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[RC] Swanton Pacific 100 - One Awesome Ride! (was 100 mile rides) - Stagg_NewmanReading Barbara's post brought back very fond memories of the Swanton Pacific 100 in 1991 that I fell compelled to share. And for anybody who has a chance to do this great ride you should! The Swanton Pacific was my wife's 1st 100 and her horse Strut's 1st 100. Drubin and I were going to help her "go for it". We camped in this beautiful red wood grove owned by Barb and Lud. Then in the early morning light we rode through morning mists in the virgin redwood forest of Big Basin State Park with views of the Pacific Ocean in the distance while passing trees the diameter of a room. After riding through lovely forests for much of the day, we came out near the headlines of the Pacific Ocean and then headed back in-land to ride through beautiful white chalk cliffs. Then back near the Pacific Ocean for the last check before heading up a 1200 foot climb (is that right Barb?). At this point my wife and I are starting to feel great (at least mentally - never ask about physically at that point in a 100) as her horse is looking good and both look like they will complete their 1st 100 and even top 10. And Drubin, Strut's best buddy, and I would be with them. Now for the high point. After doing the climb we came out onto the "flume line trail", a half moon stretch of trail cut into the side of a mountain that Barb and Lud created by knocking the old flume line that fed the lumber mill into the canyon below. My memory is that it is about 4 feet wide and the canyon is about 900 feet deep. And I have acrophobia so there was a little adrenaline pumping for good measure. We rode this gorgeous piece of trail at sunset with the sun sinking into the Pacific Ocean in the west and a full moon coming up in the east. Totally awesome. And then Strut and my wife and Drubin and I rode (floated) into camp. To me Swanton Pacific is what it's all about!!!! THANKS Barb and Lud for a truly great ride! Stagg Newman From: "Barbara McCrary" <bigcreekranch@xxxxxxxxxx> Subject: Re: [RC] Decline of the 100 Mile Ride We continue to manage Swanton Pacific because of the beauty of the trail, the fact that we see this trail only once a year when we are maintaining and flagging it for the riders, and because of the many wonderful adventures my husband and I shared in 1983 when we first started to lay out the course. "Discover it" might be a more appropriate description, as we hadn't a complete idea of where we had to go to get from point A to point B. During our adventures of discovery, we met some exciting obstacles, and over the following years we had some great times, going back into the wilderness, either the two of us or with friends, with tools to repair winter storm damage. It's still something we look forward to every year. We've hauled timbers on our backs to build bridges and boardwalks to cross creeks or bogs. We've cut out big trees and lots of nuisance brush. We've built new trails and repaired old ones. If we didn't enjoy it, we wouldn't do it, because it's a LOT of hard work. It would be wonderful if more riders came to see this gorgeous area. I can hardly wait until I have a horse that is in shape to do at least the 75! I haven't ridden the trail but once in 20 years, and even then I didn't complete the course.Stagg Newman Senior Practice Expert America's Telecom Practice McKinsey and Company 1-828-232-1314 +---------------------------------------------------------+ This message may contain confidential and/or privileged information. If you are not the addressee or authorized to receive this for the addressee, you must not use, copy, disclose or take any action based on this message or any information herein. If you have received this message in error, please advise the sender immediately by reply e-mail and delete this message. Thank you for your cooperation. +---------------------------------------------------------+ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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