Biltmore 100 Ride Photos

Funny story.

During the ride, I passed by the ride photographer, Becky Pearman, twice: once on each of the first and second loops. It is important to support the ride photographers because they don't get paid to be there and only make money if you buy the pictures, so I make it a point to always purchase a picture from the ride.

At some point during the day, I wandered over to her trailer during a hold. I knew there would be two different shots and I wanted to get them both only I could only find one of them and it was terrible. I searched like a mad woman and lamented to both Dusty and Liz that I could only find one and I looked like I weighed about 400 pounds in it.

Taken by Becky Pearman and purchased for use. I have 3 shirts, a vest, a coat and a water pack on. I look like a hippo. Gem on the other hand looks marvelous. This is the picture used for my tattoo. 

I let it go and kept riding until the next morning when I once again searched the board for my second picture and began to wonder if I had made up the second sighting and it never existed. During the awards breakfast I asked Dusty to please purchase the one picture she had and he obliged.

A day or two later, Liz messaged me with the online link to Becky's page and at first I only saw the above picture still. I was convinced I made up the second photo shoot altogether until Liz messaged me later saying that the rest of the pictures were up.

Low and behold my magical second picture was on there, easing my thoughts of insanity, and it was gorgeous!! I stared at it for a long time and decided that I would purchase it online.

I didn't get around to it though and it was a good thing because my wonderful friend Sheree showed up at my work later that week with a large, framed 8 x 10 that she had Becky add "Biltmore 100 miles" to it. I love it. Apparently she had snatched up the picture as soon as it was printed so that I wouldn't see it. She had been laughing at my addled brain trying to find it and going half crazy thinking I made up the entire thing.

I love my friends.

My scanner at work is making things blurry for some reason, but here is the second picture:

Look at Gem go!!! She is relaxed, happy, and just look at that extension!!! A perfect heel first landing on the front right, parallel front and hind diagonal legs, her hind is nearly touching the front!!! I can't stop looking at her!! Thankfully, I shed a bunch of clothes for this loop and I don't look like a hippo anymore. Plus I am smiling. 

The second picture lives at my work and I have gotten a ton of compliments on Gem. She deserves it too. If I can ever figure out a way to make a banner for this blog that doesn't take up an entire page, I will add this to it.