Jason first talked me into being part of a 24 hour relay team for the Round and Round race over Memorial day weekend in 2011. In 2012, I had a large trip to Scotland and wasn’t a rider (but was a volunteer). I returned in 2013 and again this year.

And each year, it is really hard to keep going after the third lap. But this year, while it was hard to start, once I was going, it felt good to be on the bike. All told, I spent just over 5 hours riding 60 miles in great bumpy circles.

Great company. Great trail. Great energy. I have always felt great relief at noon Sunday morning, but also a bit of anguish. It’ll be another year before Memorial Day is again looming on the calendar. Another year before I can ride round and round with 700 great friends. This race is like Bloomsday. I can’t really explain just why I enjoy it so much without looks of puzzlement. Why would I want to do this? Because I can. Because it’s there. Because why not?

Last year’s race was marred by injury. While the wound didn’t really bother me by race day, at that point the antibiotics had kicked in and their side effects were. I suffered terribly slow laps, especially at night. This year I was healthy. I wasn’t as fast as I wanted; I ranged from 1:14 to 1:25, but I was having fun. I never wanted to stop while I was on course.


That said, my personal times are not the reasons why I do this. I do it because I was talked into it that first time and recognize just how fun it is to spend a weekend with like-minded individuals who what to go have fun. Have fun while going fast, yes. But fun is really important to mountain biking, so we make sure that the fun stays around. The campsite is full of friends you know well, or friends you know well soon. Food is abundant and excellent. Conversation is entertaining and enlightened.

It’s not just the race, it’s the people that are racing. I’m really happy that my brother was able to join this year, he doesn’t get to spend a lot of time with the friends I’ve met in Pullman and I was glad to have to opportunity to join those two worlds.

And next year, as Wendy Zupan rightly fears, the Roaming Gnomes will grow some more. After all, getting bigger every year is tradition too, at least for a little while.