2007 Endurance History Highlights:  Part II

Caartouche CS, 2014

Unfortunately, I did not have a camera to take photos of the first few (5+!) years of my endurance riding life. 

 

Briefly:
Twenty Mule Team 65 mile 2/3/07
Great ride out of Ridgecrest, CA, managed by Robert and Melissa Ribley.  There is also a 35 mile limited distance (LD) ride and a 100 mile ride.  The 65 mile is one big loop with out vet checks.

Eastern Sierra Mojave Scenic Pioneer 50 mile (Days 1 and 2) 2/17/07 and 2/18/07
Another great XP ride.  What I remember most about this ride is that we had sold our truck and shell and purchased a new used truck,  but we had not yet purchased a camper.  We had planned on tent camping. We brought all of our camping gear, but we forgot the tent!  Woops.  It actually worked out better because a wind storm started the evening before the ride with gusts so huge that it was hard to see because of the dust flying.  We slept in the truck bed, which gave us a bit of protection from the wind.  Sleeping in the tent in the wind storm would have been extremely uncomfortable with the tent flapping all night long.  The wind kept up for the first hour of the ride and then calmed down. Both days of this ride were one big loop (different trails) with an out vet check/lunch hold.  This is a 3 day ride (4 day ride now/2014), but I had to leave on Sunday after the ride/race because I had to be at work on Monday.

AERC (American Endurance Ride Conference) Yearly Convention, Reno, NV 3/7/07
It is very convenient for me that most years the yearly AERC convention is located in Reno, NV, which is just a 3 hour drive from where I live.  AERC holds it in Reno a lot because their office is located in Auburn, CA, which is close to Reno.  I learned a lot in the seminars I attended and purchased a few things at the trade show.  Approximately a month before the convention, my friend/mentor, Dick Dawson advised me that the Tevis ride management was going to hold its' first educational ride approximately one month before the actual ride.  There would be a limited number of riders who could do this ride and management was going to start taking entries at the AERC convention.  I was able to get in!  I will be writing more about the Tevis ride in my next Blog/post, but briefly,  Tevis is a 100 mile ride/race that takes place on the Western States Trail from Truckee to Auburn, CA. It is the oldest endurance ride and considered the most difficult one in the world.  Like all 100 mile AERC competitions, it must be completed under 24 hours, including all the holds.  It was my goal to enter and complete Tevis, but I had not planned on doing it in 2007 because I wanted more experience with my horse (this was my first full year competing in endurance for both myself and my horse).  I decided since I would be able to do the educational ride, that I would sign up for Tevis that year if the educational ride went well. 

Rides of March 50 mile, 3/17/07
I can not remember much about this ride.  Another successful finish.

Square Nail 50, 4/7/07
Same as above (Rides of March)

Washoe Valley I and II 50 mile, 5/17/07 and 5/17/07
I love this ride!  Two days, but you can only ride one day if you want.  I really like the 2+ day competitions because I get more bang for my buck.  The ride entries are the same each day, but I save a lot on gas money.  Also, it makes a horse stronger if riding conservatively. The trail both days are quite challenging, with a lot of steep hills to climb.  The base camp is located near a lake, and there are facilities to take showers.  The ride managers, Connie Creech and Gina Hall are outstanding horsewoman and put on a great ride weekend.  The evening meals are excellent and the completion prizes are great.  Wonderful vets and volunteers as well.  A+.  Many thank to these women!

Tevis Educational Ride, June 2007
The educational ride took place over 2 days.  The first night we camped at Robinson's Flat, which is the second vet check and the first 1 hour hold at mile 36 of the official Tevis Cup AERC ride.   We would be riding the last 2 sections of the Tevis/Western States Trail over 2 days.  We arrived on Friday afternoon and attended the educational seminars, which were extremely helpful.   There was a choice of 3 rider groups to ride with:  Fast pace, moderate pace, and slower pace.  I rode in the fast pace group.  We were told that if our horse took longer to pulse down at the vet checks than the others, we would need to wait for the next group and ride with them.  I rode with the faster paced group because  my horse and I had consistently been finishing in the top 20.  This was not an AERC competition, but the educational ride had vet checks to make sure the horses were fit to continue and to get the riders and horses familiar with the Tevis vetting procedure.  The first day we rode approx. 35 miles from Robinson Flat to Foresthill (the canyons). We had more educational seminars and a great dinner that night.  The next day we rode the last section of Tevis, approx. 35 miles, from Foresthill to Auburn. It was incredibly helpful to be able to pre-ride this trail before attempting our first competitive Tevis.  My horse and I both did great, and I sent in my Tevis entry when we arrived home.  The  Tevis ride date that year was on 7/28/07, 4 weeks away!

Today, Thursday, 4/3/14
I am getting caught up in my endurance history blog, and today I am organizing and packing for our 2nd 50 mile endurance competition of the season, which is this Saturday, 4/5/14.  I am competing  on day 1 of the 2 day rides of the Nevada Derby. The link is below.  I was not planning on doing this ride.  I was planning on riding 1 or 2 days of the Washoe Valley I and II rides, which are held the first weekend in May.  The ride managers of Washoe Valley have decided to take this year off.  The Nevada Derby has changed their normal ride location in Lemmon Valley, NV. to the Washoe Valley ride location.  This is the reason I decided to do it.  It is also the first test of the NASTR Triple Crown.  The second test is the NASTR 75 mile ride at the end of May, and the last test is the 100  mile Virginia City ride in September.  At this point, I don't have the goal to do the triple crown this year, but I may change my mind.  My main goal this year is to ride Tevis again. 

I am excited about this ride.  We leave tomorrow.
http://www.aerc.org/Calendar/2014NevadaDerby.pdf