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Bush bikes at Big Bend Ranch State Park
(Barrett Durst, superintendent of Big Bend Ranch State Park, poses with former president George W. Bush during three days of mountain biking at the park. Photo by Paul Morse.)
Barrett Durst, superintendent of Big Bend Ranch State Park, was still recovering this morning after three days of mountain biking with former President George W. Bush.
“President Bush is amazing,” said Durst, 30. “He can make people bonk, including me.”
That caught my attention. I pedaled for four days through Big Bend Ranch State Park with Durst last December. He charged ahead of our little band of riders with ease, pausing now and then to let us catch up. If the former prez impressed Durst with his speed and endurance, he had to be a strong rider.
“I was expecting a 5 mph pace all day, with lots of stops and checking views. It was straight moving, we booked it,” Durst said. “President Bush is the most in shape person at 65 years old I’ve ever seen, no doubt. He freakin’ rocked it.”
Durst, along with Mike Long of Desert Sports and a few other guides, led the group of about 40 riders, including 14 injured veterans from the Wounded Warrior Project, the Ride2Recover, the Challenged Athletes Foundation and World T.E.A.M. Sports, as they explored a tangle of trails in Big Bend Ranch State Park near Lajitas. (They were at the state park, not the national park, as reported elsewhere.)
The group rode 13 miles the first day, 30 miles the second and 21 miles the third, rambling up and down desert mesas, dodging calf-raking cactus, slogging through tire-grabbing sand and clattering up and down rocky ledges.
Among the trails they tackled were part of the park’s Dome Trail, a singletrack path that tumbles over rocky ledges and weaves along steep inclines, and stretches of the Contrabando Trail.
Bush rode a full-suspension, carbon-fiber Superfly Trek mountain bike with 29-inch wheels, and brought a spare in case one broke down.
“He was pushing me. He’s smoking awesome,” Durst said.
Durst was charged with making sure Bush stayed hydrated. Helicopters were on standby, and a doctor and orthopedic surgeon rode with the group.
“He was very, very personable, absolutely hilarious, very funny,” Durst said. “Everytime he was excited and having a good time, he’d say ‘Yeah baby, yeah! That’s what I’m talking about!’”
Durst said he was equally impressed by the Wounded Warriors, some of whom rode with prosthetic limbs. “I told them ‘You guys inspire me to be a better person.’ They were better than me with less limbs. They were tearing it up.”
Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong of Austin also joined the group for the last day of riding.
This morning, things had slowed down at the state park, and Durst was taking the chance to let his leg muscles relax.
“I am exhausted,” he laughed.
Note, the text was clarified at 10:15 a.m. to add that athletes from four non-profit organizations, the Wounded Warrior Project, the Ride2Recover, the Challenged Athletes Foundation and World T.E.A.M. Sports, participated in the Warrior 100K event.
(The above photo shows George Bush and Lance Armstrong at Big Bend Ranch State Park. AP Photo/Odessa American, Heather Leiphart)
Permalink | Comments (9) | Post your comment Categories: cycling
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By Richard B. Cheney
April 28, 2011 5:54 PM | Link to this
You’d think George would let the Wounded Warriors get out in front. Some men don’t change.
By Richard B. Cheney
April 28, 2011 5:55 PM | Link to this
You’d think George would let the Wounded Warriors get out in front. Some men don’t change.
By barrack obama
April 28, 2011 5:58 PM | Link to this
“He freakin’ rocket it…” You’d think George would let the Wounded Warriors get out in front and whoop it on the trails. Some men never change.
By Lora
April 29, 2011 2:37 PM | Link to this
He was the Commander in Chief, he should be the leader!
By barb
April 29, 2011 4:23 PM | Link to this
I don’t believe the wounded warriors would want Bush to LET them get ahead. He made them work for their places. That’s showing respect not pity.
By Karen Kennedy
April 29, 2011 4:46 PM | Link to this
I wonder how many unemployed, homeless people are smiling and spending there days riding a bike. I wonder how this man can sleep at night?
By Rhonda Binion
April 29, 2011 7:58 PM | Link to this
I admire him for getting out there with the wounded soldiers. At least he gets down and personal with the common people!!! Just because he is a former president doesn’t mean he can’t be human! what are YOU doing to help the unemployed and homeless?
By vodkaslim
April 29, 2011 11:39 PM | Link to this
kudos to president bush. with gas prices on the rise it is time to take the initiative and use bicycles locally.
By Bush Man
April 30, 2011 8:05 AM | Link to this
If you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem. Bush is far from perfect, but he’s always done what he has though was right and has tried to improve things. He may have failed, or not, but at least he’s tried. More than we can say for people running their mouths and sitting on their duffs.
Our current president is not even trying. Talk, talk, talk. You know why talk is cheap? Because there is an over-abundance. We need some action at some point. Exercise helps everyone feel better. Some of the folks on here need to get out more.