Unicorn Hunt

The 2007 Unicorn Hunt is now a Dirt Road Ride

The Ride Brochure is Unchanged but The Beautiful Trails Won't be Used This Year

 

We have had so much rain all summer long that the only time I headed from the house to the permanent trails, my horse bogged to her tail. During the last week it began to look like the trails were going to get a chance to dry out, but we got 2-4 inches of rain last week. I cannot in good conscience put anyone on the trails in Davy Crockett National Forest. It is just not safe for horse or rider.

Part of the decision making process was getting advice from the Forest Service and they agree that trail conditions don't warrant a forest ride right now.

We've heard from enough riders to keep the ride this year. Thanks so much to those who emailed or called to say they are coming. We'd still like a more accurate count of riders (vets, food, shirts etc. need to be organized) but we have enough to hold the 50 //25.

The 100 mile ride was always going to be decided after an accurate count of entries was available. We get the sense that there are not enough people who want to do 100 on the roads so it will probably not have enough riders to make it feasible.

Shoes are always recommended but this year especially. Some of our county commissioners are working harder at road maintenance and in East Texas that means rock (in stretches).

We do have the option of putting the trail on dirt roads without having to travel through the woods at all. We can increase the miles and vary them more if it dries enough to use a short section of USFS road and tram. The primary road base on two trails is sand, while on another it is iron ore and green rock. The loop choices will allow for most of the less shaded roads to be used in the morning with the more shaded road later in the day. It will be necessary to cross a paved road on one loop, another has .25 of a mile along a paved road and the loop we have not committed ourselves to has a little less than two miles along a paved but little traveled road.

Amanda and I have have looked at all the options to try to come up with the most enjoyable trail possible under the current restraints. We think we have come up with a trail that you can all enjoy although we don't even pretend to think that it will be as nice as it is when we can ride the forest trails. We should also be able to change the first 25 miles each day, and hopefully the direction on what will need to be repeated.

With the current amount of rain the parking areas should be fine.

What I need to know now is how many of you will plan to attend since we changed to the roads. We have four vets lined up for Saturday and three for Sunday. T-shirts still need to be ordered and maps, vet cards, etc need to be redone. We'd sure like to be as organized as possible so if you are planning to ride please email us - sfant@possumwalkfarms.com

Pre-entries would be most welcome. If you don't start you get your entry fees back.

If you would prefer to call and actually talk to me or to Amanda to get a more detailed description of the roads, we would love to talk to you. This year there really is no way to put you on the trails. Bo and Linda and I talked about it and they are in complete agreement and I'm sure they would be happy to talk to you as well.

Email: sfant@possumwalkfarms.com

Phone: 936-655-4048

Thank you, in advance, for letting us know if you plan to come to ride our beautiful dirt roads.

Sylvia and Amanda and David