Canal 25 (NJ)

Diane E. Nelson (nelsonde@ttown.apci.com)
Tue, 5 Nov 1996 09:43:49 -0500 (EST)

Kevin and I volunteered at the Canal 25 in north central NJ--our final
event not just for the season but permanently (well, for now anyway)--a
bittersweet experience. I thought the NJ 2-day 50 was hard. Kevin had
just received the offer/accepted the job in KC, and I rode 50 miles with
more than an isolated tear in my eye. But this weekend, seeing so many
people come up to wish him well, brought home the reality of his leaving.

But the Canal 25 was a splendid competition, the area surprisingly
beautiful with old growth forest decked out in fall's finery. The ride
goes up and down the towpath, a bit of a no-brainer for the experienced
horse and a great way to start for the novice (after all, if you get
lost, you get wet!). The hardest part was staying warm in a brisk chilly
breeze...though the marvelous chili and hot dogs surely warmed the
tummy. Yours truly spent lots of time stirring those pots (I know how to
keep warm!).

Mary Nelson, Kay & Dave Bond and all the management team did a super
job. If memory serves, this event was their "solo" effort at managing a
ride....and I think an A+ is in order. There was wonderful attention to
detail, including the volunteers receiving really nice "appreciation"
certificates.

Well done.

Diane @ Safe Haven