CLEVELAND, Ga. — Last weekend, the White County Trail Rangers traveled to the small town of Jackson, Georgia, to ride the trails at Dauset Nature Preserve. Dauset Nature Preserve is home to many animals that are not able to be released into the wild after being rescued, including Georgia’s infamous weather predictor himself, General Lee the groundhog. Dauset Trails was hit by severe flooding last year and has worked extremely hard to get the trails in top shape for the Trail Rangers’ return, and they did not disappoint.
Ten students from the White County Trail Rangers program hit the refreshed trail system for Expedition No. 3, Guardians of the Trail. With a less-than-favorable weather forecast for the event, the rangers were pleasantly surprised to find the course in great shape and to have a cooler-than-normal day in May to ride on. The rangers set out on the course with coaches to pre-ride and get prepared for their races to come. After the pre-ride, they were each filled with anticipation for the day ahead.
In the second-grade categories, Paxton Swanzy rode an outstanding race and finished at his season best of second place. Faith Hogan raced with passion and took a fourth-place podium finish. Both Paxton and Faith have had podium finishes at each expedition this season.
For the third-grade boys, Parker Shaw, Elias Ernst and Solon Couey all rode with determination in an extremely stacked field of riders. Ethan Swanzy, racing in the fourth-grade boys field, rode extremely hard and came away with a top-10 finish in 10th place, his best finish of the year. His grit is something to be admired.
Mercy Hogan, Reagan Phillips, Grace Meinecke and Ellie Stresse, the tight-knit group of fourth-grade girls, had a great race on their favorite course of the season. Mercy Hogan took home third place, with Reagan Phillips right on her heels in fourth place.
EJ Cesarone-Thomas has been determined in her first season of Trail Rangers to improve and has worked extremely hard. That all paid off this week with a 10th-place finish, moving up several spots from her first races.
The White County Trail Rangers program will head to their final statewide expedition at Kingston Downs today. Coaches continue to be amazed by each ranger’s strength and determination this season!
