Think about it - 24 hours on a bicycle, in the woods, all day, all night, riding as fast as you dare. Sound a little crazy?
To 500 pumped up athletes, it sounds like a good time. Holiday Farms in Dalton on Saturday & Sunday hosted the "24 hours of Adrenaline" mountain bike race and festival.
The atmosphere was comparable to a Grateful Dead show; just replace the tie-dye and controlled substances with spandex and Gatorade. A constant pumping techno beat served as a sound track for the weekend, a perfect accompaniment to the exuded energy from the athletes. The event also featured wacky headstand and crab walk competitions (with biking equipment as prizes) and a "24 Minutes of Adrenalin" contest for kids. People camped in fields, dining on Clif Bars, Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream (for sugar or carbs) finishing with a pasta party and awards ceremony.
24 Hours of Adrenalin is an annual bike race and festival, relocated from New Jersey to mountain bikin' Massachusetts. The organization sponsors a series of events throughout North America and Canada, with a final solo Championship in British Columbia Canada.
This race featured solo, two-person, four-person and five-person categories - with combined ages from under 100 to 200 plus. Also five-person co-ed, five-female, or groups of 6-10 participants, all biking the terrain of Holiday Farms, which included. The grounds were well-suited for the competition, featuring everything from single track to double track, old logging roads, clear dirt roads and open fields, water crossings bridges - classic New England terrain. The 7.5-mile course took riders through bright sunlight, shade and black midnight, with proper lighting required.
Almost 500 participants ranged in age from teens to fifties, novice to expert, with people participating from our Berkshire backyards all the way from Los Angeles, California.
The winner, Mark Hendershot from Grand Rapids, Michigan, finished 21 laps in 24:11:48. "I want a beer, a shower, and some sleep" was his comment.
The woman solo winner, Tracy Schaffer-Pfizer did 15 laps in 24:15:57, said, after finishing: "I just want off to get off my bike".
Pittsfield can be proud of the all-female top team finishers, "Dirty Girls," who accomplished 22 laps in 24:09:04. "Hocking' Locals," a Dalton team, finished first in their division with 26 laps in 24:25:40.
Another notable was solo rider Debbie Sheets, 51, of Pennsylvania. Although Sheets has only been biking for a year, she has already won the 24 Hours of Adrenaline event in Milton, Canada.
First place winners from each division receive original winners jersey and medal, Runners up were awarded a custom hydrating pack and medal, and third-place participants received tires and a medal.
Besides traditional competition, there were also prizes for the fastest lap, best pit/camping area (such as a mini bike museum) and the best helmet - such as one with large plastic Viagra pills stapled to a middle-aged rider's headgear.
Bikers and supporters camped out on the farmland, enjoyed a midnight corn roast and on-site entertainment, and basked in the communal-like camaraderie.
For more information about 24 Hours of Adrenaline, log on to www.24hoursofadrenalin.com, for results and future events.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Winter Storm Warning Issued for Berkshires
Another snowstorm is expected to move through the region overnight on Friday, bringing 5 to 8 inches of snow. This is updated from Thursday's winter weather advisory.
The National Weather Service in Albany, N.Y., has posted a winter storm warning for all of Berkshire County and parts of eastern New York State beginning Friday at 4 p.m. through Saturday at 1 p.m.
The region could see heavy to moderate snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour overnight, tapering off Saturday morning to flurries.
Drivers should exercise caution on Friday night and Saturday morning, as travel conditions may be hazardous.
Saturday night should be clear and calm, but warming temperatures means freezing rain Sunday night and rain through Monday with highs in the 40s. The forecast isn't much better through the week as temperatures dip back into the teens with New Year's Eve looking cloudy and frigid.
Samuel Currence served his country in the Air Force with distinction, professionalism and unparalleled humility from 1962 to 1985, retiring as a technical sergeant. click for more
Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.
click for more
