Andrea Maitland and Lilly - 2018

Obligatory Race Report!

The Tevis Cup, 2018

Now that I’ve been back home for a few days, work is back under control, and I have had a few nights of good sleep behind me…time for a recap! Tevis needs no introduction really – it’s in a league all its own, was the first endurance ride I’d ever heard of, and was the ride that got me interested in riding a horse for long distances over challenging terrain. It is the granddaddy of endurance - the Boston Marathon, the Kentucky Derby, Wimbledon, and the Tour de France of our sport. To say it’s iconic is an understatement of significant magnitude.

So back in 2014, when I first started training for the sport with my trusty mustang Lilly, it was with Tevis in mind. And then I did my first 30-mile race, thought I was going to die, and wondered what insanity had possessed me to even consider riding longer than that? The insanity passed quickly (or perhaps intensified), because soon I was riding 50-mile distance, then 75 miles, and was training for a 100. Lilly and I got our first 100-mile completion earlier this year, and with that last hurdle covered, set our eyes on the last Saturday in July – Tevis! I even convinced fellow Zonie MJ to come with me (it didn’t take much convincing), and we spent the next several weeks getting our crews organized, a logistics plan laid out, and conversed with as many Tevis riders as we could to get some insight into the trail and strategy on how to ride it. One does not simply show up and ‘ride’ Tevis!

Tuesday, Travel Day 1 – first leg was to Barstow, to a simple but very pleasant Horse Motel about half-way between here and Auburn. Of course, we left on the hottest day of the year, 117 degrees in the shade. Ugh. To mitigate some of the nastiness, we left around 5 PM so that at least there would be some respite when the sun went down. Barstow was still over 100 degrees even in the middle of the night but 1) it was a dry heat (that’s a joke) and 2) the Horse Motel had electrical hookups, so I got to run the LQ’s AC all night without pulling out the generator. Of course, ‘all night’ meant 4 hours, as we only wanted to rest for a few hours before hitting the road early to beat the heat again as we traveled the rest of the way.

Wednesday, Travel Day 2 – we made it to the Auburn Fairgrounds, the ‘finish line’ of the race, only to find out that our designated horse camping area had inadvertently been leased out to another group, so whoops! – no where to park the horses. Fortunately, there were still 2 open stalls in one of the barns, so we dropped a check to reserve them for the weekend. Whew! Tevis Gremlins #1 averted! We had a lovely “Official Tevis” BBQ dinner on the fairgrounds that night, and I got to catch up with my 20 Mule Team 100 partner Lucy (who is about as knowledgeable as they come about Tevis, and was an IMMENSE source of information and encouragement). If you had a chance to check out the Tevis live cast throughout the weekend and heard a lovely voice with an English accent – that’s my girl Lucy. She’s in a league by herself for sure!

Thursday, Pre-Ride and Robie Park – we took a quick pre-ride to cover the last few miles of trail in the morning, before heading up to the starting line camp, Robie Equestrian Park, 100+ miles away. It was on this portion of the journey that Tevis Gremlins #2 struck, in the form of a massive trailer tire blowout that took half my fender with it :( MJ and her husband circled back to transfer Lilly to their trailer while I waited for US Rider to get a driver out to assist, and angel-in-disguise Stacy (one of MJ’s crew) stayed with me to keep me company. 3+ hours later the fender was cut away, the spare slapped on, and we were back in business! On to Robie! It was there that I met up with Crew #1, Christina, who would be staying with me for the start and then doing all of the rig-moving on Saturday.

Friday, Ride Meetings, Horse Vetting, Crew Prepping, and Bear Sightings – Friday was a whirlwind of activity – there wasn’t enough time in the day it seemed for what we wanted to do! Crew #2 (Rianne and Pam, collectively known as RIPA) showed up, and we spent some time getting their SUV loaded up with all the gear they were going to need for the first one-hour hold vet check (Robinson Flat, 36 miles in). Tevis is an exercise in logistics, being a point-to-point ride. In my case, RIPA was spending the night in Auburn and going directly to Robinson’s, which meant that everything I needed (or MIGHT need), needed to go with them before they left Robie, so it would be waiting for me at the first check. Everything else would stay with the trailer and go with Christina, who would drop the trailer at the second one-hour hold vet check (Forest Hill) before meeting me at an intermediary check during the canyon section of the ride. But more on that later – suffice to say that it was quite stressful going through the multiple checklists to ensure that I got all my gear split correctly between my crew!

In-between gear prep, I also attended a First-Time Rider Meeting, where an experienced Tevis Rider gave us additional tips about how to ride the trail (and where we had our first sighting of the Camp Bear, who waddled in from the meadow like he owned the place - which I imagine he did), and meandered his way through the trees and into the camp area. Robie Park is huge though, so he quickly disappeared out of sight…for a bit anyway. I got checked in, Lilly got vetted in, my crew attended the official Crew Meeting, we all went to the main Rider Meeting (which was when the Camp Bear stole a grain baggie before being chased away by RIPA, who left the meeting early to get on the road back to Auburn), ate a nice dinner, and tried to get some sleep for the Big Day!

Saturday, Tevis!

3 AM came quite quickly, though I didn’t get much sleep the night before. I went to bed reasonably early, but the Camp Bear decided to visit some of our neighbors at about 130 in the morning, and I was unable to go back to sleep after that. Christina got Lilly prepared, I got myself prepped, and at 430 I swung my leg over and walked out of camp to the start. The official starting line is a couple of miles away, but that works in our favor as the horses get a nice walking warm up before the insanity begins. I was a little worried about the start, mostly because my sometimes-grumpy mare takes great offense to having strange horses crowd her (she sometimes takes great offense to even her closest equine friends crowding her), but she was the perfect angel even when there was some bustling and jostling around while we waited for the magical 515 start time.

And we were off!

With about 150 horses all starting at the same time, it’s a little challenging to ‘ride your own ride’ for the first few miles – the herd takes off, you settle into wherever you start, and that’s the pace you ride at until the trail opens up a few miles in at the base of the long climb up Squaw Valley to Emigrant Pass. It was a brisk ride to the base of the climb, but then we settled down and took it slow up to the top – every Tevis mentor I had spoken to had reiterated the same thing – do NOT blast up the long Squaw climb, even though the footing is great and your horse feels fresh. A lot of horses who catapult up the mountain end up on fluids at Robinson’s or pulled later for being too tired. We took our time, walking the inclines and only trotting when we got to the flatter areas. As a result, the horses felt great at the top, and we continued through the Granite Chief wilderness area.

I think this was my favorite part of the ride. Despite the smoky air, the views were breathtaking, the terrain technical and challenging, but we made decent time as we travelled, navigating the imbedded boulders obscured by the ubiquitous dust, sloshing through boggy wet areas (not too much in the way of bogs, given how dry it’s been this year), and rock-hopping over rocky sections.


About 20 miles in when got to the famous Cougar Rock, and my intention had always been to go up and over (assuming there wasn’t a line of horses in front of us). There wasn’t, so I pointed Lilly to the Rock and away we went. The secret to getting over this giant somewhat vertical outcropping is to keep the horse moving forward (not a problem with go-go-go Lilly), head straight up to start (again, not a problem), then turn to the RIGHT and follow the last section up and over. Lilly missed the memo on going RIGHT, and pilot-error on my part, I didn’t have a tight enough hold on the right rein to keep her pointed in the correct direction. So, mustang started to go LEFT, which is a one-way ticket to no-where-good/good thing I have air-vac insurance, so I hauled her to a stop and tried to get her turned around. She did, but only so far as to face DOWN the direction from where we just came from. HEAVY SIGH. Cougar Rock is scarier looking down than up! I decided that trying to go up the Rock was not meant to be this year, so carefully navigated back down (which mostly meant holding on for dear life and hoping the pony didn’t stumble) and took the bypass. Next time I’ll have my sh*t together and we’ll make it up and over!

Our first vet check was a few miles later, at Red Star Ridge. It is just a ‘gate and go’, which means as soon as the horse passes the vet check we can hit the trail again. We were able to get vetted in pretty quick, Lilly scarfed down some water/alfalfa in a bucket (her favorite treat out on the trail, and great combination as it gets both fluids and food into their belly at the same time). Just a few short miles later and we pulled into Robinson Flat about 1130, our second vet check and the first mandatory 1-hour hold period, at the 36-mile mark.

My wonderful, amazing crew of RIPA met me on the road and got to work untacking Lilly and sponging her off to get her cool and to pulse criteria. It was already warming up – the cool morning air had been left hours behind us. Lilly pulsed down quickly, and we vetted in at the same time as both Ashley Wingert and MJ, who we had been riding with off and on throughout the morning. Once vetted we went back to the lovely crewing area set up for us, and while I relaxed and ate some real food, Rianne and Pam took care of Lilly and me respectively. I changed into my ‘cooling gear’ clothes for the next section – the hot, humid, and dreaded canyons – and our hour was up just like that.

Unfortunately, I was destined to ride the rest of the trail alone. Despite vetting in at the same time, I think my scribe did the math wrong, as my ‘out time’ was 5 minutes behind MJ and Ashley. Drat! MJ headed out first, and it turns out that Ashley ended up pulling at Robinson’s due to her horse not doing as well as he should. I wasn’t worried about riding alone, as there are always people out there on the trail with you in different sections, and Lilly is fine with forging her own trail. So off we went!

Out of Robinson’s and it’s a bit of an overall downhill trek to the next water stop (Dusty Corners, which lives up to its name because the dust was everywhere), then past Pucker Point at mile 48. I shared a video of Pucker Point on a previous post, and honestly it’s not that bad. I wouldn’t have even known that this was the infamous landmark had the riding buddy I picked up after Robinson’s not pointed it out :) Then it was on to Last Chance, another vet check and gate-and-go, and the literal last chance to reconsider your decision of setting foot into the canyons. I didn’t reconsider, and off we went!

Canyon #1 – the longest, steepest, and most perilous of the bunch. A lot of riders hop off and walk/jog down to the bottom to be efficient and save their horses for the climb out, but my body doesn’t allow me to be that lucky. Lilly has to cart my arthritic ass everywhere, but she’s such a good downhill horse that we didn’t lose any time going down the steep switchbacks. I just needed to hold on and stay balanced, and she wound her way down the narrow trails until they spit us out at the Swinging Bridge. Once across (and yes it does swing a bit), we encountered the one and only snarky rider on the whole journey. Before crossing the Swinging Bridge riders can take a short trail down to the river to cool off in the water directly. When I crossed, there were probably 15 horses down there and I could already hear people yelling about something – too much drama for me, and I had already planned on stopping just past the Bridge where a natural water source bubbled out of the rocks by the trail about 1/8 mile up. A few other riders also had that idea, so there was a short line of horses on the single-track waiting their chance to get a drink prior to making the brutal climb out. The rider who crossed the bridge after me had come from the river, where apparently one of her horses (being ridden by a catch rider) was stung by some bees, and in a panic to get away scraped up his leg on the rocks. She was bound and determined to get out of the canyon as soon as possible to tend to her horse, and was understandably upset. She was yelling at everyone to keep moving and not stop so she could get out, nearly ran into Lilly in her desire to get past (and got a fairly serious double-barrel kick backwards from that bad decision – Lilly wore red ribbons on both ends to warn others to not crowd her – fortunately I don’t think Lilly connected, but the rider began yelling all over again). When it was Lilly’s turn to drink, I let her do so, for as long as she wanted. The rider began yelling again, ordering me to keep moving so she could get out of the canyon. Ummm…no. I politely, but firmly told her that I was going to let my horse drink, and when there was room on the trail I would be happy to let her pass…but my horse was going to get hydrated first. She didn’t press me after that, and about 30 seconds later we were on our way. I was able to pull over on one of the switchbacks not much farther up, and the two horses and riders were out of my hair finally. I did hear additional yelling for most of the climb, as the trail didn’t allow much passing and there was a LONG line of horses trudging up at the same time. I hope the horse ended up being okay – from what I could see the wounds seemed mostly superficial, and I know it was a scary thing to be at the bottom of the toughest canyon with an injured horse.

First and last drama behind us, we made our way out of that b*tch of a canyon. We weren’t fast, but fairly steady. Lilly is a better downhill horse, but is a decent climber if not overly fast. It did seem to go on forever, and just when I thought the end was in sight, there were more switchbacks. But finally it ended, whew! We spent a few minutes at the top in Devil’s Thumb, which was a water check/aid station, in order to slosh Lilly with water to cool her out. The volunteers were super helpful all day, and Lilly met a couple of her ‘Facebook fans’ who were volunteering and recognized our neon green colors!
After Devil’s Thumb it was just a mile to Deadwood, another official vet check and gate-and-go before descending into the next canyon. Lilly passed with flying colors, I dunked myself in more ice water and had my water refilled, and off we went. The second canyon wasn’t as bad as the first, but it was still rocky, steep, and long. And hot. I heard that the temps in the canyons reached 115, and I could really feel the humidity in the air. But onwards and upwards we trudged. It spit us out at Michigan Bluff, another water stop/aid station, and a busy and bustling whirlwind of activity. I spent a few minutes getting Lilly cool, and once again the volunteers were so helpful in holding her while I used the porta-potty and got my waters refilled. I did do a good job of staying hydrated all day, as I peed at almost every check :)

I was definitely feeling the heat at this point though, and the first signs of ‘uh-oh’ were on the horizon. I dunked myself in ice water again, and made my way 1.5 miles away to the next vet check, Chicken Hawk (i.e., Pieper Junction). My wonderful crew Christina was waiting for me there (along with MJ’s crew Stacy, as they had driven together). We got Lilly vetted in – she still looked really good – while I sat on a park bench and rested for a few minutes while Lilly ate. I was definitely starting to feel it then – I wasn’t (yet) nauseous, but I’ve been heat-sick enough times to know when my core body temp has been exposed to too much for too long. But, I had one more canyon to go, the sun was starting to go down and it was a *little* cooler, and I hoped that the upcoming one-hour hold at Forest Hill 4 miles away would be enough to perk me up and see me through to the end.

So off we went! We were totally alone at this point, with riders still coming in behind me but no one really in front of me. Lilly was not impressed at being pulled away from her delicious snack to once again forge on into another canyon, and though she walked out at a decent clip, she really didn’t want to do more than that. And I really didn’t have the energy to kick-kick-kick her into maintaining a trot, though we did manage some trotting going down into the 3rd canyon, whose descent was not that steep. It was fairly steep coming out though, so we walked the rest of the way into Forest Hill.

I have never been as happy to see my crew as I was at that point! I was beat, dizzy, and probably partially delirious. Lilly looked great, no surprise there! Rianne got her vetted in and she passed with flying colors – we didn’t even cool her off, as we were pushing the extended cut-off time as it was, and just walked up to the vet area and pulsed her through. Good pony!

I was carted (literally) back to my LQ – another luxury of Forest Hill, our trailers can make the journey – with Pam clearing a path with the “I got this, I’m a doctor” – don’t leave home without at least 2 doctors as part of your crew! I stumbled into bed with water and some electrolytes, and my medical staff conferred with me regarding what was going to happen next. They were willing to duct tape me to the saddle and send me out into the night, but in the end I decided to take the Rider Option. Had I not been pushing cut-off times and had the opportunity to walk the majority of the way to the finish, I may have been able to do it. But as it was, I was going to have to hustle every step of the way to not get pulled for overtime, was still dizzy and a little nauseous at this point, and I had some tough trails ahead of me. If I was going to get pulled, it was better to do it where I could easily be hauled out, as opposed to one of the more remote checks where I would potentially be waiting until morning (without any LQ creature comforts). Creature comforts won the day, and I was done.

Christina had joined us by then, so my three crew got everything packed up, Lilly loaded, and me piled into the back seat of the truck so I could lay down for the trip back to Auburn. I don’t remember much, other than Christina doing a stellar job at navigating the windy and narrow roads in the middle of the night without missing a beat. She got Lilly tucked into her stall, me tucked back into bed, and then kept semi-watch on both of us until morning. As anticipated, I did end up driving the porcelain bus in the middle of the night, but felt so much better after – I joked that in the future just make me puke immediately!

Even though I didn’t make it to the finish, Lilly looked fantastic and I have no doubt that she would have been strong enough to complete had I not been the weak link. And I was proud of two of my friends who also completed this year – MJ and Tammy. And, as a super bonus – 2 mustangs finished in the Top Ten, and one of them, MM Cody, won the prestigious Haggin Cup, awarded to the horse in the best condition at the end of the ride. It’s the first time that a mustang has won this title, and I was thrilled to be there to see it!

We hit the road Monday and overnighted at the Horse Motel in Barstow, then Tuesday I made my way to Prescott Valley so Lilly could do her post-ride resting at Julia’s, and hang out with Wyatt. She showed up at Julia’s ranch in raging heat, and has been tormenting the geldings since.

Next up, I’ll be taking both mustangs to Virgin Outlaw XP at the end of September. I had been thinking of going to the Virginia City 100, but that’s another 2 day haul each way and after the Tevis journey, I’d like to stick with something a little easier and closer to home for the next outing.

Next year I’m planning to be back at Tevis – a plan has been percolating about how to successfully complete this bad boy – I won’t say more than that as the plan is still in its infancy and things could change, but I know that Tevis hasn’t seen the last of me and Lilly quite yet!

And I have to give a final shout-out to my crew: Christina, Pam, and Rianne. They were absolutely fantastic all weekend, and made everything so much easier from start to (almost) finish. We had a wild and crazy adventure together, and I couldn’t have asked for nicer gals to share it with! And to honorary crew Stacy, who stayed with me for the whole tire blowout fiasco, went to the local tire store the next day to pick up my spare, helped me at Chicken Hawk, and was ready to pitch in and assist with whatever I needed all weekend. You’re a star!

2018 Ride Stats

Wyatt “On Vacation” Earp, 9/10 165 LD Miles, 150 Endurance Miles
Liliana “The Horse is Fine but they Pulled the Rider” Vess, 7/8 135 LD Miles, 150 Endurance Miles

Happy Trails!

Andrea, Wyatt, and Lilly

Brenna Sullivan and Ebony's Blue Sky, Tevis 2016

Now that I've had time to think and digest, I wanted to write my Tevis story down so I remember everything later!

I hauled Sky up to the Auburn fairgrounds on Wednesday morning where Lora had gotten us a stall right next to Merlin. Merlin and Sky became fast friends and I was able to park my rig right next to Lora's below the horse stalls. It was literally the perfect set-up! Lora and I drove over to Echo Valley Feed to get some last-minute supplies and feed and got lunch in Auburn. I rode Sky down to No Hands Bridge and back that afternoon so we would know the last few miles up to the finish. Judy, Jen, Brian and Kelly showed up that afternoon and after the BBQ we all hung out on the lawn catching up while the horses munched in their stalls.

The next morning, I got Sky's boots glued on by the EasyCare team. Jesse Caswell helped me walk Sky back and I helped him by holding Apollo so he could see how the experts did the gluing. After that, we loaded up and caravaned with Lora, Judy and Brian up to Robie Park! It was pretty spectacular driving up 80, looking out over the Sierras and knowing we would be starting over the far range!

Getting parked at Robie Park was a chore and stressful for all involved. Brian helped me big time in backing the rig, re-backing the rig, getting frustrated and pulling it around. We also had to shuffle the horse corrals a bit because by this time Sky and Merlin were hopelessly bonded! But all ended well; horses ate, we set up our little camp and waited for the rest of Lora's crew to file in throughout the evening.

On Friday, we rode the horses, checked in, vetted in, bought some last-minute stuff at the vendor's and attended the pre-ride meetings. mom, Auntie Lynn, Katherine, Davina, Lu and my Dad showed up at various times throughout the afternoon and evening to get my crew stuff and work out a plan for the next day. I was endlessly stressing out about whether or not the horse was eating enough. She was literally knee high in 8 different types of feed which were of course, coated in a nice layer of Robie Park dust. I did everybody a favor and went to bed early.

I got up at 3:30am and saddled her under her blanket. I got on her early to give her a really good warm-up because I knew the pack would be moving fairly good after the start. We started right on time and it was chaos! Horses were kicking and squirreling all around; the expected product of close quarters and well-fed, well-rested fit endurance horses!

The first few miles down to HW 89 crossing were a blur. We went faster than I would have liked, but it was my attempt to keep her brain together. She was pretty wound up. I took a wrong turn at Squaw Valley and ended up going about a 1/2 mile out of my way; was not paying attention to the obvious trail marking! As we climbed up from Squaw Valley up to High Camp, the horses settled and I was able to appreciate the amazing views! We hit High Camp which is almost 8000 ft and she drank a lot of water. I electrolyted her and we climbed 2500 more ft up to Emigrant Pass which still had snow! I did what Becky Lange suggested and looked behind me out to Lake Tahoe and was not disappointed.

At this point, the trail descends down into the Granite Chief Wilderness. This was an incredibly scenic part of the trail looking out over the granite mountains that we would pass through. The grass was green and there were wildflowers all around! However, I could not believe how technical the trail was. There were huge boulders and chunks of granite for the horses to negotiate coupled with streams and bogs that made everything very slippery. Sky didn't have to slow down for the really really rocky sections so we were able to make up for some time that we had lost by walking up to Emigrant Pass. After Lyon Ridge, the trail become dusty and we were stuck behind long lines of riders. You couldn't see the trail below you and I saw at least two horses trip and go down.

We approached Cougar Rock and I decided that she was paying attention enough to try it! The rock is pretty intimidating as you ride up to it and once you decide to go, you are committed! The guy immediately in front of me almost fell off to the side when his horse refused and squirreled around mid-way up. He somehow managed to get turned around before they had a wreck and go down to the bypass. Sky and I were up! I pointed her up the rock and held on. Up and over we went, no problem! Good pony!!!

The trail had some hard climbs in the sun before hitting a dirt road which was a welcome relief. I rode with Jeff on a beautiful Appy down to Red Star Ridge; our first vet check at 28 miles. Sky came in with a pulse of 80 even though I had hand-walked her the last mile in. She never comes into vet checks this high, so I was worried. Thankfully, as I continued to scoop water on her and use my alcohol mixture on her neck her pulse steadily dropped. She used this time that I was cooling her to really tank up and eat well so it was a blessing in disguise. I vetted her in with Mike Witt and she was down to 56 and got good scores on hydration and gut sounds. We were good to go to Robinson! I was so relieved! One of my big worries was to get pulled before seeing my wonderful crew at Robinson Flat!

From Red Star to Robinson was a gravelly dirt road, but it was a welcome mental break after the technical trail through Granite Chief. I rode with Dean Moon and his Rocky mare Cassie for a bit, as well as a nice lady from British Columbia on her Connemara cross. We passed two people who had parted ways from their horses and ran into the horses about 2 miles down the trail.

About a mile from Robinson Flat, I got off Sky and walked in. My crew was waiting for me as we walked up and did a fantastic job of stripping her tack and getting her cooled off as we walked into the vet check. She pulsed down and vetted in fine. Davina and Lu had parked at Sailor Flat the night before and found the perfect spot in the shade. Dionne fed me and gave me a towel to get all the dirt and grime from my face and Sky did nothing but eat. Carol had brought some friends to help crew and it was such a welcome sight to have everything expertly taken care of by everybody!

I left Robinson about 5 minutes after Lora and Merlin and caught up on the downhill Forest Service road to Dusty Corners. Sky and Merlin rode great together and we had fun leapfrogging with Sharon Wimberg and her friend. The weather was still comfortable and the horses hit a good pace. The volunteers at Dusty Corners were awesome and both horses drank pretty well!

We started along the trail that leads to Pucker Point. It was fairly exhilarating along that narrow little trail; Pucker Point was downright scary to me! The trail kind of drops off into nothing down to the river far below. We held our breath and kept going.

At Last Chance at 50 miles, Sky ate and drank well again, pulsed down and vetted through with Dr. Balch. He gave her all A's and said she looked fantastic. I thought we are in as good of shape as we can be heading into the canyons. Lora had ridden off ahead so when we hit the first canyon, I got off to walk. It was fairly technical and slow going. Sky grabbed some wild oats growing along the side. The farther we descended, the hotter it got. I elected not to go down into the river at Swinging Bridge as there was a long line and a creek on the other side. Sky drank well in that little creek and I was able to cool her off.

We found Lora and Merlin a little ways up; they had both taken a nasty tumble in the creek. In retrospect, I should have tailed Sky up, because I didn't truly appreciate how steep and technical that canyon was! There were large boulders the horses had to step up on to and the climbing was relentless. Sky lost a boot at the bottom and did the entire climb barefoot on her right hind. Good thing she had not yet shed her sole in that foot!

Right at the top at Devil's Thumb, there were water troughs. Again, in retrospect, I should have kept her walking the mile into Deadwood so she could have walked out her fatigued muscles before immediately stopping. As it were, she gulped water and I was rummaging around in my pack looking for a spare boot. I started to cool her and noticed a muscle tremor right above her stifle. Not good. I immediately pulled her away from the trough and started walking slowly into Deadwood. I walked right up to Dr. Lydon and asked if he could take a look at her. I hadn't cooled her or anything. He thought I was asking to vet through and to my surprise she had already pulsed down. This reassured me a little bit. I told him about her muscle tremor and he told me to walk her around and then trot her out. He couldn't see anything and said her gut sounds and hydration parameters were good. He passed me on the vet check.

I knew we still had two canyons to Foresthill and it just wasn't worth it to risk having a problem in the next canyon. I told Dr. Lydon that I was going to pull her and unceremoniously ended our Tevis journey. I had to wait for transport and there was a horse colicking, so I elected to give her some fluids so she could be comfortable in the wait and long trailer ride out of Deadwood. It took about 4 hours total to get back to Auburn.

While I was disappointed, it was amazing to hear the next day that Lora had finished along with Abigail on her mule. I just about cried watching 75 year old Jesse Caswell trot into the finish on Apollo. I loved watching the Haggin Cup judging and the award ceremony the next day. It was an emotional year for a number of reasons; stories of loss and hope and triumph abounded. Just being a part of this event was really something I'll never forget.

The most important part was that my horse was happy, healthy and moving out great afterwards in Auburn. When I got her home, she bucked around the pasture and her legs feel cold and tight. I think that's pretty good for 55 miles of really tough trail. Not sure what our next step is; for now Sky gets a long deserved break!

Chris Littlefield and Farley, 2010

A Tevis completion does not require a super horse with a super rider. It requires a well conditioned horse of almost any breed with a rider who has her head screwed on right and a big dream inside it. ~ Julie Suhr

The Tevis Cup is no ordinary endurance ride by any scope of the imagination. The Tevis is known as the “Grandaddy” of them all and billed by many riders as the “toughest 100 miles in the world”. Time Magazine recently published that the Tevis was in the top 10 of hardest endurance feats.

The Tevis draws riders like moths to flames. Knowing the risks, and there are many, we prepare as best as we can to tackle the challenges that lay ahead.

When one considers riding this ride, you better have a damn good horse and have a friend in Lady Luck.

I knew I had one of the two…a damn good horse in Farley, a little 14.3 Arabian of Crabbet breeding. He isn’t known as being the fastest horse on the trail but he is a finisher and will give you everything he has plus a little bit more. It would be easy to take advantage of this type of horse and I try my best not to.

So how did I get to the Tevis Cup in California with a Florida bred horse? A fluke!
My friend Debbie Parsons and her horse Boomer were headed out as she has dreamed of riding this ride for many years. She has crewed for others and had hiked parts of the trail. She has a book of stats that I think she has memorized. Horses travel better when there is a buddy horse which she found out in 2008, the first time she made the attempt. Boomer’s lack if appetite and thirst brought him to California a bit too lean for Debbie’s comfort zone. Unfortunately wild fires cancelled the ride for the first time in its over 50 year history.

She and Boomer rode the Big Horn 100 instead. They completed.

After riding the Longstreet Charge 75 together in May of this year and with the horses pacing so well together I had made the comment that I wish I could join her on her journey. She also thought that would be great and we started to hatch a plan.

I presented our idea to my boss and husband both whom thought it was too long to be gone (3 weeks). Ahhh, but there is always a Plan B…

Susan Wilson suggested that I fly while Debbie drives the horses. Hmm, why that could work couldn’t it? And it did. Both the boss and the hubby were more receptive to 5 days of absence vs. 3 weeks and the flight wasn’t too expensive once I applied my miles credit.

Ohh… but the expense! The expense to travel to California was going to take some creativity. Thankfully, I have friends, family and business associates that supported me with more than just their good wishes. My Ferrier, my vet and feed store donated goods and services and many others donated cash and gas cards. I can’t thank everyone enough as every bit was accepted and put to use.

We met Debbie & Boomer after work on Friday, July 16th in Hahira, GA and she hit the road at 6AM on the 17th taking I-80 once she reached Illinois with her final destination being the Auburn Fairgrounds. Her trip was almost uneventful. There were 2 major accidents on the first day holding her up an hour each time plus she fell out of the trailer and sprung her ankle.

A little pain wasn’t going to stop Debbie from making this journey!

Debbie and the boys made it to Auburn on the 21st. The stalls are a roomy 20 x 15 which allows plenty of room to stretch and roll. This is also where our crew of 2 will meet up with us. Joe, Debbie’s brother will be coming from Washington and Sara Harrison, DVM has volunteered to be my crew. She lives in Auburn and will ride Farley on Friday with Debbie and Boomer. We want to make sure the boys know when they are home and give them an opportunity to experience the trail plus it gives Sara & Debbie time to get acquainted. Later that evening I got the call that I scored when enlisting Sara for our crew. That was good to know because I had no clue what I was going to get.

I flew into Sacramento on July 20th to meet up with Debbie and the boys. After a quick bite to eat we headed to the Auburn Fairgrounds which has been home since their arrival and now would be mine too. A borrowed cot from the Air Force in the barn aisle would be my sleeping quarters. It may sound primitive but it was very comfy and I could keep an eye on the boys through the night hours.

When we got to the barn, I was pleased to see that both horses looked great. In fact, I do believe Boomer has gotten larger! Apparently he thinks he is on a cruise! That or he remembered his last trip out and thought it wiser to eat. Plus the hay variety…alfalfa, orchard grass, peanut, oat grass. Yummy!

We walked around the fairgrounds and then to the finish line where other riders were doing the same. We all shared our aspirations with hopes that we would be in the 50% that finish the ride. I was interviewed by a reporter from Horse.com. She wanted to know why this ride draws riders from so far away as in our case, Florida. I explained that I was there because of Debbie and her dream to complete and that Karma seemed to be on my side. The flight was easy to book, the boss & hubby were ok and my horoscope almost dared me to go with the following: I was about to experience an amazing feat but it would take a lot of hard work to accomplish the goal. How could I not at least try?

Now let’s talk about the California hills. We should have asses of steel! And our legs should be damn fine too! If I never walk up another incline like the ones there, I’d be ok with that. And those were the easy ones. I just didn’t know it at the time. By the Sunday after the ride I was taking the long way to the shower house just to avoid the steeper grades!

Wednesday morning we saddled up and headed out to No Hands Bridge which is a little over 3 miles from the fairgrounds. What spectacular views. I took plenty of pictures but truly they do no justice to the actual beauty and altitude of the area. And of course you have to ride over the bridge without using your hands!

The American River far below was glistening in the sun while sunbathers enjoyed the cool waters lapping at their feet. Before the ride the dam will be closed so that the waters will be low enough to allow the horses a safe passage across to get to this point of the trail. At 95 miles the water will be refreshing to them and hopefully rejuvenate their weary legs to bring us to the finish line before the 5:15 AM cut off.

Back at the barn we settled for the rest of the day/evening with lots on the agenda for Thursday before heading up to Robie Park in Truckee on Friday. That evening was also the welcome BBQ. They are not from the south! No sweet tea, no BBQ sauce, and well, no BBQ! It was burgers and potato salad. And it was a fun social gathering. We met (or saw) legendary riders of the west coast, all friendly and sincere with their wishes that we complete. We had our Team Florida shirts on which helped prompt lots of conversation about our trip out. It was all in good spirits.

Thursday we met our crew for breakfast and to discuss our game plan. With Sara having previous experience as a vet at the ride it will make it a bit easier for Joe who knows 2 things about horses…which end eats and which end doesn’t! He’ll be the brawn, she’ll be the brain. Plus our little mascot, Princess Chili Willi Enchilada a rescue Chihuahua from Mexico and weighing in at 4 pounds tops.

Once we discussed the details of the day, Debbie and I were off to complete our chores. We get gas for the truck, groceries for the humans and more hay for the horses. The feed store sells125 pound bales of alfalfa or alfalfa/orchard grass mix for $12. Yup, you read that right. Can we get 10 bales back home somehow??

Friday morning comes quick enough and we head on up to Robie Park. Most of the camp left the night before but with the boys settled in the current routine, we saw no need to leave early. They would have to stand tied to the trailer at Robie while here they have plenty of room to move about.

Friday morning we head UP and UP to Robie Park in the California town of Truckee. I try in vain to get pictures of the signs showing the altitude changes…3000, 4000, 5000…on and on it went with the final altitude of 7200.

The turn into the park is a sharp one and an older gent seemed to think that would be the very best place to park his Audi. Wrong! Debbie about clipped him and with her heightened level of excitement, I am surprised she didn’t.

Then there was the next turn into the parking area. Oh boy! It snuck up on us and Debbie hit the brakes. And we slid. To the edge of the cliff. Let me repeat, TO THE EDGE OF THE FREAKIN’ CLIFF! Obviously we stopped but I started to wonder!

Robie Park is 169 acres with incredible views of the valley and Lake Tahoe below. Unfortunately I never got another opportunity to get up to the top to take pictures.
We were non-stop busy once we found our spot. We had to walk everywhere and I swear it was uphill both ways!

Once we got the horses settled, we registered; perused around the vendors who some would eventually separate us from our money and watched a few vet-ins to get a feel of what was expected. Every rider has to bring their tack and weigh in when vetting in.

So another hike (it’s no longer walking at this point) back with the horses and their tack.
The vetting in went well. Both horses seem to like the mountain air as the vet commented that at a 40 pulse, they didn’t seem to be fazed with the activity. Cards were all A’s for both horses.

We hike back UP to the trailer, tie the horses and hike back UP to the vendors where I purchase a Cool Vest for the canyons. Later I will find out that this would end up being the best investment of the day. Then we hike UP to the first time riders meeting. There is no down. If there is, we haven’t found it yet.

The new riders meeting was held by Kathy Perry a true veteran of the trail, a member of the Western States Trail Board and owner of 19 buckles after 35 attempts. She was after buckle number 20 with a borrowed horse. (She achieved her goal)

The information was good, if not logical for any endurance ride. There are riders who want to win and riders who want to complete. We are the latter. Ride fast where you can and ride slow where you need to. Don’t use up all of your horse on the first half of the ride. Enjoy the scenery and get out of the way of faster riders when safely possible. Try not to hold anyone back and hopefully you’ll get to the cut offs in time. Be careful in the bogs and don’t hesitate at Cougar Rock. Either do it or don’t. You can ride or hand walk your horse over Swinging Bridge. It does swing so most riders hand walk. Separate yourself from large groups. It kicks up more dust (and there is a lot of dust) and you have that much more time wasted waiting for a group to get through obstacles.
Bottom line: Do your best to get ‘er done.

You have the same chance as any other rider out there: 50%.

No matter who you are, only 50% will complete.

Another hike UP to the trailers to pack the crew bags, ready the saddles and settle Debbie’s nerves. Our crew has set up camp with the canopy, chairs, coolers and my cot. It really is nice to have crew! Another trailer has pulled in and has blocked the entry to where we were. Others were miffed but what are you going to do? Stupid people are everywhere.

I let Debbie diddle with everything as she had a plan on how she wanted things prepared for the vet checks. I drank a beer and about 6 pints of water. The altitude makes you thirsty! Farley drank about 15 gallons of water! We still had the mandatory ride meeting at 7 and that was closing in fast. Our crew went to their meeting at 5 and then back with us to the 7 meeting.

We took Joe’s shortcut to the ride meeting. It may have been shorter but he failed to mention that it was a bit more challenging. We about died laughing all the way down.
Hell, at least it was downhill!

The mandatory ride meeting was a full house of 184 riders and their crews. Introductions were made along with the explanation of the starting pens. 70 riders would be in Pen 1 and the remainder in Pen 2. The faster teams would be in Pen 1. Had a complaint that you weren’t in Pen 1? Too bad. The start would be controlled and you MUST be at the start line by 5:30 or you don’t go and there is no refund.

Be considerate of the volunteers & follow the rules for each station or get DQ’d.

Vet criteria was briefly discussed along with some trail conditions. NO engines are to start until 5:30 AM or the rider gets DQ’d. Get some rest & have a good ride.

Now rest was the elusive mistress of the night. Although I wasn’t “keyed up” I couldn’t help but toss & turn as I thought about what we were about to embark upon.
Would I be asking too much of Farley? Of myself? Are the trails as dangerous as told by others who have ridden them before? Would we finish? Would Debbie?
She really wants that buckle.

The moon is full and the stars are close enough to almost touch. Sleep finally comes but it is not restful nor is it long. We awake to the following schedule:

3AM. Feed the horses.
3:30 AM get dressed
4:00 AM get saddled
4:30 AM get ready to go
5:00 AM go to the pens
5:15 AM Trail is OPEN!!

Our most incredible TEVIS journey begins!!!

Past riders have suggested breaking up the trail into 3 parts. The first 36 miles would be the hardest due to the rocks, cliffs and bogs up and through the Granite Chief Wilderness Area (my favorite part of the entire ride) The second 32 miles would be the hottest as we tackle the climbs out of the canyons and the last would be the darkest which would make it slow going at parts but the trail footing would be better than the previous two legs. All 100 miles have drop offs from the narrow trails. Most have some sort of switch back.

The Granite Chief Wilderness Area was SPECTACULAR. I tried to take pictures as we trotted or walked along. The steep climb up from Squaw Valley at an elevation of 6200 feet brought us up to Emigrant Pass at 8700 feet which had Farley panting & sweating in the cool morning. He recovered quickly once we reached flat land and trotted easily without my pushing him. We made sure to look at all of the views including looking back down into Squaw Valley and up at the looming Granite Chief and Watson’s Monument. There are photographers at every scenic point along with well wishers some of which look like they are still mining for gold. There was no shortage of characters on and off the saddle!

Onward we move following Emigrant Pass as we head closer to Granite Chief. The rocks and boulders are many as the trail weaves through. The bogs aren’t bad due to the recent snow melt moving along versus sitting. In southeastern standards they were hardly anything and very short. Our next leg of the journey would take us to the infamous Cougar Rock.

Here you have a choice, go over the rock or around. Debbie asks which we are doing.
With no line waiting to go over and big arrows painted on the rocks indicating the right path to take it was a no brainer…the rock! Farley heads up first with me clicking him to encourage him. There’s got to be goat in his bloodlines as he handled the climb like a pro. Debbie follows with Boomer yelping a big WOO-HOO once at the top. It was not 5 seconds after we heard “oh shit” and a loud tumble. The photographer perched on the ledge lost his footing and fell about 20+ feet. Luckily he survived but not without multiple breaks. Debbie’s picture would be the last for the day.

Next we climb forward and along Elephants Trunk. Here the views are as breathtaking as those previous. We head on to Lyon’s Ridge and Red Star where we will have our first Gate and Go at 28.5 miles. Farley pulses in after getting a big gulp of water and alfalfa at 44. We go to trot out and are called back! Yikes! Seems he “trots funny” and I need to represent. I ask Debbie to watch and she says that’s how he trots so back over we go.
We get an A-OK and out we go. That was close!

Our first 1 hour hold is at Robinson Flat at 36 miles and an elevation of 6700. It’s a zoo as many riders are coming in together. At this point Debbie is about 10 minutes ahead of me but decides to wait allowing Boomer to eat a little longer. Our crew area is up on the hill and away from the cluster below. Both horses continue to do well and their riders are also.

We’re out at 12:44 and heading to Dusty Corners. This portion of the trail is really dusty and once again we get separated. I pull back to let the dust settle and to ride in the front of another group versus the back of Debbie’s group. In hindsight this was time mistake number one. The trail continues to be enjoyable and reminds me of Longstreet Charge in a way. Good footing abounds and the climbs are manageable. We head into Last Chance, the 50 mile mark of the ride at 4500 elevation for a Gate & Go. I can see Debbie up ahead and wave. We leave at 3 PM. That’s a 9 hour 50. Not too shabby so far.

Once we leave here we head down (finally a down). Is it this portion of the trail that we trot on Pucker Point? If it was, I didn’t realize it. There was always enough room to trot without fear of falling off. The views were fantastic and you want to make sure to look down to the American River because eventually, that is where you will be, nearly 5000 feet below. There are 36, maybe 38 switchbacks that lead you in and back out of the Canyons. And they are hot. Luckily I was smart and bought the cooling vest that miraculously kept me comfortable during that entire section. Soon we see the Swinging Bridge. I thought I would ride Farley over it but Farley thought otherwise. I have never gotten out of a saddle so quickly! This would be time mistake number two. My saddle slipped and with the altitude zapping me of any energy, I hadn’t the strength to get it back up without help. And help would not come easily when you are racing an unforgiving clock. Riders want to make cutoffs and having the trail blocked only makes matters worse. I finally enlisted the help of an older gentleman who got me in the saddle and back on course.

It was shortly after that we passed where Skip’s horse tripped and fell to her death the previous year. Her remains and saddle are still there as a sad reminder. Someone has spread flowers marking the point. Pink roses. As we move forward another 100 yards past that area we see that another horse has fallen. Luckily it is standing and the rider atop of a rock is visibly shaken but not injured. We must forge on. Our prayers are with both. We wonder aloud why there? The footing is good and the trail has not gotten too steep.

All too soon the climbs out of the canyons truly begin. There won’t be many who will trot this section and those that could you had to marvel at. More than once Farley stopped questioning my judgment and to catch his breath. He cherished the switch backs if only to get a short rest before we continue the climb up. We finally reach Devils Thumb where we see that many of the riders who had to pass us at Swinging Bridge are in the vet lines. At this point we have climbed from an elevation of 2800 to close to 4400. Farley is hungry and thirsty and dives into the water trough. A volunteer brings him a bucket of mash as we continue to wait. A stallion has been separated by his girlfriend and is not happy. His attitude almost risks her disqualification. Luckily she gets a handle on him.

Surprisingly we vet in easily with a 60/56 pulse. The vet was pleased and his trot continues to be good. We are waived through to the next point, Michigan Bluff at 62.5 miles.

We now have another canyon to negotiate and although there aren’t as many switchbacks it still is no piece of cake. From Devils Thumb to Deadwood is flat considering before we head down to Eldorado Creek at an elevation of 1700 then climb back up to Michigan Bluff at 3500. I continue to allow Farley to set his pace. He trots easily on the flats and crawls on the climbs. I couldn’t do it and truly appreciate how hard he working for me. I see riders that have done this ride multiple times and although the going is slow we are still ahead of the cut-offs if only by 30 minutes. A little too close for comfort but it’s what I have to work with. I was hoping to make time on the latter part of the trail under the glow of a full moon. Ha…how wrong I would be about that.

The trail from Eldorado Creek to Michigan Bluff was 2.5 miles long and took us 2 hours then up to Chicken Hawk that is only 1.50 miles but once again there is another incline. It is slight compared to previous inclines. This would be my time mistake number three. Once I finally arrived at Chicken Hawk with hardly any time to spare, I thought it was the vet check. Here I sat upset that my crew was gone and there was no food or water for Farley or me.
A volunteer noticing my angst suggested that my crew is probably at the “vet check”. What a dumbass I was. Off we go, really trying to boogie. I was also the last rider they allowed out at this point. Twenty riders behind me were left to call it a day.

Finally and I do mean finally, I get to Forest Hill. It is 8:15 PM and Farley has to be vetted through by 8:30 or we are over time. Every person we passed gave us the time. Sara wanted to say something but she knew they were only trying to be helpful. After a good hosing to cool off Farley, he made pulse right at 5:25. Whew…
The vet was happy with him overall although his loins were starting to show soreness.
There were quite a few riders that were vetting through still but I was last. Dead last.

Farley dug into mash and hay while I cleaned up. I changed my clothes, washed my face and reapplied ointment to raw areas but I could not get my energy up. I drank an energy drink, added more e-lytes and did everything that had helped in the past yet I just could not rejuvenate myself. This should have been a clue to call it a night. But I was still 30 minutes ahead of cut-off and I thought that this part would be dark but not as hard.

WAY WRONG.

We left Forest Hill on time and trotted easily through town. Most of the well wishers had since gone back to playing pool & drinking beer but there were still a few heralding your arrival and wishing you well. The road was well lit as was the trail coming off the road.
Unfortunately we trotted right by the turn and kept going straight into the dark night.
And I stopped. I turned us around and went back to the last glo-stick. The turn was obviously marked we just trotted right by it.

And then our ride went to hell.

Yes, there was a full moon. BUT, the tree cover blocked every bit of that moon. There was a glo-stick at each switchback and every ½ mile whether you needed it or not. There are drop offs that land you into the river thousands of feet below or any one of the ledges before hitting the river very far below. I was alone. And for the first time all day, I was terrified. I tried to let Farley pick his way but Farley had no intention on going any faster and when he heard the water and wanted to go to it, I got off to start hand walking. I figured I could walk 4 mph getting me into Franciscos before the cut off. I was wrong.

WAY WRONG.

Thank God for the drag riders. I had been leading Farley for quite sometime when the drag riders caught up with us. “Hello Rider…do you need help?” I had replied “No, we’re good. We’re going to WALK to the next vet check.” Hmmm, ok.
“Hello rider, are you ok?” Sure we’re just going to keep on walking.
“Hello rider, it’s going to get really steep up here do you still want to walk?”
“Hell NO, but I am too tired to get back on.”

They got me back on and with Farley having a lead horse he was happy to trot along until we started with more switchbacks and more climbs. We were back to a crawl and he was getting sore and I was becoming more exhausted.

We (they) decided to pony Farley to give him some rest and I would ride one of the drag horses while that rider walked. Horse option number one I was quite sure was trying to put me over the side. I wanted off of her QUICKLY. I was then put on a nice Kentucky Mountain horse and we walked on. I was told I had to continue to talk because if I fell asleep I would fall to my death. That would suck. I kept talking.

When the trees would clear and the trail opened up it was absolutely stunning. The moon cast its glow onto the river below. It was magical. I was also hallucinating but I never said anything because I didn’t want to be pulled. Like we had a chance to make time!

We finally made it to Franciscos at 4:15 AM. It was a long walk for all of us. Farley was looked at and other than being tired and a bit sore; he was no worse for wear. He would still have to walk 3+ more miles to his trailer ride back to the fairgrounds but at least he could eat and drink here before heading on. I would get a truck ride back.

I made it back at 5:15 AM. Farley was there by 7 AM.
Unfortunately your time in doesn’t count when you get a truck ride back!

My crew was thrilled I was there because I was lost as far as the record keepers knew. It wasn’t until moments before my arrival that they found out I was with the drag riders. I cannot thank that group of three enough. I would have camped on that trail, been eaten by bears or cougars before daylight…or so I had imagined.

Debbie was in the stall messing with Boomer when I walked over to the barn. She had finished! Her goal attained and in plenty of time. She rode her victory lap and I missed it. I also missed her getting her buckle the next day as I fell asleep on the hay bale.

Of the 184 starters, 90 completed.

There is no gloating from the finishers. They had Lady Luck in their pocket that day. They know it. They also know that this trail will beckon you to return, to try again. To forget the pain and agony of your mistakes and fears and to forge on by the memories of what was great about it and what you succeeded at. You’ll find yourself sitting and thinking and rethinking about what you might be able to improve upon the “next time”.

You’ll also wonder if you let anyone down by not completing. We made it to 85 miles and had to call it a day. I let my fear take over and alone I did not know how to regain the courage needed. I hope I didn’t let anyone down.

Overall, I am proud of how far Farley and I made it.

So someday I will return. When first asked the Sunday following the ride whether I would make the attempt again, I quickly said NO! But I think I answered to quickly. I may just have to tackle it again if for only to beat the California loop.

You will also hear from those who have ridden Tevis that somehow after riding on this trail it changes you. That attempting to take on this challenge makes you stronger and braver and makes you realize that there is more to life. That there are more challenges to accept. And you realize you won’t fear the pain or the chance of failure.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.

Melinda Faubel and Farley, 2009

I thought about editing it for length and interest, but when I was planning to ride the Tevis, I found that the more details people included, the more I learned, so don't look at this as a typical to-entertain story....

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Crysta Turnage and CT Sinatra, Tevis 2006

I was about 7 years old when I heard about the Tevis. I've wanted to do it ever since. So 19 years later I found myself actually entered in the ride and heading up to Robie Park. I wasn't really nervous until Thursday afternoon, and then it all kind of hit me at once. I had done my first 100 this June at the Sunriver ride in Oregon, but I knew Tevis was a whole different ball game. My horse Sinatra was ready and we were going to give it our best shot.

(photo by Cristy Cumberworth)

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Nick Warhol and Holly, 2002

Tevis 2002- What is it about this ride?

Another Tevis has come and gone, and with it around 216 stories of adventure, excitement, and unfortunately, problems. But what is it about this ride that keeps people so committed to getting through it? I don’t know, but I know how I feel about it. Remember in the second Star Trek movie, The Wrath of Kahn, how the bad guy, Kahn, felt about Captain Kirk? Kahn was so driven to destroy Kirk that he gave up the chance to take over the universe, just to fulfill that personal drive. When Kahn is on the bridge of the Enterprise, one of his crew asks him why, why, why is it so important to get Kirk? Kahn looks at the crew guy with venom in his eyes and says: “Because he TASKS me!”

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Nick Warhol and Warpaint, 2001

Tevis, 2001

One of the toughest ones ever?

Another Tevis ride is in the books. There is just something about this ride that keeps people coming back, year after year. Like me. This was my fourth attempt in five years. If you look at the odds, most people who do this ride a lot have about a 50% completion rate. That only makes sense, since statistically about 50% of the riders don’t finish in any given year. Before this year I was 3 starts, 3 finishes, with 2 completions. Okay, only 2 finishes, but I count being pulled at the finish line finishing, just not completing. Okay, Okay, I’m two for three. I guess I should not exaggerate, since I have this pet peeve about the ultimate exaggeration, “Reserve Champion.” Why do they use that? Why not say “second place,” or “runner up?” How come there is no “Reserve Reserve Champion” for third place? “Reserve Reserve Reserve Champion” for fourth? All right, I digress, but it still bugs me. At any rate, I tried for Tevis number four this year. Did I make it? You will have to read on to find out.

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Nick Warhol and Zion, 1997

My Tevis ride 1997- Nick Warhol

The Tevis- the biggest, the best. The one hundred mile endurance ride from Truckee to Auburn California which ranks as one of the (if not the most) incredible rides in the world, both in terms of tradition and difficulty. The mere mention of the ride name brings about certain emotions which can be truly understood only by someone who has ridden it, and even more so by someone who has finished it. I tried it this year as my first 100 mile ride, although I started on a horse other than my own. I told myself a year ago I wouldn’t make the Tevis the first 100 mile ride for my young horse Shatta, so I leased a horse from longtime endurance rider Potato Richardson of Cool, California. Remember that TV special on National Geographic last year where that rather large TV celebrity rode the Tevis with the local expert? The local expert was none other than Potato. He set me up with a spunky little nine year old Arabian gelding named Zion who has completed the Tevis twice on two attempts. I met the horse two days before the ride and took him out for a spin at Potato’s ranch. He’s a powerful little gray guy at 14.2 hands, but he seemed more than capable of hauling my 204 pounds of me and tack through the Sierra Nevada mountains. We loaded him up in our trailer and headed out to the start of the ride at the Robe equestrian center, out in the forest about nine miles east of the Squaw Valley ski resort.

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