This was the first year for this race, and what was at first intended to be a Davenport-to-Wilder race, turned into a loop race out along the cliffs of Wilder - very beautiful, and much more so than the original proposed course. The goal of the fund-raising was to help the Rails-to-Trails effort making the rail line from Davenport to Watsonville into a bike/pedestrial trail - one of my personally most sought-after improvements to Santa Cruz County, and many others.
I volunteered to help on the course, and got in a good mountain bike ride getting out there, and then riding back over the top to Gray Whale Ranch and UCSC with Kathy and Roger afterwards. Diane D, Joyce and I rode out to the 2 mile point before the race started, in order to bring extra water and help people through the trickiest bit, down a small cliff. I brought my camera and snapped some photos...
Peter Huemer approaches the cliff, with Ferrell in hot pursuit |
Ol' #61 |
Now, no tumbles, Ferrell |
...the sand segment. Be sure to empty those shoes out at the start of the trail on the far side, people. |
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Our own Greg Hales toyed with this guy before putting down the hammer in the last mile
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What's that tiny red dot on the horizon? |
It's Ferrell! Kicking it in.. |
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One of the most beautiful run venues you can imagine, along the wild cliffs of Wilder Ranch State Park |
Manages a smile for the camera |
...and off towards the rising sun, with his signature right shoulder dip betraying the class Ferrell running form |
Long lost uber-triathlete from the '80's Melody Miles, visiting from France where she now lives. Great to see her once again. |
Joyce and Kathy |
Some disc brake rubbing on my mtn bike (bought from Roger), and ministered to by Roger here, before the big ride back home. |
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The Santa Cruz Track Club not only was a major sponsor, we cleaned up on the awards stage too... (some sort of conflict of interests thing going on here?) |
We took the usual trails up to Old Cabin, and across and up to... |
...the Eucalyptus Grove, then up to Empire Grade, through the back country of UCSC, down U-Conn to the new McCrary trail and then to home. |
