The Track in the Trees: Return to Echo Summit

As I was picking up my car at Sacramento International Airport this afternoon, I struck up a conversation with a kind, engaging, and enthusiastic man, and I told him why I came here today.

He seemed quite interested in the national championships, and after a few moments I thought to ask him, "Are you a track fan?"

"Well, yes," he replied, "my cousin is Lee Evans."

In case you're a couple of years younger than I am, here is some context:

Lee Evans won the 400m gold medal at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics in a world record time of 43.86. He then anchored the 4x400m relay squad to a gold medal in a world record time of 2:56.1.


The accomplishments of the US athletes at the 1968 Olympic Trials - at which 4 world records were set - will be celebrated this Friday, 6/27, at 10:30am at Echo Summit, California, with the dedication of the track and field site as a California State Historic Site.

Ceremonies begin at 10:30am, and Tommie Smith and John Carlos are among the speakers.

Here is an excellent article by Bob Burns; it features a classic, historic photo of the track in the trees:
http://www.pausatf.org/data/2013/tfechosummit.html

Directions from the Sacramento Bee:
"The entrance for the event, which will begin at 10:30 a.m.,
is on the south side of Highway 50,
3 miles east of the entrance to Sierra at Tahoe ski area,
and is marked by an Adventure Mountain sign."

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/22/6494672/this-week-olympic-sprinters-return.html#storylink=cpy