Ride manager Grit Jones is in the first few photos, go take a look.
Boy, pulling ribbons yesterday in the jeep with the Duck and Calina, we had the most spectacular weather--views of snowy peaks to the east and north, and the rest of the mountains in sharp relief to the south and west. We've had more rain than normal so everything is green, and it was a joy to jog on some of the stretches rather than get back in the jeep.
The riders got mixed light on the first day, occasionally the clouds would part to reveal some of the views. 47 riders with one pull, last year's Tevis winner. Day two it rained, though it was largely light rain it was accompanied by wind part of the time. 10 intrepid riders started AND finished.
It was a relaxed atmosphere all three days and reminded me of what I love about this sport. My photos are mostly from Harford Springs Park, whose rolling hills and chaparral are now blanketed with a grassy ground cover. The footing on the single track and two tracks was cushiony, though there were a few wet spots to carefully navigate from the earlier storms. This ride had every kind of terrain, and it was kinda fun to park and watch the riders go up our favorite training hill, "Old Mac hill" where my gelding blew through an old boot once--you have to name them something that makes sense. That hill comes after another steep climb on a "road to nowhere", which my 4x2 diesel Dodge always threatens not to go up--when scouting trail for Bar H Boogie in 2003 it said "no way" halfway up Old Mac hill. Chris later did it with his 4x4. Riders didn't have the "Hills of Significance" for those that did BHB back in the day.
We enjoyed Annie Nicholson's lunches and dinners, with Sunday's ride dinner finding all of us stuffed into the Nicholson's trailer and watching the Super Bowl's ending. Ridecamp was capacious, room for at least 150 rigs on flat ground, owner Chris Herron has transformed his place as you'll see from the pix. As for me, I loved the "commute" (I live here.)
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