Chapter 1 – Getting there
Anyone who knows me, knows I have my one Tevis completion. Prior to that completion, in 2014, I’d crewed Tevis several times for a variety of folks, starting in 2000 when I crewed for Pete Mundschenk, with his wife, Kari, and friends, Patty Peck and Rhonda Guilford. That’s when I got the Tevis Crew bug.
My fb posts after that went something like this:
Darlene Merlich · Shared with Public – July 26, 2010
“Only by seeking challenges can we hope to find the best in ourselves.” – Robert Rodriguez>>>Congrats to all those who attempted one tuff ride this past wkd. Tevis isn’t on my bucket list, but I admire any horse who gets through and I admire the rider who rides smart and gets the job done. I respect those who try and don’t finish as well, because again, it’s a ride I look at & say…mmmm, no thanks! 
“
Year after year, the same. Then, in 2014, I RODE Tevis. Reading my story again makes me get goosebumps and chills. The good kind, but the desire to attack the trail again comes and goes, with special emphasis on goes. Max keeps saying he thinks he needs to ride Miles on the Tevis, but I just don’t know. I don’t want to do it unless I’m 110% sure I’m on a horse capable of finishing, Tevis Gremlins notwithstanding. I haven’t been on that horse since Rock. Max keeps making me think I’ll have to ride it again, just so he doesn’t go it alone. I think there are enough folks out there that still want to ride it though that I’ll just let him find a good riding partner and I’ll crew for them all!
The thing I like about crewing, I’ve discovered, is that I like to see others get what I already have! I have my buckle! I have Barbara White’s buckle! How could I possibly improve on that? I learned this year that I get tremendous enjoyment out of seeing others succeed at this bugger of a ride.
This year, my friend, Sharalyn Hay, asked me, months and months ago, if I’d help her crew her friends, Jessica and Mike Cobbley at Tevis. I agreed, but only if my best good Tevis Crew friend, Loretta Myers, could come help crew. Carol was already crewing for Michele Rowe. She agreed, and together, we put together a damn fine Tevis Crew for the Cobbleys. It was Sharalyn, myself, Loretta, her friend, Jade, Kirstin VanderHoek, and last minute addition, Siri Olson. Three people per horse.
Thursday morning, early, Sharalyn, Siri, Kirstin and I headed south to Auburn, to meet up with Loretta and Jade. That was a fun road trip, even though the navigator, me, sent us off on a wild goose chase for an In N Out Burger and ended up at Red Robin (Yummmmmm). Oh, In N Out was quite literally, NEXT DOOR! Oops. The rest of the road trip to Auburn was like this, light hearted and introspective. Many subjects were covered. The stop at the grocery store went just as expected. My dear friend Michelle Hendrickson, always said that us shopping before an event was like turning two 10 yr olds loose in the store with a $100 bill. This was no different! Arriving at the AirBnB that Jessica had arranged for the crew, we quickly figured out where everyone would sleep. A couple of us hit the shower and a couple of us sat and just rested a minute. An hour or so later, Loretta and Jade arrived from below Fresno, where they live. Introductions were made and sleep arrangements were finalized. It’s the important things, you know! It was decided that we should take a trip out to Foresthill and scope out the vet check there. This was a first Tevis trip for some of us and a familiarity with the surroundings would be good. This was a great decision on our parts! We were able to stake out a nice piece of real estate for Mike and Jessica’s vet check with plenty of room for Siri to park their long gooseneck trailer. It was also a good way for all of the crew members to get to know one another a little. The trip back to Auburn was lighthearted but hungry, bordering on hAngry! Looking for someplace to eat in Auburn after 7 pm can be a challenge! That town rolls up the sidewalks! We pulled into a parking lot and called a place called, Flames, and asked how long they would be open. The guy asked how long it would take us to get there, and we said, “We’re in the parking lot!” He invited us in and more hilarity ensued. Ahhh, Tevis week in Auburn, CA. A fine meal was had with a nice cold beer on the side. Life was good.
Upon return to the AirBnB, we all crashed and dreamed Tevis dreams, thinking about all that would need to be done the next day. Crashed being the key word. No partying going on here!
Stay tuned for chapter 2 of the Cobbley Tevis Adventures.
What Darlene Says... 