Saturday September 19 2009
The Virginia City 100 is one of the toughest endurance rides in the U.S. (held for the 42nd time this year) and takes in the whole flavor and history of the Wild West: it starts in front of the Delta Saloon on main street of Virginia City, Nevada at 5 AM, passes old gold and silver mines, travels through wild horse country, and finishes in the Virginia City cemetary (a few riders saw ghosts early in the morning!)
It is always a hard ride, but for whatever reasons - weather? more rocks? tougher trail? ghosts? - only 18 finished out of 42 starters. I rode it and finished in 2002, and a few times during the day this year I was a wee bit jealous of riders on the trail. Come about 11 PM, when the first riders hadn't finished yet, and I was about to crawl into my sleeping bag, I wasn't so jealous. (I had, of course, brought my helmet and chaps and Raven, just in case a horse turned up : ). Maybe next year : )
Here's a taste of the trail.
Loop 1 in the morning.
Wild horses on Loop 1.
On Loop 1 near Washoe Lake.
Trotting out at a vet check in camp.
Connie Creech finished and earned her NINETEENTH BUCKLE! (meaning - she's completed the ride 19 times!)
Karen Chaton, running on foot down the rocky road off of loop 1. Notice Tigger is spooking at something.
Heading out on Loop 2 above Virginia City.
Most of Virginia City appears to be built on mine slag heaps!
Many more photos, and stories coming, at
www.endurance.net/international/USA/2009VirginiaCity
lol---that's not Tig spooking, he slid on the rocks, I thought.
ReplyDeleteTig is the least spooky horse I've ever ridden, Dave thinks so too and he's ridden a lot of horses. It was sure nice riding Tig on the ride since he isn't bothered by anything - heck, he didn't even see the ghost in the cemetery that Amy saw! (I was too tired at 4 a.m. to notice)
Course he may have been showing off for the camera!
Nice report and great job on the photos. :)
These pics are so great! Everyone looks like they are having the time of their lives! Big huge permi-grins from ear to ear:)
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