"The New Ride" is just that - it's the first year it's been
put on by ride manager Terry Woolley Howe at Cuyamaca State
Park 40 miles east of San Diego. Cuyamaca Rancho State Park
offers beautiful pine and oak forests, broad meadows, and
little streams that are unusual in the generally dry
Southern California landscape.

The park is over 25,000 acres and has Cuyamaca Peak(6500 ft)
with over a hundred miles of hiking, horse and mountain
biking trails.  It has some really excellent horse camping
facilities that we used for the second vet check. About half
of it is classified as Wilderness area.

The park is much greener than surrounding areas because it
receives the most rain in the otherwise dry San Diego County
with an yearly rainfall of 37". In comparison - San Jose is
less than 15" and San Diego is about 10".  Basecamp was near
3000 feet above sea level.

Terry's rides are noted for their amenities - an excellent
banquet, cookies and fresh fruit at stops along the trail
and at the vet checks, a great group of volunteers, and a
very funny awards ceremony.

We started off with a half moon in the early morning sky
that stayed visible over the hills until late into the
morning.  The weather was cool and as you went along the
trail - you would pass through warmer - then cooler spots
until we reached the first vet check. The trails were the
nicest I've seen so far in the Pacific South region - a good
combination of fire roads, single and double track that
passed through forests, huge open meadows with waving tall
grass, and beautiful vistas across the valleys.

The second(lunch) vet check is held at one of the
horsecamps.  It has excellent facilities and is located in
the pines.  You can make your own sandwiches, get fresh
fruit, cookies and have your horse held and fed by a volunteer.
We can even use the corrals for the hour hold.

One of the "volunteers" who appears at every vet check is
little 8 year old Sarah.  After being introduced to my horse
Thor - she takes his reins and seems willing to hold him forever.
Her 10 year old brother talks about playing sports but all you can
see in Sarah's eyes is the desire for one of these beautiful horses.
When you're ready to leave after an hour - Sarah reluctantly gives
you back your reins and goes to find another one to hold and hope for.

The colors we see on the ride are starting to look
"summer".  The greens, browns, golds, and reds are starting
to look muted compared to the colors you see when it rains
in the winter.  In one spot - we skirt the edge of a blue
lake with brilliant white egrets along the edge.  My horse has just
lost his buddy at the last vet check so we have plenty of time to
enjoy the view until another buddy comes along.

All the vet checks go very well. Even short 2 of the 5 planned vets -
the vets(under head vet Dr. John McConnell) do an excellent job
and there were no noticeable delays anywhere.

In the afternoon - we get some long climbs with a more rocky
terrain on the roads thru the pines.  In other places the
manzanita forms a tunnel that's been cut through for the trail. As
we ride through the pines near the top of the mountain - we can
hear the wind blowing through the trees.

On the last loop - we pass some of the horse groups that are
being led out of the stables near the park. The horses are
together nose to tail for the novice riders. Terry has given
us strict orders that if we even think about passing them
fast - we are not going to get a completion. While they are
on horses - it's hard to imagine riding like that after what
we get to do on our endurance horses.  One the other hand -
perhaps those endurance riders who spent the first 15 miles
trying to hold back their horses would appreciate this.

After the ride - Terry has an excellent catered
banquet under a tent large enough for us all.  Completion
awards include a ride T-shirt or tote bag - and a photo
taken during the ride of you and your horse.  Her comments
during the awards are funny and appropriate - and especially
for John Parke and his Icelandic Skjoldur who passes the 3000
mile mark at the ride.  Without Trilby at the ride - John brings up
the rear as the last rider in.

There were 66 starters at 6:00 AM in the 50 mile ride with
52 finishers.  The 50 mile portion was won by Holly Davies
on Trooper in 4 hours 37 min. riding time. The best
condition horse was Alidar, owned and ridden by Richard
Fonseca(finishing 37 min. after the first horse). 76 started
in the 25 mile ride with 69 finishers.

This ride is one of the few with an associated Ride and Tie
section. There were 6 ride and tie teams (4 in the 23 mile
course, 2 in the 15 mile course) with all finishing. The ride
and tie group has some very tough - dedicated people
doing this sport.  One in particular stands out - he's 76
and just had a hip replacement in February.  But he loves
running and manages to get through this one fine.  I hope
I'm still riding  at 76 - much less doing ride and ties.

I get a chance to see the difference in what someone who
knows and trains horses can do - compared to those who
don't.  Next to my trailer is a group that's spent the last
3 hours trying trying to get their horse in the trailer.  A
rider who's also a trainer comes over with her daughter -
offers to help - and in less than 10 minutes has the horse
loaded with no fuss at all. It's pretty impressive.

In the evening - people walk their horses - meet new friends
at the water tanks - swap training methods - and just hang
out.  There's a number of riders from Arizona here who
really enjoy getting away from the heat they are starting to see
at home.  The pink sunset has the bright evening planet Venus
and nearby in the sky - Jupiter.  Later in the evening - we see the
Milky Way and all the stars never visible in the city.

As I was leaving the ride very early Sunday morning on the
long grade down from 3000 ft - fog had moved in overnight
leaving the lower hills sticking up out of the white fog.
They looked like small dark islands rising out of a pure
white sea.  It was a nice memory to take home from this
excellent first time ride.

Terry - I certainly hope you have this ride again next year
but you certainly can't call it the "New Ride" again.  But
whatever you call it - it's one of the nicest I've ridden
lately.

Mike