TOR photos

Here are a few photos that Mary Lynn took while at Top of the Rock.

Two LucKY Ducks, who just enjoyed a wonderful day in the saddle, getting fifty more miles on our pants....

Sully showing off his Christmas presents. New halter and new blankey...

And Paige and her boy, Sully...

Ducks do TOR!

Out of seven team members, six of us showed up and five of us rode! Must be a new record for us.
It started out really muggy and hot on Thurs, while setting up camp, and checking in, but it rained during the night and even again, around 5 AM, feed time. So we were a bit concerned of the weather, but as predicted, it cleared off and we had an idyllic early summer day to do our ride! It could not have been better. Our only complaint was of the mud, but that is as the weather, unpredictable, so, just do it anyway! And we did!

Mary Lynn chose to ride Greg's mare, Zelda on the thirty miler to keep her in the game while Greg was a bit under the weather. Greg turned out to be a good crew though...

Brenda had thought to ride two 25 milers on Elite, but changed her mind and stepped up to the fifty!

Vickie rode her handsome fellow, Boo, on the fifty as planned.

Paige and I rode the fifty too. It would be Sully's first fifty, so wanted to be sure he finished well, and happy. Holding Noways to a low roar is always the challenge.

All of us finished! Mary Lynn and Zelda finished 8th! Not sure how many were in the 25 miler...
Paige, 12th, Janice 13th, Vickie 14th, and Brenda 15th. There were 25 in the 50.

Mary Lynn had to mostly ride her ride alone...ahhh
But, the four of us mostly rode the fifty together. We did the whole of the last loop together, quacking all the way... Galloping the gravel road had to be the highlight of the ride! Paige said she would like to do more of that! My GPS clocked us at 17.6 mph! Weee!
Sully handled the longer distance just fine. He was a bit stiff on his right hind when we walked him out of his pen to do the last loop, but he soon warmed up and was fine. Noways gave me the dirtiest look when I went to saddle him for the third time! But he too, acted like he was on a mission once he was back on the trail. That horse has no bottom to his energy... However, I do!

I have to thank Paige for saddling my horse every time to save my strained back. Boy, what a help that was! Mary Lynn even sacrificed her clean clothes to heft that saddle onto Noways back to get it back to camp at the end... Thanks for taking care of Granny, guys. You're the best!!!

I'll get some pictures up as soon as Mary Lynn sends them to me. There was no photographer this time, and I forgot my camera...

Next up, our own ride, The KY Stampede!!!

Another ride for the Ducks!

Well, we put in a good showing at Mike Chadwell's, Shelltowee Run. We had enough for two teams!!

Because CTR are graded a bit different than endurance we can only count Grand Champion and Reserve Champion for extra points. But, our Vickie tagged the Grand Champion of the 30 miler, so we did good!

Vickie ~ GC 30 miles = 60 pts

Mary Lynn ~ 60 miles = 60 pts

Paige (bonus rider) 30 miles = 45 pts

Amy T., 30 miles = 30 pts

Brenda, 30 miles = 30 pts

Janice, 30 miles = 30 pts

Every one, except Brenda and Janice, who rode for miles only, got a 1st in their weight division!!

And, OAATS has a new rule that omits Jr.s from receiving GC or RC... Helen pointed out that Paige would have gotten Reserve CH if it hadn't been for that...bummer.

The weather was a bit on the hot and muggy side, but a nice shower cooled things down later in the afternoon on the first ride day. Maestro, is enjoying the cooling off in photo..

Next ride: Top of the Rock!! Go Ducks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Duck Scouting...

Some of us Ducks have been scouting trails at Cave Run Lake for our upcoming KY Stampede, now that they are finally clear...

Still wet and we've been doing some rides in the rain, but on this day it was glorious. The sun was out, yet it was not too hot or too muddy. Brenda even brought along her 'trail dog', CeCe.

The sign is still up for the Eagle Nesting trail that will be closed to us...that's OK, we have other options.

Mary Lynn on her fav' boy, Wiley.

Looks like we may even do a new trail that we haven't used in years. We gave it a trial run and it was just beautiful. A bit on the technical side at first, but really good going later in the loop.

This is one of those rainy training rides...Granny Jan on Paige's, Sully.

Sully much prefers his Jr. rider! G. Jan makes him work to darn hard!

Quack, Quack!!

Staggered start of the endurance season...

The Lucky Ducks, one of five teams of the Daniel Boone Distance Riders.
Team Captain, Brenda Kenley. Team members, Mary Lynn Stockdale, Greg Jones MD., Vickie Crance, Amy Green, Janice Taylor and our bonus rider, Jr. Paige Taylor.


The season of 2009 is getting off to a staggered start it seems. Plans can and do go array for sure.

<Vickie with Poppie, Paige with Jack, at Chicken Chase, 2007







Amy Green and myself and Paige (our Jr and bonus rider) missed the first ride of the season, the Chicken Chase, however, Brenda, Vickie, Mary Lynn and Greg did make a fine showing. Giving our team, the Lucky Ducks some points at least. Way to go Ducks ~ quack, quack!




Bad weather has sidelined a lot of us, making a good start difficult...but, start we will! Eventually.


Mary Lynn and I even did a training ride in the pouring rain, which we usually only 'pay' to do. We were soaked and miserable, but actually turned out to be fun too. The trails got muddier and muddier as we trotted on... But, all the downed trees are cut out of that trail. Clear Creek, up Shelltowee, to the horse camp, back White Sulpher to Clear Creek again. It was beautiful with the mist rising out of the valleys, the creeks rushing, and the wet leaves slapping us in the face with the taste of Clorine to refresh us...

To top off the day, we found four dropped puppies at the staging area, and ML now is getting them prepared for adoption...so if you need a good endurance dog, see the Montgomery Co. pound...they are awfully cute! And they were even fat and healthy!

Till next time...ride on!