{"id":1245,"date":"2013-09-22T21:27:47","date_gmt":"2013-09-22T21:27:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newpromisefarms.com\/?page_id=1245"},"modified":"2022-02-12T01:39:45","modified_gmt":"2022-02-12T01:39:45","slug":"ride-for-the-ribbons-2013","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/newpromisefarms.com\/?page_id=1245","title":{"rendered":"RIDE FOR THE RIBBONS 2013"},"content":{"rendered":"

September 18th – I have sent in my entry and I plan to ride the 25 mile CTR.\u00a0 If my back fails me, so be it.\u00a0 It’s the last ride for 2013 and I want to finish the season riding my own horse.<\/p>\n

October 4th – two days before the ride and my back is WAY hurting.\u00a0 I swear, I am going to go no matter what and if I die, well, someone might miss me.\u00a0 I put the word out that Miss Daizy needs a rider (sigh)\u00a0 No way I would be able to suffer through a fast 25 miles, even with Aleve. I could have backed down to the CDR (12.5 miles) but I refuse.\u00a0 There is another story about that … Sherry is going to ride her and I’m going to help out as a volunteer.<\/p>\n

October 6th – THE RIDE!\u00a0 Somerset, NJ at Blackwells Mills Ranger Station.<\/p>\n

So, here I am, three months after being secretary for The Muckleratz Ride<\/a> and breaking The major rule I swore I would never (ever!) break.\u00a0 DO NOT CONTACT RIDE MANAGEMENT WITH LAST MINUTE CHANGES THE DAY BEFORE THE RIDE.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. October 5th, I contact the Ride Manager and tell her I can’t ride due to my back and ask her if she knows of anyone without a horse, please put them in contact with me.\u00a0 I know DARNED WELL that she has more to worry about than finding a rider for Miss Daizy.<\/li>\n
  2. Sandy graciously finds me a rider so I contact the Ride Secretary and give her the rider changes and tell her I will be there to volunteer, so find me a job.\u00a0 Like she hasn’t already got jobs under control – it *IS* the day before the ride, you know.<\/li>\n
  3. Jessica tells me since I stole her Timer to ride my horse at the last minute, that is now my job (chuckle) and I better be on the grounds before 6:00 am.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    I really did my best to arrive before 6:00 am.\u00a0 In fact, I would have been there by 5:55 am EXCEPT there was an accident on the bridge and they had the road closed.\u00a0 Now, fortunately for me, as I turned onto Main Street, two rigs were coming towards me and the front rig flagged me down so I stopped.\u00a0 The driver told me the road was closed ahead and we had to backtrack across Market Street.\u00a0 She quickly gave me turn right, turn left, turn right directions and the she headed out.\u00a0 I was at the corner of Amwell and Main and there was no traffic so I decided to do a K (K and K) turn right there.\u00a0 Two men standing at the corner (there was a mini-mart there) watched me K-turn my truck and trailer.\u00a0 As I waited at the red light to turn right, the one guy walked over to my truck and said, “Wow, I didn’t think that was possible!\u00a0 Good Job, Lady!”<\/p>\n

    Now … how did he know my name was The Lady?<\/p>\n

    I arrived at 6:13 am … I’m late, but so is about 10 other rigs that pulled in behind me.\u00a0 I found Jessica (who is stressed to the max) and Sandy (who is her typical laid back “Whatever” self) and I wandered around with Miss Daizy waiting on the vet and lay judge to arrive so they could start vetting in.<\/p>\n

    Seems that where I backed in my rig, someone had placed some dark green water buckets (which I did not see in the dark) to hold that spot for someone that was to arrive in the morning.\u00a0 NO!\u00a0 I did not run over the water buckets but I was very close beside them.\u00a0 While I was unloading Miss Daizy from the trailer, I could hear the people in the rig next to me getting upset that I took their friend’s parking space.\u00a0 They even called me a name (that made me sad).\u00a0 I started to get out of the trailer and apologize then move my rig over a spot ) because they were very upset.\u00a0 I changed my mind on that when I heard another (very familiar voice) tell them that it was bad manners to “save a space” the morning of a ride when most riders are coming in.\u00a0 That’s a new one on me.\u00a0 Not that I have ever saved a space – I’m always the one that someone else is saving space for (chuckle).\u00a0 However, I am going to remember that little piece of etiquette for the future.<\/p>\n

    Apparently, Miss Daizy has her own fan club of people I don’t know because two people (that I do not know) came up and asked me if this was Miss Daizy.\u00a0 Startled by the notoriety she has accomplished this year, I admitted she WAS the famous Miss Daizy.\u00a0 (Gotta love Facebook – Miss Daizy posts things on there all the time.)\u00a0 She was petted and complimented and I grinned ear to ear!<\/p>\n

    Now … I break another rule.\u00a0 DO NOT EAT\/DRINK FROM OTHER COMPETITORS VET-CHECK SETUPS.\u00a0 Since we were waiting right at the vetting in, Miss Daizy was the first horse through the vet check.\u00a0 So, while people are standing in line waiting their turn, I am wandering around saying “HI!” to everyone I know.\u00a0 And (of course) I get caught up in a conversation about my barefeet and instead of watching Miss Daizy at the end of her lead, I allowed her to knock over another competitors bucket of water … YIKES!\u00a0 Boy did I get a dirty look from that competitor.\u00a0 I quickly apologized and promised to refill it.\u00a0 I busted bare feet to run to fill that bucket up. I didn’t want to be in someone else’s story (shudder)<\/p>\n

    I am a very bad CTR competitor.<\/p>\n

    \"Waiting<\/a>

    Waiting to start! 10-06-13<\/p><\/div>\n

    Miss Daizy and Sherry seems to be getting along just fine.\u00a0 Sherry is totally unaware that Miss Daizy is a bouncing maniac during tack time time and Sherry just moves along with her (back and forth, front to rear) and never ceases smiling.\u00a0 I am most entertained!\u00a0 Sherry got her mane all braided and tack on without getting stepped on, so that’s all good.\u00a0 She mounted up, ready to go out on trail and Miss Daizy was TOTALLY focused on getting to work. I love this horse!\u00a0 I did bring a yellow shirt for Sherry to wear, but when I saw how tiny Sherry is I knew that she would be swimming in the shirt so I didn’t bother.\u00a0 Melissa chided me for my lack of providing properly fitting yellow attire for the rider (chuckle).<\/p>\n

    \u00a0Jessica hooks me up with Mike and we’re the timer’s for the day.\u00a0 Seems that Mike is getting quite the reputation for being a most excellent timer.\u00a0 I told him I would try not to embarrass him during the course of the competition.\u00a0 He smiled like he knew that situation.\u00a0 I actually had a very good time with him, he has a lot of interests the same as me and the time (no pun intended here) passed very quickly.<\/p>\n

    I have gotten the most volunteer miles this year that I have every gotten.\u00a0 I’m truly sad that my back has prevented me from competing, but I am very happy for all the education I have received by being a volunteer.\u00a0 If you have never been a volunteer, you have no idea what you’re missing in education.\u00a0 I learned several more things “NOT TO DO” at this ride so when I get my own ride going in 2014, I am going to have a perfect go of it. (chuckle, or not!)<\/p>\n

    \"Going<\/a>

    Going back out to finish second loop 10-06-13<\/p><\/div>\n

    At the halfway vet hold, I watched Sherry and Miss Daizy vetting.\u00a0 I got very concerned when I saw them doing hands on checks on her after her trot out.\u00a0 I told Mike to hang on, I’d be right back and I headed over there to see what was wrong.\u00a0 Apparently, there was some miscommunications with the vet and lay judge and they were doing hands-on to all the horses at the vet check.\u00a0 O M G.\u00a0 No wonder the vetting got so jammed up.\u00a0 Over half the riders had to get extra time on their ride because the were help up at vetting.\u00a0 I tried to find Jessica to tell her what was happening at the vetting, but she was out on trail so was unavailable for me to speak to.\u00a0 Miss Daizy was just fine at the half way and she ate up all her treats and slurpy.\u00a0 Back out they went to finish the ride, Miss Daizy had her ears forward and tail up doing her little Arab trot (I hate that Arab trot, bounces me right out of the saddle).<\/p>\n

    There were some trail mishaps.\u00a0 I received three calls from three different riders that they couldn’t find their way back from the 2 Miles To Go marker.\u00a0 I learned later that a total of 12 CDR and CTR riders all had the same issues at this point in the trail.\u00a0 It’s all good, every body found their way back to base camp and although the day was rift with “time issues”, I understand everyone that completed did get their mileage for the day.\u00a0 And that’s all that matters in the scheme of things.<\/p>\n

    \"Coming<\/a>

    Coming in for the finish 10-06-13<\/p><\/div>\n

    Sherry and Miss Daizy had a good ride.\u00a0 Apparently Miss Daizy was off her game at this ride as she scored a 91 out of 100.\u00a0 Seems her trot out at the end was a little lethargic (lost points), she got a new bump on the other side of her wither (lost points) But I firmly believe that bump was there before the ride.\u00a0 I’m pretty sure I pointed out both bumps to the lay judge, sadly they only marked down one bump on one side. (shrug)\u00a0 Her heart rate at the end of the ride was 48 (40 is the HR they’re looking for at the end) so she lost points.\u00a0 Her respiration was little off, too.\u00a0 It was 16 and at all the other rides she’s done she has been at 6 or 8.\u00a0 Her gut sounds and other metobolics changed (points lost).\u00a0 That kinda amazes me because she ate everything put in front of her all day, including the treats.\u00a0 She didn’t drink much, though, and that could have had an impact on her gut sounds.\u00a0 And she was girthy – and that is normal for her – so she lost points for that, too.<\/p>\n

    It wasn’t overly hot and the temps only reached 77, but it very cloudy and extremely humid.\u00a0 The air was thick with mist all morning and after lunch the air was simply oppressive.\u00a0 The air quality could have had something to do with her elevated respiration at the end, I’m not sure. I’m not sure why she was off her game, she still looked ready to continue riding should we have asked her to, so I’m just happy she completed her last CTR for the 2013 season and got her mileage.\u00a0 (HERE’S HOPING THAT I CAN COMPETE HER MYSELF IN 2014!!!)<\/p>\n

    BUT NOW … for the real ride story!<\/p>\n

    For those of you that have read my book, To Finish Is To Win<\/a>, you KNOW that getting to or getting home from the ride is usually where my adventure begins.\u00a0 Today’s adventure begins a couple months back and finishes on the ride home.\u00a0 Sit down, get your cup of coffee and get ready.<\/p>\n

    I bought a new USED truck in May 2013.\u00a0 Mostly for my business Any Pet Groomed, but the intention was to have a dual use to pull my trailer to rides.\u00a0 It’s a great truck, I get great gas mileage when I’m running around grooming, and I’ve been mostly pleased with it since I got it.\u00a0 I say mostly because I have had it into the service department twice about the transmission.\u00a0 On both occasions they checked it out and told me it was fine.\u00a0 Now, the first time I had it in it was because I didn’t feel that it was shifting correctly.\u00a0 Seemed to run the RPM’s way too high before shifting, and the shift was hard – like it jarred me.\u00a0 I don’t know a whole lot about auto trans, I prefer a manual trans so when they told me that’s how it is supposed to shift, I accepted that.\u00a0 When I took it in the second time, I told them that sometimes it didn’t engage right away when I stepped on the gas pedal and that didn’t seem right to me.\u00a0 They said they tested it and that’s how it’s supposed to shift.\u00a0 What do I know.\u00a0 Okay, I accepted that.<\/p>\n

    Now, on my way home from the ride, she was just not downshifting correctly (at least in my mind it didn’t feel correct) and I was getting nervous about that so I pulled off I-78 to run the service road through New Jersey.\u00a0 I did NOT want to be stuck on I-78 during evening “Gotta Get Home” crazy driving time in New Jersey.\u00a0 I no sooner pulled off the exit and started along SR 173 when<\/p>\n

    KA-BOOM<\/p>\n

    One loud bang that made me jump and “no go”.\u00a0 Engine was purring along very nicely but there was no engagement in the transmission.\u00a0 *&^*(&+^(&*%&%$^<\/p>\n

    I coasted into an abandoned truck stop parking lot and when she wouldn’t go forward in a coast any more, I stopped.\u00a0 Man, oh man.<\/p>\n

    I called up my husband and said, “Hey, guess what?\u00a0 I need you to come and get Miss Daizy and the trailer.\u00a0 The truck trans is blowed up and duct tape is NOT going to fix it.”\u00a0 (Remember the Muckleratz Ride???)<\/p>\n

    Silence greeted me on the phone.<\/p>\n

    “Hello?\u00a0 Hello?\u00a0 Are you there?”<\/p>\n

    “Uh huh.”<\/p>\n

    “So, this is where I’m at. (blah blah blah)”<\/p>\n

    “Uh huh.”<\/p>\n

    “Honey, are you coming?”<\/p>\n

    “Uh huh.”<\/p>\n

    I’m thinking he’s getting tired of rescuing me all the time. (oops)<\/p>\n

    He finally admits that he WILL come and get me but it’s gonna cost me because he was watching a really cool movie on HBO.\u00a0 (I’m in for it now)<\/p>\n

    In the meantime, a very nice (and very cute) trucker came over and helped me push my dead-in-the-water truck away from the trailer after I unhooked it.\u00a0 We pushed it all the way across the parking lot to sit on the edge so a trucker didn’t run me over.\u00a0 He told me that guys pull in here in the evening to rest so I should get it as far away as possible.\u00a0 (Gawd, I hope it doesn’t get vandalized while it sits here over night)<\/p>\n

    The trucker kept me company until Marc arrived to save Miss Daizy from sleeping with truckers all night.\u00a0 THANK YOU MR. ANONYMOUS TRUCKER DUDE!\u00a0 I was so completely wrapped up in the loss of my transmission that I never asked him his name.\u00a0 I’m so sorry about that.\u00a0 He was very nice to help me out.<\/p>\n

    I called the dealer and they made arrangements to pick up the truck and get it repaired.\u00a0 I did some research on the internet today about the trans and found out that it is NOT supposed to do all the things I had complained about AND this particular trans has a lot of issues.\u00a0 A LOT OF ISSUES.\u00a0 This makes me sad because if the trans is going to be a problem I need to trade this truck and get a different one.\u00a0 I like this truck but if she is not going to be reliable, I need to get on with my life in a different truck.<\/p>\n

    GAWD<\/p>\n

    So, that is my story and I’m sticking to it.\u00a0 I may do some revisions and add some things that I forgot about … but right now, this is all she wrote!<\/p>\n

    10-07-13<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    September 18th – I have sent in my entry and I plan to ride the 25 mile CTR.\u00a0 If my back fails me, so be it.\u00a0 It’s the last ride for 2013 and I want to finish the season riding … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":5162,"menu_order":6,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1245","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/newpromisefarms.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1245","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/newpromisefarms.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/newpromisefarms.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newpromisefarms.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newpromisefarms.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1245"}],"version-history":[{"count":32,"href":"http:\/\/newpromisefarms.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1245\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5197,"href":"http:\/\/newpromisefarms.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1245\/revisions\/5197"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newpromisefarms.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5162"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/newpromisefarms.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1245"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}