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Back in the early 1980s the local club - the Laramie
Wheelfolk - used to host a weekly time trial that always started at the
historical marker at the five-and-a-half mile mark on Highway 230. The
spot was perfect for a weekly test of fitness, bike technology and forum
for bragging rights, given that it's flat and gave us the chance to try
out five- or ten-mile distances.
One day, as a group was riding out to the course from town, a happy, sort
of goofy, Golden Retriever started chasing, but instead of biting or
attacking, he just fell in step and cruised along side all the way to the
marker. Though one of the riders tied the dog up to a van in hopes
of taking it back to town later, the dog broke loose from its restraints
and ran into the road and was killed. The dog stayed out there for
quite some time, and eventually someone grabbed the skull and it became
something of a morbid trophy for the holder of the course record.
1984 Dead Dog Classic Criterium
Meanwhile, up in Lander, the local club there hosted a nice little
two-day, three-stage race called the Red Dog Classic. The race was named
after a female Golden Retriever named Mandy. The locals' unofficial
motto for the race was "The Red Dog - It's a bitch."
We started referring to our time trial course as the "Dead Dog."
In 1984, it was decided to put on a stage race and it
was just natural to call it the "Dead Dog." The up side is that it
gave the opportunity to come up with some strange t-shirt designs.
(Unfortunately, the folks in Lander didn't really appreciate it.)
A race in Lander in 1984.
The three in the picture are Dan Birkholz (front), Rex Burke (back left),
and Charles Pelkey (back right)
In the first few years of the race, the historical marker was - out of
convenience and appropriate respect to our dearly departed canine - the
starting point for not only the time trial (usually 10 miles), but also
the road race. Starting and finishing at the marker, the men's Cat.
1-2-3 race went out 230 to Wood's Landing and then up to Mountain Home and
back. The road stages of the first few editions of the Dead Dog invariably
invited afternoon showers and were almost always contested in pouring
rain.
The Dead Dog has disappeared and reappeared on a few occasions. Changes
have been made to the courses and touches of "history" have been added now
and then - sometimes interesting, sometimes accurate and sometimes both.
Dan Birkholz was a local cycling legend of the 1970's who became a
development coach for the United States Cycling Federation (USCF) before
his tragic and sudden death in a plane crash. After Dan died in that
horrible plane crash in Colorado Springs, it was natural for the promoters
of the event to honor one of the best riders by holding, first a stage and
then the entire race, in his honor. |
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Photo of Charles Pelkey
"While Danny's talent came to the forefront in the late 70s, he really
achieved legend status in the 80s due in no small part to the bike trip he
took to Mexico on his fancy pants Trek 720, which was stolen on the beach
on the Baja, along with all of his gear. He then bought a Hercules
single-speed tank and rode it all the way back to Laramie in street
clothes and a pair of huaraches on his feet. That's the way to become a
legend, now isn't it?"
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