There were 4 100 milers that showed TRUE endurance, riding 100 miles Saturday with temps that got to 100 degrees. One got pulled at the last vet check, her horse was lame. Another rider said the horse had been forging all day. It would have sucked to have ridden all but the last loop and have the temps finally cooling off and get pulled; but she is an excellent horsewoman and I'm sure was on board with not taking the horse out for 12 last miles when it was not sound. Because I was riding the next day and was wiped out after doing the 55, I did not stay up to cheer for the three that finished. I think the one from my state that I know felt slighted by that. Oh well, I know myself and I had to be able to function and take care of my horse the next day. Its not like his 3 person pit crew (well 1 was riding the LD on Sunday) came over and offered to help me if I stayed up and gave J a bigger cheering section.
Only 3 riders did the 55 on Saturday. Most folks had planned on only riding one day and opted to ride on Sunday when it was forecast to 'only' get to 90 degrees for the high. We all rode the first 5 or so miles in the dark together and then G was moving out on her great fast 100 mile horse. I did not want to go that fast when planning to go again the next day, plus did not want to leave L entering his 2nd 50, after having pulled from one 3 years ago all by himself. L and his horse kept a pretty good pace. We did the first loop in just over 3 hours, right on the 8 mph pace I had wanted. On the 2nd loop L's horse was not wanting to go as fast and I didn't want to push past the mare's fitness level and kept Tanza behind her and we took almost 3 hours to go that 18 miles. That was not what I had wanted but was not a big deal. On the last loop when we turned off on cutoff and Tanza knew the loop was shorter he picked up the pace and I figured L and his mare would be fine or could slow down since it was the last loop. L is TOUGH. He did not have a camelback or pommel or cantle packs to hold water bottles so he was not drinking the whole ride like I was with my camelback. Tanza looked good at the finish and I was wiped out, took me a couple hours to summon the energy to take a shower. J's wife convinced me to put Tanza in a now empty pen and move my trailer to the grass. This was much nicer for Tanza on Sunday so I'm glad she talked me into doing that. I had thought that the E family that had joined us at Happy Jack camping the previous weekend would come and ride but they never showed. C may have been pressed into working OT as she is with the county health dept and I heard on the radio that the Univ. had 5 positive covid tests. Seems like the rest of the family could have come anyway, but they did not.
6 riders started on Sunday. A did a fast ride, 3 of us did a fairly slow ride and Y and G took it even a bit slower, G was getting his decade award (10 years doing at least 1 50) with his awesome mare, G is 80 years old; hats off to him to still be able to ride 55 miles. Y was being a true friend and helping him get through the ride. She got her decade award with her great gelding last year. The 2, I ended up riding with on Sunday were not quite as good to ride with as L. The one has been riding for close to 20 years but 'cant bring myself to drink from rubbery tasting camelback' Picky little princess has to use metal water bottles and we couldn't pick up a trot when she was drinking because she couldn't get the tops screwed back on going faster than a walk. I was good and tired of that by the end of the ride. If it been been just the other rider, who is, like L fairly new to endurance I think she would have been on board with walking just a bit through rocks or whatever and then picking the pace back up right away.
Tanza was a bit off at the end of the ride. Between that, and people helping G and Y out (well of course, cuz G is a hero doing endurance at 80 years old) but no other riders offered 2nd day me any help or any kudos all day I lost it for half an hour or so and couldn't stop tearing up. Got over that finally. Y was very kind to me after she and G finished. She is such a great gal. Tanza was fine Monday morning. I cleaned out his pen; noticed with a good bit of "lazy slugs" judgement that J and his pit crew had not cleaned their pen before heading to Thermopolis to get a jump on the Monday drive. Got myself and Tanza home safely, listening to radio warnings for the winter storm advisory coming in on Monday evening all the way home (after dealing with that heat all weekend!) But that is not so rare for CO/WY weather.
Not even halfway to Basin I was thinking "I am NOT driving clear to UT for Ant Island in 3 weeks." So this wrapped up the season. With Tanza needing Chiro (ride vet's suggestion) and to get his weight back up I definitely need to just call it a season. He FINISHED the BH 100. That is a huge we can call the year a success.
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