A Perfect Father's Day

Some dads share a little pitch and catch in the back yard. Others share the secrets of their special barbecue sauce. For Team SHOEBACCA dads, sharing the grueling race known as the SoCal 12 Hours of Rim Nordic in Big Bear was the perfect day!

This race starts at 9am and goes until 9pm, with the riders doing as many laps as possible in that time. Starting at the base elevation of 6000' and climbing over 1375', this is a grueling trek for any seasoned veteran, and for this Father's Day run, Team SHOEBACCA saw some real family participation! These 12-hour races have categories of solo riders and 2 through 5 person teams. The rider or team that completes the most laps wins. In addition to the team categories, there also age groups, including a Juniors division for riders 16 and under.

Two of our team members decided that this day would be a great event to share with their boys. The fun actually began a day earlier, with food and music and a carefree atmosphere. The weather was perfect for the event, and people took advantage of that by watching outdoor concerts and picnicking. After all the fun, though, it was soon time to get down to business, and the riders were preparing for the race.

Race time. The adrenaline had already started kicking in before the race director gave the green light, and when that first dust kicked up, 11 year-old Larsen and his dad began the grueling trip up the mountain. Larsen's teammate and fellow 11 year-old cousin Cody and his dad were waiting at the pit stop, eager to cheer on Team SHOEBACCA and snap some great pictures!

This first lap took quite a bit out of the young rider, but after 1 hour and 48 minutes, he finished the lap, ready for a break and to recharge for another go later on. Cousin Cody is ready to go, and he and his uncle set out for another lap. Cody's vigor comes back to haunt him early, however, as he has early bike trouble tearing up the hill. His chain broken but his spirit intact, Cody and Uncle head back to the pit, only to meet up with Paul from Ellsworth Bikes. Paul is eager to help get Cody back on the trail, but after 25 minutes of work on the chain, he calls the time of death and retires the chain. Shortly after, Paul returns with a new 15-inch Ellsworth Epiphany bike. Despite the generous gesture, the bike is too big for an 11 year-old's frame, so they resorted to a smaller Marin mountain bike.

A mile into the ride on the replacement bike, Cody realizes that he can't shift into his "granny" gear, and has to ride the lap in only fourth gear! This disappointment didn't keep Cody from completing his lap, however, and with great effort and determination, he kept going and finished the lap in only two hours.

Returning to the pit, the two riders find Larsen cheering them on and ready to roll. The eager rider says this will be his best lap of the day, and thanks to a new chain from Paul, he's quickly off to prove that statement true. Finishing this lap in 1 hour and 36 minutes, Larsen's time is the best of the day for the two 11 year-olds. While Larsen was on his lap, Cody prepped himself for another attempt. When Larsen returned, Cody was ready to hit the trail, and Uncle Robert took off with him. Despite his determination, after four spills in two miles, they head back to the pit thinking the day has come to a close.

To their surprise, when they arrive at the pit, they find cousin Larsen cheering Cody's attempt and patting him on the back. It has only been fifteen minutes since Larsen's last lap, but after a burger and a drink, he tells his father that he is ready to ride. Not one to hold back such determination, Father and son take off for another lap. This one would prove to be the toughest for the young rider, but with the inspiration from fellow riders of all categories along with Team SHOEBACCA captain Dee Folse, Larsen finishes this third lap strong and proud.

Eyes sharp and with gritty determination, the youngest Team SHOEBACCA riders dug deep to come up with what would amount to a second place finish overall. As their fathers and the rest of Team SHOEBACCA watched with smiles on their faces, these 11 year-old boys impressed the first place, 16 year-old boys so much that those top finishers turned around at the podium and gave their gold medals to the two young Team SHOEBACCA riders. Our pride in Cody and Larsen is only a fraction of the pride and sense of accomplishment they must have felt at that moment! It was another great Team SHOEBACCA event, but more importantly, a perfect Father's Day!