toilets and telephones we’re
almost out of this pioneerism thing.
Friday Day 5 Eye on the Prize: If
you complete all 5days eventually you are sent a Shore to Shore jacket
embroidered with yours and your horses name. I told Wayne the manager I had my eye on
the prize! This was my favorite day the end was in sight, lots of road riding,
puddles were still there and the horses seem to sense it was almost over. The 50
ended along side a major highway you received your completion there but in order
to be a true pioneer you had to ride 3 miles further into Lake
Michigan. The waves were enough to bowl Hawk over but he did
reluctantly go in. He didn’t seem to understand water that wouldn’t stand still
when he wanted a drink. I swim like a rock and only agreed to go in because I
was promised an ice cream cone and it was my birthday what a great present to
finish.
Epilogue: Cabela’s Here We
Come: Right over the Michigan border is the Wal-mart of
the outdoorsmans store. We had promised our husbands they could finally have
some vacation fun and spend money on items other than ice, bandaids and Desitin.
It was a great feeling sitting in the truck not worrying about changing
diagonals. I actually think this was the hardest ride I’ve done- makes Old D
look like a cake walk. But what a sense of accomplishment to make it all 5 days
with a horse that was none the worse for wear. I’m really not sure what to
follow this up with I bet Charles and Hawk can’t wait to find out! Mary
