Off to High Desert

I'm almost ready to leave for High Desert Classic. We're signed up for the 50, and I have a New Detailed Plan for Great Success.

50s start at 7 am, so I'm going to shoot for getting to the 30 mile lunch stop between 1-2 pm. That should give me plenty of time to get back to camp by the 7 pm cutoff - and hopefully, I'll have a lot of horse left and we can get back well before time. ~C says the trail is mostly uphill to lunch, then downhill back to camp, which should work out well for us.

I have packed Desitin and irresistibly delicious alfalfa for my sunburny picky mare. I think I'll give her a half dose of electrolytes shortly after we arrive, as long as she's eating. We'll get there early so she can dig an enormous hole so she'll have lots of time to get used to the excitement of being in camp. I've also got her normal grass hay, bananas, apples, and carrots.

I'm not sure how to bring electrolytes for the 15 mile hold. Right now I'm thinking I'll mix them in a ziplock and carry a syringe. I think carrying a loaded syringe is a recipe for hilarious disaster - does anybody know where to buy empty large-bore syringes with the locking ring, like Bute and dewormer syringes have??

I'm going to sleep in the truck again. I slept ok at the Derby (nightmares notwithstanding) and I don't think I'll be very interested in taking the truck tent down after turtling this ride. (Don't change anything before a ride!) I have lots of people food - cold sliced steak, potato salad, cheese, quiche, Clif Bars, and a chocolate bar. I have new hopefully delicious lemon-lime people electrolytes, and a new liner for the Camelbak. (Yes, I know, that's changing stuff, but the other two liners were broke, so if this one's broke too I'm no worse off.)

The weather should be beautiful - low in the 40s, high in the 70s. I did not pack long underwear! I have a folding chair and a flask of Maker's Mark, so hopefully I won't pace and gnaw my fingernails off tonight.

So: Ride slow. We will both eat and drink. We will finish, hopefully, and get Year One of our very distant Decade Team in the bag.