First Annual Tour de Tryptophan
November 29, 2004
By: Richard Cunningham
A different kind of 24-hour event was staged in Southern California the day after Thanksgiving. Around 30 cyclists gathered for a noon-to-noon ride-fest and barbeque to celebrate an urban ride that has been an institution for mountain bikers for over two decades. For 22 years, equestrians, runners and dog walking folks have shared Fullerton, California's, extensive urban trail network with mountain bikers. The "Fullerton Loop" as locals call it, is a 12-mile roller coaster ride through the densely populated hills of the city that was pieced together by an itinerant bike builder from horse trails, sleepy streets, green belts, sidewalks and railroad right-of-ways back in 1982.
The "Tour de Trytophan" was an underground event conceived by Mountain Bike Hall-Of Famer, Steve Bohemke and his friends: Jimmy Camp, Mark Salmon and single-speed guru Ballba Uster. The basic rules were: "no rules," and the only timing system in place was a diary of the event penned by Jennifer Diamond, complete with "Care Bear" stickers that marked special efforts by competitors. Each finisher picked up a playing card to mark a finished lap and there were special stipulations for winners that helped level the playing field so that virtually anyone who cranked out a lap could end up on the podium.
Perfect November weather, ample supplies of food and hot coffee and a full moon kept spirits high and batteries charged throughout the night. Ultimately, Mike Miller, a skinny, once-a-month cyclist cranked out 12 laps to take the perpetual "Cars-R-Coffins" trophy for the first ever 24-Hours of Fullerton. Mike triumphed over stronger, more aggressive athletes by staying awake while his competition snored away in the back of their cars. By the time the sleepy bears crawled out of bed, Miller had 144 miles under his wheels, swollen knees, and the title sewn up. The slowest lap was put in at night by a young woman named Genevieve who had never ridden a mountain bike before.
Riding the Tour de Tryptophan was a truly unique experience. Traditionally, Fullerton-Loop mountain bikers have been extra careful to slow down or stop for other users, so there was a refreshing amount of smiling faces to be seen, and a lot of waving and greeting took place along the way. The route parallels major streets, threads behind sleepy back yards and drifts between forested greenbelts. There are long sections of sweet singletrack that give the impression that you have completely left the city for a few moments in time. Suffering to the summit of the loop's short, steep climbs was rewarded by sweeping views of the city below--especially at night, when it felt like we had whole city to ourselves.
The Tour de Tryptophan became a showcase for unusual and vintage bikes after Bob Bacin announced that he was going to ride a different mount each lap. Bob started on his vintage '1990 Mantis Pro Floater, followed by a spanking new Ellsworth Joker, and a rare "Green" suspension bike. Bacin dashed home for three more bikes and after he busted out a solo lap on his custom, steer-from-the-center triple, everyone within driving distance from the event returned to their garages for a fresh mount.
Bacin ran out of bikes at lap seven and was forced to ride an extra lap on his fully rigid '82 Mantis Sherpa. Steve Boehmke produced a beautiful Yeti tandem and went for a leisurely night lap with GF and fellow tour rider, Courtney Chambers. A father and his young son spun around the loop three times with a buddy-bike trailer setup, and one competitor brought a mint Santa Cruz for its first ride as a tribute to its fallen owner?a close friend who collapsed and died during a mountain bike ride a few days before the bright red Heckler was to be finished.
Winners got extra points for freestyle diving into the pool at the post-race party, which featured a sumptuous gourmet feast. The centerpiece was a perfectly roasted Tryptopan. The event raised almost $500 for a local children's charity.
See you next year and bring every bike that you own!
|