24 hours to remember « ABQJournal Sports Mobile
Part family camping adventure and part endurance bike ride, the 24 Hours in the Enchanted Forest promises to be a mountain bike race like no other.
Part family camping adventure and part endurance bike ride, the 24 Hours in the Enchanted Forest promises to be a mountain bike race like no other.
Held on an 18-mile course outside of Gallup, the race is set for June 15 and has the distinction of being the USA Cycling 24-Hour National Mountain Bike Championships for 2103 and 2014.
“People from all over the country are hearing about this race,” said Lindsay Mapes of race promotion company Zia Rides. “We have people coming not only from New Mexico and neighboring states, but from as far away as Illinois and Montana.”
| If you go Schedule Highlights(Full schedule will be posted online at ziarides.com)Saturday, June 8 Registration closes Thursday, June 13 9 a.m.: Camping opens Noon: Course ready for pre-riding Friday, June 14 6-9 p.m.: Packet pickup 6-8 p.m. Pasta dinner 7 p.m.: Bike games 7 p.m.: Demos Saturday, June 15 8:30 a.m.: Pre-race yoga 10 a.m.: Race meeting 11 a.m.: Race start 2 p.m.: Free kids’ bike race — every kid gets a prize! 3 p.m.: Family ride 7-9 p.m.: Wine and cheese and live band Sunday, June 16 10 a.m.: Huffy Toss 11 a.m: Race ends and awards ceremony noon: Post-race party |
Enchanted Forest is now the largest mountain bike race in New Mexico, with more than 400 riders expected. The ride has grown from 150 in its inaugural year, 2010, to nearly 350 last year, according to the event’s website.
The race truly has something for every level of rider, as well as those who come to support them.
“These people put on a first-class event,” said Marte Lightstone of Albuquerque, who rode the event last year on one of only a few all-women teams. “It’s not just for racers.”
She said while the riders really appreciate the attention to details – such as a well-marked course and very clean portable toilets – it’s really the atmosphere that makes it a stand-out event.
Lightstone’s favorite things along the race course include the “bacon station,” areas with music playing and places where “scary things come out of the woods.”
“It’s really one of the best times I’ve ever had on a mountain bike,” she said.
Mapes said organizers make sure the race has a New Mexico flare. Ristras drape from the staging tents, and luminarias line the trail as the racers ride through the night. This year, there will be a Navajo blessing ceremony before the race.
“We really try to incorporate a lot of New Mexico history and culture into the event,” Mapes said.
Along with the 24-hour race, the weekend will feature a free event geared to get novice riders and families out on the trails.
Called Enchanted Land, the 5-mile ride encourages novices and parents riding with kids to enjoy time on a bicycle. There also will be piñatas, a treasure hunt and a craft tent for making Father’s Day cards.
The most popular side show of the weekend is the Huffy Bike Toss where participants get to hurl a beater bike as far as they are able. Prizes for men and women include new cruiser bikes.
Mapes says it’s not only the excellent trails that make the race so popular.
“Cyclists from outside of the Southwest love this terrain with the big pines and wide open spaces. But it’s really different from rest of country here.”
Lightstone says it’s great that the race will get the exposure from being on the national mountain bike race calendar.
“The rest of the country will find out how good the trails are in New Mexico,” Lightstone said.
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