Pawnee Grasslands Update

[mbp@holly.colostate.edu (Brad Patterson)]

Greetings Riders:
At 2:00 AM, Friday, April 30, 1999, here is an update on the Pawnee
Grasslands Ride scheduled for this weekend, May 1-2, 1999:

Currently, the rides will go on as planned & scheduled.  However, due to a
large amount of precipitation beginning Wednesday evening and anticipated
to continue through Friday night and perhaps into Saturday, there is a good
possibility that at least the 75 & 100 mile rides will be postponed to
Sunday, May 2nd.  While I believe that it is unlikely that the 15, 30 & 50
mile rides will be cancelled for Saturday (with the 15 being postponed to
Sunday and combined with the 25 & 50 already planned for that day), this
too is a possibility.  This decision will be made by both riders & ride
management by 8:00 PM on Friday night for the 75 & 100, and possibly not
until 7:00 AM on Saturday for the 50's.  It all depends on the weather.

According to Duane Weber, the USFS Forester stationed at Pawnee National
Grasslands, only 1/2 inch of rain fell in the 24 hours prior to 9:00 PM,
Thursday, April 29th.  This is considerably less than the Colorado front
range along the mountains has received.  According to the local forecast
for the Briggsdale/Pawnee area, which Duane says is very reliable, there is
a 70% chance of rain on Friday, a 60% chance of rain on Friday night,
scattered rainshowers expected for Saturday afternoon, and no precipitation
expected for Sunday.  The temperatures are supposed to be in the high 50's
for Saturday and the low 60's for Sunday.  There is no forecast for wind,
which Duane said is accurate for the time period after this type of storm,
but he also noted that the wind averages 15mph at Pawnee anyway!

For Saturday, there are 5 riders pre-registered for the 15 mile ride, 11
for the 30, 10 for the 50, 1 for the 75, and 6 for the 100; there are 10
other pre-registered riders who did not indicate what distances they intend
on riding.  Due to the rains and thus a stuck truck & trailer, one of the
100's has indicated that they will not make the 100 if it is held on
Saturday, but believes that Sunday is probable.  In addition, another 100
(not pre-registered) has indicated the intent to ride Sunday if the ride is
postponed.

For more information, call 970-491-8891 until 12:00 PM (noon) on Friday
(Brad & Wendee in Fort Collins), and 970-656-3599 (preferably) after 8:00
PM on Friday (Duane Weber, USFS).

Get ready for some mud.
Brad.



                                                        1999 ENDURANCE RIDE
SCHEDULE

May 1-2:  11th PAWNEE GRASSLANDS RIDE 15/30/50/75/100-25/50 (Briggsdale,
Colorado).

August 2-6:  3rd ROCKY MOUNTAIN RIDE 55/55/55/55/25-55
***AERC & UMECRA Sanctioned ***AERC Pioneer Award Event
2 - "Medicine Bow", Arlington, WY
3 - "Gus Ehlin & Cinnabar", Centennial, WY
4 - "Rawahs", Mountain Home/WyColo, WY
5 - "Montgomery Pass", Gould, CO
6 - "Cache La Poudre", Red Feather Lakes, Indian Meadows & Stove Prairie, CO
Pre-Registration deadline is July 1st; deposit is $25 per day.  Space is
limited to 60 starting riders per day.

September 4-6:  4th HORSETHIEF PASS 30/50-15/30/50-30/50 (Walden,
Colorado).   ***AERC Pioneer Award Event.  ***New Location!

September 25:  2nd F.R.E.E.* MOONLIGHT RIDE 15/35/50 (Boxelder Trails,
Wellington, Colorado).  ALL ride proceeds go to benefit Front Range
Exceptional Equestrians (Post Office Box 272452, Fort Collins, CO
80527-2452) for recreational & therapeutic riding programs for the diabled.

For all rides (except the RMR), the pre-registration deadline is 10 days
(postmarked) before the ride; pre-registration deposit is $25.00.

                  ***PLEASE, IF YOU DON'T RIDE THE RIDE, VOLUNTEER!***

"There is no better way to see the world than from the back of a horse."

- Teddy Roosevelt

FOR RIDE INFO & ENTRIES:
 Email:  mbp@holly.colostate.edu
Mail:  1600 West Plum Street #28-H, Fort Collins, Colorado  80521
Home Phone/Fax:  970-491-8891 (evenings after 9:00 pm are best)
Work Phone:  970-962-2487

A portion of the proceeds from these rides will go to benefit:
        The Children's Hospital (1056 East 19th Avenue, Box 153, Denver, CO
80218) for Inherited Metabolic Disease Clinic research;
        The Crazy Horse Grass Roots Club (Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation,
Avenue of the Chiefs, Black Hills, Crazy Horse, SD  57730-9508) for Native
American scholarships.



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