Southern California - What's the Story on RAAM?

Five forum members were on a RAAM team together. For any other ride involving forum members, there are threads with pictures and sometimes hundreds of replies. For the RAAM, there have been some sporacic threads, a team blog with some entries from Brandy and George, and one crew member's report that was so poorly formatted that I couldn't read it.

So what happened? I haven't seen anything from Brandy, Vireo, chimivee or Extort. Chucklehead makes a few cryptic remarks about gettingto know people while travelling.

Is there a confidentiality agreement? Is "what happened on RAAM stays on RAAM"?

Maybe George and the crew don't want to say anythng. That's fine. Then just come out and say "none of your f***ing business". I understand that. I don't want to step on people's toes or be a busybody but after the numerous pre-RAAM threads, I think someone should either tell the story or tell us that it will never be discussed.

What's RAAM?

Race Across America

Well put, Frank. :) Clearly something didn't go right with the parties involved. Brandy and George have been completely silent and absent from posting here, and the hints dropped by the others indicate a challenging experience shared by those forum members. I willingly admit that I'm as curious as the next person, but IMHO, if the parties involved have had a change of heart on whether or not to air it on this forum, perhaps we should just all move on (I'm getting the impression that it would be hard to report about it without getting into details). Although, I do wish James would post his photos here. His photos are, as usual, wonderful and interesting (the ones I saw on Brandy's Blog).

i'm sorry, frank. i've yet to complete my "race report," and even when i do, it won't translate well for the forum. so how about you guys just ask questions and i(or james, or phil, or whoever) will try answer in as detailed fashion as possible.

how about we start with:

jason, what was your favorite state and why?

well, i'd have to say kansas. and when i say kansas, i'm dead serious. there's something about the enormity all of that wide open space that just amazes me. also, i'd always wanted to see a middle-of-nowhere crossroads like you see in the movies, where the roads go off as far as the eye can see in all directions. didn't quite see any like that, but a few that were close enough.
another great thing was the people. easily the friendliest of all the states, they seemed to all wave or give a thumbs up as we went by.

so my answer would be kansas, with indiana coming in a close second.

What did you guys eat? Did you just go through drive-ins? How much sleep DID you get? And did you drive the RV - if so, what was that like? I'd wreck something that big myself. :p

too many questions in one post. next.

Which state had the best hamburgers?

too many questions in one post. next.
:mad:

You answer those! :p

Okay, fine. Here is ONE question:

Did you get laid?

What do you do all day? How many people are following the rider? If you're not follow car what do you do?

These are all related questions so they should only count as one.

just kidding. some of ate well. it all depended on which vehicle you happened to be driving at what time of day. if you were in the "shuttle" vehicle, you had many opportunities to go off course and graba quick fast food bite. however, if you were stuck in the rv, which a few had the misfortune to be, you ate whatever was available there. that means you either ate snacks(pretzels, granola bars, etc.) or sandwiches. or energy food.

i don't think anyone slept much in the first few days. the atmosphere was both exciting and pretty stressful at times. but once we all figured out how to get i a couple hours here and there, it worked out ok. i tended to sleep in the cars more than the rv, though, because there was alot of chaos around the rv during rider swaps.

i never drove the rv. early on, it was something i would have gladly volunteered to do, but after a few days, i realized it was best for me to stay as far away as often as possible so as not to cross paths with certain folks. this scheme helped me retain much of my sanity and good judgement.

Which state had the best hamburgers?

i never sampled any of the local burgers. just the odd fast food place here and there. but if i had to choose, i'd say this one wendy's in eastern colorado.

just kidding. some of ate well. it all depended on which vehicle you happened to be driving at what time of day. if you were in the "shuttle" vehicle, you had many opportunities to go off course and graba quick fast food bite. however, if you were stuck in the rv, which a few had the misfortune to be, you ate whatever was available there. that means you either ate snacks(pretzels, granola bars, etc.) or sandwiches. or energy food.

i don't think anyone slept much in the first few days. the atmosphere was both exciting and pretty stressful at times. but once we all figured out how to get i a couple hours here and there, it worked out ok. i tended to sleep in the cars more than the rv, though, because there was alot of chaos around the rv during rider swaps.

i never drove the rv. early on, it was something i would have gladly volunteered to do, but after a few days, i realized it was best for me to stay as far away as often as possible so as not to cross paths with certain folks. this scheme helped me retain much of my sanity and good judgement.

That James was an instigator, wasn't he?

Did you have time for some solitude?

Did you enjoy going through the different states? You said Kansas was your favorite. Did you go through one you weren't crazy about? (i.e. weather was insufferable, traffic awful, etc.?)

Okay, fine. Here is ONE question:

Did you get laid?

i wanted to work on that, but she was kicked off the team in kansas. i got her phone#, though.

i wanted to work on that, but she was kicked off the team in kansas. i got her phone#, though.
She is very pretty, Chuckles...I hope you get a good date out of this experience! ;)

i wanted to work on that, but she was kicked off the team in kansas. i got her phone#, though.
What did she do?

Did you have time for some solitude?

unfortunately, no. the best way to get that was to daydream while in the navigator's seat. even then it only lasted 30 minutes at most. with one notable exception, the other crew members were all very easy to get along with and interesting to talk to. so solitude wasn't something i really craved.

What did she do?

Not chuckles.

That James was an instigator, wasn't he?

james was awesome. he was by far the most level-headed one of the bunch. but suprisingly, even he had his complaints.

Did you enjoy going through the different states? You said Kansas was your favorite. Did you go through one you weren't crazy about? (i.e. weather was insufferable, traffic awful, etc.?)

missouri. it had lots of great scenery, but the people kinda sucked.

missouri. it had lots of great scenery, but the people kinda sucked.
Awww...too bad. I'm visiting folks in MO, but they are in the southern part. What parts did you go through in MO? When I'm there, I'll give them a piece of my mind on your behalf. :p

james was awesome. he was by far the most level-headed one of the bunch. but suprisingly, even he had his complaints.

Let me guess, that stupid sun in the sky didn't light his photos just right at times? :p

She is very pretty, Chuckles...I hope you get a good date out of this experience! ;)

i'm thinking my chances are slim-to-none.


What did she do?
she just kinda stood around and looked hot.


Not chuckles.
*sigh*

she just kinda stood around and looked hot.
pics?

Okay, and since I'm the most tacky person on this forum, I'll ask something that I shouldn't ask in public...





















...did everyone stink after not showering for 5 days? Or was it like in France where if all stink, no one notices?:p

Awww...too bad. I'm visiting folks in MO, but they are in the southern part. What parts did you go through in MO? When I'm there, I'll give them a piece of my mind on your behalf. :p

we went through the part where the ozarks are. never been honked at and flipped off so many times in my life. not to mention the several big rigs we almost took up the butt on the highway.

Let me guess, that stupid sun in the sky didn't light his photos just right at times?
that was it!

What is the best advice you can give to people who are interested in crewing in the future?

i'm thinking my chances are slim-to-none.



Oh, for cry eye - give yourself more credit than that, Jason! :rolleyes: You're not exactly a hairless goat yourself (i.e. you're easy on the eyes).

...did everyone stink after not showering for 5 days? Or was it like in France where if all stink, no one notices?:p

everyone carried the stinky gene, but two stood out the most: big james and george, who must have thought it wasn't very hardcore to clean himself or something.

Oh, for cry eye - give yourself more credit than that, Jason! :rolleyes: You're not exactly a hairless goat yourself (i.e. you're easy on the eyes).

Maybe she's into hairless goats?

What about the shower in the motorhome?

everyone carried the stinky gene, but two stood out the most: big james and george, who must have thought it wasn't very hardcore to clean himself or something.
:roflmao: So...NOT like France! :p

Oh, still being tacky....













...did anyone get laid? :p :D

What is the best advice you can give to people who are interested in crewing in the future?


best advice would be never to pass on the opportunity to do this if the opporunity is right. make sure that the priorities of your crew chief are in order and that she isn't dating any of the riders. recipe for trouble there.

Oh, for cry eye - give yourself more credit than that, Jason! :rolleyes: You're not exactly a hairless goat yourself (i.e. you're easy on the eyes).



Maybe she's into hairless goats?

that's what i'm thinking.

Did George log in any pulls on the fixie or did he stick the the geared bikes to maximise coasting time whenever possible?

Any F'ing brutal climbs that are just worse than the mountains around here?

What about the shower in the motorhome?


the shower was used as an auxilary fridge/closet space. but at one point, grey water dumpng had been neglected to the point of backing up into the shower. so the cooler that was in there was practically floating, and the grey water would actually slosh out into the walkway during hard turns. bleah.

I read that Rick was putting in extra pulls and in the other Jason's blog, I read that Rick actually collapsed at one point. Were you there when that happened?

Food...

I ate a LOT of sandwiches. They were fairly quick to make, and a decent chunk of nutrition that wasn't in the form of a bar or gel - even fairly filling if you piled on the meat and cheese. Grew fond of ghetto grilled cheese too... toast two pieces of bread, slap a couple slices of cheese on, then zap it in the microwave. I stopped doing that, though, after the generator broke in the RV and we no longer had micro magic.

Also consumed massive quantities of soda and energy drink and snacky junk food.

Oh, still being tacky....
...did anyone get laid? :p :D


someone did. unfortunately, he was too tired to do much else.

What is the funniest or strangest thing you encountered on your trip?

What's up with the RV and it's multiple flat tires, disfunctional shower, busted generator etc...

I read that Rick was putting in extra pulls and in the other Jason's blog, I read that Rick actually collapsed at one point. Were you there when that happened?

i was there for both collapses. that guy is a beast. scary thing is that he was recovered and ready to ride six hours after the first, and THREE hours after the second.

So aside from completing RAAM, what was your highlight of the journey?

someone did. unfortunately, he was too tired to do much else.

You mean like ride a bike or support the riders?

Food...
Also consumed massive quantities of soda and energy drink and snacky junk food.


Pics!!!!! Post your pics!!! (or a few - I know you had over a 1,000)

Did George log in any pulls on the fixie or did he stick the the geared bikes to maximise coasting time whenever possible?

Any F'ing brutal climbs that are just worse than the mountains around here?

my opinion is that bringing the fixie was just a macho move on his part, but he never rode it. heh.

the mountains around here are as bad or worse than anything we saw along the way. there were steeper, shorter climbs, but nothing as long. except wolf's creek pass... which i slept through.