24 Hours of Falcon Lake Report

The boys at the FGBC, RRR and Birch Mountain Bike Club were trying to restart the tradition of 24 hour relay race for Manitobans and they did a fantastic job.  Check out the other blogs soon for their versions and pictures of the event.  My highlights: enough kiln dried oak firewood for a 96 hour relay race, Friday night fire u-boats, the feeling I got looking at a parking lot filled with cars, bikes, tents and gear, watching the full moon roll across the sky, hearing brakes squeal and watching lights roll down the switchback and across the face of the hill at night, solo riders that pushed their capabilities and each other, an 8 person family and friends team where the kids rode laps faster than me, a 7 kilometre course that had tough climbs, flowy roads, technical Canadian shield scrambles, and mucky/boggy slogs, Christmas light corridor and a glow stick lane to draw us forward, an encouraging and supportive crowd, sweet RRR and 24 hour shirts, draw prizes - I won a nice backpack (not a diaper bag!) from MEC, midnight dogfest sponsored by Olympia, and a  pancake and sausage breakfast to wrap up the event.  Team Living Legends (me, Charlene, Darryl and Penner) took first/last place in the mixed 4 person relay category - woohoo!  Back Alley lent me a great light system that allowed me to ride a 1AM lap - thanks.  In my last moment packing I forgot to pack a sleeping bag, therma-rest, tent and clipless pedals (unfortunately this is more typical than I'd like to admit).  Penner found an extra set of pedals for me - thanks again, and I managed to procure a sleeping bag and crashed on the floor and couch for the weekend; since I was going to bed at 3'ish every night, I slept fine.  The 24 hour factor may come off as hard-core but it works just fine for anybody wanting to ride bike, camp and have a good time - Team ABES in 2011?  I hope so.  JS