Jul 26 2011
Redwood Ride I: Our First 50!
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We did it! With a ride time of 10 hours and 1 minute, we finished our first 50!
*Watch our videos at the bottom of this post!*
My favorite memories from the Redwood Ride:
- The beautiful drive up the 101 (and getting to enjoy the views since Kathryn was driving).
- The quiet ride camp and our great ride camp neighbors, who left us plums and kumquats (Thank you, Linda and Teresa).
- Getting to take over sponsorship of Junior Rider, Madison, when Kathryn decided to slow down to help her horse recover from the humidity.
- Kathryn catching up to Madison and me and the three of us galloping together down the trail, all while laughing hysterically.
- Pigging out at the vet check (best bagel I have ever had).
- Singing silly songs during our “punchy” stage after about 9 hours of being on the trail.
- Sitting down in the middle of the trail during our “cranky” stage (after we finally found the “Freaking A”).
- Crossing the finish line!
- Getting to present Asali to the vets for Best Condition, since we came in 9th place.
- And finally, the AMAZING scenery throughout the ride.
I could have lived without:
- The muddiest parts of the trail, which made the ride slow-going.
- Almost falling off of Asali twice.
- Swallowing the bug that flew in my mouth.
- The second and then the third set of tight switchbacks, after thinking we only had one set to climb up.
- Having to re-do the electric fence turn-out for Asali after I shorted it out on a metal post (duh).
My life has suddenly become about when the next endurance ride is… there is nothing more freeing than being on the back of a horse and experiencing parts of the countryside you wouldn’t otherwise see.