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The Evening Before Things are almost ready. Much shifting around of the crew sites and hustle/bustle. |
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But Its Almost Ready Setting put the US crew site. Its a ways from the in-gates....but we didn't have to move as many times as the Canadians:) |
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UAE Stables Sites The sacks in front are full of ice - it was plentiful and delivered to each crew site by truck... |
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Readiness Sitting there thinking about loose ends... |
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Quiet before the storm Everything is ready as the sun goes down... |
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Now its a peaceful desert evening A view of the left side of the crew areas |
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Sunset almost time for ride meeting |
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more sunset So I'll walk over to the village .... |
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ok, so it was a pretty sunset:) and a long walk:( |
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Ride Meeting The gathering - the actual ride info was delivered via a multimedia presentation... |
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The big wigs all the FEI folks and the organizing committee - thanks to you all!! |
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Morning.... The pre-start walkabout. centered is the infamous number 33 - just ask someone:) |
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Watching And waiting for the ride to begin.... |
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Shining from within Steph and Kruschev - its that inner light that gets you:) (actually, the numbers are florecent:) |
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Almost... So their almost off...then I'm kinda tied up till Steph pulls and loop 2...so the picts are a bit shy - we'll get more from Wolfgang... |
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Whew...its hot Steph giving Karen a hand... |
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Still Ready Like nothing to it... |
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Mary Worrying Which got a lot of loose ends covered... |
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Dale Sheparding Keeping and Eye on "his barn"... |
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Still Ready Can we go yet??!!! |
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Ok .... Ok - everything looks fine!! |
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Wait a minute... Did you get that last little detail??? |
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And Don't forget The vehicles (at least a few of them) which will go to the winners!!! |
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The watchtower Right beside the entry/exit gates.... |
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Mustafa On his day off, greating the troops. |
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The Crews in Waiting ready for the next rush... |
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He was alot of fun Greating more of his new-found friends (I've got his e-mail address...maybe I should just subscribe him to ridecamp??) |
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And stylish too Ok -- back to the ride... |
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Thinking about it... Wondering what more could be done??? |
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Ready for the last loop And we're really going to follow karen around the last loop.. |
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A stretch of hard surface Rocks (which are rare) on a road which runs to a tree plantation.... |
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Ready for a water stop Every 2-3 miles there's a water stop... |
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But... You don't really stop unless you really need to drink... |
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Slow-Down --- Hurry Up Don't get left behind... |
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Hot - Hot - Hot And its REALLY hot out... |
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Next Water Stop Time for a Drink... |
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A rescue van Always there when/if you need one... |
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Nearing the finish line Pierre (from BEL) nearing the line) |
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In True Style Keeping the safety of the mount in mind... |
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Ready for the last loop Ellen (from Norway) ready to go out one more time... |
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With Wolfgang as Crew With the help of Wolfgang .... |
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BC Showing BC Showing was the same day ... and most everyone of the 15 top finishers looked good!!! |
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Discussions Of course everything needs to be hashed over... |
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Jennifer The top US finisher!!! |
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Next Day and EVERYTHING needs to be washed and disinfected before shipping back to the US... |
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Dale... Still keeping and eye on his charges!!! |
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Cleaning... Julie and Stephen ... |
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Karen's Shirt Karen's shirt is not off and wandering the world on a strange body!!! its headed home!!!! |
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Steph's Shirt Steph's shirt, on the other hand, is lost in the wide wide world!!! if you see it, send mail to ridecamp!!! we'll follow that shirt for as long as possible!!! |