"I learn by going where I have to go."– Theodore Roethke
This Thursday, the 29th at 6 PM, will be a fundraiser for the Western States Trail Foundation. Julie Suhr, a Tevis Cup legend, will be the principal speaker. In fact, Julie has 22 completions, to her credit, on this historic ride. Her first Tevis was in 1965 and her last in 2000. Join us at the fairgrounds in Auburn, to celebrate and honor Julie.
This historic one day 100 mile ride currently begins at Robie Park and ends at McCann Stadium in Auburn. Historically the ride began in 1955 when five riders:” Nick Mansfield, William Patrick, Pat Sewell, Richard Highfield, and Wendell Robie said they could ride over 9,000 feet of summit, go through deep canyons, and follow a trail that no other horseman had traveled on such a ride. This ride has a lot of unknowns. One major question was, could a horseback rider travel and cover 100 miles in a day?” For more tales about Wendell Robie, consult my book “It Has Nothing to Do with Age”; and Bill G. Wilson’s book, “Challenging the Mountains: the Life and Times of Wendell T. Robie.”
Specifically, the Tevis riders ascend approximately 19,000 linear feet and descend approximately 23,000 linear feet during this 24 hour ride. In addition to the ups and downs, temperatures, during the event, can range from 40 to 120°F. Since this is a 24 hour ride, and the trail becomes difficult to follow, Glow-sticks tied to branches are used to mark the trail. This difficult ride could not be accomplished, on these narrow, hazardous trails, even during a full moon, if the equines did not have night vision.
Jeff Herten M.D. a Tevis Cup competitor, Western States 100 mile endurance runner, a ride and tie participant in the world championship ride recommended the following for Tevis participants: 1. Show up, at the starting line in your best physical shape .2. Do as much heat training as possible: have enough water to keep you hydrated, since dehydration can impair judgment. 3. Make sure that you take electrolytes. 4. Check with your family doctor regarding medications and heat tolerance.5. Make sure that you eat early and often during the ride. 6. Make sure that you have clothes that does not chafe. 7. Keep emergency medical information with you during the ride.
A few risk factors during this ride are as follows: 1 Injury from falling .2. Wildlife hazards .3 Vehicle hazards. 4 Motorcycles and mountain bikes .5 Altitude sickness. 6 Overuse injuries. 7. Fatigue and dehydration .8 Getting lost. 9. Difficulty in gaining access to, or locating injured participants.
Ride and tie competitor, Carrie Barrett plans to compete in this year’s event. Secretariat and I told her that we would run while she rides to familiarize herself with the trail. There is an open invitation to join us when we accompany Carrie. There is plenty of room for more riders and runners on the trail between Devils Thumb and White Oak Flat a distance of approximately 40 miles. Incidentally, Secretariat has 10 completions from 1985 through 1999. Do not forget to join us tomorrow evening.
PS. See link on blog for reviews of It Has Nothing To Do With Age by Jeff Herten MD and Julie Suhr.
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