Team Big Bear's entry T-shirt said it all: "I went to the 12 Hours at the Summit 2003 mountain bike endurance race. And all I got was...hungry...cramps...blisters...scabs...dirty...saddle sore...dehydrated...uncomfortable. I came, I saw, I rode and rode and rode... What did you do?
That last question is important too, because this is the most user friendly endurance race in the universe. Twelve hours is a lot more doable than 24 hours. Plus, there's no need to fuss with lights. It's also easy to do the race without a pit crew. Most of all, racing 12 hours has to be a lot less painful than 24 hours; so why wouldn't you do it?
THE HALF DAY PATHS
This is the only downhill endurance event in the world. Riders were sent down their most feared run at Big Bear. At 2.2 miles, Westridge has more bumps, jumps, turns and obstacles than any other course up there.
On the cross country front, racers were given an all new course. Instead of going up the grueling Bristlecone and Fern Trail singletrack TBB sent us further east along some rollers, up the paved highway that feeds into Bear Mountain, and then 1300 feet up Fire Road 2N10. After the rolling Speedos at the top of the summit, TBB sent us down the horrifyingly fast Skyline Creek descent. Course length was 9.5 miles.
THE FASTEST SOLO MAN ON THE MOUNTAIN
In three years Jim The Machine Dover has gone from a Honda rep, sport rider, Sea Otter Expert Champion, 24 Hours of Adrenalin Champion to the oldest semi-pro in the world. At the turn of last year the quick rise to fame hit the 46-year old hard, and his results started to suffer. But it was the 12 Hours at the Summit that re-ignited the flame. In Jim's own words:
"I'm BACK! The 12 hour was the first race worth bragging about in a year; after being either chronically fatigued (or just plain burnt out) since last May. The basic idea of the 12 hour is to start racing a 9.5 mile course at 7:30 a.m. and complete as many laps as possible (or as your sanity dictates) before the cutoff of 7:30 p.m. In 2001 I was the top solo rider and hoped to repeat that feat. Poor race results and a long period of fatigue caused me to skip the event last year. Even as I headed for the LeMans start of the 2003 event, I had real questions about my current level of fitness."
Jump forward 11 hours, 48 minutes and one second: "I won the 45+ Titanium Solo Men category and completed more laps (13) than any other solo competitor. For comparison, the top four man team completed 16 laps. In half a day by myself I raced 123.5 miles, climbed 17,000 vertical, burned 10,000 calories and lost three pounds. During the race I consumed four Starbucks Frappaccinos, one Payday candy bar, one tuna sandwich, one Ding Dong, three packs of GU and one bottle of Gatorade. The Frappaccinos had a noticeably positive effect on my lap times!
"During the 12 hours I had no flat tires, no mechanical problems (save
for one brief chain-suck issue), no crashes (but one REALLY close call on the
pavement near the transition area) and only stopped riding once to answer the call of nature.
"I would like to thank Ellsworth Bikes, Zeal Optics, Maxxis Tires, I.E. Bikes in Murrieta, CA, Specialized clothing and BeBop pedals; my coach Arnie Baker, and especially my family Janet, Mary and Carl. In case you're wondering, I was very sore for a few days after!"
Thanks, Jim. For Dover the 12 hour was just a warmup for the August 30/31 World Solo 24 Hour Championships in Whistler, BC, Canada.
THE OTHER HEROES
Jim wasn't the only hero of the day. Any rider who faces the start of an endurance event is a star in our books. Following is MBA's Top Ten List of the faster waking hour riders at Big Bear.
TEN FASTEST DH TEAMS
1. Jermaine Brown, Julian Poomans, Chris Kief, Paul Yang
Pro/Semi/Exp...63 runs...11:58:39
2. Chris Reinhard, Chris Maher
2-man...63...11:59:58
3. Bret Butler, Stuart Travis, David Forbis, Craig Van Cleve
Pro/Semi/Exp...62...11:44:29
4. Michael Gee, Bob Hill
2-man...62...11:46:34
5. Mike Thompson, Dave Mullen
2-man...62...11:50:09
6. Bob Vigil, Ryan Burger, Kyle Burger, Orven Zaragoza
Pro/Semi/Exp...62...11:58:20
7. Rob Cadle, Hank Cadle, Aaron Potter, Jackson Hisey
Pro/Semi/Exp...62...11:58:45
8. Robert Stouts, Neil Chrisholm
2-man...61...11:46:24
9. Casey Hignite, Chris Elms, Danny Gurensy
Pro/Semi/Exp...61...11:59:23
10. Bobby Bondurant, Moses Cruz, Dan Oliver
Vet (140 years combined)...60...11:48:55
Robert Walker, Tim Abshire, Kevin Bresnahan, Todd Melenn
Fastest Spt/Beg team...60...11:53:27
Eigil Bisgaard, Alfonso Garcia, Matt White, Greg Meyer
Fastest Junior team...60...11:58:54
Nick Sunseri, Daniel Meeks, Michelle Rivera, Dave Shaw
Fastest Co-Ed team...60...11:51:03
Carolyn McCune, Colleen Baker, Kim Gilchrist, Dawn Breda
Fastest Women team...49...11:29:21
Malcolm Bader, Jim Harlow, Anthony Posada, Vyktor Cintron
Fastest Super Old team (180 years combined)...48...11:49:26
TEN FASTEST SOLO DH RIDERS
1. Phil Morstad...26-34...33 laps...11:54:19
2. Andrew Schafer...25 Under...32...11:43:10
3. Sean Kennedy...26-34...32...11:44:14
4. Kevin Matthes...35-44...32...11:47:10
5. Kyle Bielenberg...26-34...32...11:50:54
6. William Newby...35-44...32...11:52:50
7. Paul Wisda...35-44...32...11:56:54
8. Ray Provencio...25 Under...32...11:57:04
9. Mike Jennings...45+...32...11:59:58
10. Hong Keovila...26-34...31...11:42:24
Fastest Women: Missy Obbards...14...8:00:00
TEN FASTEST XC TEAMS
1. Griffith Vertican, Garnet Vertican, Sean Donovan, Matt Freeman
Pro/Semi/Exp...16 laps...11:36:11
2. Chris Botti, Jeff Theis, Ryan Yee, Aaron Wilkinson
Pro/Semi/Exp...16...12:03:19
3. Charles Jenkins, Hal Halbock
2-man...15...11:40:31
4. Todd Brown, Donald Miller, Peter Vidmar, Jeff Sumsion
Vet (140 years combined)...15...11:54:50
5. Derek Hermon, Rick Baraff, Karen Lundgren, Paul Romero
Co-Ed...15...11:56:20
6. Jeroen Bosboom, Michael Caffrey, Monique Mata, Ronald Sawicki
Co-Ed...14...11:23:26
7. Greg Alexander, Aaron Gibbs
2-man...14...11:35:18
8. Calvin Mulder, Dan Height
2-man...14...11:35:55
9. Christopher Lindsay-Smith, Ron Castia
2-man...14...11:41:10
10. Rob Bernhard, Jeff Hines, Randy Long, Tammy House
Super Old (180 years combined)...14...11:49:49
Mike Henderson, Ray Taylor, Andy Ali, Travis Tubbs
Fastest Spt/Beg team...13...11:20:30
Susie Brown, Debi Nicholls, Fiona Visocnik, Yvonne Rogers
Fastests Women team...11...11:32:33
Deanna Maass, Heather Krauss, Emilie Parlovich, Maribel Lastimosa
Fastest Vet Wmn (140 years combined)...10...11:32:21
Augustos Leslie, Patrick Leslie, Rhett Rocco, Josh Leslie
Fastest Junior team...8 laps...11:27:50
TEN FASTEST SOLO XC RIDERS
1. Jim Dover...45+...13...11:48:01
2. Tony Manzella...Sng Spd...12...10:56:00
3. Mario Correa...26-34...11...10:48:27
4. David Roth...35-44...11...10:56:20
5. Eddie Arnet...35-44...11...11:03:30
6. Mike Hileman...35-44...11...11:25:27
7. Greg Schlachter...26-34...11...11:25:59
8. Cary Flebbe...35-44...11...11:30:09
9. Bob Rich...35-44...10...10:52:18
10. Miguel Romero...26-34...10...11:03:16
Fastest 25 Under: Mark Koep...9...10:58:33
Fastest Women: Tammy Darke...9...11:05:15
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