[RC] Fw: Hopkins Creek ride story part one - Maggie Mieske
Saturday, June 19
Hopkins Creek has been dry and hot and nasty since it moved from its original
October debut in 1998 to June. But not this year. This year, the weather
was perfect. The temperature cooled off and the humidity wasn't too bad either.
This trail has been our nemesis at times. Malik and I have both been injured at
this ride due to accidents. He with I aboard during his first year out and I
aboard my first horse, Jonathan on our first year out. Last year, Malik was lame
at the very end of the 50 miles. Two years ago, Jenny finished 50 miles and Max
was lame. No completion for either of us those years. This year, a freak
accident to Max at Grand Island which caused a minor injury to his RL tendon and
to myself earlier in the week (R hamstring, almost the same as Max) changed the
entire scenario for all of us. No 50 for Max and no 50 for me. So
Jenny and Malik braved the dreaded Hopkins Creek trail. I can't write their ride
story. Jenny will have to do that. But I will write MY story about the whole
weekend. It was unusual and unusually wonderful at the same time!
We arrived in ride camp on Friday early in the day and were able to find a
nice, big spot and save room for the newbies that were coming to camp with us
and learn and perhaps ride. We brought along Malik, Max and Malik's daughter,
Luna. My sister, Mary arrived shortly after and set up camp with another Malik
daughter, Badar. (Perhaps by the end of the summer, his third 4 year old
daughter, Steppin, will be ready to hit the trail with Dad and her sisters).
The Pearson family, Burt, Meg, Anna, Brita and Greta joined us with Lisa Oles
and her daughter, Lauren. Our friends from the previous weekend riding
excursion, Diana and Maddie Anderson also joined us on Saturday. I have to say
right up front that I don't usually enjoy camping with kids but this bunch was a
blast and I am willing to camp with them anytime. They are the newbies you dream
about. The ones that do stuff without asking or are right there not just asking
questions but pitching in, too. They brought us firewood and helped pick poop
out of the pens and haul water and feed. It was wonderful because my leg was not
cooperating with me. All of these people were not just talkers. They heard about
distance riding, found out what they had to find out, sought the people who
could teach them and followed up by reading, meeting people, volunteering and
going to the rides to see what it's all about. I would also like to mention a
new family that Jeanie Miller has brought into the fold, the Dennis and Jill
Byard family with 3 children, I believe, whose names escape me now. They
attended my clinic last month and have been helping at rides all season,
learning everything they can and hoping to try the sport sometime soon. Another
newbie, Staci Towersey also attended again this year, volunteering on Saturday
and riding on Sunday. She attended one of my first clinics a couple of years ago
and has been volunteering when she can and this time, rode her first LD ride!!
WELCOME TO ALL OF THEM!!! We are delighted to have you join our family! I hope I
didn't miss anybody but I think it is wonderful to have so many newbies coming
into the sport!!
Anyway, Jenny was coming from Illinois with her uncle John. Uncle Dan, the
water boy had business elsewhere so it was Uncle John, the taxi boy to the
rescue. (THANKS, Uncle John!!). However, they hadn't shown up by 9 p.m. Or
midnight. Or 3 a.m. I was worried but tried not to panic. When the alarm went
off at 5 a.m., I told Nelson to go tell ride management that Malik wouldn't be
starting and we would have to find a phone and starting making some calls. Well,
they HAD arrived about 3:30 a.m. but never let us know!!! Of course, by now, I
had hit the snooze a couple of times so it was close to 5:30 and the ride
started at 6 a.m. Jenny didn?t waste time and was dressed, saddled up and ready
to warm up and head out in plenty of time. I decided to help crew for the first
loop and then help out where I could after that.
Crewing is different but it's fun, too. I thought I would hate not being the
one riding Malik. I did but I had fun watching Jenny and Malik have fun doing
what we usually do together. Nelson knows those trails and where to find his
rider. It was a BLAST! I loved it!
Back in camp at the first vet check, Nelson starts getting in a hurry and is
all business. He gets quite serious about this job. Uncle John was helping out
and my leg was feeling pretty good and I was getting around alright. Until I
tripped over a stump and it spasmed on me again. Fortunately, I was close to the
back of the van and was able to grab the wipers and hold on until it passed. I
ended up having to take some of the drugs the doctor gave me after all and
started icing it again right away in case it started to swell. As it turned out,
I think it was just a spasm as it improved all day. However, I ended up riding
with Nelson for the duration of the day and not helping out at the vet check
(sorry, Pam). I probably overdid it but I am glad I didn't miss anything.
To make a long story short, Jenny rode smart. She held back where she thought
it was to her advantage and made up ground where she could and blasted past
riders who were pushing their horses in an attempt to stay ahead of her. She had
PLENTY of horse ALL day. The front runners were going incredibly fast. In
fact, the winning time was slightly under 4 hours and the winner did the last
ten miles in an average of 19.5 miles an hour. Incredible. Jenny finished
4th in 4 hours and 33 minutes, Malik's fastest time yet. He looked
great at the end and his BC score was 744. However, it was 10 or 12 points shy
of the winner's BC score.
I am so proud of Jenny and Malik. At the first vet check, when I asked Jenny
how it was going, she said "Oh, my God!". I thought Malik had done something to
upset her. I asked her to explain. She just said "Oh, my God, it's awesome!". I
had to smile. Jenny thinks I am always holding her back. I guess I am because I
have not yet let Malik really GO. And even with a time of 4:33, Jenny did not
really let Malik GO. I think she has a new appreciation of the sport and of
Malik, the horse who always holds her back. J
