Fun Stuff | Steve Tilford

Since I’m sort of getting back into MTB racing a little more, the timing of this is perfect, at least for me. On the weekend of September 11-12, Ned Overend and Todd Wells are hosting a 25th anniversary celebration of the first UCI World Championships in Durango, 1990 and, thus are doing the Todd and Ned’s Durango Dirt Fondo. (I’m not sure why Todd’s name is first there.)

I was invited and plan to attend. Rumor mill has it that John Tomac and Julie Furtado will be there. Plus, Mike Kloser and other blasts from the past that participated in the early days of organized MTB racing.

Saturday, it is off-road riding, with a 50 mile course and a 30 mile course. Then Saturday night, there is going to be a party of the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the 1990 UCI World Mountain Bike Championships. The next morning is an organized breakfast to benefit NICA.

You don’t really need that much of a reason to go to Durango and ride your MTB bike, but here you have the added bonus of riding with some of the past and present stars of the sport. It should be a very fun time.

Here is a link to their website for details.

This is a photo from the Cactus Cup in Whistler, about the only time I was on the top step of the podium when Ned was with me. Looks like Todd is missing some lycra and skin. It was a very cool course.

Tomorrow is the official start of Burning Man, a week long “art festival” in the middle of the Nevada desert. I have always been interested in Burning Man, but have never gone past the occasional google search.

If you like people watching, which I do, I believe Burning Man might be the pinnacle of it. I very much doubt you’ll find a place on the planet that you would be able to find a bigger collection of eclectic people at one time.

I think getting into Burning Man is harder than getting into Leadville. Plus the preparation might be as energy intensive as what I just did for the last month.

Anyway, I figure that if I went to Burning Man, my stick would be a roving bicycle shop. Bicycles are the choice transportation at Burning Man and I assume a ton of them break down because of the dust and such, but probably more from the debauchery.

I think it would be an interesting life experience.