Thoughts about the future and self-discovery.

For those of you who have never met me, I'm posting my face up here so if I run into you at a ride you can place a face with my name. My daughter took the photo today after much harassing that I hadn't had a portrait in uh....twenty years. It is a little intimidating to be photographed when you tip past fifty years, and the angles have become rather ummmm "rounded." But we got the job done, so if you see me at a ride in the midwest, stop and say hello.

I discovered some things this weekend on our long ride. Going slow is really, really a happy place for me. No agenda other than getting the job done, correcting pesky training issues, stopping long enough to soak in the view, and chat with trail riders. It's really kind of fun, you know, that elusive thing I kept reaching for but couldn't find? A fifty will definitely be in our future someday. Not sure if I'll even try for it next season, but I do want to totally conquer pioneer rides. I've previously done very little walking with Phebes on LD's, but now that I've discovered the potential, and know that we will still have time to finish I'll be doing a little more of it. This ride also taught me that I like to ride with company until the pace picks up, then I'd rather be alone with my horse, and pick the pace that I feel is best for her which is also much slower than any more experienced horse will be going. Our average speed Friday was 6.8 mph per GARMIN and Saturday was 6.1 mph, and I could have enjoyed the trail for another full hour or so if I'd have realized. We could have done more hand walking, and happy piddling along, which might have found us with an "A" on muscle tone, instead of a "B." This ride probably taught me more about self-pacing on Saturday. But we still have some kinks in the program to resolve with the race brain. She can have a mighty big fit when she wants to, and we had our worst ever on Saturday which included some half-hearted rearing (BAD PHEBES). Once the stimulus is removed she straightens up and rides fine. Not sure how I will approach fixing this just yet, but something to ponder on hard before the next LD in 2011. ~E.G.