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[RC] Swanton Pacific 100 - One Awesome Ride! (was 100 mile rides) - Stagg_Newman

Reading 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

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