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Description
In this oral history, Wende Cragg recounts her life in Marin County and expresses her intense passion for mountain biking. Born in Berkeley in 1948, Wende grew up amongst seven siblings in Berkeley and Oakland. In the late 1960s at Merritt College she met her ex-husband Larry Cragg, with whom she soon moved to Mill Valley. Wende recalls hanging out at Mill Valley's Prune Music when it was a crossroads for Bay Area musicians. She also recalls her presence at the birth of mountain biking in the early 1970s and her participation (as the first woman and, for a time, the only one among a male-dominated cohort) in the development of the sport. Wende describes her first ride out to Tamarancho, recalling how she was initially terrified, but soon became hooked on the sport, discovering its spiritual dimension and considerable therapeutic value as well. She recounts competing in the Repack races (for which she holds the women's record) and later capturing some of the most iconic images from the early years of the sport as a photographer. Wende describes her passion for mountain biking as all consuming, and discusses the initial difficulty she found in balancing this with her work as a textile artist. This oral history concludes with an expression from Wende of the immense joy (and pride) she feels when she sees young people --- and especially young girls --- who are passionate about mountain biking.
Identifier
7ACF7290-D534-4DC4-83E3-997361872024 2016.060.001
Subject
Bicycling Breeze, Joe Caramagno, Denise Cipollina, John Cragg, Larry Cunningham, Charlie Cycling Cyclists Fisher, Bill Fisher, Deb Fisher, Dennis Fisher, Donna Fisher, Gary Fisher, Judy Fisher, Milly Fisher, Terry Fisher, Yan Grateful Dead Guy, Otis Hagar, Sammy Hicks, Dan Kelly, Charlie Mountain biking Mt. Tamalpais Music Musicians Phelan, Jacquie Photography Santana, Carlos Steele, Bill Steele, Lindy Weir, Bob Wolf, Emma Wolf, Fred
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