By Eddie Arnet
All photos by Tom Sitton (A true Big Bear legend)
Throwbacks: Larry Longo and Eddie Arnet in the same jerseys they wore at
the Fall Classic in 1986. National Mountain Bike Series announcer Longo,
48 years old, finished 5th semipro in a time of 1:21:47; within 15
seconds of making MBA's Top 10 List of the fastest 2006 Fall Classic
riders.
Big Bear legends: From the top--Don Strategier, Don Cousins, Tom
Spiegel, Eric Airheart, Doris Matyasovich, Kerry Brown and Mike Jenkins. Along the bottom we have Steve Kinney, Larry Longo, Tom Rebber and John Callahan. Special awards were given to these pioneers of Big Bear mountain biking.
Driving up Highway 330 to Snow Summit with Motocross Action Editor Jody Weisel, the 1986 Fall Classic would be my second mountain bike race. It was back when the sport had just exploded onto the mainstream. At that time Jody and I were working on the second ever issue of MBA. (The one that when finished had a full cover shot of trials star Kevin Norton blasting through a Crystal Cove wave.) At the Snow Summit parking lot we met up with MBA ad salesman Byron Friday and some kid named John Tomac.
This was nothing like my first race at the Rockhopper South, which was held on the Running Springs side of Big Bear Mountain. The Fall Classic had a huge mass start up Summit Boulevard. It was the full moto heading down (up?) Towne Trail and for the next 18 miles. For me it was just a mind blowing experience. Of everything I learned and saw, it's the descent down 1E01 (Pineknot) that sticks out most in my mind. I just couldn't get enough for the feel of flying down this incredible busy, rugged, 3.5 mile stretch of singletrack aboard a rigid Diamondback Arrival.
That thrill has never changed. (Except for that the bikes now aren't completely scary, teeth-jarring handfuls on descents.) At the 2006 edition of the Fall Classic we still have the mass start, same incredible layout with warp speed 1E01 descent, free food afterwards, and great season ending vibe.
For me it was even better yet. Along with all the cool Fall Classic legends who showed up to race, I was inducted into the Team Big Bear Hall of Fame along with longtime expert competitors David and Cheryl Roth. We are legends because we have stood the test of time. But David, Cheryl, I and all other TBB Hall of Famers know who the real legend is. It's the Snow Summit riding area and the tradition Big Bear Fall Classic layout. And everyone who rides it is a legend.
Epilogue: Believe it or not, the 20th Anniversary Fall Classic doesn't mark the longest running mountain bike race in the world. That distinction is held by another Southern California Classic, the Sagebrush Safari, which has been holding events since 1985.
TEAM BIG BEAR HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Snow Summit's Wall of Fame: Don Cousins. Dan Hanebrink. Heko and Patty
Peschel. Larry Longo. John Tomac. John Parker. Linda and Lorde Taber. Paul and Sandy Senft. Al Piemme. Gary Hoss Onnen. Tracy Oswell. Mike Jennings. Joe Sloop. Doris Matyasovich. Jamie Harwood. Mary Stanford. Eddie Arnet. David and Cheryl Roth.
TOP 10 RIDERS
1. Sean Donovan...Pro...Cytomax-KHS...1:16:08
2. Hal Helbock...Pro...Cytomax-KHS...1:16:48
3. Michael Lee...Pro...Trek-VW...1:17:49
4. Tim Olson...Pro...Trek-VW...1:18:32
5. Manuel Prado...Semi...Sho-Air/Ro...1:19:18
6. Jon Stierwalt...Semi...Giant...1:19:27
7. Dana Weber...Pro...Jax...1:19:29
8. Mike Tettleton...I.E. Bikes...1:19:56
9. Denton Bowers...Sng
Spd...Bicycle Jo...1:21:08
10. Romolo Forcino...Semi...Content Works...1:21:32
TOP 10 EXPERTS
1. Raymond Caballero...30-34...Helens-Fisher...1:24:40
2. Doug Andrews...45-49...Geoladders...1:25:04
3. Kenny Robertson...35-39...Bicycle Jo...1:25:31
4. John Parsons...40-44...Chicken Ranch...1:25:39
5. David Sullivan...45-49...Bike Empire...1:26:07
6. Jason Kissell...19-24...Incycle...1:26:36
7. John McKeen...25-29...PAA-Merril...1:26:41
8. Edward Dinger...Sng Spd...Jose Ole'...1:26:43
9. Roger "Golden Gun" Moore...35-39...Platinum...1:27:00
10. Grant Boldt...25-29...SDBC...1:27:53
Top 17-18: Amador CAstro...SC Velo...1:31:02
Top16-: Brandon Lee...Trek-VW...1:34:58
Top 50-54: Jon Miller...Amgen...1:35:08
Top 55-59: Eric Storm...1:38:09
Top 60-64: Stan Ford...Back Alley...1:44:56
Top 65+: Buzz Brockway...Team Ape...2:14:02
TOP 10 WOMEN
1. Chrissy Bono...Pro...Bicycle Jo...1:35:14
2. Carolyn Popovic...Pro...Mtbchick...1:35:37
3. Ankie Trollegard...Exp 30-39...Helens-Sub...1:43:0
0
4. Heather Ranoa...Exp 30-39...Cycopath...1:45:32
5. Joy Duerksen...Exp 19-29...Jose Ole'...1:49:06
6. Heidi Kanayan...Exp 19-29...Steven K...1:50:32
7. Debbie Strehlow...Exp 40-49...Bicycle Jo...1:52:41
8. Cheryl Roth...Exp 40-49..Helens-Fisher...1:53:28
9. Tammy Darke...Exp 30-39...AFP-Velo Sport...1:54:09
10. Jennifer See...Exp 30-39...Chicken Ranch...2:05:17
TOP 10 SPORTS
1. Ryan Clark...25-29...Justgoride...1:27:57
2. Paul Hubbell...40-44...Dare...1:28:45
3. Terry Best...25-29...1:28:46
4. Sean Smith...35-39...AFP-Velo Sport...1:30:07
5. Bryan Cusick...25-29...1:31:09
6. Jason Fitzgibbon...Sng Spd...1:31:15
7. John Dalton...40-44...Velocity...1:31:37
8. Jeremy Templeman...25-29...K&N...1:33:40
9. Brendan Shepherd...35-39...50 Amp Fuse...1:34:00
10. Mark Giddings...40-44...USAF...1:34:07
Top 30-34: Adam Hart...Possabilities...1:34:15
Top 45-49: Robert Turner...Bicycle Jo...1:34:49
Top 50-54: Randy Stenglein...Century 21...1:37:15
Top Clyd 34-: Scott Harper...1:43:10
T
op Clyd 35+: Andrew Hart...Woodcrest...1:44:32
Top 17-18: Sal Uttaro...1:48:14
Top 55-59: Stu Robertson...Valley Spa...1:50:28
Top 19-24: Stephane Roch...Bike Empire...1:52:20
Top 60-64: Roger Sexton...Team Ape...2:01:03
Top 65+: Richard Gordon...2:44:06
Top 16-: Taylor Buckalew...Cycle World...3:04:08
WOMEN
1. Vanessa Humic...19-29...1:47:37
2. Jacinda Raiche...30-39...1:52:18
3. Lisa Crowe...19-29...1:53:20
4. Kat Post...40-49...Platinum...1:54:39
5. Heidi Volpe...30-39...Backbone...1:56:18
6. Michele Fulton...40-49...Boulder Cycle...2:05:46
7. Brooke Warner...19-29...Bicycle Jo...2:06:03
TOP 10 BEGINNERS
1. Kyle Ashton...30-34...1:33:10
2. Sergio Garcia...19-24...SC Velo...1:35:26
3. Colin Stuffmann...30-34...Cynergy...1:37:00
4. Fred Muir...45-49...Swamis...1:37:05
5. Anthony Borasi...25-29...1:37:08
6. Jonathan Luckett...40-44...Platinum...1:37:10
7. Cory Greenburg...18-...1:37:47
8. John Jacobson...30-34...1:38:03
9. Dan Roter...35-39...B.O.M.B...1:40:55
10. Miles Hel
rich...40-44...1:44:37
Top 50+: Jan Michaelis...Jose Ole'...1:49:28
Top Clyd 35+: Ben Mesa...Jose Ole'...2:13:05
Top Clyd 34-: Alexander Flinn...2:15:47
WOMEN
1. Mak Olsen...45-49...Oakley-Tur...2:01:26
2. Lynda Palubski...30-39...Idyllwild...2:08:04
3. Dena Seletzky...30-39...Rocky Mtn...2:08:25
4. Kylie Evans...19-29...2:19:44
5. Barbara Furlong...40-49...2:22:08
6. Melissa Cabrera...19-29...BV Bikes...2:37:12
7. Katharine Woessner...40-49...2:49:47
8. Virginia Cabrera...19-29...Spatdog...2:50:34
9. Rhonda Warden...40-49...2:57:20
10. Anne-Catherine Roch-Levecq...3:16:26
TOP 10 LEGENDS
1. Eric Airheart...Define...1:40:43
2. Tom Spiegel...Team Big Bear...1:47:17
3. Tom Rebber...1:53:04
4. Mike Jennings...Island Boy...1:54:26
5. Don Cousins...2:09:53
6. Don Strategier...2:11:49
7. Kerry Brown...Rim Nordic...2:25:35
8. Dan Hanebrink...Hanebrink...2:28:45
9. Doris Matyasovich...Titec-Rudy...2:28:49
10. John Callahan...2:54:27
TOP TANDEMS
1. Lisa Riehl/Greg Norombaba...Go Gi
rl-Tr...1:49:00
2. Celine/Jerome Lacote...2:19:50
3. David/Kyle Jackson...2:28:32
TOP JUNIOR LONG COURSE RIDERS
1. Justin Brewer...13-14...I.E. Bikes...1:22:26
2. Eric Lingenfelter...13-14...1:27:36
TOP JUNIOR COURSE RIDERS
1. Casey Williams...11-12...BV Bikes...1:06:48
2. Troy Sladeck...10-...Santa Cruz-Warrior's...1:13:26
3. Cameron Williams...10-...BV Bikes...1:14:18
4. Quint Berkemeier...11-12...1:20:30
14- WOMEN
1. Lacey Maxwell...Hoss MTB-T...1:2
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