The Equinic Diary Of Nebraska             Day 1- No one's seen me around the racing industry for a long time. Oh I want to be back but I'm not really apart of the equinics! I have no capable horses. So how to take part I wondered! Hmmm a little torch napping perhaps. I was there from the start as the Northwest Racing Circuit arrived at Husker Downs for the torch handing over ceremony. Ace accepted it and led the crew from Nebraska onto the road. It was a gorgeous day. Too nice a day for my daring plan. I joined in amongst the spectators. I was amazed that no one recognized me on old Bill, dressed in a trenchcoat and wearing my blue fedora. How quickly they forget eh! Day 2- It was cold a cold night. While everyone else bedded down in nice warm surroundings I slept in my bedroll, but was able to keep the group in sight. Again I joined with the procession during the day. It was kind of cool watching As Firebird led the day two procession of torchbearers. Kate was next and she handed over to Indigo. I knew the schedule and was going to wait till Bbor took over at the end of the day. Dusk was coming and the procession was a little behind schedule. It was almost time. Duanecrisp had just handed off to Bbor and the party headed into the dusk on the way to Missouri. The time had come, I urged Bill on and we broke away from the party of onlookers! Bbor was in complete shock as I shouted at him! Thanks for the light Eh! I then broke off the road and jumped the fence that led into a wooded area where I lost the startled pursuers! The question now was whether I could beat them to Missouri Race Park!. It was a cold night , but I made it to my supply stash. I let Bill rest and proceeded to bed down. I was up before light and Bill and I headed toward my small ranch. I got Bill in and put him into his stall, told my stable hand that they had the run of the place, and left on Trippy. The next week was long and hard, but Trippy and I had been training long for this adventure. The scanner was full of police reports searching for me, but we rode at night, and despite one close encounter we avoided the general mill of police and reporters. It was good that I had scouted out my route in advance. Trippy was very sure footed and that's why I had picked him for this part. It was on the seventh night when I caught sight of the Nebraska caravan. They had camped for the night. There was only a few days to go to Missouri Race Park, and the race would be tight. The nights were getting colder and it was only through the heat from the torch and the horse blankets on Trippy that we stayed warm. Last Night- This would be the tricky part for the Nebraska crew were scheduled to hand over the torch at 9:00 am so they were camped just outside the park when I arrived. Trippy and I gave the caravan a wide berth as we looked to leave the torch at Missouri Race Park! I dismounted and led to the back gate, I flashed my pass to the security guard and went in with the extinguished torch under my trench coat. We then rode through the stables and onto the track and through the tunnel to the paddock area. We made are way to the front gate, were we lit the torch and left it tied up and fled into the surrounding country side. (I wish I could have seen everyone's face when they arrived at the track a little later that morning. But I got to carry the torch and that was what mattered eh! Dale (aka Blueblazer)