FROM: Patrick Hearty, Utah NPEA
PST
Western Wyoming riders made the Utah border 3 1/4 hours late. It was a cool and perfect night to make up a little time, so the boys and girls (human and equine) put the hammer down.
Our first rider was Trever Carpenter, and I left the border change point before he got the mochila, knowing I couldn’t pass him on that road. I got a good head start, and was going about 25 mph, as the road is pretty washboardy. After about a mile, I looked in the rearview, and he was right behind me and gaining.
We didn’t let up when we got to the tougher stretches. Gregg Hearty checked his watch on one ten-mile stretch. We came into Henefer, then up Main Canyon, over the Hogsback and down East Canyon to the reservoir in just under an hour. It was the second leg for several of the horses. Riders were Jeff Hearty, Trever Carpenter again, Kevin Kimber, myself, and Matt Hearty. That’s not the toughest stretch of the night, as Cory and Thomas Brown will attest, but still a pretty long and serious pull.
Every rider in position for their rides. Every horse and rider pushing and giving a little extra. Can’t say enough thanks.