 |
[RC] Virginia City - some history - Lucy Chaplin TrumbullMany thanks to John and Steph, and to Kevin for fielding myphone calls throughout the day to try and get results up as soon as possible. It was a somewhat ludicrous situation with me in NV, phoning Teeters in ID and Kevin in AZ to get the results up. Alas, the ridecamp in Virginia City doesn't have wireless access, although I would definitely like to investigate cell-modems, as the site might work for that. It was thought that this would be the last running of VC100 in its current format. The organizing club - NASTR - are faced with the loss of the ridecamp which is situated on a dirt lot on the outskirts of town, so were starting to investigate alternatives. In the future, they said they would continue to offer a 100 mile ride, but not in the same format - which means starting outside the Delta Saloon in old town Virginia City at 5 am. As the built-up areas around Reno and north of VC continue to expand, they are also losing trail to asphalt, so it is an uphill battle to keep the ride going. However - good news. It looks like they will be able to continue using the current ridecamp site for at least another year. Further out it looks iffy, but at least next year sounds promising. * * * This year was the 40th anniversary of the ride and NASTR produced a fun programme which I will try and copy type from later - it includes a history of the ride from when it started in 1968, as well as the surrounding area, which was a huge silver mining boom which overlapped the gold rush. One of the ride's joint winners that first year, was Cliff Lewis with a winning time of 16 hours and 35 minutes. Cliff started this year's ride, together with son Tom, and grandson Cliffy. Unfortunately his horse was pulled for lameness, but Tom and Cliffy went on to finish. That was Cliffy's third buckle (he first completed the ride as a 5 yr old). Cliffy is now 10. This year's 40th Anniversary programme shows an old picture of dad Tom clutching a trophy and a buckle at *his* first VC100 ride - also as a five yr old. Also present at the ride was a face that is mostly associated with Western States Trail/Tevis - Shannon Weil. Shannon (then Yewell) was the other joint winner that first year. She had just turned 20 and, as she reported to someone, the VC100 changed her life. She wore her VC100 t-shirt and buckle religiously at "special events", much to the chagrin of her family. Shannon didn't ride this year, but last year helped out on top of the mountain. On to this year's ride... Lucy Chaplin Trumbull elsietee AT foothill DOT net Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, CA * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|