 |
[RC] Complaints and more. - Ridecamp GuestPlease Reply to: Cari E. horsefool2002@xxxxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ========================================== I was at the ride, entered in the 25 mile LD. My horse was properly conditioned and I rode according to the weather. Most people who have responded to this thread say the same thing over and over again. There are few things needed to make a good ride, but the same condition almost everyone has given are 'good trail markings'. The 2nd loop of the 25 was poorly marked to say the least. I came across literally dozens of poor lost souls and their horses stumbling about aimlessly attempting to find the trail. I found a small group that had gone 4 miles one way down one trail (marked with a pink ribbon) only to end up at a crossing area for the 50 milers (there was a gentleman taking #'s thank god), so this group put in an extra 8 miles, I met them coming down the trail as I was heading up it and was lucky enough to avoid the added mileage to my own ride. As we continued back down the trail we found another trail possibility (pink ribbon) and went up that road about a mile, only to be met by yet another group who stated that was not the correct trail either. Almost everyone I met on the trail during the second loop was pissed beyond belief. In hind sight, we came out of a single track onto a fire road which made a T, those of us that looked left, saw a pink ribbon and continued on that was, which was wrong. Those that looked to the right, noticed a pink ribbon that took them on the correct course, it was a 50/50 shot of getting it right. As far as the water issue goes, apparently last year there was a lack of water on the second loop, Lynne stated she took care of the problem for this years ride. The water available were (if memory serves) 2 half barrels, both empty by the time the group I was riding with arrived, I would guess that only the 1st 10-15 horses that went past those barrels got water. If there were 2 barrels this year, I'm guessing there was only 1 last year. So roughly 100 gallons of water was considered sufficient water for the 43 entries? Luckily shortly after we were going through a housing tract and a couple of homeowners put out water for the horses (how cool was that!). A good number of riders elected to cut the ride short, figuring they had wasted so much time and energy trying to find their way and this was before the 'hills of significance'. This was not a hard ride. Go look and see how many riders finished overtime, that will say it all, I would hazard a guess that the rider option pulls were the groups that elected to go back to camp and bypass the 'HOS'. I realize RM's get burned out, as far as it being a thankless job, everyride I've attended the RM received a standing ovation at the awards ceremony, but that could just be my region. Would I go back next year? Heck yeah! Would I love for Lynne to continue what she's doing and support her rides? double heck yeah. Sh** happens, mistakes are made, no ride is perfect and it would be pretty boring after a while if they were, but the mistakes need to be acknowledged first before they can be corrected. There were some really good posts made on this subject, people who recognized that there might be room for improvement and if a number of people had the same gripe it might be worth looking in to. We need to use some common sense. Complaints about watermelon, toilet paper and seats, trash and dirt can be ignored. But what type of complaints should not be ignored? Cari E. ===========================================================When you ask a Quarter horse for something he says - Sure - and when you ask an Arab for something he says - Why? - ~ Heidi Smith ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ===========================================================
|