Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

50-mile rides were in place before AERC was ever formed.  The first 
endurance ride, as we know them today, was Tevis.  In the late 1950s, Julie 
Suhr attempted Tevis and was thoroughly "hooked" on the sport.  She said she 
could not wait another whole year for the next Tevis (there were no other 
rides.)  She organized the first Castle Rock Challenge Ride in 1967, but 
lacking enough trail, it was only about 35 or so miles long.  In 1969, the 
Castle Rock Horsemen's Assn., sponsors of the ride, came to us and asked if 
we had a staging area and did we know of a connecting trail link from the 
ocean where we live to the mountains where the ride would end.  If we did, 
CRHA could put together a 50-mile ride.  We had both a staging area and 
knowledge of the connecting link, and so in 1969, Castle Rock became a 
50-mile ride.  It was either the first, or among the very earliest 50-mile 
rides known.  Early-day riders in Nevada put together a lot of rides and 
there were one or two in northern CA and in Idaho, I think.  Heidi Smith 
could fill us in on that area's history.

To get to the point, 50-mile rides existed several years before AERC was 
formed.  And possibly the reason there were 50-mile rides as well as a VERY 
few 100s was lack of trail for the longer distance.  In our area, it would 
be fairly hard to put together more than the one 100 that exists, and that's 
our Swanton Pacific, as it takes up two counties, two state parks, and a LOT 
of private land.  It also takes a lot of time, dedication, volunteers and 
facilities to put on a 100.  It's infinitely easier on everyone....RMs, 
volunteers, vets....to put on a 50.

Barbara

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Karen Williams" <kc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, August 12, 2006 10:28 AM
Subject: [RC] Do words matter?


> Why did AERC start doing other distances than 100 miles?  Probably to draw 
> in more riders.  So you draw us in and then insult us when we don't step 
> up and do "real endurance" which, obviously, are 100-mile rides.
>
> Karen Williams
> Spotsylvania, VA
> www.mattariver.com
> (back to lurking)



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