This was my inaugural Snowshoe Thompson Day. For 18 years, the Friends of Snowshoe Thompson (FOST) have been celebrating "The Viking of the Sierra". I have never been able to attend. I so picked the right one for my first ever. Wow!

When John A. Thompson responded to an ad in the Sacramento Union which read, “People Lost to the World; Uncle Sam Needs a Mail Carrier”, he had no idea he was to become a living legend. Jon Torsteinson–Rue (his real Norwegian name) is one of the most intriguing heroes in California’s history. From 1856 to 1876, he made legendary 90 mile treks over snowdrifts up to 50 feet high and through blizzards with up to 80 mile per hour winds, to deliver mail to those living in isolation. He was the sole link between California and the Atlantic states during the long winter months. And in these parts, he's worth having a DAY for!

Let me introduce these incredible individuals (l to r). A living legend here is Martin Hollay. I've written about this long time Tahoan before. He arrived in 1958, originally from Hungary, and was an important guy in the construction of the cross-country course in 1960 Squaw Olympics. The other character is Steve Hale as Snowshoe Thompson. You met Mr. Hale in this blog in November when we saw him do a Chautauqua of Albert Johnson (the man who really owned Scotty's Castle) in Death Valley. And the lovely lady is Nina McCleod, the dynamo behind this event since its inception. She is the liaison between Genoa's FOST and the Norwegian group in Snowshoe's hometown of Austbygdi, Tinn in Telemark, Norway. She's awesome, truly.
And you know it's a party when Margaret and Lee come along.
The day began with a hike and history lesson with Snowshoe.


Martin shared his intriguing history with a very intrigued audience.
Even Channel 2 News wanted to hear the stories.
Frank Tortorich, author of the book John A. “Snowshoe” Thompson Pioneer Mail Carrier of the Sierra, shared some historical secrets. So cool.
And rounding out the diverse day was Truckee musician Richard Blair who celebrates his town's colorful history in unique songs including the apropos Snowshoe Thompson, which fully captured the legacy of our day's subject with a lovely melody and lyrics.
The event was held in partnership with the Lake Tahoe Historical Society. A surprise treat was the donation, by Martin, of his historic skis and trophies which showcase his life of AWESOME. I can't wait to see the display at the Museum.
Today was just one of those days... one with amazing, unforgettable memories being made. Definitely a day worth sharing.