The Bacon Strip

it’s been about 6 months since i first read about this race, and 3 or 4 months since i registered. one would think that’s enough time to have all prep under control. now it’s 3 days till the whole sha-bang goes off and details about travel, gear, food, and support are coming into focus. at the moment, it’s looking like i’ll be traveling to the venue solo, racing in the solo singlespeed class, sans crew. this will definately be a test of will power and moderation. just me, and the 134 other solo racers, and ??? thousand team riders, crew, and good people of 24 Hour Town. i have a feeling it’ll be one of the deals where you meet so many more people when you’re alone. i’ll try to take some pics and share it with you all, from prep to travel, to arrival and waiting to racing to the apres race. actually, the traverse back from southern AZ in the wake of 150-200 miles of riding (hopefully) might be the crux of the trip. what fun there is to be had!

stay tuned,

Japhy rider

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Feb. 15 - Update

OK, my better judgement said “take the truck,” my fruit cake judgement said “take the moto,” and i went back and forth like that for a couple of days. finally, the fruit cake got distracted and the better judgement swooped in. i’m takin’ the stinkin’ truck after all. at least it’s loaded lightly and oughta get decent mileage. no EZ-Up, no table, just a small cooler, a bike stand, a tool box, and my camp kitchen. and 3 beers JIK i get to car bivy in the deserto tonight. i’ll be rollin’ by 1300 and hopeto in 24 Hour Town tomorrow midday.

adios, muchachas!

J. rider

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Feb. 21, Apres race report: What really happened at the 24 Hours of the Old Pueblo…

The drive through NV into AZ was cake. Weather was ideal and the roads were empty.

I love the old mining towns across the Great Basin. Fancy buildings, 49′er era hotels, victorian houses, and peopled by ol’ timers with skin like iron…

I made it through Vegas at sunset, and well into AZ before needing rest. After a 5 hour car bivy between Wikieup and Wickenburg, AZ, i found myself traversing Phoenix at 0800 friday morning - that sucked. things got better when interstates led to state highways and finally a turn onto dirt roads. from there, it was pretty obvious where to go…

i arrived in 24 Hour Town at about 1030 and busied myself with finding a camp in the solo hood, getting squared away for the race, and meeting my neighbors. The text messages I fired off on occasion did a fine job of putting it in a nutshell. Wolfy posted them for me as comments, but I’ll insert them here so we have it all in one place.

Message #1 - (Friday afternoon a few Tecates later) “Arrived in 24 Hour town @ 1100, nailed down campsite, bacon n eggs n Tecate 4 brunch. Met neighbors. Rode 15 mi lap - nontech, scratchy! Met Jacob and Goat, M. Gullo, & 24 Gunni folks. Food prep & social hour now. J.r.”

Message #2 - (first break since start of race, ran out of food, water, and was going to be dark before i finished another lap) “4 laps in 5 hours, 60 miles. Break now. Lights from here on. Vulture bike rocks!”

oh yeah, i got lapped by Tinker Juarez just before finishing my 4th lap. cool!

Message #3 - (after massage, in bag for nap and to warm up) “Lap 7 was tough. Went to massage tent at 2230 then to truck. made soup, resting till 2400, at least. Thanks for the cheers!”

“shifting is a sign of weakness”

Message #4 - (sent after race ended, to a few more peeps so it reads a bit redundant, probably the best rested solo racer!) “Rode 3 laps after dark till batteries needed swaping, 20 minute massage and got too cold cooking dinner. Crawled into bag at 11, woke up at 7am! hahaha! Back in saddle at 0830 loaded for bear, rode 3 more laps, left it all out there. “Und now it begins,” 700 miles of driving.”

not bad, i guess. 10 laps, 150 miles of racing, 11 hours off the bike including an 8 hour nap. pretty decadent, yeah, but i had fun. crucial thanks to Cycle Therapists for taking good care of the racers. as for pics, my camera didn’t get much use once the race started so i’m low on action shots. it’s hard to get shots of anything while riding solo. let’s see what shows up in the www. look for the black Vulture (Coragyps Atratus), a blue Vulture woolie and some TELE LOVE gloves.

As for driving home, that wasn’t bad. rain across AZ and a tailwind in NV sure helped, as did that full night’s sleep i’d gotten. i’d do it again too, maybe this August at Gunnison’s 24 Hours in the Sage. Anyone game?