[RC] Gold Country and riding horses ... NOT! - TypeF \(Jackie Floyd\)
Just a quick note in case anyone is waiting for a
ride report on Gold Country ... I went, but didn't get to ride. Tank got a tummy
ache. Suspicions are possibly pine needles. He was fine by afternoon but did end
up getting treated.
That means I haven't ridden a horse since FORT
SCHELLBOURNE! I'm going through withdrawals! My next scheduled ride is Fireworks
in Santa Cruz, CA. And if I can EVER get this book done (leaves here any day
now) I'll need to start actually doing conditioning rides again. After three
days at FS, it was a no-brainer to let Tank rest until Gold Country. But now I
really gotta ride.
This morning when I was typing up the index for the
book, I realized why I am so tired ... I really had no idea I had processed THAT
many rides, three pages, 2 columns wide of 8 pt. type, listing only ride names,
produced over 278 ride names! Not to mention the fact that a very large portion
of these rides have limited distances, multiple days, fun rides and Ride and
Ties. It's somewhere over 700 rides total. Sorry, to tired to count those up!
For the last five months, all I've done is work on the book, from 4:30 or 5:30
a.m. every morning until sometimes 9:00 at night. I really hadn't realized
how life-consuming it has been until this morning. I certainly know I'm ready to
be done with it. And I also know my house is even too dirty for ME to stand
it.
In the midst of compiling all the information on
the book, I bought yet another horse. That makes six horses sitting in my yard,
staring at the back door. Hmmm .... what is wrong with THAT picture. And to top
it off, the new horse is a stallion. Can you spell CRAZY??
At any rate, I'm ready to get back on the endurance
trails and pronto. Enough writing about them!!! But I do hope you'll all benefit
from the hours I've spent gathering up the material to be printed. It has come
out to 500 pages including cover, I did manage to drum up enough color photos
for an 8-page 4-color glossy section. There are some things I wished that I'd
had time to include in the book, but I figure the next edition will be even
bigger and better so we should save some for next time.
By the way, I've decided that those that purchase
this edition, will get a good-sized discount on the next edition with proof of
purchase. That way, everyone can have a fresh copy.
Julie Suhr has graciously written the foreword for
me (she is such a sweatheart) and I am so grateful to those endurance riders who
happily volunteered to write stories, articles and photos. They have added a
very nice editorial touch to the guide.
The book hits the shelves the end of August (I was
shooting for the beginning, but what the hey) and will be available on the
Endurance Guide website, at Amazon, and other online stores, as well as
endurance vendors who have expressed an interest in carrying it.
By the end of the week I
RIDE!!!!!!
WOOHOO!!!
Jackie, (Tank, James Dean, Sorcerer, Crystal,
Cheyenne and Annie, some of whom wouldn't care if I never rode them
again)