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24 Hours in the Enchanted Forest Serves Up the Good Times

MCGAFFEY, N.M. - Every once in a while racing is as much about camaraderie as it is about competing, and sometimes a race feels like an annual reunion of good friends instead of a test of the strongest and fastest. For a lot of people, that might best describe the vibe of 24 Hours in the Enchanted Forest.

“This event is incredible, everyone is here for a reason. It's like everyone here is friends and they came to hang out. It's unlike any other event I've ever been to,” Solo Male singlespeed winner Jeff Wood said.

Like the fine powdery dust that covered everything in a thin film by weekend's end, the good times were everywhere. Live music, an Enchanted Beer Chase, Wine Tasting, a Huffy Toss and a real endurance race for kids means that almost everyone has a chance to compete in some way. And then there is the race itself, serving riders up a healthy dose of pleasure with their pain.

“I don’t care who you are, this is the coolest race in the Rocky Mountain region,” Judd Rohwer said.

And like at other Zia Rides events, making sure that racers come first is a number one priority.

“These guys really pay attention to the details. They really cater to the racer. It's grassroots and I love it,” Solo Male winner Keevin Blue said.

Set under the canopy of a Ponderosa Pine forest, the course climbs gradually for the first eight miles miles before beginning a long descent. While the course is not tough, the long gradual climbing began to creep up on racers, especially singlespeeders, as the race wore on. A final climb back to the staging area added to the suffering.

“Having an uphill finish is a soul destroyer,” Roy McNeill said. McNeill traveled from England with wife Judy to race the event.

As a second year event, the race is making a name for itself with it's fast but challenging course.

“I call it the sleeper course because of the bumpiness, twistyness and the gradual climbing,” solo singlespeed rider Jeff Hemperley said.

The commotion surrounding the Arizona wildfires, especially the Wallow Fire, may have kept some racers from attending the event. Fear of smoke seemed to be the biggest concern, but the issue didn't even enter the minds of racers on race day. In fact the biggest problem seemed to be the dust due to the extremely dry conditions.

“The sand was awful, I used a mask to over my face to help,” Liz Boese said.

“Some of the corners you have to watch out for. They were super silty. More than anything, that dust was killer,” Paul Adams said.

The top finishers for the weekend were Keevin Blue in the Solo Male category, riding 13 laps in 22:05:28. Leia Barnett won the Solo Female category with 11 laps in 21:58:47.

“I found that singing while riding was riding was probably the key,” Barnett said.

In the Singlespeed categories Jeff Wood did 13 laps in 20:48:11 while Mel Liebling did 10 laps in 19:53:46.

On Sunday afternoon, the springs winds began to blow full force, creating dusty conditions that whisked people from the staging area back to their respective homes. What was once a lively scene all of the sudden became a ghost town with only a handful of stragglers sitting around drinking beer. As racers were reminiscing about the events of the weekend, a feeling of satisfaction hung in the air.

“It's my favorite of all the 24 hour races I've done. It's such a happy race,” Liz Boese said.

To see full results, check out the Results Page

To see more photos from the event, go to Brian Leddy Photography

 

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