Elevator Rides

["Marci Cunningham" <mcunningham@calcot.com>]

My first 100 miler in the mid 1980's was an elevator ride.  Jackie
Bumgardner ran her Twenty Mule Team ride as an elevator ride.  Everyone
started out at the 55 mile distance and when you finished the 55 miles you
made the decision to stop there or elevate to 80 miles or 100 miles and you
could only elevate once.  I believe you had to declare your elevating
intentions when you crossed the finish line, but perhaps you were able to
make the decision within an hour of finishing the 55.  I know that my
riding buddy and I started that morning with the intention of riding 100
miles which was helpful in making the decision to elevate.  It was so hot
that day that we wished we could stop but we wouldn't let ourselves quit,
mentally we were committed to riding 100 miles in one day.  It was then or
never to complete our first 100 miler.  I believe less that 20 riders opted
to elevate and of those less than 15 completed.  I'm sure the weather was a
factor in riders' decisions to elevate or finish at 55 miles.  I was one of
the lucky ones, finishing around 2 am.  

One of the problems with an elevator ride is planning for the longer
distances.  If you have to declare your distance up front then management
knows how many riders will be on course and can plan for the volunteers
accordingly.  For awhile in the 1980's the entries for 100's seemed to be
low and somewhere in that time frame Jackie went back to having entries for
each distance so that she could better plan her rides.  I hope Jackie will
correct me if any of my assumptions are incorrect.  The entries for 100
mile rides have increased partially as a result of having to declare your
distance before you start (no wimping out if the weather is too hot), in
addition to more riders in the sport.

I think elevator rides can be a good tool if ride management wants the
added work.  

Happy Trails,
Marci Cunningham (#1455)
Bakersfield CA