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.
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North Adams Double Murder Case Continued to March
By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The case of a city man charged with killing his parents was continued to March on Monday.
Darius Hazard, 44, was scheduled for a detention hearing on Monday in Northern Berkshire District Court.
Prior to the start of the court's business, the clerk announced that Hazard's case was continued to Monday, March 2.
Hazard is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of arson in connection with the Nov. 24 fire that claimed the lives of Donald Hazard, 83, and Venture Hazard, 76.
Police say Hazard confessed to the killings and starting the fire and fled the Francis Street home where he lived with his parents.
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.
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