I was there as a sweep rider for the 30 mile ride. It
started out not too badly, a little light rain, very tolerable. It had rained
quite a bit during the night and parts of the trail were thick muck, having
been trampled by the 23 30-mile riders and I think 28 50-mile riders. By the
time we reached the lunch stop the clouds had lifted some and although we were
a bit wet, it was not cold. There was not a sweep team to follow the 30 mile
riders back to camp, so my partner and I decided we’d ride in behind them
rather than wait 3 hours for a trailer ride back. Unfortunately it really
started pouring about 30-45 minutes later.
The trails were slippery now, even moreso than before lunch.
The trail markings were still visible (chalk blobs) and we had no trouble
finding our way in. Some of the 50 mile riders (now behind us as we came
directly from the lunch stop and they had to do an additional 10 mile loop
before returning) were having trouble spotting the blobs, probably the heavy
rain had finally washed some of them away. We watched the trail for signs of
sliding horses and passed those areas with care. The climb up to the spillway
was steep and very slippery. It was very cold and windy and still raining when
we got to the spillway vet check, but we waited there until the last of the
30-miler riders left then dropped in behind again.
The climb back down the mountain was worse, lots of slide
marks showing on the trail, but I don’t think there were any injuries
from the slick trails. The horses did not seem to be having trouble with the
rain, other than just not liking it. My horse was happy to stand in the
trailer, blanketed, while packed up to go. I was soaked to the core and left
just before 5PM, before the 50s were done. They did
have a great tri-tip dinner (:>)
Kathy
Oroville
Ride? - Horseraser
Boy
it sure was a rainy weekend here in NorCal.. anyone go to the Oroville Ride?
How were the horses? It was a pretty slippery ride the year I went up there
