Re: [RC] Ft. Valley: Let em' race! - Howard Bramhall
I'm always with Tom. After spending some quality time (my Mom's
phrase) with him at Chattanooga I discovered that Tom is a Godsend to our
sport. He was a 100 miler way back when and he did it in a manner that
kind of reminded me of how things were back then in the 70's with free spirit,
hope, dreams and a strong desire to change the world. Tom did it all with
little to no money; something I've never really seen with the current genre of
endurance riders. Now, we come in with our big rigs, enclosed live-in
quarters, heat/ac, satellite television, stereo, kitchen, fridge, the list goes
on. Tom did it all without even a tent!
As far as racing to the finish, I hope we never take that one away.
We've tried to eliminate some of that, because, with the weight categories set
up as they are, I guess there's not really any point in passing someone who is
in a different weight division. The thing is, some of the wimmin aren't
really competing in the weight division that they should be in (yea, it's legal)
so, one never really knows. I say go for it and sort it all out at the
end. ONe of the greatest pleasures in life is to be a heavyweight and pass
a tiny-hiney at the finish line, if you have the horse that can do it.
My daughter passed my gal, Val, at a ride down here once like that.
That was over a year ago and the kid still talks about it as if it happened
yesterday. I remember one of Val's friends telling me that even Val
mentioned it. Said something like, "Yea, some junior got me at the
finish."
If we take away this type of competition, we will lose the humans who do
need to compete when the situation presents itself. If this does happen
the sport should be renamed "Non-Competitive Trail." I hope we will always
have that finish line. There are other ways to change things without
changing the name of our sport.
I'm with Tom on this one. There is a risk in everything John and these
particular woman have seen and been through it all. Do you know these women?
Jeannie and Danielle are top riders in this sport and this ride was literally
in their backyard. They know every rock on this course and could run Hickory
Lane with their eyes closed. Ft. Valley is a well run ride and this finish
line is, in my opinion, a good one. I've done it myself.
I don't race finishes, or rides for that matter, but man do I love to see
the pros go at it. I got chills reading Tom's initial post. Wish I could have
seen it first hand. Have at it girls!
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