Did I mention that this was a lot of work to do? Well, after the Fourth Esmeralda
Rally in 1971, we decided to take a little break -- of twenty years! One of
the perennial participants, Wally White, brought up the Rally time and time
again and finally browbeat us into starting it up again.
The fifth Esmeralda Rally was held September 21, 1991 with a whole new group of
rallyists this time including half a couple from California. The rally course began at the traditional spot (the GA/SC Welcome Center) -- and ran for four and a half hours to the original location, the Esmeralda Inn! The inn had changed hands (maybe more than once over the twenty year Rally hiatus) and the present owners, JoAnne and Ackie Okpych were delighted to have us back. The fee was $75.00 per couple.
Lots of changes, principally the advent of music replacing the filmed entertainment. Over the years, we'd become avid fans of the musical group CULLOWHEE and had become fast friends with several of the band members. So, from 1991 forward, after dinner we'd sit around the lobby of the Esmeralda and pick and grin until the wee hours.
And we added a new Rally feature: Each participant received a commemorative T-Shirt showing the Esmeralda Rally logo over a finish flag.
An anecdote: A first time rallyist, Nancy Brockway, made a remark on the porch of the Esmeralda during the beer and snacks period that forevermore added a new phrase to the Esmeralda Rally lexicon. Without repeating the incident, suffice to say that now when someone says something outrageous and slightly profane, Esmeralda Rallyists are known to describe that event as "pulling a Brockway".
The winners were Wally and Beverly White (ironic since Wally was the one who pushed for the resurrection of the Esmeralda Rally in the first place!)
