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Kona's 24 Hour of Old Pueblo - A new Team is crowned king on the 10th Anniversary.

July 22nd, 2010 3:24pm

As a rider, you hear stories about races all over the country. The stories are passed down from rider to rider like folklore, building on there mystique and prestige. The 24 Hours of Old Pueblo is one of the those races. The brain child of Todd Sadow, the 24 Hours of Old Pueblo is a bona fide must ride event. Whether you are a hard core soloist, corporate team our bag of mixed nuts, this event has something for everyone. A single track riders dream, the 2009 course was a 16+ mile BLAST with 75% single track and just the right amount of climbing to make planning your pace during the event key.

A pre-ride lap leaves you smiling from ear to ear thinking it will be a walk in the park. Race laps done a cross country pace quickly take their toll on your legs. The "bitches" as they are affectionately called start to wear you down little by little, nagging and laughing at you every lap. The night time actually relieves some of the mental torment they bring to riders because now, hidden in the cloak of darkness, you don't see their rolling faces one after another on the road heading out of tent city. Immediately after giving some to the "Bitches" you are rewarded with a flat spin for a mile or so before the course points you in a southward and downward direction on some of the most buffed single track you will ever find. Not a rock in sight, the next three mile or so of tight twisties offers maximum traction during the dry weather that was had this year. On the almost blue grove single track your fully recovered legs pump with pure adrenaline and excitement at this near flawless trail. Near flawless you say? What flaw could this ribbon of single track have that prevents it from being flawless? The flaw would be called cactus. The most densely populated cactus groves I have ever seen. For me that adds to the thrill, go off line and your toast. Ask Ryon Trebon of Team Kona (2 time defending winners), as he was putting the hurt on the field when in an instance of mental craps sent him into a Cholla - one the deserts most painful varieties. Ryan dropped almost 20 minutes on the first lap as volunteers worked to pull needles from his trim frame. Coming out of the main cactus fields, the course opens up a bit and begins to twist and climb like a tame roller coaster. One time coming close enough to tent city to consider calling it a night before the trail leads you away to the courses lowest and coldest point. Fewer cactus out here except for the "Brain" - a barrel cactus that resides in the middle of the line - in an area of high speed and severe compressions. At night, these compression are hard to read and turn sharply in the middle of them, speed control is key. Better safe than cactus is our motto here. Flatting or crashing here at night with cold temperatures and a long way from home is not a pleasant option. Then the gradual climb up to the backside of the hill begins. The climb out is about a 3.5 mile climb through yet another cactus field (a variety I don't the name of). Here you can really see the pace difference of the one and two man teams and the multiman teams. This is where managing your energy level is important depending on how many laps you personally plan on doing. If you riding a team, you give it your all and recover with a barely pop for 5 hours. If you're solo or duo, you pace. Conquering the last climb symbolized by a cross on the rocks (in memory of one riders dog) re-energizes your legs and morale as it is all down hill the last mile. You take in the rich culture of tent city, with it's noises and fires burning knowing that only the "option" remains before hitting the sack. While it is downhill to the finish, it is sprinkled with high speeds, compression dips and several interesting off camber turns that took down more than one rider. The "OPTION" as it is known is the famous rock drop that have been the object of so many pictures. Always the most crowded spot on the course the rock drop sponsored two good year sales this year. One of which was heli-vaced out but seemed in good spirits as he chatted with emergency crews and supporters. So now the lap is over and you pass your baton to a comrad or continue to suffer by yourself into the wee hours while other sleep. The path may be defined, but the journey is yours. The memories are frozen in your mind and the race grows in lore. If not for dreamers like Sadow who envisioned building an event where the course is great and the people nicer, and for sponsors like Kona Bicycles who walk their talk, life would go on, it would be just a whole lot less fun.

Want to see some photos of The 24 Hours of Old Pueblo?

Added note - This years race saw the crowning of a new top dog and hopefully a new chapter in the epic race - Team Adrenaline and Coyotes Athletic Center - targeted and dethroned two time defending champion Kona by taking advantage of Kona's auspicious start and cementing their lead with lap after lap of fast times. Sam Schultz (on load from team Gary Fisher) threw down the fastest lap of the race with a blistering 55 minute lap, while fellow team mates Andy Schultz (on load from team Kenda) and Jeff Herrera and Chris Suter were consistently fast throughout the event keeping the Kona team at bay and never letting them draw closer than about 6 minutes. The final winning margin was around 20 minutes. What will next year bring? Let's hope more good competition, fair weather and more great people.

 

Location: News >> Kona's 24 Hour of Old Pueblo - A new Team is crowned king on the 10th Anniversary.


 
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