Bad days...

Well, the last few days have been sad ones for us here at Rogue Summit. First off, while Hilti is making a good recovery, it looks like he'll lose a few toes and it looks like his racing days are over, just when he was getting started. This is very sad, as Hilti is a fantastic dog...one of our best and brightest. Then, yesterday morning, Manny went out to feed the horses their breakfast only to find that Sampson had gone down and couldn't get up. He called me and I rushed home, stopping first to grab Joe and Jodi. We all tried to get Sampson back on his feet; but, it was no use. He had lost the use of his entire right side...he'd had a stroke. Sadly, we lost Sampson, as there was just nothing that could be done. I try to take solace in the fact that he was an old horse and had a good life with us here. Still, it hurts.

They say things cycle in 3's and that looks to be true. With the vet bills we've incurred over the past few days, it was looking like I wouldn't be able to run the Quest 300. But, I'd spoken with a company and they said they'd help us out by sponsoring us with some food. Originally, I'd had the winter/races all planned financially. But, then my brother needed help, so we brought him here, helped him out, helped him get a job, etc. Even though we knew it would make the winter rough, we did this because it's family and he needed the help. Besides, he'd promised to pay us back, so I wasn't worried. Well, he's now not returning calls (on the cell phone we bought him), avoiding us, etc. It makes me sad to be used this way...particularly by my brother. We used to be real close. Guess time changes us all.

Anyway, today, we find out that the sponsor who was going to help with food has to back out. To make matters worse, another sponsor sold their business, so that financial backing is gone as well. Needless to say, without the sponsors, I won't be able to run in the Quest 300 this year. This is the one race that I was determined to finish and now I won't even make it to the starting line. And really, what stands between us and the start is about 10 bags of kibble and a couple blocks of meat. Doesn't seem like much, but at this point, it feels like a mountain. To say that I'm extremely down right now is an understatement. Sorry to unload my woes here...but it just breaks my heart to have all of these things culminate into not doing the one thing I'd been planning for all year long. Especially after soldiering through the Cantwell Classic this year.

Well, I'd better get. TRDMA is putting on the makeup 100 miler this weekend, so I have some stuff to do as I'm helping to put it on. I wish everyone out there the best.