GHTA © 2006-2011
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Dougs' 24 Hours of Moab
I just got back from the 24 hour race in Moab, UT! Here's the scoop: Moab had received record rainfall the week and days before I arrived. I could see wash outs and lots of debris over the roads where water had crossed and left rock and sand. The weather was gorgeous. Seventies, sunny, and beautiful scenery. When I arrived at the primitive road to the race venue, I had to follow a bulldozer rebuilding the road, as it had many washouts. The bulldozer actually got stuck when it slid into one of the sandy washouts. I finally got in and set up camp, but could not ride because the trail had to be remarked and repaired where the rain had cut deep gulches. I ended up helping Granny Gear set up their tents and got to know the staff pretty well during the set up. They found out Midwesterners really know how to swing a sledgehammer driving stakes, as I helped set up all the large tents. My campsite was located right on the finish stretch with a perfect view of the snow-capped LaSalle mountains. Blue skies with views of the buttes and rock formations. Starry nights with coyotes sounding off in the wee hours of morning. It was perfect. I landed on my right side, smashing my elbow, wrist, and hip in the rocks... I thought I was done for the race The trails were technical rock gardens and drops with fast fireroad. I finally got to start riding the course on Wednesday. The sandstone is very grippy, even when it is wet. It made for some fun riding. The technical rocks kept you on the alert. I took a major full speed crash on the first ride in some area when I dropped my front wheel into a crevice. I landed on my right side, smashing my elbow, wrist, and hip in the rocks. My elbow ended up swelling up to the size of a softball immediately. I thought I was done for the race. I finished the ride, iced my elbow, and went to bed early to escape pain. Next day, my elbow was down to "golf ball size" and pain was easier to tolerate. I got to ride with some pretty fantastic riders. The Colorado, Utah, California bunch are very serious riders and biking is a big part of the culture out here. They are very fit and fast. I got to know Keith Bontrager really well. He's a great technical rider and a very good campfire cook. Keith, and his wife Laura, slept in a tent and are really into roughing it. Our team got more practice rides in and where I had been the only one at the venue on Tuesday, suddenly there was 350 teams and tent city all over the desert. Big rigs were arriving and I couldn't believe what people were driving down that class 5 road to get to the venue area. Lots of multi dollar RVs. The place was packed and very festive. Campfires everywhere. Lots of people out pre-riding. I saw some pretty elaborate team camps. This event is one of the major bike events in the USA and the largest 24 hour race. The factory rigs where coming for team support. It wasn't like Landahl where there was a couple of tents for checking in etc.... This was a full-blown tent city with all the vendors, etc.... Everything was looking great and then we went to sleep Friday night... Little did we know! The weather forecast was 30% chance for showers. A little rain would actually help firm up the trail and keep the dust down. As more riders had gone out for the pre-ride, some sections of the trail were getting so sandy that it was getting impossible to ride. I ended up volunteering for the run to start the race because it was obvious no one was going to volunteer. When I lined up at noon with 350 riders, standing in the rain and mud, I figured out why no one had volunteered. These guys are just smarter than me. When they sounded the cannon for the start, it was every man and woman for themselves. Mud was getting kicked up in the air and into the faces of runners. People were falling down, and in some instances, pushed own, as racers sprinted for a lone tree out in the middle of nowhere. I started fast but faded toward the tree and got cut off to get around. By the time I got to my bike, I couldn't see because I had so much mud in my face. Racers had to go out through a small gate to the fireroad and ride the fireroad for about a mile for the first lap only, to help separate the racers before hitting the trail. Imagine what it would be like trying to squeeze 350 racers through a 25 yard gate, and did I mention it was "pig trough" muddy? Riders were crashing into each other, falling down, trying to run around the pile of crashed bikes. The fireroad wasn't any better as it was pure slime and now all those riders that had ran so hard to get to their bikes were running out of gas and were slowing down and were in the way. Let me go back to my comment about "not being as smart as these guys!" What the hell was I thinking? Why was the 5' 7", 53 year old, Midwesterner that lives at an altitude of 800ft doing the run with all these young, crazed, mountain lung racers? Must be the "take one for the team" coaching mentality. I can say that I will not forget that start and it was part of the epic experience. Back to the race! One of the problems when you don't get a good start in any mountain bike race is getting stuck behind racers that start fast and fade. This was very apparent as we entered the rocky single track. Each lap was 15 miles and I was stuck behind slower racers for about 8 miles. The rain had stopped and the trail and fireroad was actually in great shape. It's the desert and the rain had packed the sand making for some great riding. It was just the crowd that slowed me down on the first lap. I guess I'll just have to run faster next time. No, dumbass, you're not going to volunteer for that run next time. All the time I have been ranting I have failed to mention that I was riding through stunning scenery, by massive buttes, on slick rock formations, and ledge drops rated as extremely dangerous. I rode everything except one drop that is known as "Nose Dive!" This is a very serious piece of work with about seven 3 ft. drops. I didn't see anyone ride it, although I was told some guys did in the warm up lap with major suspension bikes. It didn't make any difference if you rode it or not, as you had to climb out the other side with your bike. And I literally mean throw your bike on your shoulder and climb out. About 3/4's through the first lap there is 3 major climbs with minimal recovery that pass over fireroad and rocky outcrops. After suffering through the climbing sections, you are treated to a 3 mile downhill on a fireroad that is one of the fastest finishes I've ever experienced. Pure "geared out" fun! After surviving the first lap, I was not happy with my time or my effort for the team. Bontrager had two teams. Scott Yule was the first rider on the other Bontrager team and had the fastest Master lap the past two years at Moab. Scott finished only a minute ahead of me so I wasn't totally crushed. The weather started improving and times were getting faster and faster. The 2nd Bontrager team was much slower than the first team. It was apparent before we even started the race that our goal should be to podium, because the two fastest riders were on the "A" team. I couldn't wait to get out for my second lap and prove that my first lap was a result of a poor run. I checked in at the tent at 5:15 pm and asked when it would probably get dark. I was told it would be getting dark at 7:00ish. I figured there was no way I was going over 1hr 30 min on a lap and passed on taking lights. Bad Choice! While waiting for Keith to come in and pass the baton for my lap, it started to rain, then the flood gates opened and it poured. That storm cell sat right on top of us and cut loose. I could only laugh cause I was doomed to another epic lap. I was in the worst timing of the rotation as far as this weather cycle. Riders 1 and 2 rode in the rain and mud. Riders 3 and 4 rode their laps and didn't have a spec of mud on their bikes or clothes. They also had the fastest times posted in our Masters class. I just rode into the stream as fast as I could and hoped to keep up momentum So how bad was it? As the rain became more intense, the trail was getting washed out and gullies were forming. The sand and water totally ate up my brake pads and my front brake was useless. This made for some pretty interesting descents down those XXX drops. The steep fireroads were so muddy that I was just pointing and shooting and hoping I wouldn't slide off the road and crash. Shifting was impossible and I ended up running my bike up many of the climbs because my chain would "suck" up into my front derailleur. There were lots of riders with broken chains, pushing their bikes. Whereas on my first lap when I was riding in the rain, I never forded moving water. It was just muddy and crowded. On this lap, I forded flooded crossings 5 times. I'm talking about knee to waist high water. Many riders refused to cross the streams because of the danger. I just rode into the stream as fast as I could and hoped to keep up momentum. I made all the crossings except one. I got stopped by the force of the water but didn't get knocked down. After the last stream crossing I started the climbing. It was now getting dark and I knew I had to really haul ass or face descending in the dark. I got through the climb but the damage was done. It was dark and I had a 3 mile descent to make on a washed out road. I was cold, wet, and pissed. I told myself that I was going to let it rip and deal with the consequences. I passed riders right and left. They had lights on but were riding slower. At the final crossing at the very end of the descent, the stream was 20 yards wide. I hit that crossing going full speed, in the dark, just pointing to where I knew was the best place to climb out. The stream slowed me down all the way to the other side and then I knew I was home free. I found what gears that were still working and limped in to the finish area just in time to hear the announcement that the race was going to be stopped at 8:00 because the course was too dangerous and the threat of hypothermia. Lucky me! I got to ride one of the most epic laps that will go down in the history of Granny Gear 24 hour racing. The rest is history in the making. I didn't get to go out for another lap the next day because the starting time got pushed back. Laird Knight of Granny Gear ended up trying to come up with a fair way to get the race started but the damage had been done and the outcome of the race depending on when your racer went out and if they got caught in the "epic lap". Laird ended up throwing out all the laps after 8:00 pm Saturday night, which means all the racing on Sunday meant nothing. Would I go back? I had a lot of time to think about it driving home 1,100 miles. The course is fun, the scenery beautiful, the competition fierce in all categories. Yeah, the competitive spirit in me wants to go back and prove I can compete with these guys and ride faster. I know the course now and how to train for it. I'll probably go back! But, there is one thing for damn sure, I am absolutely not going to volunteer for that crazy run! Hoped you enjoyed my little adventure. I'm sure this epic event will be the topic of a lot of cycle articles. We'll see what happens next time Doug Long © 2006 |
