Tahoe Rim 50 - long!

[Linda Cowles <lindac@gilroy.com>]

Hi folks,

Tahoe Rim 50 is staged out of Robie Flat, and is a benefit ride for the Truckee Donner Jr. Horsemen. These folks did a
fine job of managing this ride, and the kids were out in full force - they worked hard to make this ride a success.

This was 6 year old Gavilan's first 50, and he finished great! Our plan was to finish, easy. We completed the ride in 9
hours with all A's except one B for attitude. (The bran bucket was calling to him)

The trail is an 8 loop into Robie for lunch. Not really hard, but much tougher than most SF Bay Area rides. There were
serious climbs separated by long easy stretches, the most strenuous ending a few miles before the finish. The ride was
run with the tough hills in the afternoon to avoid conflicts with another event.  The vets were a trot-by at 18 miles,
a 64 (pulse) gate into a 1 hr. hold at 25 miles (lunch),  a 64 gate into a 15 min. hold at 35 miles, and 68  final
criteria.

The 7 am start sent us down the Tevis trail and then east towards Lake Tahoe and Mt Watson. Behind us, Squaw Valley....
we were on the first miles of the Tevis Trail, which we could see snaking up towards snow capped Squaw Peak. Our climb
up to the rim was a nice long pull. Spectacular views!!

On top, we turned onto single track trail with enough rocks to remind us that Endurance is NOT for snivelers!!!  There
was snow at this altitude - enough to play in! We used up film taking pictures with Lake Tahoe and snow capped mountains
as background. We then descended through  flower and grass filled meadows  laced with gurgling spring runs, to the 18
mile vet  trot-by. Out of the vet, up a mile of paved road, then onto jeep trails for the easy decent into lunch at 25
miles. The last 1/4 mile leg of the road into camp was the Tevis trail we started on. This trail gets used a third time
at the finish. Your horses will know the Tevis start after this ride!

Lunch passed slow for me and fast for Ravenous Gav, who looked unridden with a 48-48 CRI when taken straight into the
vet. Gav was surprised when the saddle was slipped back on, and when I offered the snaffle, he pursed his lips, pinned
his ears and gave me his best nasty beast look... attitude aside (bits are considered an insult), he is the ultimate
gentleman, and can be ridden in a halter even when he's very hot, so I acquiesced, and we continued on in a rope hater
and lead rope. He was still eager to eat trail! Very forward and happy.

After lunch, the trail goes down 06 towards Truckee for 6 miles, then cuts east on single track. This was easy trail
with one small climb. The 3rd vet check went fast, and we were off  again. We were joined by Bruce and Jeanine from
Auburn who we had shared trail and bran with earlier.

As we cruised down the trail, we missed a turn and continued almost to the top of Mt Pluto (I think!) from the wrong
side - about a 5 mile detour! Big Mistake. The front runners supposedly  missed this turn also. We back tracked and then
went BACK up that BIG mountain via a trail winding straight up black diamond ski runs!!!

This set of ascents were awesome climbs, tough but incredibly pretty; acres of mule ear daisies and other wild alpine
flowers, luscious grasses, lots of water... very neat! Gavilan went up easily, I had much more horse left than I had
bargained for!! After the top we were 2-3 miles from the finish, all downhill on jeep trail. He sensed where we were,
and wanted to fly back to camp - tons of horse left!!

Trotting down the mountain, we broke into a fast canter to the finish line. Riding in a rope halter and a loose single
rein, and chasing his trail buddies, Gav executed a perfect complete stop on the line listening to my seat aids. Thank
you, Deb Cooper, you taught us both so much! Never imagined it would be this good.

Gavilan could have gone another five miles - I was jubilant!! I missed the awards dinner (shower was a priority) and got
the finishers from  Jessica Tuteur. She thinks Ed Myers  took 1st,  Tony Brickel took 2nd, Tonya Chandler was 3rd,
Robert Ribley was 7th and BC. Approx. 75 starters and 60 finishers.

A warning:  two friends had a visit from a bear before lunch; it entered an open tack room and ate their grain. After
the ride, they were grilling salmon and  it returned, spooking the horses, who ran back into camp. Use wilderness savvy
with food storage and preparation when visiting with bears and cougars!

I talked to Clay Allman about the bears, and he says that there is a huge old dump back in that area, and it was once
the dinner table of 50 bears. Recycle!!!

Clay is one of Robie Park's most erstwhile guardians. A true wilderness saint and humanitarian! He put in the watering
systems at Robie and at Robinson Flat, and is father to one teenage son and 6 or 7 teenage foster sons - many half-wild
boys - a true marvel of nature! Clay also tries to protect the wildflower meadow from the thoughtless few equestrians
who attempt to graze horses there. Clay, thank you for gracing this planet...

Next ride? Fireworks, August 1st in Scotts Valley!!!

Happy Trails  -  Linda and Gavilan

Hashknife 25
Tahoe Rim 50