OUTDOOR SUPPLEMENT — MAY, 1970 They're heading for the hills again... Garden City Horsemen's Club is holding its ninth annual four-day 100-mile ride starting May 22. It all started when the City of Victoria was celebr ating its 100th birthday. The club decided a 100-mile ride would be a fitting way for district horsemen to pay homage to the capital city. The first ride started at Beaver Lake and worked its way to West Saanich, through Heal’s Rifle Range and into o the High- lands to. Goldstream. , From Goldstream the ride carried on ‘through the Greater Victoria Watershed to Shawnigan Lake. A different route was taken on the return, and from Thetis Lake the riders took to the highway to be escorted right to the Victoria City Hall for a ceremony on Douglas Street. in succeeding years the four-day event has varied, some- times starting at Millstream, sometimes ‘at Goldstream to avoid as much hard-top road usage as possible. ‘It has evolved into a base-camp type of ride, too, . with the first day spent in reaching camp and the next two on forays into different locations, with return to civilization on the fourth day. For several years the ride’s base camp was at the former Alpine Club of Canada cabin at Shields Lake in the Sooke Hills, and in thelast two years 0 on the Koksilah River behind Shawnigan Lake. =. The Koksilah camp will be used again this year but instead | _of the ride starting at Spectacle Lake Road on the Malahat; it will be further north from a point i in the vicinity of Cowichan Station. The rides have attracted as many as 65 participants who supply their. own bedrolls’ and: eating. utensils. The club, provides food for man‘and beast. -It provides a lot of other. things, too. ne Much preparation is needed on “slashing of trails, cutting | out windfalls, preparing campsite and stock piling of “‘vit- tles” for the cookhouse’ truck. , Hot meals are supplied of a quality that has added greatly . to the popularity of the ride. ‘‘Bull cook”’ Nita Walt and her assistants are regularly voted “‘the people trail riders would want most to be lost i in the: wilderness with,” Ae @ e There’ Ss no > question: of getting lost, ‘though. Routes. are: ox mapped out carefully, and .there’s always a trail-boss and - a wranglers to watch over the “dudes” and keep. them | ‘out of. a trouble. ee The ride committee chairman i is Ken Evans, a ‘veleran’ o the four-day outings, and the’ trail’ boss is Murray Saunders ‘another rider who has taken parti in many of the trek: a i pire ‘tld : mi } Pane h ‘i , j A big entry is expected from the Duncan area this year. It has been well represented in the past, but with the start closer to home, more than ever will probably be riding. There are some Saanich area riders who haven't missed in all of the eight preceding rides, and the home club district is expected to be represented by more than any other section of the riding community. There are indications that mainland riders and some from further north on the island will be joining the fun. It is open to all ages. Those between 15 and 18 must be accompanied by a parent or have written permission from parents. Those under 15 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, Deadline for entries is midnight of May 10. Entries must be | sent to the secretary, Miss Heather MacDonald, P.O. Box 8, Saanichton. Total cost per rider is $20. Overnight stabling will be arranged for out-of-town en- trants, but the entry secretary should be contacted well i in advance of the ride. cs 2 e e All riders will be responsible for bedroil, groundsheet, plate, knife, fork, spoon, raincoat or slicker and a change of | ‘clothes. Bedrolls will be transported by truck to > the base camp. All horses must have halter, rope and blanket. Saddle bags are recommended. All equipment as well as horses will be checked before the ride starts. Horses must be adequatetly shod prior to the ride. 2stival ( British. Columbia’s first annual Sports Festival.was * Jaunched by. the provincial » government: in’ the belief ‘that: perhaps 15 communi- ties might compete in up to 20 different sports. It has ‘been announced, however, ues ‘that .more ‘than 60 com-. “munities are making active. _ preparation ‘to compete. in ) sports, . while there: are. and cultural events in the program. The Festival i is scheduled for three — week-ends, commencing on. Canada’s Victoria Day holiday (May ~-16.f0.18) and ending on the “United States Memorial Day week-end (May 30-31:) os ‘Events: saree for in : “restricted to. the named: _ limited period, for in addi- tion to: the four-star Polo. event on May. 31 the sche- © dule lists for’. Central Saanich the Cross Country... ‘Race held in the month of»: March, -the Strawberry ms ~ Festival, and: the Beauty. - Contest which traditionally is. associated with the” Sidney. Day celebrations. of Dr. ‘Robert. Hindmarch, ‘president: of B.C Sports . Federation, . : with — the provincial. go- ne ~- vernment of ‘the Festival, ~~ said that his office has been ; deluged with’ community recreational “submissions. "Virtually: all registered . sports are Tepresented ine co-sponsors | THEY. HOPED FOR 15 AND GOT 60 DIFFERENT EVENTS — ‘others. ‘that never ‘before ‘have received’ provincial recognition. “The an Festival - asi. already been of. immense eps value’ in» uniting ‘Sports oe "groups across the province, pee and bringing - outa “new “awareness of sports. activi “ties on, n the bart of commun - diverse sporting ‘and ree. -- ereational activities, in. conjunction with the. pro- vinecial:: government’ s Physical Fitness and Ama- - upgrading of potential : ind ~