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[RC] NASTR 50 - Lessons Learned (Part 1 of 4) - Aaron Turnage

This ride was held a while ago (June 12th) but I've
been meaning to write my story....

       The NASTR 50 would be my horse Sinatra?s and I third
attempt at a 50-miler this season.  We had
successfully completed 135 miles of LD and one 50 in
the 2003 season of our first year of endurance riding.
Due to saddle-fit issues, and money and time
constraints, we had not done a 50 since July upon
starting the year.  So far we had 35 miles at Rides of
March before a pull for lameness (slight muscle pull)
and had successfully completed 50 miles at the Upham?s
wonderful High Desert Classic I in April.  Sinatra had
done wonderfully at this ride and finished with plenty
of energy and time to spare.  NASTR would be our next
attempt at getting a 50 under our belt.
       One of my biggest problems is often trying to do too
many things at once.  What that usually means is that
only one or two things are done well and everything
else gets sort of half-assed.  In this case, I think
the care and time I usually devote to RIDER
preparation prior to a ride was sorely neglected. 
There was a big Western States Horse Expo in
Sacramento the weekend of the ride.  I live in Reno
and my mom lives in central California, we made plans
to meet Thursday night and go to the Expo in
Sacramento, which is about a 2-hour drive for both of
us.  I worked a full day Thursday and it was after 7
pm by the time we were checked into our hotel room in
Sacramento.  We had a late dinner at the nearby mall
(hamburgers) and then stayed up WAY to late talking
and planning what we wanted to see the next day.
       Sleep was restless and not very good being in a
strange bed.  I couldn?t get the right temperature and
woke up feeling tired.  Not a great start to what I
knew was going to be a long day.  We had breakfast in
the coffee shop and then went to the Horse Expo. 
Abbreviated version was the Expo was WONDERFUL but I
was dehydrated and full of junk food as I left at 7 pm
to begin my 2-hour drive home.  Luckily my mom was
headed to her sister?s house in Nevada City and was
following me up the I-80 because about 5 miles before
Auburn, my Blazer started smoking REALLY bad!  I
pulled off the road and there was a big puddle of oil
that had been blown out of my exhaust pipe, never a
good sign.  So we called AAA and waited for about an
hour and a half before the tow truck driver showed up.
The tow truck driver was really nice and crawled
around under my car with a flashlight.  As luck would
have it, the oil drain plug had come loose and that is
where the oil was coming from.  Since I had pulled
over shortly after it had started smoking, the oil
level was fine and I was able to drive home with no
more problems.  Unfortunately, instead of being home
around 9 pm as I had planned, it was now 12:30.  = (
       4:00 rolled around way too soon.  The NASTR ride was
being held in Palomino Valley, less than half an hour
from my barn, so I had the luxury of trailering out
that morning.  The ride started at 6:00 and I had
mistakenly believed that 2 hours would give me plenty
of time.  Since I had gotten home late the night
before, I made a quick lunch for myself and darted out
the door.  At stop at the gas station provided fuel
for the truck and drinks for me.  Off to the barn, a 5
minute drive, and the challenge of hooking up the
trailer in the dark, by myself.  That took MUCH longer
than expected and I grabbed Sinatra and off we went,
already a quarter till 6.
       Sinatra ate the whole way in the trailer and at the
ride site while I saddled.  He had been grained and
received his soaked mashes with electrolytes from the
trainers while I was gone the last two nights, so I
didn?t worry about that at least.  I quickly saddled
and went to the registration trailer.  I signed in,
received my rider packet, and vetted through.  All of
the other 50?s had left by then; it was 6:30, a full
half hour after the official start time, by the time I
was mounted and heading out.  = (

To be Continued....
~ Crysta

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