Ridecamp: [RC] [RC] Re "Let me get this straight. .."

Amanda, you remind me of a woman near here who wants desparately to get
involved in distance riding. She's from a dressage background too. She
doesn't camp (heck, sleep in your car!), she doesn't have a trailer and she
will only volunteer at rides that are in her backyard. (Believe me, I was
thankful for the few hours she *could* volunteer to vet scribe, baby steps
are necessary before running...) Well, you can't mooch trailer rides until
you make some friends! You can't make distance riding friends sitting at
home. You're gonna hafta DRIVE.

If you read between the lines of all the flack you're catching... people are
trying to say you just don't get it. The bottom line is, you want 25 mile
rides you don't have to trailer to that are sanctioned by AERC. In private
response to you saying you have oodles of trail near you, just not enough to
put on a 50, here's what I wrote that you show no evidence of comprehending:

(excerpted from email sent to Amanda)
"All it really takes to do a 50 is the same amount of trail it takes to do a
25. Even if it's the same 12 1/2 mile loop 4 times. I saw it in September.

"Are there CTRs happening at the places you cite?

"If so, maybe the reason endurance rides can't be held there is because of
the narrowness of the trail, the lack of a good mass starting place or lack
of a wide-open finish spot. Safety, safety, safety. CTRs can easily be held
on narrow trails. It's also easier to get permission to hold a CTR than it
is to hold a race.

"If no rides at all are being held, CTR or endurance, there's likely a
hidden reason why. Lack of permission, lack of access to connecting land
maybe. And don't underestimate how large a campsite needs to be. We've got
lots and lots of miles of trails in Ohio too, but only a few locations that
can handle the camping. As the new owner of a small rig, getting to some of
those campsites make me more nervous than the ride! I've heard larger rig
owners say they just pray they don't meet someone coming down the mountain
when they are trying to get their rig up!"

In other words, don't assume that the thought of putting on an endurance
ride on your backyard trails has never crossed someone's mind. Ask around!
There might be valid reasons why it just hasn't happened. Or there might not
be and you have an RM opportunity. :-) I hear the sport is ALWAYS looking
for RM's.

Nancy and I have corresponded about how, ignoring AERc rules, from the RM
POV there's really no reason to do the 25 separate from the 50, it's not any
easier!

I'm interested in your definition of "nearby". I've defined it as "within a
2 or 3 hour drive". Others have defined it as a 6 or 7 hour drive. You want
to be able to ride to the ridecamp? From the RM POV, they aren't likely to
want to handle more than a few people who do that. I can't imagine a whole
ride full of riders who just "hack in." I'd imagine Lynn Glazer probably has
the most experience with that -- you might want to contact her and get her
opinion.

Amanda, get thee to some more rides, CTR or endurance, as a volunteer. Yes,
this will necessitate spending some gas $$ and some tire wear just to sweat
and toil. It'll be worth it. You will find out before you invest far more
whether or not you like the sport enough.

Deanna



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