24 hours of afton: remembering the best bits

[ostertoaster85]

So what is your great story about what happened to you at the 24 hours of afton?

Personally, I had a blast as a volunteer. It was also a ton of fun cheering on the racers. If any of you got high fives from 3 guys during the night, I was one of them. I was also the guy walking around on the course in the morning wearing a red shirt. I got about 20 pictures then. I'll post them here on the website if I can figure out how to use the scanner.

[mtnbykr]

"....I got about 20 pictures..... I'll post them..... if I can figure out how to use the scanner."

when you have your film processed, you can have your photos put on a cd at the same time. saves using the scanner....

k

[gopherhockey]

I posted the few pictures I took of the 24 Hours in the Racing area of the Photo Gallery. I hope more people took pics and will upload them as well!

It was a fun event... hot during the day, cold at night. The trail was tough to be sure.. and rough. Luckily not many medical incidents... surprising considering how technical some of the sections were and how tired the riders were getting.

This was my first 24 Hours of Afton event. I already can't wait for next year. Maybe even on a team next year... ?? (anyone interested in making up a MORC team or two?)

I had a good time doing a couple laps - the last one at night with my buddy Kurt (mtnbykr) - he pushed me up and down the hills as he rode his singlespeed and I warily shifted my gears like crazy just to try keep a good pace. Thanks for the lap Kurt, it was fun... well, as fun as a lap at Afton can be ;)

Thanks to Tom from the patrol who, other than myself, was the only one to patrol the event. Tom parked about half way up the hill for many hours being available to riders and to the base patrol in case of an emergency. (note that the patrol found out only the day before the event that we were even allowed to be there... so by then many of the guys probably had other plans)

Thanks to Tori as well, who rode out there around 1pm on Friday and stayed the entire time helping out as a MORC volunteer... sometimes doing event work, and sometimes entertaining the rest of us. You can just guess what happens when a 13 year old drinks 12 cans of Red Bull in about 8 hours time. I bet she is still coming down from all that. As crazy as she could get, you have to hand it to Tori for coming out and helping like she did. It is volunteers like Tori that make these races happen.

Special thanks to Scott Thayer who was the MORC board member in charge of coordinating of volunteers. Scott and future board member (I hope) JJ Robb also took it upon themselves to bring out food and cook it up for those who were hungry. I probably shouldn't say this but a lot of people didn't think doing food was such a great idea or that "we'd be too busy" - but these 2 guys did it anyway... and those very same people who didn't see it as such a great idea were the ones enjoying a couple of burgers throughout the event. This is the very kind of initiative and energy the MORC board needs... great job guys!

Thanks to Dale Gundberg for supplying the PA system and speakers... and whomever it was that let us use his CDs. It was only late in the day Saturday that someone suggested we'd get the CDs to skip less if the speakers weren't on the same picnic table as the CD player was. (funny how it always skipped at the parts of songs that had the most bass). Thanks to both Tim Wegner and Dale for the use of the Trailsource ATV and trailer for the event!

There were many volunteers from Quality Bikes out there for the event. I don't know everyone enough to be able to name all the names... but if it weren't for the people from QBP this event would not have happened. Also the rest of the MORC volunteers and board members that showed up - you know who you are (too many to name) - great job!

Geez.. I'm thanking people like I just one an oscar or something... heck, I just had a blast out there. I can't believe this was my first one and what I have been missing!!!

[Sully]

This was my first year to be riding the race. I worked the last two years with MORC. I had a great team, we all were very supportive of each other, which we needed, lots of outside support as well. I had a couple of tough night loops back to back, between 2-4am, heck thats why we're mt. bikers right? It was an excellent event once again.(THANKS MORC). One great article in Sundays tribune, its cool to be heard of. Can't wait till next year.:)

[debermart]

Yep, had a great time out there this weekend. Our team improved from 19 laps last year to 25 this year, so we were pretty psyched. Thanks again to all the volunteers - we really appreciate your efforts so that we can race. Next year lets try to do something about the weather - hot and sunny days discriminate against fat guys like me. :crazy:

Cheers

Steve

[seberly]

The organizers of the 24 Hours of Afton (Joe Funk, Mike Pederson, & Steve Eberly of the Habanero Bicycle Club) would like to thank Scott Thayer and MORC for the enthusiastic volunteer staff to man the key functions of the event.

This was the biggest year yet, and as such it will return a significant sum MORC coffers. If you didn't get a chance to catch the full page article on page 8 of the Sunday 24 August Star Tribune Sports Section follow the link below:

http://www.startribune.com/stories/503/4058586.html

Regards,

[Lil' Punk]

this last weekend was awsome. it was my first 24 hour race and it was better than i thought it would be. yea i kind of did a little wild during those 8 hours of red bull drinking and i'm sry, but it great and fun and i can't wait until next year!

i wanna give a thanx to all the ppl that came out and helped, it was great. . :banana: YAY!!

~Peace Torey

[gopherhockey]

Originally posted by Lil' Punk
this last weekend was awsome. it was my first 24 hour race and it was better than i thought it would be. yea i kind of did a little wild during those 8 hours of red bull drinking and i'm sry, but it great and fun and i can't wait until next year!


I think I speak for everyone in saying that it wouldn't have been the same without you out there mixing things up.... thanks for your help and your energy. (even if you cheated a bit with those 12 red bulls.. hehe)

I was out at Leb tonight and saw a bunch of people that I saw riding the 24 hours. I don't know everyone who rode the race - but I hope to know many more of you before next years event... will be even more fun to be able to put a name to all the faces I saw.

I don't care who you are, if you rode the trails during the 24 hours you are my kind of person... I'd be honored to get to know each and every one of you better.

The same goes with everyone that helped out.

[jitterjepp]

Originally posted by ostertoaster85
So what is your great story about what happened to you at the 24 hours of afton?

Personally, I had a blast as a volunteer. It was also a ton of fun cheering on the racers. If any of you got high fives from 3 guys during the night, I was one of them. I was also the guy walking around on the course in the morning wearing a red shirt. I got about 20 pictures then. I'll post them here on the website if I can figure out how to use the scanner.

Hey are you the one who handed me the McDonalds McGriddle Coupon? I can't really eat that kind of stuff but if I could according to the coupon I have work there to get the discount. Are you trying to tell me to get a job?

[ostertoaster85]

No, I didn't hand out the coupon. That one of the guys that I was walking around with. I'm not even sure what his name was. He was handing out dollar bills to anybody that was riding a single speed. Running around with those guys was a ton of fun.

I think that next year all of the volunteers should be required to drink 12 cans of Red Bull. That would get really funny. We'd all act like Torey. She made sure we never had a dull moment.

[ostertoaster85]

oops, I should have said "that WAS one of the guys that I was walking around with"

(forgot to proof read before I posted)

[nigel]

Well, for me I'd have to say just the 24 hour event itself!!! I rode solo, and had to stop after 6 laps, I was just not in shape for it at all, but I had a blast while I was riding!! I managed to get all 6 in in the firstt 6 hours which is what I was going for since I did not plan on riding all day.

The folks cheering on were great!! One team was romping it up every time one of there riders came thru, that rocked! Everyone on the course was all nice to each other for once too which was a plus.

All in all it was a well put on race, I will be more than ready next year (unless i get lazy in my training again). I will certainly make it every year its put on, this was my 5th time and hope to do many many more. Id have to say the best part for me was just seeing all the new people doing the race, 24 hour racing seems to be growing more than regular racing, lets all make next year bigger and better!!!!

Douglas

[Lil' Punk]

I think that next year all of the volunteers should be required to drink 12 cans of Red Bull. That would get really funny. We'd all act like Torey. She made sure we never had a dull moment.

YAY!!! come be crazy and stupid with me next year!!!:banana: lol
~peace~