2008 Old Pueblo Solo Single

My annual pilgrimage to Tucson Az. for the 8th running of the 24hrs of Old
Pueblo began with a series of events that signify my luck.While packing
furiously thursday night I lost my uncharged phone (those of you that were on
it need to call me so that I can build my contact list again). I talked myself
into believing it was not that big of a deal....but I would have no way of
reaching my mechanic /sponsor/ cook/support crew- Bryce from www.Azbikes.com .
Upon my arrival into Pheonix ..the pilot gave us his rendition of the local forcast calling for showers and cooler temps. I had packed for such a weekend when I got 2 text messages on weds and thursday morning ...one said bring lots of chamios and a jacket......the other from Deejay got a little more detailed explaining that is was currently 28 degrees in downtown Tucson-nutz.
As I began wandering Pheonix airport looking for either my bike or my bag.....not yet knowing how I would hook up with Bryce...then I hear ...hey Sully....and I look to my left and there with a faint halo over is head is Brian Riepe,one of the flagstaffians that usually supports my efforts in Tucson. All nervousness left ...it turns out Brian had just returned from riding through Argentina for a month. He had no cell phone but his father Dennis was nice enough to save my arz by lending me his phone. I thought I had Bryce's # memorized but as soon as I began to dial it ....Brian whipped out this mangled piece of paper with 4 names and numbers on it..looked like he had it packed in his chamios for the whole trip but nonetheless one of the 4 numbers on that list was Bryce's.....and I was hooked.. I called expecting to find Bryce still in bed in Flag but to my suprise he was sitting in the truck 40 ft away loaded with his tricked out moto 450(thought this was a peddlin race)...and we were off.
IT rained and then began to snow when we arrived at the campsite...the boys from Flag had been there for days but had been unable to do anything but drink hot totties,eat and watch the dogs frolic while trying to clean the tech section on the 150(which was not well received by the management or fellow preriders..??? )
We were located just off the course ..so I was able to set up my solo area there and had a whole camp full of potential support..they all came thru in a huge way from the heated tent to the meatballs at 11pm .
My nutritional plan unraveled when I awoke for breakfast at 4-5am saturday to find 3inches of snow on the ground and the inside of my tent was soaked....my only saving grace was my new 0degree bag ..the morning was miserable...too cold to do anything productive other then drink tea until the weather turned ..and thankfully it did and the course was superb.....80-90% singletrack and about as fun as it gets..kudos to epicrides for knowing the real deal.
I rode smart until 4am using minimal energy- I alternated drinking cyto/fast twitch and muscle milk all the while convincing myself that is was just training . It worked well as I had no nerves and no vomiting until the last 4 laps when I was actually going for it. I had good power all race due to the fact that I listened to my body and my friends ..who have all been telling me for 10yrs that I go out way too hard.
I had my shares of challenges during the race having blown my stan'd tire off the rim on one ocasion and kicking some cacti..in passing but the whole race had a calmness to it for me ,I had no desire to listen to the ipod ,I was smilin the whole race..and singing making up my own rendition of a an old queen tune...I love to ride my Indy fab..I love to ride my bicycle blah blah...I actually had fun for 22 hours and only entered the pain cave during my second to last lap -I hit the wall and began to vomit..I pulled off at the pit just before the finish line at 11:45am - Bryce had 2 cokes and reminded me that I had been sour about not doing the final lap last year to solidify a podium spot ...he was not letting me stop...I knew what needed to be done...he had been telling me I had a chance at the podium -but the computers were messed -they had me in 9th in the geared div. but I was ridin the IF ss9er. I knew I had been moving faster then most team riders and there was no way I was in 9th-anyhoo I knew I needed to do that last lap and with the encouragement of everyone standing at the finish line waiting for the noon hour to finally approach I went out for another...it was my 16th I thought only to be reduced to 14 until Todd and Sean got it figured out minutes before the podium presentation. I probably should have stayed geared as I would have finished 2nd or sumthin...but it turns out 4th in the ss class,1st Rigid(not that anyone keeps track). The singlespeed class showed up some geared comp finishing equal laps with the top 4 ss riders solidly within the top 8 overall.
Many huge thanks to my support crew from Flagstaff... and to Iron from Cytomax who turned me on to fast twitch for this race-huge difference.Thanks to The Spokesman bicycle shop and Thanks to Marty from Cliffbar for the support and extra lights(which Bryce stll has btw)and a huge thanks to Tyler Joe Lloyd ,Matty B and the whole IF crew.