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Nathan Nelson rounds a corner on an afternoon lap. Diana Ettlinger photo.
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Nathan Nelson, Rachel Beck, Cory McLernon and Jared Ettlinger after swiftly winning for four-person co-ed.
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Team I Want My Two Dollars! members: Jimmy McManus, Dave Stephen, Mark Turbo Thurber, Logan Thurber and Mike Dunn.
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Team the Four Horsemen: Paul Fowler, Colin Lyons, Justin Pfeifer and Patrick Pfeifer.
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Team 520 Grill: Maria Wimmer, Mike Armstrong, Lindsay Jones and Troy Selby.
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Mike “Army” Armstrong climbs the last hill of the course with aplomb.
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Rachel “Rock Star” Beck rides towards the finishline. Charlie Lucarelli photo.
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Team Mega-Sore-Ass dressed in tutus with matching horns (since removed) for all 18 hours of the race. Alena Gouda, Becky Johnson, Wendy Mortimer and Jill Goudie.
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Slick single-track lapping Highline State Park. Charlie Lucarelli photo.
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Team Van Clan makes a podium finish for the Six-Person Co-ed category.
Approximately 130 miles west of Aspen, Fruita is a mountain bike mecca. The first weekend in May, it extends its embrace to the mountain bike community, playing host to the Fruita Fat Tire Festival and the 18 Hours of Fruita mountain bike race.
Starting at midnight, the endurance race takes place on a 7-mile single-track course that circumnavigates Highline Lake, threading through Highline State Park, making for a fast, non-technical ride till 6 p.m.
Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley represented once again this year with male and female riders registered in many a category, which ranged from solo to six-person groupings. At least one set of local competitors clinched first place with Nathan Nelson, Rachel Beck, Cory McLernon and Jared Ettlinger swiftly winning for four-person co-ed.
“It’s all about the team,” Ettlinger said of the secret to success.
Mixed in with the blood, sweat and tears each year is a healthy dose of good humor as noted in the creativity of the team names. Some of the standouts included the Fabulous Fossils, Mega-Sore-Ass, Pasture Bedtime, Going in Circles and Wishing We Had Six.
Check results at 18hrsoffruita.com and be sure to save the date for next year.
To reach May with invites and insights, email allthewaymaymay.com