When I think of really fun outdoor activities, warm air and sunshine are usually key ingredients. This past weekend marked the second ITSA event of the 08 seasons, up in Palmyra at RQ Old’s Vintage Hills Ranch. Me and Fearless Charlie got there Friday evening and managed to set up the old foldout in the only short rainless interval of the day. Still, we had a good time watching the “Old Brother…”movie on the laptop. Course it rained so hard you couldn’t hear the words over the noise, but fortunately I knew all the dialog and provided same until Charlie passed out.
Next day the gang all got there and the fun continued right along with the rain. Fact is, it rained most of the weekend and most of the time was spent huddle under various blue canopies, telling jokes, eating, and drinking beer. It did stop raining long enough to get in a few hours by the campfire, which is always the highlight of these weekend trips. The guitars and clowning around, takes me as close as I ever get to feeling like a kid anymore.
The next day we enjoyed another dry spell, just long enough to get in the 3 rounds of trials riding. As always, riding in the groups is a treat for me. I think this was the first time I’ve had a chance to ride with my good buddy Malcolm, who is riding the B-line pretty damn good. No doubt he’s still better at playing a guitar than he is at riding out of slick creek bottoms, but that won’t be the case for much longer. Seems like everybody is stepping up their riding game these days. It was good having Joe Brother to ride with too. Unfortunately, he was having some mechanical trouble with his ride, which forced him to quit early.
Rain started falling just as we finished up. I have to admit I was starting to get a little tired of the wet stuff by this time. I watched as the Captain struggled to get up the slick hill in his 4x4 Ford and when he stalled, I commented sagely that his four-wheel drive couldn’t be working. When it was my turn, I suffered the same fate. Good thing the Cornel had a fleet of tractors to pulls us up over the hill.
My thanks to my hero, RQ Old. He’s got a great place and he’s a fine host. Thanks too, to the Guru and Peewee who always promote a good event and this was no exception. I’m sure we all take their efforts too much for granted. I don’t want to think about all I’d be missing if we didn’t have this thing going for us and while the riding may have become a smaller part of it (for me, anyway), it’s still at the core of it. I’d have thanked my lucky stars for this weekend, if I could have ever seen them through the clouds! AH, LET IT RAIN.
