The 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo experience is something any serious mountain biker should behold during their career. Often referred to as “Burning Man for mountain bikers” Old Pueblo attracts an estimated 4,500 riders and spectators to a desolate desert landscape they call 24 Hour Town.
Old Pueblo isn’t just about racing though, it’s about beer gardens, drum circles, whisky hand ups, cactus thorns, drunk guys wearing tutus, rock drops, and uninhibited fun.
As 24 hour events crumble across the country it’s no surprise that 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo continues to grow year after year. Todd Sadow and the crew at Epic Rides have this event dialed and put astounding effort into providing each participant an unforgettable experience.
The weather has done it’s part the last few years as well bringing warmth and calm nights to riders focused on pushing their limits.
Brian Alders winds it up in the Arizona desert. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli
The course at Old Pueblo is an inviting 16.5 miles of relatively flat riding. The circuit is roughly 70% singletrack and lined with the most ominous strains of cactus in the west. Unpleasant characters named Prickly Pear, Saguaro, Organ Pipe, Barrell, and Jumping Cholla stand guard along the edges of the course yearning for a chance to plunge a spiny thorn into a flared elbow, tilted shin, or tumbling body. The ultimate focus is needed at all times, a difficult proposition when one is on their 7th lap at three in the morning.
Sometimes described as “Burning Man for Bikers” 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo brings riders from all across North America. Over 4,500 people were estimated to be in 24 Hour Town this weekend. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli
The numbers are simply staggering at Old Pueblo. The attraction is not surprising after participating in one of the most unique mountain bike events in the nation.
The rim cactus is the centerpiece of 24 Hour Town in the Old Pueblo
Old Pueblo isn’t all drinking and zebra-unicorn costumes. The racing is serious and the riders are focused. Many of the nation’s top athletes travel to the desert outside Oracle searching for early season fitness and the locals, who have been racing all winter, are anxious to put their form to the test.
Never afraid to grind, Gordon Wadsworth chose his singlespeed for the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli
Michael Lange lays it over for the Skratch Labs 4-person men team. Lange’s squad was the only team to complete 23 laps. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli
The music doesn’t stop as night falls in 24 Hour Town.
Sun sets over 24 Hour Town. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli
24 Hour in the Old Pueblo is a refreshing combination of fun and serious competition in a world that too often leans too far toward one or the other. The Old Pueblo has much to offer and will once again leave the thousands of participants satisfied and making plans for 2017.
Prerace announcements with Epic Rides director Todd Sadow (in red Luchador mask) pumping up the crowd. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli
Wes Rasmussen riding for the winning Pivot Burrito Factory 5-person coed team hits the rock drop on his final lap. Photo by: Shannon Boffeli