The 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo, 2020 solo edition

 
The morning of the race. You can pretty much feel the heart of the 24 hour town beating in anticipation.

The morning of the race. You can pretty much feel the heart of the 24 hour town beating in anticipation.

Antonio on his first lap, being offered some liquid ‘‘courage’’ at the Whiskey Tree.

Antonio on his first lap, being offered some liquid ‘‘courage’’ at the Whiskey Tree.

A rider stops for a shot at the Whiskey Tree, mayhem ensued!

A rider stops for a shot at the Whiskey Tree, mayhem ensued!

Whiskey Tree shenanigans!

Whiskey Tree shenanigans!

Jason hitting the rock drop on his first lap.

Jason hitting the rock drop on his first lap.

Antonio coming into Solo Alley on his second lap.

Antonio coming into Solo Alley on his second lap.

Stopping at our support tent for snacks, bottle refills and cheers!

Stopping at our support tent for snacks, bottle refills and cheers!

Pascale preparing some warm food for the racers. After more than 6 hours of racing, they need something more than gels and energy balls to keep going.

Pascale preparing some warm food for the racers. After more than 6 hours of racing, they need something more than gels and energy balls to keep going.

Rafael waiting for his daddy to come back from his 4th lap.

Rafael waiting for his daddy to come back from his 4th lap.

Antonio’s golden hour lap.

Antonio’s golden hour lap.

Antonio trying to change his shoes without sitting down. His original plan was to not sit down at all during the race (for fear of not getting up).

Antonio trying to change his shoes without sitting down. His original plan was to not sit down at all during the race (for fear of not getting up).

The plan changed and he sat down at every lap (which ended up working really well). Here, Rafael offers him some food.

The plan changed and he sat down at every lap (which ended up working really well). Here, Rafael offers him some food.

It was so awesome to have the boys there to cheer and help!

It was so awesome to have the boys there to cheer and help!

Unexpected things you might do as a support team: taking off your racer’s contact lenses for him since his hands are dirty.

Unexpected things you might do as a support team: taking off your racer’s contact lenses for him since his hands are dirty.

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I don’t have night photos and that is the part that has to be experienced to fully feel such an event, but there were lots of warm soup, coffee and quesadillas, and an impromptu dance party to keep the spirits up and the bodies warm. That was right …

I don’t have night photos and that is the part that has to be experienced to fully feel such an event, but there were lots of warm soup, coffee and quesadillas, and an impromptu dance party to keep the spirits up and the bodies warm. That was right after sunrise.

Jason coming back from his sunrise lap.

Jason coming back from his sunrise lap.

Pascale’s love, presence and management skills were instrumental to Antonio’s success.

Pascale’s love, presence and management skills were instrumental to Antonio’s success.

Most of the crew at the tent on Solo Alley.

Most of the crew at the tent on Solo Alley.

Regrouping, eating and drinking before leaving for a 13th lap.

Regrouping, eating and drinking before leaving for a 13th lap.

Hop on!

Hop on!

Go, go, go!!

Go, go, go!!

Jason back from his 15th lap and removing some layers as the sun warms up.

Jason back from his 15th lap and removing some layers as the sun warms up.

Still smiling!

Still smiling!

Tire repair with the Liske boys, Formula 1 pit stop style!

Tire repair with the Liske boys, Formula 1 pit stop style!

Done and dusted!! 14 laps!! That’s 230 miles (370 km) in 24 hours. A well-deserved 3rd place (over 25 solo men single speeders!).

Done and dusted!! 14 laps!! That’s 230 miles (370 km) in 24 hours. A well-deserved 3rd place (over 25 solo men single speeders!).

The smile that says it all!

The smile that says it all!

Jason completing his final and 17th lap (that’s 280 miles or 450 km) for a 1st place!!!

Jason completing his final and 17th lap (that’s 280 miles or 450 km) for a 1st place!!!

He barely had time to hop off (or more like crawl off) his bike and jump on the podium!

He barely had time to hop off (or more like crawl off) his bike and jump on the podium!

You can see it all in that smile: pride, fatigue and relief!

You can see it all in that smile: pride, fatigue and relief!

Jason was even barefoot on the podium!

Jason was even barefoot on the podium!

Antonio congratulating his friend Kelly (who took 5th place).

Antonio congratulating his friend Kelly (who took 5th place).

That’s Jason’s where-are-my-dry-clothes-and-my-bed’s face. Pure exhaustion.

That’s Jason’s where-are-my-dry-clothes-and-my-bed’s face. Pure exhaustion.

Hanging out at camp after the podiums. So happy to celebrate that incredible achievement with our friends!

Hanging out at camp after the podiums. So happy to celebrate that incredible achievement with our friends!

The girls spent a lot of time playing with the boys and going from the Whiskey Tree to the Rock Drop to keep our racers’ spirits up!

The girls spent a lot of time playing with the boys and going from the Whiskey Tree to the Rock Drop to keep our racers’ spirits up!

The 24 Hour Town is almost empty by sunset on Sunday night.

The 24 Hour Town is almost empty by sunset on Sunday night.

Rafael embodying here what this event is truly about: a strong mind in a strong body, a zen attitude and a desire to always push yourself to go higher!

Rafael embodying here what this event is truly about: a strong mind in a strong body, a zen attitude and a desire to always push yourself to go higher!

Even if 24 hour mountain bike race events have been losing in popularity in the last 10 years, The 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo’s registrations filled up in 55 minutes this year. It might be because this event carries a sense community and inclusivity for riders of all levels that you don’t always find at bike races that it is still so popular after 20 years of existence.

I’ve written about this cool race before here and here, but this year was different: both our dear friends Antonio and Jason were racing it solo on single speed bikes (they had raced it in 4-men teams before - many times for Antonio and twice for Jason). This year, we were their support team for the event. Solo riders are allowed to have a tent on the very last section of the course, aptly named Solo Alley, so this is where we set up camp. It is a great vantage point to see and hear what happens at the Rock Drop, where many people gather to heckle and cheer.

Doing (and supporting) a solo rider for 24 hours was a first experience for all of us, so a lot of it was learn-as-we-go. We were definitely not the well-oiled machine of pro solo rider Taylor Lideen set up nearby, but between all of us, we did a pretty good job!

As I sat down by the fire on Sunday night, still buzzing with the adrenaline of the last 24 hours, I heard campers making up lyrics for a song: My palms are sweaty, my arms are spaghetti… Tighten your headset, loosen your mindset for the 24 Hours of old Pueblo!

To get more of a feel of the place and the event, watch this few minutes video by Lance Armstrong that he did in 2018 when he raced it.

 

The 24 Hours of Old Pueblo

The storm before the storm.

The storm before the storm.

Friday sunset cocktail party at the Whiskey Tree.

Friday sunset cocktail party at the Whiskey Tree.

Tying a bottle to the Whiskey Tree.

Tying a bottle to the Whiskey Tree.

Got Lobster?

Got Lobster?

Let’s go ride bikes in AZ they said, it’ll be warm and sunny, they said...

Let’s go ride bikes in AZ they said, it’ll be warm and sunny, they said...

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Jason in the stampede at the beginning of the race.

Jason in the stampede at the beginning of the race.

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I love how these guys kept themselves entertained with that "piñata" while waiting for the dad to ride by.

I love how these guys kept themselves entertained with that "piñata" while waiting for the dad to ride by.

Antonio on his first lap.

Antonio on his first lap.

That's the spirit.

That's the spirit.

The water bottles of the 24 Hours of Old Pueblo from the last 13 years.

The water bottles of the 24 Hours of Old Pueblo from the last 13 years.

Lance Armstrong!

Lance Armstrong!

The Saturday night Happy Hour crew at the Whisky Tree.

The Saturday night Happy Hour crew at the Whisky Tree.

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Diedra rocking it.

Diedra rocking it.

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The CycloKeg going down the rock drop!

The CycloKeg going down the rock drop!

Antonio and Jason on their 6th lap!

Antonio and Jason on their 6th lap!

Our friends 4-men single speed team, the Fearless Foursome, finished in 3rd place with 21 laps!!

Our friends 4-men single speed team, the Fearless Foursome, finished in 3rd place with 21 laps!!

This is E.T. It’s his 14th year of doing the 24HOP in solo. He is a fascinating man. He bought that truck brand new in 1973 (he calls it the coyote den). He is a fire fighter and was sent to help during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the big fires …

This is E.T. It’s his 14th year of doing the 24HOP in solo. He is a fascinating man. He bought that truck brand new in 1973 (he calls it the coyote den). He is a fire fighter and was sent to help during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the big fires of California over Christmas. He’s worked in Tok, Alaska and lives in a remote rural area near the Mexican border. He speaks Portughese and Spanish and asks the most interesting questions.

It’s like someone had a deal with the weather gods... The weather was perfect for about 30 hours just for the race, and then it rained again!

It’s like someone had a deal with the weather gods... The weather was perfect for about 30 hours just for the race, and then it rained again!

Rain in the desert is pretty special.

Rain in the desert is pretty special.

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This weekend marked 19 years of enjoying Sonoran Desert singletrack at the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo. One of the largest 24 Hour events in the world, this race has the reputation of being biking’s Burning man and can be anything to anybody... pro racers, party riders, soloists, corporate riders, single speeders... but it sure feels like there are two different races going on as my friend Antonio likes to say: the Spandex vs the Monkey suits.

Away from everything, this trail is only busy one week out of the year. The cows look at us in confusion as we ride by, the jack rabbits scamper off and they all probably wonder what they did to offend the gods for such mayhem to take over their otherwise quiet home...

There’s a new record for single speed solo male this year with 19 laps!! Imagine that! 19 laps 17 miles lap in 24 hours!!

Founded in 1999, Epic Rides has become world famous for producing events that celebrate the many positive aspects of mountain biking. Events such as the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo, Whiskey Off-Road, Grand Junction Off-Road and the Tour of the White Mountains are popular with participants because they offer challenging, fun riding and emphasize the joy and camaraderie inherent in the sport. 

Riding Thunder Mountain, in Panguitch, UT

                                                                               Oops! Road block!

Thunder Mountain Trail is just outside Bryce Canyon National Park. The first section has more climbing than we expected after consulting the MTB project website and less scenic, but the descent among the Red Canyon's hoodoos is a blast as we ride along knife ridges and switchbacks back to the trailhead The last mile is a super fun let-the-brake-go flowy downhill.  The trail is mostly smooth hard pack but has short serious sections of loose, steep, switchbackery madness (probably the reason why it is rated as a black trail, because most of it is truly blue). There aren't much in the way of steps or drops, the technical sections are short and walk-able with the climbing mostly moderate. What makes it harder is that you are riding at over 8000 feet of altitude and you sometimes wish you had an oxygen mask on while climbing.

If possible, ride this trail from the upper trailhead to the lower trailhead, with a car shuttle back. Several sections of the trail are virtually unrideable in the uphill direction.

However, riding the trail as a loop is possible if you ride back up the bike path for 8-9 miles.