ulian n Julia
Award-Winning Community News Magazine Serving Julian Since 2001
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Volume 15 • Number 2
www.JulianJournal.com
JUNE 15, 2014
A caravan of “speeders” at La Veta Pass, Colo.
‘Grand Old Flag’ Stars July 4th
Photo Courtesy of Ron and Kitty Mayer
Riding the Rails
R
By Ann Reilly Cole ~ the journal
on and Kitty Mayer aren’t train fanatics, but their love of the outdoors led them to a hobby that has become a great way for them to enjoy some of the most scenic corridors in the western United States. They ride railroad tracks in an unusual vehicle called a “speeder” car. Speeders, or “railway motorcars,” were used to help workers service railroad tracks from the 1890s until the 1980s, when railroads replaced them with hi-rail vehicles that have normal tires for use on highways and steel wheels for use on tracks. Traveling at just 20 to 30 miles per hour and powered by gasoline or diesel, they are dubbed “speeders” because they outpaced the manually powered pump cars previously in use. Today, hobbyists maintain these vehicles for excursions along railroad tracks under the auspices of clubs such as the North American Railcar Operators Association (NARCOA). Enthusiasts travel in caravans of 25 to 30 cars,
spread over several miles. They agree to go at close to the same speed as the slowest vehicle and work to keep a safe distance between cars. Typical tours cover 50 to 100 miles a day, vary in length from one to several days and are planned by an excursion coordinator who organizes the details. Kitty and Ron Mayer inside their speeder car at Riders maintain home in Julian. Photo by Ann Reilly Cole radio contact between cars to communicate the Grand Canyon, Colorado safety concerns and interesting and Idaho, to name a few sightings along the journey. destinations, and to Vancouver, They enjoy the camaraderie of which they love. traveling in a non-competitive “It’s so lush and green community of like-minded there, you don’t even see the people eager to accommodate track, and you get a sense of each other. floating through the ferns,” To keep on schedule, if a they said, finishing each railcar breaks down, it must other’s thoughts. start back up within five With the doors of their minutes or be towed or pushed speeder open, and wildlife to the next destination. sometimes in spitting distance, “We had to push another rail riders get a profound sense car once; that was scary,” of being in the midst of nature said Kitty. See Riding the rails The Mayers have toured to
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continued on page 9
The stars and stripes will move down Main Street during this year’s Julian Fourth of July Parade, prompting selection of “It’s a Grand Old Flag” as the theme for the annual patriotic celebration. For more than 20 years, Julian residents, their friends and parade lovers from all over have lined up on the town’s main thoroughfare to wave their flags, cheer the marching bands (now four), and salute the U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard. There is always a gang of local bad guys who try to rob the bank, but the sheriff rounds them up before the gunmen can get anything. Miss Julian and her court cruise along in snazzy cars. So do others who simply want to show off their prize or antique vehicles. Expect to see a long line of antique tractors and a troupe of dancing gypsies. Also riding along the parade route will be Grand Marshal David Lewis, whose Julian roots go back to 1887, when George Ritchie homesteaded 160 acres on Eagle Peak and then sat down to a life of teaching here. Best known as Julian’s historian, Lewis wrote a book called “Last Known Address” that was a finalist in the San Diego Book Awards. While researching gravesites in the Julian cemetery, he discovered the
unmarked gravesites of the town’s black pioneers America Newton, Albert Robinson, Martha Boyd and Susan Tull. Many visitors spend a whole day enjoying the parade and the patriotic events that surround it, all within walking distance. Plan to arrive early to catch the pre-parade activities starting at 10 a.m. on Main Street. Find a spot along the parade route where you can get a good view of the vintage airplane flyover. If you want to help unfurl an enormous American flag, set yourself up near the corner of Main and Washington streets. The American Legion presents a big celebration featuring a monumental barbecue lunch, entertainment and day-long fun. Local bands will play at Pioneer Park in the afternoon, so grab a picnic lunch to savor while tapping your toes. Quilt lovers have their own patriotic events surrounding the Fourth of July Parade. The annual Heritage Quilt Show features a display of vintage and new quilts, presented by Julian Woman’s Club. The club always holds a raffle for a one-of-a-kind quilt, designed by the queen of quilt making Eleanor Burns, and assembled by club members. Visit www.julianparade.com or call Julian Chamber of Commerce at 760-765-1857. n
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JULIAN Journal E JUNE 15, 2014 1
(In the Albertsons Center)