Friday, March 4, 2011

It Seemed Like A Good Contest

Hey yall! I went shopping for you (well, one of you) today!

I'm not sure if the AERC National Convention is always in Reno or if it's just been in Reno twice in a row now. Either way, this is my second spring in Reno and my second AERC convention. I went last year and had an interesting time - it was three days before I went to Vegas and took the bar exam (recap: I failed, wahoo well shit.) and I didn't hardly know anybody and I hadn't ever done an AERC ride. I definitely felt like I was sneaking around somewhere I didn't quite belong.

This year, I knew a few more people, met more people at the convention (hello Gaited Endurance Riders yahoo group), had a successful if short LD season, and had much more fun. I bought a bunch of raffle tickets, after I made G promise that if I won an entry to a ride I could go. Ok, I only entered West division raffles, but still - maybe I'll win an entry to something.

And I have purchased a cool thing just to give away on my blog, because 600 posts with no giveaways is shameful. I wanted to get something endurance-related, but also something that any horse person could use. I think I found it!
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This is Steph Teeter's training journal. She does really cute MS Paint type cartoons on endurance.net (which she also co-owns). It's a little Arab-centric, but I'm sure us non Arab people can overlook that. It's set up like a blank calendar. There's monthly and weekly calendar pages:
IMG_2693

And generic "remember to do stuff" and "stuff I did" pages.
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It's really cute, and really useful. I kinda wish I'd bought a second one for me. But I have this blog! But it's not like my tags are very useful, even to me... I may be talking myself in to going back tomorrow for a second one.

Anyway, here's the rules of the contest, shamelessly stolen from Mel.

On March 19, Dixie and I will (god willing and the creek don't rise) complete our first 50 at Rides of March. The person who comes closest to guessing my ride time, without going over, wins the awesome little training journal. Official ride time includes the holds. Our ride time will probably be influenced by the weather, so the contest doesn't close til midnight Friday, March 18. I guess I mean midnight PST, but if one of the Alaskans forgets to enter til midnight her time, that's fine too :)

If we pull, I'll use The RNG to determine the winner. If you don't get me your shipping address in like a week or something I'll go to the next best time / next random number. I swear I will mail the journal out within a couple days of getting your snail-mail address. (Since I said it on the internet I can't flake out and forget to go to the post office.)

edited to add: Please feel free to change your vote at the last minute based on our crazy Nevada weather! If I go the RNG route it'll be one entry per person so I don't care how many times you vote, the last vote is what counts. :)

17 comments:

  1. KEWL! I'm gonna guess 8 hours, 15 minutes. And wish you the BEST OF LUCK, too!!!!

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  2. Actually, 'ride time' as in the results you see in AERC news or online, do NOT include holds.. So if it took you 11hrs to ride, and the ride had 2 holds, one of an hour, one a half, then your recorded ride time is 9hrs 30mins. I know that as an RM:)
    But the contest can be however you want to do it... but so we know:
    Do you want us to guess with, or without holds?

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  3. ffffffff what!

    What's the easiest way to do this? I thought I'd take a picture of my ride card at the end of the ride and figure out the winning guess based on that. But I also am planning on people using the previous years' ride results...

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  4. 8 bours 55 minutes!!! I only saw you once today, wtf?! Will u be there tomorrow?

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  5. Zach - look, slacker, I got there at 7:30. I was conventioned out by noon!

    I might go back tomorrow, but I might go ride again tomorrow. I'm all fired up to make sure Dixie's in shape now ;)

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  6. 8 hours, thirty five minutes :)

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  7. Oh that is such a good idea Funder!! I have no idea on endurance stuff, so I'm not guessing, other than it will be in less than 2 days time ;)

    Slip Dixie a cookie from me!!

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  8. That is an absolutely adorable notebook! Love it.

    I'm gonna guess Dixie is planning to be at her very best and at the top of her game...I'm going with 8 hours, 10 mins.

    Honestly, I think my ass would be seriously sore after 8 hours in the saddle...

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  9. That is so cute! I love the horse toons. I have NO idea about a time, but if it was my first 50 I'd probably go really slow- so I'm gonna guess 9 hour 2 minutes.

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  10. OH! What FUN!!! 10 hours 15 minutes because you gals need to take your time *LOL*. ~E.G.

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  11. OH YEA HOO GIRLIE!!! You rock and so does Dixie..so I am guessing 7 GLORIOUS hours and 50 LASTSKIN minutes!!!
    That is a darned cute training journal. Looks like one of Meri's~
    Me KACY

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  12. I have no clue about dis here endurance stuff, so I'll simply guess Mighty Fast, as opposed to Painfully Slow.

    Good luck!!!!!

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  13. LOL @ Sara - we'll call her entry the winner if I top 10! Not gonna happen in 2011 ;)

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  14. As I have no clue about the weather and terrain there ( I live in eastern Europe) i bet around 7hrs and 48mins. :) It seems like normal time arund here. :)

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  15. Good luck in your first 50! I want to try an endurance ride this year, so far I've been competing in 25 mile competitive trail. I spent four months in Reno in 2006, weather could really effect you :) I'll guess 8 hours 28 minutes.

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  16. Hmmmm...a random time to thwart Mel.

    Howbouts 9 hours, 9 minutes ('cause I like 9s)

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  17. Mel voted 9 hours even in the Buzz comments, so this is her official entry. ;) Gonna post our weather so if you want to change your guess (or just laugh about how I'm going to freeze) feel free!

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