Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - My RAAM update from the road

It's been an eventful day first day. Marko Baloh has been occasionally sharing the lead with Strasser and Gulewicz. They are 350 miles in and averaging 21.5mph! Not bad. They had a pretty strong tail wind last night which helped them quite a bit. One unfortunate incident happened yesterday on the descent into Borrego Springs. Team Teal's rider (two man RAW team from Canada) hit a jeep that pulled a u turn in front of him. He had to get life flighted to the hospital with serious injuries. Hope to hear an update on his condition today from race HQ. It’s been very interesting being a race official after being a racer in four of the last five years. You can definitely tell the veterans from a lot of the rookies! ;) I haven’t given out any time penalties yet. Just some warnings for half hearted stops at stop signs. We’re working the back end of the solo field. We’re seeing way more time off the bike than you do with the riders up front. Time to get back to the riders.

21.5mph, They're absolutely flying. Do you get much sleep being a race official?

There are two of us in the car so we go in shifts at night. So, yeah, we get plenty of sleep (at least so far!).

This is compelling reading; I'd like to know all you care to tell about the race. I hope the injured rider comes out o.k. Have fun out there!

I see that one of the solo women, American Janet Christiansen, has dnf'd but can't find out why. That's gotta suck this early on. I just hope she is alright.

I know Janet and she is not a quitter. Something bad must have happened. I haven't heard of another crash so I'm hoping it's not that. It's been really hot in the desert this year. Some of the slower riders have been riding in 105+ heat. Janet and the other women left a day early so I don't know how they've been getting along. I've seen some very interesting strategies. Some successful, others not. One rider is riding 4hrs and resting for an hour. She's fast on the bike but is in last place. One rider slept in a motel last night when the low temp was 80deg. and now has to try and ride in the heat. One with no aerobars, etc. One rider started in new shoes/pedals and for some reason his knees started hurting (imagine that ;)). At least he brought his old shoes/pedals. Some of that is just rookie mistakes but what will tell whether they will be successful or not is if they can adapt their strategy. I talked with Danny Chew today, he’s crewing for his nephew. He’s young, only 20yrs old. He probably couldn’t have a better mentor.

The injured rider will hopefully be ok but according to the paramedic he had a head injury so they need to be careful. If you have questions feel free to ask.

Night is falling and we're heading into Prescot with the middle/back of the solo riders. Dispite the heat only a few riders DNFed because of it. Janet Christiansen being one of them. She also was having a knee problem. Bummer. We've been harping on the crews all day to keep thier riders hydrated and cool to avoid heat problems. We're finially heading into the mountains so things should cool a bit for them, at least till we hit the plains. Then they'll probably have heat and humidity!

Its early afternoon and we're sitting in good old Tuba City (679miles). It looks like all the RAW teams are done. Nothing official here but I think TEAM RAAM was first. It's hot again today, 97degrees, but not as hot as yesterday. Plus there has been a 27mph cool wind out of the SW all day. That means the riders have had a stellar tail wind or a side wind at the worst. No crashes that I know of or any new DNF's. That's good news! It does look like some of the RAAM rides may not make the time cut-off in Durango though. A couple of them are going to have to really hot foot it! RAW rides have the luxury of no cut off times but I think a couple reallyStrasser's slow riders may change that next year. Strasser's pulled a little lead over Baloh and Blanco passed Gulewicz. Still pretty close up front!

Great updates. Keep them coming. I watch all day at work and some at night at home. My friend just finished RAW and a bunch of us have been following closely and lookinf forward to the report.

Please keep posting.

Really appreciate the updates, Homeyba!

Haven't had good wireless connections since Tuba City. I'm sitting in Pagosa Springs right now. Another beautiful day in Colorado. It looks like all the RAW teams finished yesterday and what's left of the solo riders are trying to beat the deadline tonight. It's been a pretty uneventful day for the most part. A couple riders ended up in the hospital. Both with aggravated pre race injuries and I think they will both be back on the bike soon. As far as their ability to finish I don't know... It's got to be tough when you are hurting this much so soon in the race. Interestingly enough, no solo male RAAM racers have DNFed yet! That's pretty amazing! Only two women are still in the hunt and I've got my fingers crossed that they will make it. One was having so issues but I think they've got a good handle on it. It's amazing that you can suffer an injury and make the appropriate changes to allow the rider to not only continue on the bike but also heal as well. If anyone is considering racing RAAM and really good sports physiotharipist/emt is essential and worth their weight in gold! There are some highly skilled professionals riding with some of these racers. The teams should be out on the road and headed for the desert now. Haven't heard much from back there yet. We should be seeing the first teams come through the solo ranks in Kansas. I'll be heading up Wolf Creek Pass in a bit. Lots of great memories up there!

Very interesting to read your reports. I keep checking the RAAM leaderboard in conjunction with your reports and reading between the lines. Combined they make for a great "picture". Thanks for your posts!

We had our first male solo rider DNF last night. He was one who spent some time in the hospital in Pegosa Springs. Got to give him credit for getting out and giving it another shot. Altitude and bronchial issues are a bad combination though. I think most of the solo guys are over the 1/3 way mark now. Some of them are really struggling though. The winds have been really strong for the solo racers since day one and they continue today. It's really blowing over Cuchara and La Veta Passes. Easily in the 25-35+mph range! Luckily it's been mostly tail and side winds but up here in the passes the wind is swirling all over the place. I saw a small water spout on North Lake, just south of Cuchara Pass. I've never seen anything like that on a lake before. We also watched a golden eagle snag a fish out of the lake. The teams are cooking right along. They haven’t had the wind advantage that the solo riders had but it’s been favorable non-the-less. The first teams are still averaging around 25mph going through Prescot!! Team JDRF is racing with two 16yr old crew chiefs! They are doing pretty good too from what I’ve heard. The solo racers are finishing up the last of the Rockies and heading into the plains. I heard they had some wild weather for the solo riders heading into Walsh Co. The mid west may be flat but it ain’t boring!

This is GREAT, Homeyba: having RAAM updates from someone who’s actually done it. The insights are terrific. Thanks!

Watched Strasser come through TS 27 (Maize, KS – NW suburban Wichita) this afternoon. Might have missed him had I not figured out midway in my circuitous (bike) ride there that the Leaderboard times are Eastern, not local.

Weather was a typical summer day in this cycling paradise: at or near 100 degrees, 105 heat index, southerly winds gusting in the 30s, mostly crosswinds for today’s route. How does an Austrian acclimate so quickly and so well? Wow!

Some quick observations:

1) Based on our keeping the same gap once I found him and turned around back to TS 27, I’d say he and I were both riding maybe 18-19 mph at the time.

2) He and his following van turned a mile too soon before TS 27. A few fans had gathered there to cheer, and had to run back to their cars and chase them down to tell them they were supposed to continue straight. The route directions online make no mention of any turns along this part of the route, even at the TS, so I wonder what they were thinking. Perhaps the small band of fans at an intersection in the middle of nothing confused them.

3) I’m pretty sure the 5 or 6 turns in the Wichita area were marked in previous years. I rode back and forth to all of them later in the afternoon and noticed there were no markings this year.

4) When Strasser finally made it to TS 27 (a large convenience store), a “RAAM Official” tan Explorer had already arrived. Strasser stopped at the stop sign of the nearby intersection, then continued, with a big wave our way. We all turned to the race official, puzzled. “He doesn’t have to actually stop to check in,” he said. Surprised us.

I was the only fan there on a bike. One of the others asked me if I was an ultracyclist. “No.” I finished my 90-mile ride at home with cold watermelon, a shower, air conditioning, a great meal, and my wife’s company. Strasser did not. He’s an ultracyclist, and a good one at that.

Strasser has built himself up quite a lead right now, a time station and a half. The winds were quite torturous last night. Solid 25-35mph side winds. Some of the smaller riders were really struggling with it. I think that will continue today. It's supposed to be a little cooler in KS today but it's still going to be hot, the lady in the kwikshop in Greensburg said it was only going to be 103 today. ;) I saw a rider go down for a 2hr sleep at 6:00 this morning. A better stratagem might have been to keep riding while it is still cool (only 89) the sleeping in the afternoon when the temps are the hottest. I didn't see the rider first but he may have just been exhausted and needed sleep. Sometimes plans have to be changed out of necessity. We had some excitement while outside the Kwikshop when the town’s tornado sirens went off! I think it was just a test as nobody seemed too concerned. As far as the time stations go, the riders do not have to stop at any of them. Their crew is responsible for calling in the time when the rider goes by. The teams are still smoking their way into the Rockies. I talked to one of the teams and they are getting some rain. If they all are, that will slow them down a bit. I still expect them to be catching the slower solo riders in Kansas and Missouri

Judging from the time stamps, Strasser did the same thing yesterday: slept 2 hours or so in Greensburg just before sunrise.

Watch the winds today. Gusting to 43 in parts of Wichita at 11:00 AM. Usually gets windier in the afternoon.

A front's already through Liberal out west. Winds will change to the NW. Someone somewhere in Kansas will get hammered by strong thunderstorms late afternoon or evening.

Homeyba,

The way, in Kansas, to tell a tornado siren test or drill from the real thing? If nobody seems concerned, it's a drill. If they run outside with their video cameras, it's real.

Sleeping just before sunrise is a circadian rhythm thing --- trying to keep the mind/body in tune with the physical/lighting clues in the environment. It's a tradeoff between seeking a more temperate riding environment and one where the mind screams at teh body "WTF are you doing riding in the dark you fool? You're tired. Go to sleep!"

Homeyba,

The way, in Kansas, to tell a tornado siren test or drill from the real thing? If nobody seems concerned, it's a drill. If they run outside with their video cameras, it's real.

Yeah, that's what I figures since nobody went running for their camera. ;)

Sleeping just before sunrise is a circadian rhythm thing --- trying to keep the mind/body in tune with the physical/lighting clues in the environment. It's a tradeoff between seeking a more temperate riding environment and one where the mind screams at teh body "WTF are you doing riding in the dark you fool? You're tired. Go to sleep!"

Yep, I've been there many a time myself! I didn't want to really say they were doing it wrong because the rider and crew chief really have to make that decision. We absoulutely do not want a rider out on the road who is exhausted or falling asleep. I also know how exhausted you can get riding in the Kansas heat plus the winds only get stronger in the afternoon. All a recipe for going slower. That being said, I talked to his crew today and he would have liked to ride till the afternoon before sleeping but he was just too exhausted so to sleep he went. They did the right thing.

Nods - was a shift-worker for years. Some people can adjust with no problem, others have trouble. Catnaps, even 1 REM-cycle sleep shifts can make a big difference, especially if timed so one wakes up just as the sun comes up --- big time help for some people. Personally, I like night riding though I've obviously not done it after 3-4 sleepless days involving extended strenuous exercise.

Anyway, it's an interesting race to try to follow. Keep the reports coming please. ;-)

Wild weather in Kansas! A nasty storm cell just boiled through near Wichita. There was hail coming down just smaller than a golf ball and at one point the wind just about picked the car up! I believe that we were pretty lucky though because there were riders in front of it and behind it so I don't think anyone was in it. That hail was big enough to hurt! On the positive side on the back side of the storm the temperatures dropped from 95+ to 68 degrees and the wind is nearly calm now. I haven't heard from up front lately so I don't know how or if the front solo riders were affected. There was another rider hit by a vehicle this morning. One of the 4 man teams had a rider struck by a Simi outside of Tuba City in the early morning. The driver either couldn't or didn't see him because of the morning sun in his eyes. Amazingly the racer will live but he's going to have to have extensive rehabilitation. His helmet saved his butt! His team is soldiering on with just three riders. Good for them!!! I talked to him briefly in the hospital he was a bit incoherant from the morphine but and I know that's what he wants.

Great reports. Following closely and your reports are wonderful. One rider has dents in his helmet from the hail. A friend who rode RAAM twice said Kansas was the toughest part.

Keep the reports coming.

Good stuff Homeyba,

Good vid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=AdbsamAKWPQ

There were some 72 mph winds recorded last night in Wichita.

Wheredjyago Homey? Hope you didn't end up in oz...

Check in when you get a chance.

Good stuff Homeyba,

Good vid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=AdbsamAKWPQ

Keep in mind when you read the comments to that vid, the "monotony of the Kansas Plains" starts, for a good portion of time, in Eastern Colorado and ends just east of Wichita as you enter the Flint Hills.

Everyone thinks Kansas is a tabletop of nothingness, and wind, but there is more to it than that, and some things attributed to Kansas are actually attributes of other states, or at least parts of them. Kansas, like most states, has its own beauty to go with its faults.

Sorry I've been side tracked. The rider who was hit by the Simi was a friend of mine. I've been dealing with some issues around that. Regarding the weather last night, one rider suffered a broken helmet from the hail before he could get off the bike and in the support car. I don't know what the wind speeds were but they just about picked up our car at one point while we were parked waiting the storm out. There was a great lightning storm overnight to keep the riders entertained. ;) The fast teams are getting much better weather in Kansas than the solo riders had. Lower temps and better winds. I don't know if anyone has noticed but if you look at Strasser who is starting to pull out a big lead in the solo race is less than 750miles from the finish and averaging over 16mph! He's got the Appalachians to contend with but he's currently on pace to break Penseyres's record. If he does that, it'll be big!!!!

Keep in mind when you read the comments to that vid, the "monotony of the Kansas Plains" starts, for a good portion of time, in Eastern Colorado and ends just east of Wichita as you enter the Flint Hills.

Everyone thinks Kansas is a tabletop of nothingness, and wind, but there is more to it than that, and some things attributed to Kansas are actually attributes of other states, or at least parts of them. Kansas, like most states, has its own beauty to go with its faults.

Good point. I tell people I'm from NY, and they assume it's all concrete and traffic. I live in the sticks.

I've seen some lovely Kansas. Some parts do get windy this time of year though...

if you look at Strasser who is starting to pull out a big lead in the solo race is less than 750miles from the finish and averaging over 16mph! He's got the Appalachians to contend with but he's currently on pace to break Penseyres's record. If he does that, it'll be big!!!!


I'm in first to predict that if the average speed record gets shattered this year, it'll get shattered 3 times in the next five years.

I'm in first to predict that if the average speed record gets shattered this year, it'll get shattered 3 times in the next five years.

We'll see! I don't think so though. There are too many variables involved, weather being the biggest. That record hasn't stood for 15+ years for nothing! The course also has a lot more climbing than the one Penseyres set the record on.

The first team, Strategic Lions from England, crossed the Mississippi a few minutes ago. They are averaging 24mph+, not a bad effort! They are riding some nice (expensive) TT bikes.

I've seen some lovely Kansas. Some parts do get windy this time of year though...

Roger's right. To many, "Kansas" is the western half along with eastern CO. Then, too, the RAAM route goes through the flat, sandy bottom land left over the eons by the Arkansas River in the spring thaws of the Rockies before CO dammed up and kept all the water. ;)

RAAM could always reroute to cross KS up north on US 36 if they'd like more hills.

That storm Monday night blew a semi over, 2 miles east and 2 miles south of the Maize TS. But Tuesday, later riders were treated to westerly tailwinds gusting in the upper 30s. More west winds today.

A lot of teams are slated to pass through here today. They should be smokin'!

Keep us posted on your buddy who was hit in Tuba City. Sounds eerily similar to what happened near Wichita in last year's (?) race. Truly frightening!

when do you anticipate you guys will be coming through Oxford, Ohio...i go to school here, it's always fun to watch everyone come through.

EDIT: never mind i found the document on the webiste

Homeyba, I'm doing the Grand Tour Double Saturday and will be missing my riding buddies, they're doing RAAM. Tell everyone on JDRF and Raw Milk Cats hello for me.

Lots of teams slated to pass through Maize TS (27) today so I rode over to take a look. Some observations:

1) First two riders I saw were an African-American (at least he was adorned in bright red, white, and blue colors) and a Korean (based on a van ahead of him). I was heartened by the diversity I hadn’t noticed in cycling. The American was wearing an aero helmet in a tailwind, and after waving, asked if I had encountered any riders ahead. Dude was a serious rider. The Korean waved and smiled grandly.

2) A lady from the RAAM Official car asked me about the road construction two miles ahead. She was told riders would have to put bikes in their vans and be re-routed. Huh? Took me a few minutes to convince her that I had just come from there and there was no road construction anywhere on the route to at least the next time station. She said she’d have to call Race Headquarters and get it corrected. I’m puzzled where her information came from and why it would be so wrong even four days after riders began coming through here.

3) After seeing all the S-Works and other uber bikes, it was nice to look at two bikes of a Bulgarian team: a Trek Pilot 5.0 and an aluminum Drag (Bulgarian), both sporting triples. Just like me. Though the Drag is made in Bulgaria, all the lettering was in English (“Team Master”, etc.).

4) One RV passenger yelled over to me several times as I cruised the parking lot that I was to go straight on that road, straight down that road. I rode over and explained I was a local. And here I thought my Fredly mirror was a dead giveaway.

5) Vans and riders of foreign teams waved more exuberantly than the Americans.

6) I probably saw parts of 5 or 6 teams in the vicinity of the checkpoint, but only one rider was being followed closely by a van. And that poor older rider was being blared at constantly over the van’s external speaker as he arrived. “Stop here. Turn right. Now left. Turn left. Turn left now.” All this in the span of maybe 100 yards. Woulda been easier to just say, “Pull into the Kwik Shop.” Some people should never be given a microphone.

7) After the two most recent serious accidents in RAAM (that I recall, anyway) involved riders who were temporarily away from their van, I was a little nervous. (See comment 5.) This stretch out of Maize is two-lane, no shoulder, and has lots of sand/gravel truck traffic along with those headed to the new super Wal-Mart. But when I stopped again further down the road, a local asked if there was a bike race coming though this week. She kept seeing vans going slowly with a bike right in front of them (Phew!). “We see bikes all the time. It’s the vans that get annoying. You can’t get around them.” And that is probably what’s behind the AZ and CO rules forbidding them. Never, ever keep an American from her Wal-Mart, even if for only a minute or so. Sigh…

Homeyba, any update on your friend who was hit in Tuba City? Hope they've figured out how to get him home.

Homeyba, I'm doing the Grand Tour Double Saturday and will be missing my riding buddies, they're doing RAAM. Tell everyone on JDRF and Raw Milk Cats hello for me.
Will do, haven't seen either of them yet though. They're still behind me though not by much.

...3) After seeing all the S-Works and other uber bikes, it was nice to look at two bikes of a Bulgarian team: a Trek Pilot 5.0 and an aluminum Drag (Bulgarian), both sporting triples. Just like me. Though the Drag is made in Bulgaria, all the lettering was in English (“Team Master”, etc.)...

Want some bicycle eye candy hang out at tech inspection at the beginging of the race. You're see everything there. One team had $30k+ in bicycles in one bike rack. There was definitely some ordinary everyday riders too.


...6)... And that poor older rider was being blared at constantly over the van’s external speaker as he arrived. “Stop here. Turn right. Now left. Turn left. Turn left now.” All this in the span of maybe 100 yards. Woulda been easier to just say, “Pull into the Kwik Shop.” Some people should never be given a microphone... :lol::lol: Ain't that the truth! I think I know which team you're talking about.


...7) After the two most recent serious accidents in RAAM (that I recall, anyway) involved riders who were temporarily away from their van, I was a little nervous. (See comment 5.) This stretch out of Maize is two-lane, no shoulder, and has lots of sand/gravel truck traffic along with those headed to the new super Wal-Mart. But when I stopped again further down the road, a local asked if there was a bike race coming though this week. She kept seeing vans going slowly with a bike right in front of them (Phew!). “We see bikes all the time. It’s the vans that get annoying. You can’t get around them.” And that is probably what’s behind the AZ and CO rules forbidding them. Never, ever keep an American from her Wal-Mart, even if for only a minute or so. Sigh…
Actually the first rider who was hit wasn't rear ended. A jeep driving in the other direction pulled a u-turn in front of him. What both accidents had in common was the sun. Both drivers said they didn't see the cyclist because sun was in thier eyes.


... Homeyba, any update on your friend who was hit in Tuba City? Hope they've figured out how to get him home.

It appears that he is making some promising improvements. His kidneys started working again and he's been up and alert. They aren't casting any of his broken bones so movement is very painful. They can't fly him to Ca so they are renting a van to drive him. The reason they are using a van is that the Dr.'s don't want him in an airplane because of the risk of blood clots. He's going to be in the hospital at least another three days and then his wife may keep him in a local hotel for a few days to heal up some more before the drive to Ca.

The race. Yesterday and today’s weather has been pretty good to the racers. They've had some "normal" tailwinds and the temperatures and humidity have been moderate. We did have some lightning and light rain last night but nothing horrendous. One amazing fact is that only two solo males have DNF'd. Usually nearly half the field is gone buy now! I think the very favorable winds have made a huge impact on the DNF rate. Strasser is only 4 time stations from the finish and still averaging over 15mph! He could break Penseyres speed record!! The fast teams have finally started making some deep inroads into the solo field but I don't know if they are going to catch Strasser. They are hauling booty though! I'm heading to the front of the race right now to peak on Bolah. We're in West Virginal! This is where the race really begins!

It’s been an interesting day today. Strasser has checked out in the front. Unfortunately the Appalachians have taken his chances of the over all speed record away. Unless they change the route to something a bit easier I don’t think Pensyeres record will ever fall. The race for second has gotten really hot. Three riders are within 35+/- minutes and a fourth (Gulewezc) blew up 20 miles back. We're trying to talk him into at least finishing. There's only 250miles to go! He'll hate himself if he quits now. The current leader of the race for second is Blanco. He's been fighting Shermer’s neck for a while and his crew has had him off the bike a bunch of times today first fabricating a brace to hold his head up and then adjusting it so that it was comfortable and he could see well enough at intersections. I took some pics but I can't down load them till I get home in a couple weeks. Baloh has been struggling in the Appalachians a bit but he's hanging right behind Blanco. The surprise is Mark Pattinson. He's come from way back to bring himself into contention, he’s a great climber. I don't think the other two realize how close he is. It's going to be a great race tonight!

Gotta say this has been one of the most interesting threads ever on this forum. Thanks for taking the time to give us the blow-by-blow, Homeyba.

Blanco has been disappearing from the course lately. I believe, and have observed that they have stopped to make adjustments to his head brace. What’s made their stops questionable is that they have actually left the course to do it. That’s not good because whether it’s innocent or not it doesn’t look good. Blanco came into TS 48 about 15 minutes ahead of Baloh and Pattinson so he actually lost some time to them between TS47 and TS48. He went two miles down the road and stopped again and now they have him off the bike and in the van. While I’m sitting here Baloh’s motorhome pulls up and stops right next to them and takes pictures. It’s like The Days of Our Lives, the cycling version! ;) Looks like Blanco is down for sleep so we may be here a while. In the mean time Baloh and Pattinson are duking it out up the road. They were 20ft apart coming through TS 48. I assume they are both going to have to sleep sometime tonight so we’ll see if Blanco’s strategy to sleep early will pay off.

Gotta say this has been one of the most interesting threads ever on this forum. Thanks for taking the time to give us the blow-by-blow, Homeyba.

Thanks, It's been fun to do and a little exhausting! I'm used to being on the rider end of these things. I'll probably be back on the bike next year but I might do this again some time.

Btw, I forgot to mention that Leah Goldstein from Israel has also been having problems with Shermers neck. She's the leading woman. It's interesting to watch how the two crews deal with it. Blanco's crew very experienced and built him a brace out of metal they found lying around. They also turned his handle bars upside down to raise his sitting position on the bike as upright as possible. Leah's crew members are rookies (I believe) and hasn't done any of that for her. She's been riding with her head down. Not a good thing as she can't see what’s up the road. She's already been penalized once for running a stop sign because she didn't see it.

Interesting - that's an understatement - hey after about the first 800 miles - its all twilight zone.........

Gotta say this has been one of the most interesting threads ever on this forum. Thanks for taking the time to give us the blow-by-blow, Homeyba.

+1 on that!

Homeyba, Hope that you're getting some sleep while you're doing all this. I know that people driving support for PBP riders often feel like they got little more sleep than the riders themselves.

Nick

So here's the after math of the race for 2nd place last night. We had two casualties. First, Gulewezc quit last night. He put in an increadible effort but he just got crushed. We tried to get him to at least finish but it wasn't to be. Second was Blanco. He's soldiering on but he's toast. I think he tried to blow the other guys apart and succeded with Gulewezc and maybe even hurt Baloh pretty bad. It was amazing to watch him last night riding with that neck brace and upturned handle bars. I'll post some pics when I get home in a couple weeks. After Blanco went down Baloh and Pattinson kept battling. It looks like Pattinson has finally got the upper hand and is starting to pull away with just a few time stations left. If Baloh has anything left he's going to have to lay it on the line now.

As far as sleep goes, there are two of us in the car so at night one drives and the other sleeps. It hasn't really been much of an issue.

Congrats to Strasser, what a ride! I'd be interested in seeing his rest/sleep stats during the race.

Thanks again to Homeyba for the all the updates!

Bernie, Thanks for the updates you're making the RAAM very interesting with the "View from the Road".

Dante, sorry you're going to be lonely on the GT. :( That's one of my favorite doubles. Your friends should be home before you know it. ;)

The route passes a mile from my house, between TS 39 and 40. I get out there when I can, to cheer them on as they pass. Samim Rizvi just went by, and he waved yelled "thank you thank you" as he rode by. Cool. Three teams to go, the last one in about an hour. Yeah, I'm a dorky fan and I love it.

Some of the slower teams and individual racers have some of the best stories. An example is one of the 8 bike teams, Team Andreas Niedrig. They were initially entered as a solo rider. Yep a solo rider Andreas Niedrig from Germany. Andreas was out walking his dog two days before his plane was to leave for the US when he tripped over his dog and tore a ligament in his knee! His media team and most of his crew were already here in the US at the start. What to do???? Well RAAM officials let his crew have his entry so 8 former crew members were now racing with only the remaining 4 crew from the solo effort to crew for them! One other small problem, no bikes. They were able to beg, borrow or steal 5 bikes before race day. So, 8 former crew members raced across the US on 5 bikes with only 4 crew members. They finished in 6 d 15 h 46 m. Pretty stinking respectable!