It’s wonderful when a tall tale becomes a reality.

Such is the tale of the Jumping Frogs of Calaveras County. Legend has it that it was a yarn told in a bar in the Angels Hotel. The tale was picked up my a young writer Samuel Clemons. He later changed his pen name to Mark Twain.

He found early success with the publication of the short humorous piece, “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County“. Since that time be put Calaveras County, Angels Camp, and jumping bullfrogs on the map.

In 1928, the Jumping Frog Jubilee started in Angels Camp to commemorate the paving of Main Street. The completion has been hopping along ever since.

I wanted to explore the arena for the unique contest at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds.

While today the contest in the main hall was roller derby not leaping frogs I found the outdoor stage that was the testing ground on the third weekend in May. I found a seat in the bleachers and sketched the stage with the beautiful green rolling hills of the Gold Country as my anchor sketch.

To the left of the spread I sketch a bust of Twain at the Angels Camp Museum.

The record jump (set in 1986) still is 21 feet and 5 3/4 inches. The frog jockey was Lee Giudici and the frog: Rosie the Ripiter.