I had the opportunity to ride in Todd and Ned’s Dirt Fondo last weekend. A Fondo, popular in Europe, is a ride with some timed segments typically covering a lot of miles. This particular event was hosted by Durango’s own Todd Wells, 3 time USA MTB Olympian, and Ned Overend, MTB Hall of famer, 1st UCI World Champion, and 6 time National Champion are just some of his accomplishments. The Dirt Fondo was a celebration of the 1st MTB World Championships which were held in Durango in 1990, and brought in many of the sports legends and former Durango residents like John Tomac, Julie Furtado, and Rishi Grewal. Riders had the option of the short course (30 miles), or the long course (45 miles and about 6,300 feet climbing). The course utilized many miles of trails in the various trail networks that Durango Mountain Bike Tours guides on. I of course rode the long course and completed it in 5 and 1/2 hours. Both courses are now options for clients to be guided on and ride if they desire. The ride was followed by a party with food and beer, as well as a display of many of the bikes and memorabilia from the 1990 Worlds.

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