This is the ride to haul to only one in the NE
offering 5 days of LDs and 50s as well. Diesel has not come down in Pa. at all
so the game plan was to head north and do as many LDs as Hawks old Morgan legs
could. We have a new motto done by one!
Tuesday day one: 30s started at 8:00 due to the
logistics of having only 2 vets and one away hold. I was not whining about the
late start since heat was not an issue this year. Last year we fried in
Fryeburg. There were ten in the LD and for once me Mary Coleman did not know any
of them. So who was going to follow Hawk? He hates to be on trail alone and must
hear the pitter-patter of hooves behind him. I decided just to let him take the
lead than the whole group would be back there. It worked just fine anytime he
heard horses he kicked it up a notch. We were first in at the hold and amazingly
even first to pulse. The 50s were coming in off their 2nd loop this worked great
when they overtook us on the way back to camp Hawk and me got to run with the
big dogs. Trot actually they ran he did his Amish road buggy trot and of course
got hot but with a hose awaiting us camp
I was not worried. Yep done and pulsed by one
shower time and repack for the next day.
Day 2: 30 miles same trail but we had Bill Rice to
go with us. His wife was supposed to ride her Morgan with Hawk but she had got
kicked by a cow and now crewed with Charles.
I am sure many fellow riders were not keen on the
trail as it was lots of road both paved and dirt (management did the best they
could with the river being too high to cross and than pesticide being used on
the potato fields putting us even more on roads) Hawk however loves road. Bill
and me had a blast!! Another plus on this ride was the mileage markers at the
end since there was a ctr there the weekend before. We came in and pulsed not
first today but still done by one. Next problem was Hawks shoes were now
aluminum foil darn and double darn. Tom managed to get a farrier so with 4 new
shoes Hawk and my fun-meters were in full tack and we are ready to go
again.
Day 3: Same 30 no problem I felt Hawk was not 100%
today we were cleared to go good thing too. Right after we started the rain,
thunder and lightning came probably the worse storm I had ever been in. There
were only 5 LDs one was ahead the other 3 including Bill was with me. All wanted
to stop and wait it out but me. Arabians were not too keen on storms (remember
they are desert bred) Hawk and me had other ideas after all rain is a Morgans
friend. I won out we kept moving it rained really really hard riding was ok but
I did feel sorry for the help at the hold. The hold was shorten to 30 minutes as
the Arabs were shivering. Lightning finally let up going back to camp but the
rain never really stopped. Now here's the good part Hawk walked right in and
pulsed before the other 3 that were with me with the saddle on even and a 60
pulse as well! Sorry Bill I will never let you live this time.
Day 4: The trail had been changed but Hawk was off
so we stayed and help and headed home that afternoon.
We had a great vacation. Fryeburg Fairgrounds is
probably the fanciest place to camp I have ever been at. Tom and Kathy did an
awesome job. thanks to all who helped. Mary
