the 18 Hours of Fruita were enjoyed for many reasons.

It was time to go home for four Summit County mountain bikers.

They had just experienced their first 18 Hours of Fruita endurance mountain bike race held at Highline Lake located to the northwest of Fruita. These four experienced the ride as the "DeBags and Donkey Team.

Eighty-five teams participated in the race, with some individuals going it solo.

The soloists pedaled 64 laps around the six mile lap as the teams shared the trail. Derrick Fish of Vail and Kris Cannon from steamboat Springs took the men's and women's solo titles.

With the sudden bad weather, hail fell around dinner time causing some difficulties, to say the least, for the riders. A nearly two-mile stretch became a bog and riders had all kinds of difficulties. Some broke chains, some carried their bikes through that part until the race course was altered to omit that stretch.

Jeb Marsh and Matt Venz of Summit talked about one rider who'd broken his de-railer and chain.

"He shortened the chain and finished the race in one gear," they said.

They described the two miles of mud as they pointed to their muddy bike tires, and noted that today the tires looked clean compared to low they had looked at the end of the race.

The 18 Hour Race will take place again next year.

Thus far, the race has increased in numbers each year.

Troy Rarick, owner of Over the Edge Bikes, has been with the race since its beginning. He enjoys the competition and the groups that are in it for fun as well as the endurance.