http://artwork.davies.com/apd/100612_raam/
- from my iPad
Monday, June 21, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
The Finale
So the plan is for Quincy van to ride to TS51. Sheeper van to ride TS52 and TS53. Then all four team members will ride to TS54, the final timed section, in team time trial format. Should be cool. Hoping to video that bit. Then there is a short parade section.
- from my iPad
- from my iPad
Friday, June 18, 2010
The track stand king at 1:14am
The traffic light was red, the traffic light tuned green.
110 miles to go
- from my iPad
110 miles to go
- from my iPad
Location:Greencastle, PA
Getting exciting
T422 and BFN are neck and neck. I think we will regain the lead by TS49 . Tim just finished a massive pull up a nasty 3 mile 8%-er. Aeesome view from here the FV.
- from my iPhone
- from my iPhone
Location:Maryland
Team swap at TS46
There is only once or twice a day when everyone is together and it happened at 3:18pm this afternoon as Bill and DaveQ finished their 8 hr shift.
Tim was up first from the S van
and left everyone behind to trade stories -you guys out in the blogosphere are better informed than some of the team. D and B didn't even know about the suicidal raccoon.
Spirits are really high with just 314 miles to go.
Where's my media consultant?
- from my iPad
Tim was up first from the S van
and left everyone behind to trade stories -you guys out in the blogosphere are better informed than some of the team. D and B didn't even know about the suicidal raccoon.
Spirits are really high with just 314 miles to go.
Where's my media consultant?
- from my iPad
Location:Grafton, WV
The Day In The life
I thought I would try and capture 24 hrs of this craziness in greater detail - who knew that the 24 I picked would be like this?
Raam Thursday 17th
00:00 still Following Q
2:00 where's S?
3:00 team switch Q->S 10hrs
Time change
7:30 we move ahead to Bloomington
8:30 b'fast at bowling alley
11:00 arrive Bloomington, got gassed up
12:30 checked in to Holiday Inn Express
Solid deep sleep for 90 mins
David doesn't sleep, goes shopping for S
14:00 team switch S->Q after 10hrs
Q going to now go for 8hrs
16:00 S takes over hotel from us as we leave to follow Q
16:00 eat dinner at steak house,
16:45 receive call saying Quincy is off course - that gets our attention
Bill sent ahead riding alone w lots of water
17:00 Followers start out for Columbus IN intercept
Quincy found and brought forward
We're chasing to catch before 7pm, the mandatory follow time
Can't find them, no cell service
6:03 Hear they are at TS40+4miles
Estimated off course delay is 14 mins
7:22 caught up w/ Q -darn we are late we blew it
Cute town
Brooksville
20:37 reach TS41
22:00 scheduled Q->S exchange at TS41+30.7mi aka 42J-L
ie 30.7mi in 83mins = 22.192mph - will never make
Steve extended planned exchange to safer parking area
22:19 actual meet time
Quincy van shoots off to secret resort location. Promises to be back on the road by 6am tomorrow, Friday
at 11:39pm TS42 pick up route changes. TSstaff offer us cookies
I start trying to modify route TS42-43 on fly - added 3 new waypoints. I think this will work - never tried this before
But TS43-44 change is tougher and the laptop isn't the tool for the job. New waypoints are in but autoroute may not work
It's Friday
And then ... It's 1:06am and a raccoon runs out from the right verge right Eduardo's front wheel. Huge wobble as the wheel goes right over the animal but Eduardo keeps self upright. Huge scare. Just a broken spoke
The follow vehicle really does have the best seating in the house!
TS44
Real screw up - I put Eduardo onto a freeway on ramp - we had to back up down the ramp - fast. Go Raoul.
Then I took a back seat navigating and saw us go off course. I shout too late. Crew chief thinks I'm intentionally screwing up and with holding nav info.
Then confusion, should we load Eduardo to return him to the point of a error.
A couple more screw ups then a much anticipated and often postponed showdown with crew chief. Hopefully I can be addressed as an adult rather than a child from here on. Only if I behave like one I guess.
Now the exchange van won't let us out of their sight (lost confidence in our ability to navigate -
11:24pm Tim on the road as we approach TS42 Blanchester OH
nRoute gets slow. Starts to lag by 1-2 secs. Not workable when choices of turn occur within that time frame. Unplugging satellites from laptop momently seems to relieve problem
11:39pm TS42 pick up official route changes - keepers who needs changes now.
TSstaff offer cookies
Start trying to modify route TS42-43 on fly - added 3 new waypoints. I think this will work
But TS43-44 is tougher and the laptop isn't the tool for the job. New waypoints are in and some old are removed. autoroute may not work but we should be able to track the new waypoints manually.
And then ... It's 1:06am and a raccoon runs out from the right verge right under Eduardo's front wheel. Huge wobble as the wheel goes right over the animal but Edusrdo keeps hself upright. Huge scare. Broken spoke is the only damage.
The follow vehicle really does have the best seating in the house.
1:20am Raoul exhausted behind wheel. Crew chief took 45mins of sleep this afternoon. I'm in good shape, arguments and shouting matches wake me up. Once we are through the reroute section I can drive.
1:20am rider change Tim up. Raoul sleeping, crew chief driving. Me navigating and plugging changes.
1:25 approaching detour - seems well sign posted. I bet we didn't need the reroute rework of the last hour.
S exchange can't find the new route so they are now following us into oblivion.
1:38 new route kicks in on laptop - looking good (ie doesn't send us into a field but through tiny Salem)
Clearly some copycat suicide thing going on in the animal kingdom as another animal runs in front of Tim's front wheel. Right to left again!
This is quite the country detour and I haven't seen any other raamriders this evening/morning - I'm still confident, really I am.
Why does the sound of the van flashers always seem to be in sync with Tim's pedaling cadence?
1:57 Now we have a farm dog chasing Tim looking back a little anxious
1:58 rider swap, Eduardo's cranking the pedals
2:21 rider swap, Tim up
These night time transitions are very quick. The S van has driven ahead 'n' miles and pulled off the road. The new rider waits dismounted and ready to go, for the old rider and follow vehicle to approach. At night there is no rolling hand off nevertheless the follow vehicle never stops as the new rider tags and launches. Nature breaks for the follow vehicle occupants are an issue as no one can advance down the road without a follow vehicle. We synchronize our needs.
2:33 detour complete and we are back on original course. GPS spot on. Next set of chains wont be so smooth.
2:50 aborted rider swap, we got there too fast. Reload and try again.
2:52 TS43 at Chillicothe OH - crew chief phones it in to RAAM HQ and receives confirmation number
Raoul is still sleeping - could be a record, a personal best.
2:54 rider swap, Eduardo up
Random thought that this just might be the last full night of riding if our, so far excellent, luck holds.
Worked on new route for Ts43-44 Looks good
3:23 Katja up ahead calls back to say there is a huge fire ahead on hwy50 and the road is completely blocked at Ts43+9.21- you have to be kidding
Yes there is a RAAM procedure for this - an official is on his way! Meanwhile the house looks to be completely gone with 4 fire trucks and twice as many police cars.
We are told to stop where we are. We have stopped.
Gee why did i choose today to make the detailed notes....
Raam central, Kim, approved a rural dirt road bypass with our rider on board. With time to be credited.
4:32 Once we were back on hwy50 we called raam to start the clock again
Clock starts at 4:37am. Stopped at 3:21
6:23 woke up to see S van still active, Q van chasing us from behind (the road reopened soon after we completed the detour) I see we have 10.9mi to
Go before we leave the existing course and embark on the changes given us at ts42. To complicate things Q van does not have the changes and cell phones aren't working.
6:26 E off, T on
Will Q van catch us (and exchange teams) before we leave the old course that we all know from the route books. Will S van have to extend their shift significantly?
6:30am Tim is an animal
6:32am Q van is here and will drop a fresh team. We, follow.
7am team exchange 4 miles short of cr19 detour. Took the left across the divided highway - totally wild and dangerous.
7:17am ad hoc midnight reroute working just fine - what panic? Ts44 here we come.
7:32am TS44 - we're done with this one
Follow vehicle off duty.
Breakfast
- from my iPad
Raam Thursday 17th
00:00 still Following Q
2:00 where's S?
3:00 team switch Q->S 10hrs
Time change
7:30 we move ahead to Bloomington
8:30 b'fast at bowling alley
11:00 arrive Bloomington, got gassed up
12:30 checked in to Holiday Inn Express
Solid deep sleep for 90 mins
David doesn't sleep, goes shopping for S
14:00 team switch S->Q after 10hrs
Q going to now go for 8hrs
16:00 S takes over hotel from us as we leave to follow Q
16:00 eat dinner at steak house,
16:45 receive call saying Quincy is off course - that gets our attention
Bill sent ahead riding alone w lots of water
17:00 Followers start out for Columbus IN intercept
Quincy found and brought forward
We're chasing to catch before 7pm, the mandatory follow time
Can't find them, no cell service
6:03 Hear they are at TS40+4miles
Estimated off course delay is 14 mins
7:22 caught up w/ Q -darn we are late we blew it
Cute town
Brooksville
20:37 reach TS41
22:00 scheduled Q->S exchange at TS41+30.7mi aka 42J-L
ie 30.7mi in 83mins = 22.192mph - will never make
Steve extended planned exchange to safer parking area
22:19 actual meet time
Quincy van shoots off to secret resort location. Promises to be back on the road by 6am tomorrow, Friday
at 11:39pm TS42 pick up route changes. TSstaff offer us cookies
I start trying to modify route TS42-43 on fly - added 3 new waypoints. I think this will work - never tried this before
But TS43-44 change is tougher and the laptop isn't the tool for the job. New waypoints are in but autoroute may not work
It's Friday
And then ... It's 1:06am and a raccoon runs out from the right verge right Eduardo's front wheel. Huge wobble as the wheel goes right over the animal but Eduardo keeps self upright. Huge scare. Just a broken spoke
The follow vehicle really does have the best seating in the house!
TS44
Real screw up - I put Eduardo onto a freeway on ramp - we had to back up down the ramp - fast. Go Raoul.
Then I took a back seat navigating and saw us go off course. I shout too late. Crew chief thinks I'm intentionally screwing up and with holding nav info.
Then confusion, should we load Eduardo to return him to the point of a error.
A couple more screw ups then a much anticipated and often postponed showdown with crew chief. Hopefully I can be addressed as an adult rather than a child from here on. Only if I behave like one I guess.
Now the exchange van won't let us out of their sight (lost confidence in our ability to navigate -
11:24pm Tim on the road as we approach TS42 Blanchester OH
nRoute gets slow. Starts to lag by 1-2 secs. Not workable when choices of turn occur within that time frame. Unplugging satellites from laptop momently seems to relieve problem
11:39pm TS42 pick up official route changes - keepers who needs changes now.
TSstaff offer cookies
Start trying to modify route TS42-43 on fly - added 3 new waypoints. I think this will work
But TS43-44 is tougher and the laptop isn't the tool for the job. New waypoints are in and some old are removed. autoroute may not work but we should be able to track the new waypoints manually.
And then ... It's 1:06am and a raccoon runs out from the right verge right under Eduardo's front wheel. Huge wobble as the wheel goes right over the animal but Edusrdo keeps hself upright. Huge scare. Broken spoke is the only damage.
The follow vehicle really does have the best seating in the house.
1:20am Raoul exhausted behind wheel. Crew chief took 45mins of sleep this afternoon. I'm in good shape, arguments and shouting matches wake me up. Once we are through the reroute section I can drive.
1:20am rider change Tim up. Raoul sleeping, crew chief driving. Me navigating and plugging changes.
1:25 approaching detour - seems well sign posted. I bet we didn't need the reroute rework of the last hour.
S exchange can't find the new route so they are now following us into oblivion.
1:38 new route kicks in on laptop - looking good (ie doesn't send us into a field but through tiny Salem)
Clearly some copycat suicide thing going on in the animal kingdom as another animal runs in front of Tim's front wheel. Right to left again!
This is quite the country detour and I haven't seen any other raamriders this evening/morning - I'm still confident, really I am.
Why does the sound of the van flashers always seem to be in sync with Tim's pedaling cadence?
1:57 Now we have a farm dog chasing Tim looking back a little anxious
1:58 rider swap, Eduardo's cranking the pedals
2:21 rider swap, Tim up
These night time transitions are very quick. The S van has driven ahead 'n' miles and pulled off the road. The new rider waits dismounted and ready to go, for the old rider and follow vehicle to approach. At night there is no rolling hand off nevertheless the follow vehicle never stops as the new rider tags and launches. Nature breaks for the follow vehicle occupants are an issue as no one can advance down the road without a follow vehicle. We synchronize our needs.
2:33 detour complete and we are back on original course. GPS spot on. Next set of chains wont be so smooth.
2:50 aborted rider swap, we got there too fast. Reload and try again.
2:52 TS43 at Chillicothe OH - crew chief phones it in to RAAM HQ and receives confirmation number
Raoul is still sleeping - could be a record, a personal best.
2:54 rider swap, Eduardo up
Random thought that this just might be the last full night of riding if our, so far excellent, luck holds.
Worked on new route for Ts43-44 Looks good
3:23 Katja up ahead calls back to say there is a huge fire ahead on hwy50 and the road is completely blocked at Ts43+9.21- you have to be kidding
Yes there is a RAAM procedure for this - an official is on his way! Meanwhile the house looks to be completely gone with 4 fire trucks and twice as many police cars.
We are told to stop where we are. We have stopped.
Gee why did i choose today to make the detailed notes....
Raam central, Kim, approved a rural dirt road bypass with our rider on board. With time to be credited.
4:32 Once we were back on hwy50 we called raam to start the clock again
Clock starts at 4:37am. Stopped at 3:21
6:23 woke up to see S van still active, Q van chasing us from behind (the road reopened soon after we completed the detour) I see we have 10.9mi to
Go before we leave the existing course and embark on the changes given us at ts42. To complicate things Q van does not have the changes and cell phones aren't working.
6:26 E off, T on
Will Q van catch us (and exchange teams) before we leave the old course that we all know from the route books. Will S van have to extend their shift significantly?
6:30am Tim is an animal
6:32am Q van is here and will drop a fresh team. We, follow.
7am team exchange 4 miles short of cr19 detour. Took the left across the divided highway - totally wild and dangerous.
7:17am ad hoc midnight reroute working just fine - what panic? Ts44 here we come.
7:32am TS44 - we're done with this one
Follow vehicle off duty.
Breakfast
- from my iPad
Location:Athens, OH
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Missed Michele - darn.
We knew we were very close but now conclude Michele must have been resting as we shot by this morning. We should have passed her 8 miles after TS37 but didn't see her.
- from my iPad
- from my iPad
Location:TS37
Things that can go wrong, TS34-35
We ran into a text book RAAM problem last. Leaving TS34 there is a quite short but steep pitch 8 miles into the section. As luck would have it there was congestion prior to the hill. This then led to a line of support vehicles stuck behind a tandem that was having trouble. Enough trouble to justify (in their team's mind) a crew swap mid hill. Night time so stationary handoff and the subsequent stall rippled back through the queue. All this was too much for our rider who leap frogged the traffic jam, abandoning us (his mandatory support vehicle) at the back of the line. Eventually the sewer became unclogged and we retrieved our stationary rider at a T junction as he didn't have the correct direction. Good decision to stop.
This was taking place on narrow two lane undulating and windy roads. David immediately phoned back to Sheeper van to warn them to allow extra time to advance to the next team swap position - along the same route.
Alas, it was too late. When we eventually pulled off the swap it was 3:00am at least one hour later than planned. As a result the retiring team was out for 10 hours. - a long time indeed.
Any frustrations were mitigated by the ride over the Mississippi at Alton - a very cool bridge and symbolic for any west-to-east journeys.
- from my iPad
This was taking place on narrow two lane undulating and windy roads. David immediately phoned back to Sheeper van to warn them to allow extra time to advance to the next team swap position - along the same route.
Alas, it was too late. When we eventually pulled off the swap it was 3:00am at least one hour later than planned. As a result the retiring team was out for 10 hours. - a long time indeed.
Any frustrations were mitigated by the ride over the Mississippi at Alton - a very cool bridge and symbolic for any west-to-east journeys.
- from my iPad
Location:Washington, Missouri
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Everything back as it was
Van configurations are back the way they were Sheeper van arrived at hotel as scheduled and assumed the room.
We took in some dinner
No consensus on my first choice
then hustled to catch Quincy van
All this riding is doing something special to Bill's legs - they're ripped
- from my iPad
We took in some dinner
No consensus on my first choice
then hustled to catch Quincy van
All this riding is doing something special to Bill's legs - they're ripped
- from my iPad
Location:Hermann, MO
Jefferson City
We are well and truly in Ozark vacation country. All very new looking buildings showing signs of robust economic vitality. Ozark lake is what justifies the activities. I'll suggest Lake Shasta on steroids. The local accents are very local, the music is very country. I was just putting down some finger lick in' goodness following a really solid 2 hours sleep.
Ken is sounding recharged..
New plan has the follow vehicle resuming normal service as soon as Sheeper van gets to this hotel. We'll grab Raoul and subject him to a double shift. Ken will get to stay at the hotel a double shift and then return to his mothership. Everything back to normal.
Tim and Eduardo did an awesome job getting to Camdenton (TS32), almost matching the ETA. Seriously rolling hills and the sun is hot, damn hot.
Rested and ready to roll.
- from my iPad
Ken is sounding recharged..
New plan has the follow vehicle resuming normal service as soon as Sheeper van gets to this hotel. We'll grab Raoul and subject him to a double shift. Ken will get to stay at the hotel a double shift and then return to his mothership. Everything back to normal.
Tim and Eduardo did an awesome job getting to Camdenton (TS32), almost matching the ETA. Seriously rolling hills and the sun is hot, damn hot.
Rested and ready to roll.
- from my iPad
Location:Jefferson City, MO
Accommodations are ready
Using the RAAM web site to predict TS arrival times Ken, David and I launched the mini-van forward to the 'burbs of JC. Here we have snagged room 223 at the Best Western (next to a KFC!, protein tonight). RAAM location 33A-BR
Raoul Raoul you took my red duffel when you jumped ship this morning. Looking forward to your arrival here more than usual.
- from my iPad
Raoul Raoul you took my red duffel when you jumped ship this morning. Looking forward to your arrival here more than usual.
- from my iPad
Location:Jefferson City, MO
Relief
Raoul jumped ship and is now riding shotgun in the Sheeper van. We grabbed Ken for a spell in the off duty follow vehicle which is right now hurtling towards Jefferson City, MO to snag an hotel for Sheeper van after their day shift ends at 5pm.
Perhaps we three will check that beds and showers are working at spec prior to their arrival.
... i dreamt that I was a butterfly dreaming that I was a man ....
(it's ok, I'm not driving)
- from my iPhone
Perhaps we three will check that beds and showers are working at spec prior to their arrival.
... i dreamt that I was a butterfly dreaming that I was a man ....
(it's ok, I'm not driving)
- from my iPhone
Location:Camdenton, MO
Rolling in to Fort Scott (TS39)
This entry should be one post earlier.
An exchange during last night.
First light
Hmmm fog - a new twist
A good pull
- from my iPad
An exchange during last night.
First light
Hmmm fog - a new twist
A good pull
- from my iPad
Location:Fort Scott, KS
TS30
It was a tough night for everyone and sleeping at Wichita's fine Best Western isn't even a memory anymore. If I could sleep it would be just a dream.
Fog early this morning to add to the sunrise visuals (photos later)
With Terri gone and Katja and Michael not drive legal ee need to address sleep in the big vans. Currently contemplating decommisioning the follow vehicle so that Raoul and I can supplement the driving resources in the other two vehicles.
The cost will be in the time taken for nighttime exchanges.
It's fasinating how making decisions about sleep is harder with no sleep.
I'll be handing out the happy (non grumpy) pills soon - if there any left.
It will be an interesting day.
But wait ... We are moving east at a great pace. The riders are totally awesome and seem indefatiguable (thankyou spell checker)
I'm particulaly thrill to read on the RAAM site that our forecast finish time is 3:27am on Saturday morning
But first breafast
- from my iPhone
Fog early this morning to add to the sunrise visuals (photos later)
With Terri gone and Katja and Michael not drive legal ee need to address sleep in the big vans. Currently contemplating decommisioning the follow vehicle so that Raoul and I can supplement the driving resources in the other two vehicles.
The cost will be in the time taken for nighttime exchanges.
It's fasinating how making decisions about sleep is harder with no sleep.
I'll be handing out the happy (non grumpy) pills soon - if there any left.
It will be an interesting day.
But wait ... We are moving east at a great pace. The riders are totally awesome and seem indefatiguable (thankyou spell checker)
I'm particulaly thrill to read on the RAAM site that our forecast finish time is 3:27am on Saturday morning
But first breafast
- from my iPhone
Kruisin' akross Kansas
Flashing back to leaving the hotel in Wichita-here you see Raoul loading up the entire contents of the hotel's ice machine
And here we are again between TS28 and TS29 - notable for having absolutely no terms in the entire 64.5 miles.
Our shopping list now has flags on it for when we get off in the morning. These mandatory flags we fly automatically shred at speeds greater than 40mph. How about adapting our very red Sheeper tee-shirts. Walmart (lots of them around) is bound to have the real thing.
- from my iPad
And here we are again between TS28 and TS29 - notable for having absolutely no terms in the entire 64.5 miles.
Our shopping list now has flags on it for when we get off in the morning. These mandatory flags we fly automatically shred at speeds greater than 40mph. How about adapting our very red Sheeper tee-shirts. Walmart (lots of them around) is bound to have the real thing.
- from my iPad
Location:U.S. 54,Rosalia,United States
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
TS27 (28D-L)
Teri left the vehicle at TS27 and headed to the hotel we just vacated. Katja in the follow van until the 9am team exchange when she will join Sheeper van
We all met at the 1am exchange 10 miles after TS27. Retiring Sheeper van headed now to El Dorado to sleep/shower
- from my iPhone
We all met at the 1am exchange 10 miles after TS27. Retiring Sheeper van headed now to El Dorado to sleep/shower
- from my iPhone
Location:Witchita, KS
Crew exchange. aka playing hooky
After TS21 mile 26.9 we do a team exchange and reconfigure. Doug leaves the Quincy mothership and enters the minivan.
Michael moves from Sheeper to Quincy along with a promotion to "navigatore supremo" aka Nuevo Doug.
With guilt in our hearts we abandon T405 and the four us bomb off along hwy 160
towards Wichita where Doug will disembark from the minivan to catch a 6:50pm flight.
We stop in Minneola for victuals and some petrol
So with our gas on "F" and our bladders on "E" we jump back on the freeway for the remaining 150 miles to the airport.
After Doug hops on the plane and returns to a normal life we three "followers" will get a hotel room, with en suite spa and masseuse, and wait for Katya's plane to arrive from somewhere in the west at around midnight. Then we will try to sublet the hotel room before head out to find the team who, serendipitously, will be very near Wichita by now. Then, the game over, we will be back to our following role.
- from my iPad
Michael moves from Sheeper to Quincy along with a promotion to "navigatore supremo" aka Nuevo Doug.
With guilt in our hearts we abandon T405 and the four us bomb off along hwy 160
towards Wichita where Doug will disembark from the minivan to catch a 6:50pm flight.
We stop in Minneola for victuals and some petrol
So with our gas on "F" and our bladders on "E" we jump back on the freeway for the remaining 150 miles to the airport.
After Doug hops on the plane and returns to a normal life we three "followers" will get a hotel room, with en suite spa and masseuse, and wait for Katya's plane to arrive from somewhere in the west at around midnight. Then we will try to sublet the hotel room before head out to find the team who, serendipitously, will be very near Wichita by now. Then, the game over, we will be back to our following role.
- from my iPad
Location:Hwy 54 -off route!
The Divide
And that would be the Continental Divide, of course, no snide references to intra team squabbling as that would involve dRAAMa and I swore I'd never make that pun.
Despite everything Sheeper van handed off to Quincy van at the base of the Wolf Creek pass (10857ft)
Dave and Bill split the 8 mile climb brilliantly, they looked strong, The rain .held off
And Bill took the flag over the top
Carrying us over the Divide
Great descent down into South Fork and TS17
Picked up some Blimpie sandwiches and headed through Alamosa before the team hand off. We used the imprecise hand-off procedure(tm) allowing Quincy van to attack the lower slopes and the Sheeper van to take "upper" La Veta pass itself, rumored to be visually stunning but it was pitch black and no moon. What I did notice was Tim descending at 41mph and the outside temp was 37F on his way to Trinidad, Colorado. i think Quincy van got a hotel in Trinidad but the follow vehicle never rests....
Lots of strategizing in our van trying to work how we are going to drop Teri, and Doug and pick up Katya at Witchita airport tonight.
- from my iPad
Despite everything Sheeper van handed off to Quincy van at the base of the Wolf Creek pass (10857ft)
Dave and Bill split the 8 mile climb brilliantly, they looked strong, The rain .held off
And Bill took the flag over the top
Carrying us over the Divide
Great descent down into South Fork and TS17
Picked up some Blimpie sandwiches and headed through Alamosa before the team hand off. We used the imprecise hand-off procedure(tm) allowing Quincy van to attack the lower slopes and the Sheeper van to take "upper" La Veta pass itself, rumored to be visually stunning but it was pitch black and no moon. What I did notice was Tim descending at 41mph and the outside temp was 37F on his way to Trinidad, Colorado. i think Quincy van got a hotel in Trinidad but the follow vehicle never rests....
Lots of strategizing in our van trying to work how we are going to drop Teri, and Doug and pick up Katya at Witchita airport tonight.
- from my iPad
Location:Continental Divide
Monday, June 14, 2010
It's raining
Storm showers going through as we near the team exchange to Dave/Bill and the start of epic Wolf Creek Pass 10858ft
- from my iPhone
- from my iPhone
Location:Pagosa Springs,CO
TS10 was logged
Sally, Derrick,
Yup we phoned that one in. Confirmation number 99111
Thanks
- from my iPhone
Yup we phoned that one in. Confirmation number 99111
Thanks
- from my iPhone
Location:(Tuba City)
Catching up in Cortez, CO
there's too much stuff happening. I cant really keep up with one iPad update per day but let's give things a try.
After the missed communications north of Sedona and the subsequent regrouping, Tim and Eduardo launched their evening ride - Tim drawing the Yarnell grade, 40 miles of descent.
Did I mention the spectacular skies?
Last night we had a classic illustration of one of the most important and tricky decisions - how far ahead to position the fresh team so that the current team gets in their commitment 8 hours?) and yet doesn't fall short of where the exchange will take place. Terrain plays a huge part in the progress the racers making; predicting rider speed is hard.
Last night we blew it with Dave and Bill and crew waiting out at Kayenta while it became apparent that Tim and Edurado weren't going to make it there by midnight (8 hours) in fact they were 3 hours too far away. A compromise was reached and the quincy van retreated 15 miles and Tim and Eduardo rode an extra 15 miles (one hour) on that terrain.
Tim irritated a 18-wheeler driver by his very presence and the truck veered off the pavement and came to a full stop in front of us with its sirens blaring for 30 seconds before finally becoming intimidated by us and leaving.
Plenty of tired riders, plenty of tired crew and mood swings to match.
While Dave and Bill took over at 1am (with us in the follow van) they forged their way through Monument Valley, (not even a moon) and on through Mexican Hat. Roadsie chaos at night
A calmer dawn exchange
Meanwhile the sheeper van beat it ahead to Cortez Colorado where they secured a motel room for a couple of hours of bed rest and showers.
The sun rose with Bill and Dave riding out the last of AZ and into lush Colorado. The whole hotel thing seemed like a good idea so the quincy van arrived to share the showers.
The motel was designated an exchange point so Tim was ready for DaveQ to arrive
Follow van occupants went shopping so by the time we got back for our showers they had checked out of the motel. No problem - a deal was struck for $5/shower. Excellent value in this situation
We swung by Radio Shack and got the bullhorn working (dont ask)
Also we think we solved the PA battery problem - mounting harness interfered with switch.
Exhausting
work has us relaxing in downtown Cortez's park.
- from my iPad
After the missed communications north of Sedona and the subsequent regrouping, Tim and Eduardo launched their evening ride - Tim drawing the Yarnell grade, 40 miles of descent.
Did I mention the spectacular skies?
Last night we had a classic illustration of one of the most important and tricky decisions - how far ahead to position the fresh team so that the current team gets in their commitment 8 hours?) and yet doesn't fall short of where the exchange will take place. Terrain plays a huge part in the progress the racers making; predicting rider speed is hard.
Last night we blew it with Dave and Bill and crew waiting out at Kayenta while it became apparent that Tim and Edurado weren't going to make it there by midnight (8 hours) in fact they were 3 hours too far away. A compromise was reached and the quincy van retreated 15 miles and Tim and Eduardo rode an extra 15 miles (one hour) on that terrain.
Tim irritated a 18-wheeler driver by his very presence and the truck veered off the pavement and came to a full stop in front of us with its sirens blaring for 30 seconds before finally becoming intimidated by us and leaving.
Plenty of tired riders, plenty of tired crew and mood swings to match.
While Dave and Bill took over at 1am (with us in the follow van) they forged their way through Monument Valley, (not even a moon) and on through Mexican Hat. Roadsie chaos at night
A calmer dawn exchange
Meanwhile the sheeper van beat it ahead to Cortez Colorado where they secured a motel room for a couple of hours of bed rest and showers.
The sun rose with Bill and Dave riding out the last of AZ and into lush Colorado. The whole hotel thing seemed like a good idea so the quincy van arrived to share the showers.
The motel was designated an exchange point so Tim was ready for DaveQ to arrive
Follow van occupants went shopping so by the time we got back for our showers they had checked out of the motel. No problem - a deal was struck for $5/shower. Excellent value in this situation
We swung by Radio Shack and got the bullhorn working (dont ask)
Also we think we solved the PA battery problem - mounting harness interfered with switch.
Exhausting
work has us relaxing in downtown Cortez's park.
- from my iPad
Location:Cortez CO
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