On July 17th, the fourth annual Acme 12 Hour Challenge was held in Rogers, OH. 48-year-old Lloyd Willis holds this event from the front lawn of his home. He's ridden Calvin's Challenge for the last five years and his daughter Sarah still holds the female 15-19 year old Calvin's record of 171 miles, set in 2000.

The Columbiana County course (slightly hillier than Calvin's, but not nearly as windy) consists of a 30-mile loop through the towns of Rogers, Columbiana, New Waterford, East Palestine, and Negley, and a 3.5 mile small loop. A nationally famous flea market held year round on Fridays in Rogers, creates big-city traffic problems for this tiny little with only one traffic light!

Eleven riders started at 7 a.m. 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 and rode 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 approaching (containing Lloyd Willis, Bob Batchelor, 208 mile course record holder Mark Butler, and 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 sixth big loop, I lapped and rode with Lloyd and 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 for 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 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 hair for 12 people. Riding seven big laps and four 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.

Lloyd bought us all pizza at the post-race awards ceremony under the shelter on 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 calendar. I won a t-shirt, and Lloyd and his wife Cindy (a fantastic cook) let me stay overnight at their house where we watched Armstrong dominate the Tour on OLN.

Complete Results