12 Hours @ Night Mountain Bike Race - Prescott

12 Hour Endurance Night Race
Start Time 8pm
End Time 8am
Team One Cog - Jon, Kyle and Andy

This year marked the 2nd annual 12 Hours @ Night Mountain Bike Race.  This is an endurance event in the dead of night here in Prescott.  To aid in this event, one must be equipped with multiple lighting systems.  A couple months ago my friend Jon Milliken called me up and asked if I wanted to do the race in team form.  I told him I would think about it, but the seed was planted.  A couple more phone calls by Jon, and it was sure thing.

The plan is to do a 3 man single speed team for the event.   With Jon and I already in, the search for a 3rd rider begins.  I asked some friends we usually ride with but they were either out of town or had other plans for time of this event(read chicken).  This is where Brooke comes in, she offered to be the 3rd "wo-man" for our team if no one else "sacked up." With Brooke in, that makes 3,  we register and Team One Cog is formed.

With about 6 days till the event, we take care of the little details.  Lights, starting order, nutrition and sleeping arrangements.  Monday the 12th.......Kyle, a regular at SUBWAY and also a fellow mountain biker, comes in for lunch and Brooke happens to mention that we are doing the race and asks if he is participating.  Kyle responds with," No,  I would like to do it, but I would have to do it on a team and not solo."  Brooke's eyes light up with excitement.  She then asks if he wants to take her place on Team One Cog.  Without a blink of an eye, he says yes.  Totally surprised,  Brooke is overwhelmed with joy, now knowing she doesn't have to compete.  Not that she isn't a competitor, but that she was just a "last resort" if you will, to fill the 3rd spot.

Race Day July 17-18, 2010

With the order set.   Jon,  myself and Kyle 3rd, we had a good plan.  Two laps per rider minimum with the option for more if feeling good and strong.  With only one other team competing in the 3 man single speed division, it was first place or last place.....plain and simple.  As our competition rolled into the parking lot, we sized them up.  They looked pretty serious.  The came from Phoenix and were not going home empty handed.  We had nicknames for them just like the movie Reservoir Dogs.  Let's start with Mr. Tuxedo, he had a tuxedo jersey on.   Mr. Mohawk, he had an acrylic Mohawk that was illuminated from within on the top of his helmet, and Mr. Orange......only because he had an orange jersey on.

My mom showed up to cheer us on and support  #125 - Team One Cog which was nice.  As the darkness drew near the pressure was on.  Adrenaline pumping, bikes at the the start for the "Le Mans" style start,  Jon laid down a furious pace as best he could as rigid clip less shoes would allow. With about a "guestimate" of 40 minutes between each lap, Brooke had us on schedule like a Marines drill instructor.  She should've had fatigues on with a side arm and whistle.

Jon coming into the pits after lap 1

Jon checked in after his first lap with a time of 41min,  he gives us the OK and he took off for his second lap.   I go back to camp to get ready.  For teams there is an exchange of a "Live Strong (LSB)" bracelet to aid in control of who is on the course.   I check in at the time table and put my steed in the holding pen and await for Jon return.

Rider change

Jon comes in off his second lap with a time  of 45min,  dismounts and walks toward me and hands off the LSB for me to start my laps.  With 10 1/2 hours to go, no need to hustle.....wrong,  I set out on a furious pace.  I had that 20t cog whipping around like nobody's business.  I had to remind myself to take it easy and don't blow up.  As I spun around the 8 mile course, I could see many lights blazing up the trail in front of me.  This was going to be a fun, but a long 12 hours of fierce riding.  In my rush I forgot to grab my gloves from the chair and was riding bare handed. No good.

As I pull into the pit area, I'm greeted with the most "awe inspired" looks one can imagine from Brooke and Kyle.   Kyle, now fully dressed in his riding gear, was looking at me in total amazement, and me.....well, I'm puzzled.  I can't figure out why Kyle is dressed already and waiting for me. " Was I that slow that they are pulling me off already?"  Both looking at me in total confusion.....then I hear from Kyle...."Are you going out for your 3rd or what, you feeling Ok?"........3rd?  I think to myself?  What?  Brooke says, "Yeah, you did two 25 minute laps.......What the hell!!!  I was stunned too, because all I remember doing is one.

Now it's all coming together for me.......the looks were of total astonishment that I could pull off such a feat.  That would be great if I could, but I didn't.  Somehow, the lap times were mixed up between a couple of teams and I set a new course record, twice!  At first, everyone thought, " no way, no way could he pull that off."  With the pros coming in @ 32 min, it was hard to believe, but then when I rolled in from the "second lap", it was exactly 25 minutes from the first lap that was mis-marked.

 Totally plausible since it was dead nuts from the first.  As I rolled away, I was laughing at the whole situation, especially the looks that were thrown my way,  you would've though I walked on water.  With my first  actual lap time of 44min, I was off for my second, Brooke had spotted my gloves and had them waiting for me.  Still chuckling, especially from Kyles' look, he's a mountain bike racer from Michigan, he's very fast and capable on his bikes.  He was just" dumbstruck" if you will,  I must of been a "sleeper" in his eyes and his look of
"how in the hell did he do that fast of a lap" was priceless.

My second lap,  45min.  With the hand off to Kyle, he was out of there on a hurry.  Not to be out done by my 25 minute lap times, he burned up the trail.  His first lap was 35min and his second 38min.   He was quick, quick enough to put us up 8 minutes ahead of the other team.  Kyle was our anchor if you will.  He was obviously the quickest out of the 3 and for good reason, he was young and a seasoned racer.

With Jon on his second set of laps I head back to camp for some R and R.  But none was to be had.  With the race promoters stereo pumping out the jams to keep everyone fired up, it was hard to get any rest.   Just eat, drink and lay down till you're #'s up again.  Jon pulls another consistent set of laps @ 44min.  I hop back on my SS and pedal away.  This time, relaxed and not in such a hurry.  Maybe too relaxed,  I cooled down too much and had a hard time firing up the "ol'stems" to get them going again.  I felt good once I warmed up  until I hit the hill known as "widow maker."  Steep and short,  I felt my legs starting to ache from the grunt of the climb in single speed form.   I pedaled through it and began to head for the switchbacks at the end of the course.  With only a couple of turns to go till the tunnel, I suddenly find myself on the ground in darkness.  My helmet light went dark after I was tossed off my bike and the battery became unplugged.

 Back to my feet and plugged the light back in, only to find out that someone else had gone off the trail and kicked a grape fruit sized rock onto the trail.  As I made a hard right  I hit the rock and it rolled out from under my tire.  I can feel the blood running down my right arm and leg.  Sunnofabitch!  That blows.  I pull into the pit area,  Brooke's there cheering me on,  I show her my battle wounds.  Immediately, the "mommy gene" kicks in.  Oh my gosh!  Are you OK? You're bleeding...blah blah blah.  I'm OK.  With a fresh bottle of water and weary eyes, I tell Brooke that this is going to be a tough lap and it's going to hurt.  One thing about biking at 2:30 in the morning, you don't know how your body is going to react.  Mine was confused and wanted to go back to bed.

I set out for lap #4 after my 3rd lap of 45min.......and that includes a crash,  I was surprised at my lap time.  I felt weak and slow, but still had one more to do.  Out near the edge of the flats, I passed a couple of riders, they must have felt worse than I did.  Now headed for Heartbreak Ridge, I could see more riders struggling to make it up.  I pedaled past them and was thinking ahead towards Widow Maker,  I wondered if my legs could withstand the blunt steepness at the onset on this part of the course.  With momentum as your friend on a SS, I tried to keep spinning my pedals with my legs on the "fierce setting," but it was too late.  My legs were begging for a break.  I wasn't too familiar with the sensation of cramps that I had received courtesy of the Whiskey on "Cramp Hill".  I was worried my legs would do the same again, but not now! I don't have time for that and didn't want it to happen again, I hopped off and walked up the remaining 25 feet of the steepness,  jumped back on to pedal if out.   I looked back and saw another rider starting to make his way up the same stretch.

Oddly enough,  except for this lap, I really hadn't encountered many riders on the trail for much of the race.  This was about to change.  As the space behind me was lit up by lights,  I only wonder who's coming up from behind.  By looking at the number plates as they passed, 3 riders all on gears were contenders for the solo geared division.  They passed with some speed and then darkness set in.  Further down the trail and almost back to the pits, there was more light coming from behind.  Who was this? Another single speeder,  he passed me on the left.  Then his number plate lit by my helmet light.......... #124.  Our other competition.   It was Mr. Orange.   He managed to make up some time due to my "tinkling on the flowers" and partial walk up Widow Maker.  He was all business,  he was also spinning a 32-18, just a bit harder gear and more ground covered per pedal stroke, he was able to catch up and pass me.

Now towards the end of the course, I kept him in sight and knew I was not far behind.  We both sped to the pit area to make the rider swap.  Second lap time 47min.  Only 2 minutes behind them and only 4 1/2 hours to go......this is going to be more of a race than I thought.  Both teams equally vying for a chance to be the winner.  The lead would go back and forth throughout the night.   Kyle is pedals out into darkness, now we wait.

Unlike us, the other team was rotating every lap with a new rider.  Was this strategy going to pay off or be their downfall?   While I was out riding, it was decided that after Kyle gets done with his 2 laps, we would go to just 1 lap each, until the 12 hour time limit was up.  After the way I felt on this last lap, I agreed.  I headed for the Subie to get some food to replenish and hopefully get some sleep.

I awoke a short time later,  I had fallen asleep for about 45 minutes.  A recharge if you will.  What a difference,  I saw Kyle making his way to his chair to relax, he just came in off his second lap and Jon was now out on the course for a single.  With daylight approaching, I decided to shed a few pounds worth of batteries and lights,  refilled my water bottle and headed for the pits.  Brooke was doing her best to keep tabs on the other team.  Jon came in and I was off.  The trail barely visible by the faint rays of sunlight peeking over the horizon.  The end was near.  That bit of shut eye really did wonders.   I knocked out Heartbreak and took on Widow Maker like I had a fresh pair of legs.

The sun now breaking over Mingus Mountain,  I finished up the last of 5 laps and came into the pits hand the LSB to Kyle.  But he was nowhere to be found.   As I rolled into the pit area,   all I received was another strange look from Brooke.  A "what are you doing here so early look."  I was so taken by her look that I forgot to dismount and rolled all the way up to the time desk and was threatened with a 5 minute penalty for not dismounting my bike.  I apologized to the staff as Brooke ran off towards our base camp to get Kyle.  With in a couple of minutes Kyle mounted up and he was off.  I asked," what had happened and why he wasn't ready to go?"  The response.  "Because you were doing 44 minute lap times and you showed up too early, you're not supposed to be here for another 8 minutes"..........my lap time was 37 minutes.  Gee, thanks.  Apparently a lot had transpired while I was asleep and on my last lap.  We were now 21 minutes up on the other team.  Mr. Mohawk had a horrendous lap as did Mr. Tuxedo.  They must have finally "bonked" or hit the wall.

Mr. Orange looked on as I came into the pits.  We tallied the times as Kyle headed out at 6:01am to tear it wide open.  Mr. Orange, in street clothes, looked on with head down and spirit broken.  Victory was surely ours.  I hung around in the pits to strategize with Brooke.  With a 7:30 cut off time lurking in the distance, no other riders could venture out to do a lap with the race ending at 8:00 am.  Mr. Tuxedo heads out for another lap at about 6:22am.  With encouraging words from his fellow teammates. He heads out to hopefully catch Kyle.  But looking at the time sheets, this was not to be done,  his lap times were progressively slower, from 44 to 46 to 48 and now down to 52 minutes, no way.  With Kyle's lap times around 38 minutes, victory was ours.  Kyle pulls in, we inform him that the other team is still mashing the gears, he decides to go out again for an " insurance lap."  Icing on the cake if you will.

Kyle coming in off final lap

 It was a good thing too.  Kyle now out on lap #16 for Team One Cog,  Mr. Tuxedo comes in at 7:26am for their 15th lap.  Surprisingly Mr. Orange suited up again for a last hurrah and blazes out of the pits.  Mr. Orange is a strong rider,  he was turning 38 minutes lap times just like Kyle.  Could he pull this off?  Can he do a 33:59 minute lap to come in under the 8:00am cutoff.  I head out to meet Kyle at a trail junction not too far from camp and tell him that Mr. Orange is headed out and not to take it "too easy."  With a 21 minute lead time, Kyle wasn't worried.  I head back to wait for the results.  Kyle pulls in a short time later.  The wait is on.  Can Mr. Orange pull this off?  The race promoters get the crowd involved and let them know what's happening.  With just a couple of minutes till the cut off time, he appears over the ridge.  His orange jersey easily visible, back and forth as he weaves his way down the hillside.  The crowd cheering and chanting........here he comes.......he crosses the finish line.  The time..........8:01am.  Times up!   He did pull a last lap of 35 minutes, but it was a minute too late.  Even if he did finish that lap in time, we still had a faster "overall time" for the same amount of laps.

There was a pretty good size article in the local paper about the race as well.  Story can be found here.

The Final Results:

12 Hours of Mountain Biking
Total Lap Count: 16
Jon - 5 laps
Andy - 5 laps
Kyle - 5 +1 "insurance lap"

Winners:  Team ONE COG  on the left:  L to R -  Jon, Andy and Kyle
Second place : R to L - Mr. Mohawk, Mr. Orange and Mr. Tuxedo
   - kudos to them for being nice guys and great mountain bikers.

Good times, Good Race....AWESOME TEAM.......Now, the only thing we have to do is come back next year and see if we can hold on to the title.  Thanks to Jon, Kyle and Brooke.  Brooke did a great job of keeping us on track and ready to go.

The 2010 Whiskey Off-Road Mtn. Bike Race

The 2010 Whiskey Off- Road     15 Proof   25 Proof  50 Proof


Brooke and I have been participating in the "Whiskey" for the past 3 years.  In 2008, I did the 15 Proof, in 2009 Brooke did the 15 Proof, and I was supposed to do the 25 Proof, but as luck would have it, certain roadblocks got in the way of fulfilling that "destiny."  Instead I cheered Brooke on from the sideline with "Sticki."  This year was different.  We both decided that we were going to do the 25 Proof..... no if's, and's or but's.

The weather for the past 4 months here in Prescott has been to say the least "challenging."  In terms of actual saddle time for training or just going out for any kind of ride at all.  This years winter has actually been well, winter.  Rain, snow or both at the same time, mother nature was going to rain down on us all her fury.  With very limited opportunities to ride, we traveled to Phoenix and to the BCT to try and get some kind of riding in.  I tried to get some road riding in, but the wind was a factor most days.  Although I did do the Prescott to Wickenberg road ride with a group of friends,  but that was a month ago.

With little time left, Brooke and I were anxious to say the least.  Steve and Micki decided to join the "Whiskey" fray.  Micki the 25 Proof SS (single speed) and Steve the 50 Proof on his newly acquired Raleigh rigid 29er SS.  Sarah of the "Sarad Clan" was to do the 25.  Who could ask for more, good ride with some good friends.  Sunday the 18th, Sticki came up to do a pre ride.  We got started about noon and to keep a long story short, the outing was feeling a bit off for everyone..........except for the Steve "the Exception" Reynolds.  He was rocking the "one cog" quite superbly.  Micki was trying out different gearing combos so she could find the right rate of spin necessary to climb the 5500ft in elevation change on the course.  With Sticking having better weather and the prime riding condition in PHX, they showed no mercy on the hills  and were forced to wait for us.  After the ride we went to Bill's Pizza and discussed possible ride times.  Brooke had stated that she felt confident and could do 3.5-4 hours.  My time was to be 3.5 hours.....I guess we'll see......

Brooke coming up part of TR#48 water bar section

The day before Brooke and I were manning the PMBA booth that Epic Rides had given us in support of jump starting community mountain biking locally.  Selling raffle tickets for a chance to win a $5500 Titus Rock Star 29er and sign people up for memberships was our primary goal for the event and we were grateful for the exposure.   We also had done trail work to get the course ready for the 1000+ riders to now take to the trails of Prescott.  The week leading up to this was a weather disaster.   Thursday night we received 3" of snow.  Oh geez.  Friday, check in/packet pick up, was to be partly cloudy and a high of 62.....that didn't happen.  It started out to be promising, but ended up being 34-42 and windy.  We were all bundled up as were other vendors and riders.  The raffle went well, $10 per ticket yielded about $3700 and with a week to go, the total should be around $4500 to be split between PMBA and The Yavapai Food Bank.

Race Day   April 24th 2010       Forecast:  Sunny high of 68 degrees


After a bad night sleep wise, I was not feeling the love.  I tossed and turned all night.    Inadvertently,  I also woke Brooke up a couple times with my jostling.  With Steve's start time for the 50 @7:15am, we did not see him off, as it would of imposed on our valuable sleep time.  The start time for the 25 is @9am.  Heading into downtown Prescott, the sky is clear and not a cloud to be seen.  The Courthouse Square is crawling with visitors for the race, and the Earth Day Event on the other side is packing them in as well.

I snapped this picture just before the start.  There is probably over 500 riders doing just the 25 Proof alone.  With the "fast" crowd up front and the "slower" crowd in the back, we are perched somewhere in the front 3rd of the pack.  IPOD ready with the jamz, firecrackers booming, excitement growing and then bang!!!  We're off!  The crowd screaming, we start pedaling in a massive wave rolling down Goodwin Street headed for Copper Basin Road toward Camp Pearlstein.  With 4 miles of pavement and lots of climbing to be done, you could see riders starting to fall back or keeping pace.  Once to Pearlstein, there was a mandatory walk section.  No, not because of our lack of fitness, it was because other riders could not make it over a simple water crossing and up the other side of the embankment.  You almost wanted to yell " come on now, it's a mountain bike ride, not a hike."  But I didn't, this gave me a chance to shed my vest that I no longer needed, so in the pack it goes.  Good thing too, it was quite warm by the time we got to that section.

Side note:  With all the trail work, rain and snow. The trail was just fast and tacky, with the 50 Proofers having the already gone through these sections, it was down right flawless.  PERFECT.

nuck, nuck, nuck, nuck.   One rider failed to make an easy uphill rise, got off and pulled his bike to the side, but it was too late.  The other rider just behind him already slowed to a stop and was unable to unclip and ended up falling over onto the rider that had just gotten out of the way.  2 down....plenty more to go.  Now TR#48 is fairly technical if you count all 34 water bars staggered up and down the trail, but it is doable.  This is where I met up with "frog man."  I call him this because, I never got his name, but he had a rubber frog strapped to helmet.  While riding, the frog was nearly ripped from his helmet by a low slung branch.  I told him, "that was a close one and nice frog by the way.  "He replied that he needed to name the frog," I said, how about Herman......?" We both got a good chuckle and kept on riding.  It turns out he's from Colorado Springs and he and his friend are riding this together.   You can spot his friend easily with a yellow rubber duck on his helmet.  I remembered them from the climb up to Pearlstein.  How could you not?

Following him, I could tell that he had the same speed and skill level as I, so it was a good match.  On your left, on your right, he and I passing riders here and there, we both were making great time.  As you make the transition form TR#48 to TR#260, there is a tricky section with some sharp switchbacks, steep drops and water bars.  I give him a heads up and tell him what is coming up ahead.  1) because I'm a nice guy, and 2) I didn't want to see my "riding buddy" eat it.

He accepted and took caution, but rode it well.  Now we were just flyin' down TR#260 or "baby head alley" as some call it.  Always steep and rocky.....but today, it was steep and awesome, there was a well defined line headed down.  A combination of mother nature and perfectly packed soil.  The 50 Proofers must have cleared most of the baby heads out of the way, it was PERFECT........just PERFECT.......all the way down to Fire Road 53, this is where you dig deep.  Starting in Prescott, you've just climbed up and over the mountains and now have to climb back up and over to finish.  With FR53 a long slow grind to where it meets the back side of Copper Basin Road (dirt).   A fellow rider asked if I have a odometer and how far we are.  I tell him," 13 miles, about half way done"......no response.  But I think he was hoping we were closer than that.  I think he pulled over shortly after, because I don't recall seeing him again.

A little ways in "frog man" and I chat it up again. It turns out he's been a middle school teacher for the  last 17 years.....WTF.  He looks to be about my age, which is 34 by the way.  I did a double take, so he must have been about 37ish.  We talked most the way until the last part of FR53......Only because....this is where "IT(FR53) beats you."  It's mostly a slight incline with some small rises here and there as you make your way up to Copper Basin.  But, the last 1/4 mile is a steep and windy section that will have your legs begging for mercy.   This is the last time I saw "frog man. "Crank it out", I tell myself...... almost in granny gear, I come upon some fellow riding buddies walking along side the road.  They give me words of encouragement to keep me going.  Almost there.....one last turn and over the cattle guard.  I let out a freakish yell, only verbally admitting what my legs wanted to say.  AAAARRRRRRRRHHHRRRRRRRRR!!!!  I made it up and over to the 1st aid station.

It couldn't have been a more happier site.  A fine bounty of potassium, salt and energy drinks.  An oasis if you will.   Many a biker lay their steeds down to feed at this trough of plenty,  myself included.  But only for a couple of minutes and then back on the bike to climb back up Copper Basin Road to Sierra Prieta Lookout.  This is a long 4 mile climb that never seems to end.  Off to the left you can look out over Skull Valley,  very tranquil, unless you're peddling your bike up a huge hill.   I passed a couple riders here, some there, some passed me, I caught back up to them because they bonked,  but a couple of ladies were cranking it out on the SS and put me to shame.  I swear, she must have been rolling a 34-10.  The rear cog was as small as a quarter.....unless,  I was seeing things.......hhhmmm.  

As I get closer to the top of  Copper Basin Road,  there is a crowd of about 25 people.  Up ahead there are about 6 riders grouped together as they make a left onto Thumb Butte to go to Sierra Prieta Lookout. The crowd start cheering and hollering them.  I'm advancing about 30 feet behind them with another rider back 10' and another 15' and so on.  But, as I pull up to the crowd and make the turn, not a word, nothing but silence.  What?  Am I not worthy of a cheer?  Are they throwing salt in my game?  I give them a look and point to them and yell out, " Can I get a HELL YEAH?"  Oddly enough, there was just enough silence to make it uncomfortable and then................... the crowd erupted in to cheer and excitement.  It was great, nothing like crowd participation.  I was laughing for the next couple of minutes from the look on their faces when I said that.  I'm glad they responded the way they did cause anything less would be awkward. Good times.

To the top of SPL, the 2nd aid station stood with more ride treats to be squandered.   I must help myself to them.  So I did.  Pat from the PMBA committee was there under the canopy, he called out my name as I came up the hill.  He was partaking in the 15 Proof, and was doing well for being a fairly new rider.  He and I talked for a couple of seconds and I said," back to the bikes" and he agreed.  To pull off the first part of this trail, you must go down off the road and then immediately climb a fairly steep incline and then a couple more.  I pull it off without a hitch, Pat, right behind me...does not.  I here a couple puffs of breathe and a " ahhh!  Dang it."  I didn't look back, but I could hear him get off his bike and start pushing it up the hill.  I came up to the back of some other riders and they were inching along....I pulled up on the rear tire of the rider in front of me, I stood up and cranked it out in a big gear.  Once we hit the crest, I felt a little" twinge" in my legs....what the.....?  "What was that?"  My mind searching for clues....."Oh no! I hope it's not leg cramps!"  No worries.....I'm on the down hill section, I can spin those cramps away.

In fact I did.  Bombing down the the Thumb Butte single track throwing caution to the wind.  I was kicking it into high gear.  The only problem........again.........mountain bike riders that can't ride any kind of obstacle......must be "roadies fakin it."  Some halted the progress I was making.  After passing them it was afterburner on.   I was getting close, one last creek crossing till the last section of climbing, also known as "cramp hill."   No problem.   Until I started pedaling.    And then it happened.  "Cramp hill" sunk it's claws into my quads and calves simultaneously.  I felt my legs go into lock-down mode,  I tore my feet out of my pedals just in time.  I stood next to my bike with leg lock in full effect.  The people I just passed were now starting to round corner.  I put my head down trying to convince my legs to get it together.  No response.  Now worried, so close to the end, how long was this going to take?  I slowly began to do a squat and eased my way down to sit on my heels, I  could feel the lactic acid finally receding from my muscles.  Rubbing my quads and calves for a bit, I was able to stand up and was at least able to walk, with the ability to bend my legs, instead of walking like Forrest Gump in leg braces.  It was a relief.  At most, it only took a couple of minutes, but it seemed longer than that.  Only about 5 riders had been able to catch up and pass me by.  I continued to walk the last section of 'Cramp Hill" to make sure that there would not be a repeat of what had just happened.  Looking back down the hill, everyone else chose to walk as well.

 Now at the top, I jumped back in the saddle and headed toward TR#392, the last part of single track down the switchbacks and through several creeks and onto Creek Side Trail.  Again,  more "technically challenged" riders.  At this point, my frustration had kicked in at the lack of riding skills I am witnessing out here, mind numbing.  Simple obstacles, little drops, they were getting off their bikes for these...?  WTF.  And to make it worse, they stayed on the trail blocking riders behind them.  Total disregard of "proper trail etiquette" in my book.  So I voice my opinion with a " you know you have riders behind you, right!"  It was loud enough to hear if you were in earshot of it.  No one responded but magically, the next couple of tech sections the trail parted like the Red Sea.  With the last couple of sections cleared I hit Thumb Butte Road which leads back to the finish line.

 Awesome, I just killed that course, with very little prep time and some leg cramps to boot.  Rolling towards downtown,  I throw it into the big ring and spin it out.  When what do you know, a couple of those "tools" that were jamming me up, start creeping up on me.  Whatever "tools."  They pass me, no biggie,  I'm still hauling.  We make the corner onto Park Ave.  There is a slight up hill on Park, not something you want to see after a grueling ride but it must be done.   I put my head down and grunt it out, when all of a sudden, the bike gods rained down some "KARMA" on their non technical asses.   I assumed that one of them had crashed and taken the other 2 out with him.   I found out later that he "cramped up" and it tossed him off the bike into his buddies.  Oh.....so sad......SUCKA!!!  I pedaled by with a grin, I did enjoy it, I'm not going to lie.  To the final turn and onto Goodwin Street.  I can see the finish line, the crowd cheering on the finishers.  It was great.  Only someone tried to take my place in the standings and tried,  I repeat "tried" to take my place, but put the hammer down and out-sprinted him to the finish by less than a foot.  Take that fool.  My time 3:32:03  61st place in Mens Open.

Now I just had to wait for Brooke to pull in on her "trusty steed",  at the 1st aid station, Tone from the Raven Cafe had asked where she was.  I said," back there somewhere." He kinda looked at me funny like I should keep tabs on her.  No worries, Brooke's a trooper.  She has guts.  For only taking up riding seriously in the last couple of years, she has come on strong.  She rocks the single speed on some rides that others need gears for.  I love it.  She can only improve and get better.  I better watch my back.  She pulls through the finish with some "moxy" as seen in the picture.   Look ma' no hands!  I walk up to her and give her a big  hug.  I got choked up and teary eyed.  Most impressive.  Great job Brooke......

She pulls up at 4:17 and is in 16th place in Womens Open.

And of course,  Sticki and Sarah are already here waiting.  Micki really kicked some butt in the Ladies Single Speed Class.  She took 2nd Place   3:23:18    narrowly beating out a fellow friend and competitor.  Great job Micki.  On the right, wassup!!!

Sarah was in Womens Open Class.  She ended up taking 4th Place  3:18:10   on the right.

Steve "the Exception" Reynolds was not so fortunate.  He never really had a chance to pre ride the 50 Proofer course and did not know what was in store for him.  That and he lacked the superfood - Little Debbie Brownies, his main source of nutrients.  That's OK though, next year he has big plans to "crush the competition."   As per the rules  "Sympathy Photo."

Results can be seen here: http://www.epicrides.com/results/worresults/wor_results_2010.html

Another awesome day riding with a great bunch of friends.  I wouldn't change a thing.  Except for the those leg cramps.....those were killer.