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[RC] Thank You to WSTF - Bruce Weary DCDayna and I just returned from a very enjoyable and exciting weekend riding 65 miles of the Tevis trail, under the guidance and hospitality of the WSTF. It was the first annual (hopefully) Educational Ride, and it was, except for a few glitches and less than cooperative riders, immensely successful. We camped at Robinson Flat on Friday, and were treated to brief talks by Barbara White, Chuck Mather, Debby Lyon and Penny Scribner on the history of the trail, conditioning, and trail etiquette, among other things. Early Saturday morning we broke into three different groups, all led by knowledgeable riders, and rode through the canyons and on to that day's destination, Foresthill. There we were regaled with a fabulous barbeque, and enough wine and beer to ease the day's aches and pains followed by more informtive talks. The next morning found us making our way through Foresthill and on to the California trail, crossing the American River and No Hands Bridge, as we headed toward the finish line at Auburn. This was a very unique opportunity to see sections of the trail that are almost always traveled in the dark by most riders and rarely seen in the light of day.Kathy Perry served as trail boss, and must have perfected the human cloning process, because she appeared at every stop along the way to ensure the riders were happy, safe, and well fed. She deserves huge kudos for the job she did, which was not easy or without some stressful moments from a few poor sports. The other WSTF members and the vets were great, water and horse feed were abundant, and the vet stops were thorough and informative. I think this was a real eye-opener for some of the riders as to what it really takes to even attempt Tevis. Pucker Point, by the way, is *very* aptly named. The best laid plans sometimes go awry, and that's not always a bad thing. I had planned to tail all the way up the first canyon, as practice for the Tevis, in order to help save my mare's energy. Well, that looked good on paper. After a delightful bath in the American River to wet both my horse and me, I started up the canyon tailing behind Dayna. My mare was so eager and strong, she kept trying to pass Dayna--not a good concept on those steep and narrow trails. So, I reluctantly climbed back in the saddle and she not only charged to the top of that canyon at a blistering 4mph, but she did the same in the second canyon and recovered to 60 in less than three minutes. I looked that horse in the eye and said, " All right you imposter, who are you, and what have you done with my horse?" I was elated that she could do that much tough climbing and recover so well. I now feel very prepared to finally complete the Tevis, and that my horse has enough under the hood to get the job done safely. That is a priceless advantage to have in your mind and heart as you step up to the starting line of the Tevis. Thank you, WSTF, for your galactic efforts in putting this even on, and please sign us up again for next year. And to the riders who abused the hospitality of the WSTF, hey, there's always team penning. Bruce and Dayna Weary =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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