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Re: [RC] Old Dominion - rides2far@xxxxxxxxWow, you guys are on the ball. I'm barely back at the trailer and word's out I got pulled. Serves me right for whining..and to vets! >g Good they didn't have to deal with that urge to let me get to the finish line and pull me. Honest though, she just went off. There *was* that big incident where she did some dramatic rock whacking with shoes while dancing in place, then stopped and stood stomping one foot like she was in bees...but there were so many times during the day that there were dramatic zip zip zips that there's no telling what got her. She raised Cain after Jody & Joni left and dragged us around the vet check till we had a pardner to ride in in the rescue trailer (NICE rescue trailer by the way!) I really shouldn't have called in from all those gap climbs today. It just seemed funny at the time to be able to phone in from the crest of all these famous gaps and check in..but you're not at your most Diplomatic while tailing up the side of a mountain on a hot humid day, so if I griped, sorry...if it makes you feel any better, I'm an Angel next to Jody during competition. Nobody would have dared tap her on the shoulder at the vet checks, we just poke her with a *long* stick! Amazingly few pulls. Really, I can say I've seen the trail now since I did 76 or so miles and from what I understand all that is left is gravel road and a 3 mile stretch of rocks & roots we rode this morning. For the most part, it's just man made creek beds...trails laid out like you dropped a line from the crest to the valley, then ran a fire hose on them for...a few hundred years until you've to a linear boulder slide. Switch back is not in their vocabulary. We trotted over so many things that you just shouldn't that it's amazing to me all the horses didn't manage to go down with us. My favorite part was the Shenandoah (sp?) river. That was really neat. There were definitely some things I'd have done differently, but you can't come in on an undertaking the size of this ride and understand what all they have to deal with at first glance. (Maybe switchbacks are illegal in VA;-) The trail really was laid out in a do-able manner. I had plenty of horse left and time to complete when she decided to do the Lassie limp. Lots of gravel road between trips up and over the gaps. Well, I'm going to send this before I lose connection. Tired, 17 hrs. and nothing to show for it *again*, but at least I got to ride after dark this time. Beautiful country. Took photos, will put them up in the AM. Thanks to everyone. Sooo nice, from the kid volunteer who helped me get Aries down at the 2nd trot & go to the ambulance driver. Much appreciated! Now, if I have to not get the buckle I'm at least going to lay in a warm bed and pity those who are out there still trying to earn it. More tomorrow. Angie --- Begin Message ---
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