Furnace Creek 508 is a non-stop 508 mile bicycle race from Valencia to Twenty Nine Palms via Death Valley and the Mojave Desert. The race course includes 35,000 feet of total elevation gain and temperatures in the 50's at night and 90's during the day. The event also serves as a qualifying event for the Race Across AMerica (RAAM) cycling event.
Special thanks to race sponsors Ranch House Inn of Valencia, Best Western Gardens Motel of Twenty Nine Palms, Hugh Murphy Productions, Cycle Design, Kucharik Bicycle Clothing, Custom Special Tees, and adventureCORPS.
Click here for images from the 1997 race, as well as historical images from previous races.
| 1 | Seana Hoopoe Hogan, 38, San Jose, CA | 30:03:30 | four time finisher |
| 2 | Bernadette Hawaiian Owl Franks-Onoy, 38, HI | 41:43:56 | RAAM Qualifier |
| Sheherezade Albatross Adams, 24, Oakland, CA | DNF | gave it her all/time limit | |
| Marie Hornet Handrahan, 45, Mesa, AZ | DNF | lost her sting/ability to eat |
| 1 | Justin Panda Peschka, 22, Chandler, AZ | 28:42:02 | |
| 2 | Andrew Blowfish Bohannon, 32, Sunnyvale, CA | 32:40:30 | |
| 3 | Harold Toad Trease, 42, Jemez Springs, NM | 32:46:46 | |
| 4 | Dwight Shark Bishop, 42, Butte, MT | 33:20:46 | |
| 5 | Peter Penguin Pop, 48, Malibu, CA | 34:14:21 | |
| 6 | Charlie Lizard Liskey, 41, Somis, CA | 36:11:00 | RAAM Qualifier |
| 7 | Paul Elephant Evans, 45, Asheville, NC | 36:49:05 | RAAM Qualifier |
| 8 | Thomas Mountain Pigmy-Possum Maslen, 35, Menlo Park, CA | 36:56:22 | RAAM Qualifier |
| 9 | Lubomir Heron Hristov, 38, Tustin, CA | 38:28:24 | RAAM Qualifier |
| 10 | Drew Otter Olewnick, 37, Brooklyn, NY | 44:26:00 | RAAM Qualifier |
| 11 | Tim Kinkajou Kinkeade, 32, Moscow, ID | 44:49:47 | |
| 12 | Zoran Meerkat Musicki, 43, Upton, NY | 45:00:45 | RAAM Qualifier |
| 13 | Terry Tree Slug Zmrhal, 26, Redmond, WA | 45:13:48 | RAAM Qualifier |
| Rick Amoeba Anderson, 44, Woodside, CA | DNF | stomach | |
| Dana Brittle Star Bradshaw, 34, Tahoe City, CA | DNF | flu | |
| Dan Horse Dibb, 40, Long Beach, CA | DNF | lost a shoe | |
| Clayton Grasshopper Gardinier, 45, Sandy, UT | DNF | stomach | |
| Gary Kudu Kliewer, 43, Ft. Morgan, CO | DNF | tired | |
| Charlie Mandril Miller, 36, San Francisco, CA | DNF | back | |
| Aaron Raccoon Rumple, 35, St. Louis, MO | DNF | stomach | |
| Scott Sawfish Scheff, 23, Sherman Oaks, CA | DNF | knee | |
| Charles Springbuck Schroyer, 45, Morgan Hill, CA | DNF | knee problems | |
| Brian Stork Sidwell, 29, Santa Cruz, CA | DNF | could not deliver | |
| Perry Swan Smith, 47, Costa Mesa, CA | DNF | beamed up | |
| Scott Snake Smith, 35, St. George, UT | DNF |
| 1 | Reed Flamingo Finfrock, 51, Springville, CA | 34:52:34 | four time finisher |
| 2 | Del Spider Scharffenberg, 52, Portland, OR | 42:15:26 | 97 Death Valley Cup finisher |
| 3 | Gale Dodo Dominy, 58, Phoenix, AZ | 47:18:50 | |
| Charles Gecko Giles, 57, Tucson, AZ | DNF | dehydration | |
| Ron Sparrow Shepston, 50, Silverado, CA | DNF | dehydration | |
| Burt Wildebeest Ward, 57, La Habra, CA | DNF | stomach |
| 1 | Caribou Mike Moseley, 43, Bakersfield, CA Bob Smith, 45, Bakersfield, CA |
36:45:25 | RQ |
| Hyenasaurus Rick Heiss, 40, Bakersfield, CA Tom Davies, 53, Paradise, CA |
DNF |
| 1 | Team Klondike Ken Wiener, Gary Oisha, Victor Gonzalez, Brian Glueck Pasadena, CA |
24:59:30 | 1st men's, 2nd overall |
| 2 | Team Barracuda Jim Blauer, Jeff Davis, Doug Kipperman, Mick McLeod Coronado, CA |
26:36:42 | 2nd men's |
| 3 | Team Whippet Jerry Wildermuth, Ron Byrum, Santiago Ramos, Kevin Kester Whittier, CA |
28:42:57 | 3rd men's |
| Team Bison Mike Wracher, Greg Giltner, Kerry Ryan, Mike Marotta Bakersfield, CA |
DNF | accident |
| 1 | Team Hammerhead Joe Petersen, Ron Jones, Pam Traynor, Kris Woolsey Bakersfield, CA |
24:13:38 | 1st mixed and overall new mixed team record |
| 2 | Team Quail Roehl Caragao, Frank Lobre, Vickie Rigby, Susan Schima Bakersfield, CA |
25:53:24 | 2nd mixed |
| 3 | Team Camel Maureen Bowman, Terry Hutt, Bob Lugo, Virginia Lugo Redlands, CA |
33:41:32 | 3rd mixed |