2004 ACME 12 HOUR CHALLENGE

by Danny Chew

 

On July 17th, 2004, the fourth annual ACME 12 Hour Challenge was held in Rogers, Ohio.  A nationally famous flea market held year round on Fridays (turning the town into a city with traffic problems) has put this tiny little (only one traffic light) town on the map.  48 year old Lloyd Willis (he has ridden 7 Calvin's) holds this event on the front lawn of his home.  His daughter Sarah still holds the female 15-19 year old Calvin's record of 177 miles.  The Columbiana County course (slightly hillier than Calvin's, but not nearly as windy) consists of a big 30 mile loop through the towns of Rogers, Columbiana, New Waterford, East Palestine, & Negley, and a 3.5 mile small loop. 

 

11 riders started on time at 7am in light rain which lasted for 10 hours, but at least the temperature stayed at about 65 degrees F all day.  Waiting to see if the rain would stop, 13 other riders showed up later riding all combinations of the two loops.  On the first lap, Phil Brozier flatted as barber Bob Batchelor and I continued on to Columbiana where Bob stopped at a gas station for a plastic bag for his cell phone, leaving me alone in the lead.  After I stopped for a bathroom break halfway into the first lap, I could see the lead pack (containing Lloyd Willis, Bob Batchelor, Mark Butler, Lou Huffman & 19 year old Chad Fowler) coming, so I waited for them and finished the lap with them before starting the second lap by myself. 

 

My buddy Matt Copcutt showed up late and rode two big laps on his fixed gear bike, but I didn't see him until he was driving home with lots of time still left on the clock.  On my 6th big loop, I lapped and rode with Lloyd & Mark Butler through Columbiana where Mark discovered a crack in his stem, but was still able to slowly finish the lap back to Rogers where he helped punch numbers on the small loop.  Shortly after I left Lloyd, he flatted in East Palestine where on his next/last big lap he had to wait for a train.

 

As the rain (became a temporary chain lubricant) finally stopped on my last big lap, my dry chain sounded horrible.  On my last small lap, I was happy to again ride with Bob Batchelor who went home (he lives just off the course) to cut 12 people's hair.  Riding 7 big laps and 4 small laps, I won and set the new course record of 224 miles.  Lloyd was second with 180 miles, and Mark Butler third with 157 miles.  The old course record of 208 miles was held by Joel Dillon, an International Randonneur who finished Boston-Montreal-Boston in 1998 and Paris-Brest-Paris in 1999. 

 

Lloyd bought us all pizza at the post-race awards ceremony under the shelter in his daughter Sarah's front lawn.  I really liked the small low key feel to this event (Calvin's probably started off in a similar manner).  Lloyd is hoping that his local cycling club or some other sponsor will help him cover the insurance costs so that he can expand this event and put it on the ultra-cycling calender.  I won a t-shirt, and Lloyd and his wife Cindy (a fantastic cook) let me stay overnight at their house where we watched Lance Armstrong dominate the Tour on OLN.  Maybe some of those OLN viewers will stick around to watch the 2004 RAAM coverage.