The Great Race with Diehl/Galbraith

Bob Diehl · Joined: 18 Jan 2008 Posts: 1

The 1911 race started in front of the Chamber of Commerce Building on Elk Street in Bellingham at 10p.m. on August 10. Joe Galbraith, a Demming logger and former schoolmate Hugh Diehl started in a stripped down Model T named Betsy (after Diehl's wife). They raced over 27 miles of uncertain, winding road to Deming. From there, they drove up the Middle Fork of the Nooksack as far as they could.
After 54 minutes of riding, Galbraith jumped out of the overheated car and set out on his 32 mile round trip to the top of Mt Baker. Witnesses along the way would sign certificates wrapped in oiled skin tied around the runners' necks.
Galbraith stopped for a light breakfast at a forest ranger camp just as daylight was breaking and he reached the summit at 5:37a.m. He immediately bagan the return trip. Only seven men reached the summit and, of those, two collapsed in the judges tent.
All the way down the mountain, Galbraith kept a steady trot and at 9:40 he reached Charles Heisler's ranch where Diehl and his Ford were waiting. Galbraith donned a heavy overcoat and goggles for the final lap of the race. Near Deming, a freightened horse pulled its owner into the roadway and caused Diehl to swerve violently to miss them. The Ford turned into a ditch, but was lifted back onto the road and raced back to Bellingham.
By the time they reached Bellingham, the streets were lined with cheering crowds. Galbraith leaped out of the car, ran up the stairs of the C of C building and registered as the winner at 10:28a.m, just 12 hrs and 28 minutes after leaving the city. He was 32 minutes ahead of the second-place contestant.