WHY I DIG THE 24 IN THE SAGE AND JEFF PLACE....

This weekend was a true test. I have been looking forward to this one for quite sometime as I was given the opportunity to announce an event which I already considered to be the most fun 24 Hour mountain bike racing event in the country. If you have not been to Gunnison for the 24 Hours in the Sage, which is promoted and organized by Mitch Fedak and crew, you just will not understand these words. This race is 110% about the soul of mountain biking and what it stands for, fun. Where the hell else can you pick up bottles of "special edition" 24 Hours in the Sage "Hot Lap" Habanero sauce AND a bottle of "Dave's Chamois Cream Soda"?? Along with some sweet 24 in the Sage socks and tons of other shwag? And the soda, modeled after KOA Dave, who is one of the most gracious people you will ever meet in your life, is EXCELLENT!

This pic was clearly taken during day one when the energy levels were off the charts and I had no beard. The race is based out of the KOA campground in Gunnison, which means you have REAL toilets, showers, bike washing areas and ALL the comforts of home. No gritty sand in your teeth after this one folks...

The 4 man Singlespeed podium was pretty Streetswelled up, 1st and 3rd with Mike Skellion's WD-40 team second.
Jeff Place gets ready for a hot night lap, well, kind of hot, under a near full moon, no big deal. I believe this was right at Scotch Thirty.
The parting shot, Fedak's Townie class cruiser bike takes a post race bath.

In the end, your men's and women's solo winners were Dan Loftus and Kris Cannon (3 peat!). Loftus was able to overcome the World U25 Taylor Lideen when Lideen got altitude sickness VERY late in the race and had to drop out with a near two lap lead, giving Loftus the win...
Thanks to Derrick Fish for the laughs from across the pond, technology has ruined us, when you have free wi-fi at the announcer's booth during a 24 hour event, some funny shit is going to go down, and it did. Facebook updates from people who were 200 yards away during the event kept things pretty humorous, and rockin Pandora music through the PA didn't suck either, except for the commercials.

As for Jeff Place, well he saved my ass last night, and deserves an A2B shout out for good Karma. I drove home from Gunnison yesterday after burying myself on the Mic for 24 hours, almost fell asleep 10 times on Kebler Pass while driving, pounded a #2 Value meal from McD's, drank three cokes, and made it back to Eagle exhausted, at which time I decided to gear up and go for a ride as it was a PERFECT eve to ride despite being a bit on the sleepy side. I made the decision to take no phone, and just enough to fix ONE flat, which NEVER happens. Upon descending the race course from the top of the Boneyard, I flatted, and without all the lame details, I had a small knobby tear that needed some love. I flatted far away from home, was tired, had no pump, and "wasted" my CO2 before realizing the hole was kind of large. So I walked down the hill with the hopes that Jeff Place would answer his door even though he himself had just raced the 24 in the Sage and drove home as well. He was there, had a pump, answered the door, and kept me from arriving home at 10pm. Free Squirt for you my friend.