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[RC] drag riders and the Big Horn - k s swigartJoe Long said: One more time: drag riders are the exception, not the rule. No ride should be criticized for the lack of them. From my reading of the initial post with respect to criticism of the BH and the lack of drag rider, the complaint wasn't that the ride had no drag rider, but rather that riders had been told there would be a drag rider for that section of trail, so one of the riders counted on that information and waited for a drag rider that never showed up. It is also my understanding of the follow up information with respect to why this rider waited in vain for the drag rider is that the drag rider had not yet left to drag ride because the last riders entered in the ride were not yet on the course (it would be even more irresponsible for ride management to send a drag rider out BEFORE the last entries). So it would seem that the real problem with respect to the rider at the Big Horn who waited in vain for a drag rider that never showed up was that this rider made the mistake of thinking that she was the last entered rider still on the course and that, therefore, the drag rider would not be very far behind. The take home message here should be, before you count on getting assistance by waiting for a drag rider, you should be fairly sure that you are the last person on the course. Otherwise, the drag rider may be WAAAAAY back behind the entrants who are riding behind you. And it may be a long time before the drag rider shows up, especially if the entrants riding behind you are behind you because they also are in need of assistance. However, if you ARE riding last (and you know it), and were told at the pre-ride meeting that there would be a drag rider so you use this information in making a decision on what to do if you have some kind of trouble, then there is some grounds for complaint if the drag rider just decided not to come after all (but I don't think that this is what happened here). Personally, I would consider waiting for a drag rider (if there even is one) to show up and provide me assistance to be a last resort. Partially because it can be quite difficult to actually KNOW that you are the last entered rider on the course. People who you thought were ahead of you can end up behind you without ever having actually passed them on the trail if you pass them when they have gone off course. I certainly wouldn't count on there being a drag rider unless I had specifically been told that there was, since, as Joe said, rides with drag riders are the exception not the rule. Most of the rides that I have gone to, there isn't a drag rider...and when there is one, often I am it. kat Orange County, Calif. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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