2 x 12 Duo MTB

In the quest to keep things interesting, promoters are always coming up with new race formats.  THIS particular race was held at The Big Bear Lake Campgrounds outside of Bruceton Mills, West Virginia....and shaped up like THIS:

12 mile Mountain Bike Loops
2 person Teams
One rider at a time
Baton handoff between riders
Rinse and Repeat for 7 hours!
4 Laps for Sport; 6 Laps for Expert
Each rider has to ride 1/2 the laps

The whole "thing" started from Sam daring us to enter this race if he and Deidre came home from Colorado.  Since we don't take kindly to this young punk trying to push us old guys around, we accepted his challenge ...and the ball was set in motion!

Entering the Coed Expert Duo Division:
Deidre York and Sam Morrison

Entering the Men's Master's Sport Duo Division:
Kirk Morrison and Mike Maher
Rich Allen and Henry Dimmick

Coming along for the ride, so to speak, was Steve Brewer - SUPERFAN  :)

When we arrived, Dirty Mike had already set up (his) camp...about 71 miles from the Finish Line(!)...so we plopped our stuff down and added on!

Photo by Sonic Imaging

Photo by Sonic Imaging

The START began OFF course, and made the first riders (Sam, Mike and Richy) pedal up the Campgrounds Entrance HILL before going through the START/FINISH Tent and out into the single track.

Photo by Deidre York

Photo by Sonic Imaging

Photo by Deidre York

Once in the single track, shade helped ease the pain of the race-pace and the challenge of the roots and rock gardens of the course!

photo by Sonic Imaging

Photo by Sonic Imaging

Photo by SpokenChain.com

Photo by SpokenChain.com

Photo by SpokenChain.com

From then on, it was all "Tag Team Riding" for the next ~7 hours!!!

At the finish, was this really unique "catwalk"...

Photo by Sonic Imaging

...into a spiral back underneath the overpass...

Photo by Sonic Imaging

...back into the START/FINISH tent.

Photo by Sonic Imaging

Photo by Sonic Imaging

Photo by Deidre York

Photo by Sonic Imaging

The Results ...at the end, were:

Deidre and Sam finished in 5th Place (Coed Expert)
(14th Place Overall from 31 Total 6-Lap Division Teams)

Photo by Sonic Imaging

Rich and Henry finished in 4th Place (Master's Sport)
(18th Overall from 50 Total 4-Lap Division Teams)

...with Kirk and Mike finishing in 5th Place (Master's Sport)
(24th Overall from 50 Total 4-Lap Division Teams)

Photo by Guest Shooter - Colleen O’Neil  :)

In true backwoods flavor, there was a pair of ChainSaw Artists making and selling their wares!  The turtle went home with Henry!