[pct-l] Remembering Ed....Mendo Rider

[Reinhold Metzger]

Ed and I had become friends and communicated frequently.
So odd,....I received his last e-mail just a few days ago with no word 
or hint of any
health problems.
Saddened by his death and going through our e-mail communication, I 
would like
to share with you the following correspondence to give you a better 
insight of the
kind of person and outstanding hiker-horseman  Ed was.

JMT Reinhold
----------------------------
Ed,
Thanks a lot for the picture...that is a great shot.
Yes, I remember meeting you at the KO.
Ed, like I said, you are truly the Scott Williamson of Horse Men and I 
am honored to have met you.
I love that close relationship you have with your horses.
You and Primo and Neekalos are like family and that is the way it should be.
I have that same close relationship with my dogs...they are family and I 
treat them like family.

I would love to have your PCT on horseback DVD.
If you give me your address, I will send you a DVD of the JMT by  
"French Bob"  whom I met on the trail.


Reinhold
-----------------------------------

On 11/18/2012 8:52 PM, Edward Anderson wrote:
> Hey Reinhold,
> Thanks for the kind words. You are one of my heros - and I love your 
> humor. We met briefly at the Pirate's Lair during the 2011 Kickoff. I 
> have attached a picture of you and Switchback. I didn't get to talk to 
> you much - there were usually too many women surrounding you!
> I rode the JMT this year - started at Horseshoe Meadows and picked up 
> the JMT west of Whitney. Thought of you and hoped to meet you 
> somewhere along the trail. Ended ride in Yosemite Valley. That 
> finished the last Section of the PCT for me. Because Primo is so 
> terrified of LLAMAS ( I expected to see some on the JMT), I decided to 
> ride another Arabian endurance horse in the Sierra. His name is 
> Neekalos. I had tested him with llamas. Neeka is not afraid of them. 
> Neeka has won five 50 milers and broke two course records. We won the 
> last three years ago - and I decided to retire from the sport - after 
> 31 wins. One of Neekas records was the Chamberlain Creek 50. It has 
> 6920 feet of vertical gain and there were three vet checks (the clock 
> continues to run while your horse's pulse recovers to criteria during 
> the vet check). His record time was 4:23 - we won that one by about 
> two lengths. Primo has won four 50 milers, including the Mariposa Run 
> for the Gold which is run near Wawona.
> Primo is now 18 years old and thinks he is still 8. He loves to be 
> ridden. He and I share a special bond. I was the other horse during 
> the several months that we traveled together. When we started the PCT 
> in April of 2008, he was 13. That year we got to McKenzie Pass near 
> Sisters, Oregon. In 2009 Primo and I reached Canada. When we started 
> from the Mexican border in 2008, I had ridden the 43,000 miles that I 
> mentioned. When Neeka and I reached Yosemite Valley this year, I had 
> ridden 46,100 miles.
>  In 2011 and 2012 I rode Neeka to do the Sierra part of the PCT that I 
> had missed because of snow in 2008 - Sierra City SOBO to Tuolumne 
> Meadows in 2011. In 2012, Horseshoe Meadows NOBO to Yosemite Valley. 
> That finished the PCT for me.
> Arabian horses typically live longer than some other breeds. We 
> still have one that is 33 and another is 28. They are both healthy and 
> rideable. My wife won several endurance races on the 33-year old. One 
> was the Memorial Day 100 near Mt Shasta. There were six vet checks. 
> Their time was 8:58.
> I would like to send you a DVD of my ride to Canada on Primo. Could 
> you send me your mailing address?
> MendoRider-Hiker
>
> *From:* Reinhold Metzger <reinholdmetzger at cox.net>
> *To:* pct-l at backcountry.net; Edward Anderson <mendoridered at yahoo.com>
> *Sent:* Sunday, November 18, 2012 12:47 PM
> *Subject:* [pct-l] A "Salute" to Ed "MendoRider-Hiker"
>
> Hi gang,
> I have been reminded that  "PRIMO"  should also be saluted.
> That is true....Primo also deserves to be saluted.
>
> A salute to  "PRIMO"....the "Scott Williamson" of horses.
>
> JMT Reinhold
> ---------------------------------
>
> Ed,...43,000 miles on horseback....it staggers my imagination.
> You are the "Scott Williamson" of "Horsemen"......I will bow in your 
> presense....and Primo's also.
> BTW...what is the age of Primo and what is the life expectancy of horses?
> That was a great trip report...............
      Reinhold