Friday, June 29, 2007
Finish Line Photos!
I wanted to thank everyone for their patience, I know that you've all been waiting for photos from our RAAM adventure. Our extremely talented photographer James Vogl handed off a DVD containing 1300+ high resolution images yesterday and I'm starting in Atlantic City and working my way back to California in my uploading efforts. Keep checking our flickr site, I hope to have all of them up on the site by this weekend. For now, all of the finish line photos are there!
Monday, June 25, 2007
Brandy's Support
The crew as a whole did a fantastic job supporting Rick and I. They were a green crew and they learned lots of things on the fly. I commend them on a job well done.
Furthermore, I wish to acknowledge Brandy for being my primary support person. She kept up on my nutrition, my supplements and provided care to my hemoroids--not exactly a task anyone would want to sign up for. She was there to console me during my lows and very painful times (bowel movements) and shared in my heights when my riding was back to normal. I would not have been able to get through it without her personal support. She was gold and I would have her on my crew again. Thank you Brandy.
I also remember coming in from cold and rainy pulls and someone handing me a cup of soup. This activity was repeated over and over again. I remember Reggie, Herman and Shari everyone chipping in to comfort me after a pull with a soup or a sandwich or a cup of Ensure. Thank you Reggie, Herman and Shari.
To everyone who washed bottles, made bottles, prepped my bike, aired up my tires, ran around looking for headlights and tailights that worked at every night pull you guys/gals were great. Thank you.
To the drivers and navigators who kept me safe and on course. I want to say thank you for protecting as we entered Interstate Hwys and metro areas. I felt a level of comfort and safety knowing that you were there shielding me from the crazy road rage drivers. By and large people were supporting me as they drove by with thumbs up but it took nerves of steel to flare out wide enough to protect me from 18 wheelers that were bearing down on me at 4x my speed. Many of you did your duty while sleep deprived and yet I wasn't ever lost or run off the road. Many crew reports talk about that very thing and that didn't happen to us. Thank you I am home safely because of you.
Furthermore, I wish to acknowledge Brandy for being my primary support person. She kept up on my nutrition, my supplements and provided care to my hemoroids--not exactly a task anyone would want to sign up for. She was there to console me during my lows and very painful times (bowel movements) and shared in my heights when my riding was back to normal. I would not have been able to get through it without her personal support. She was gold and I would have her on my crew again. Thank you Brandy.
I also remember coming in from cold and rainy pulls and someone handing me a cup of soup. This activity was repeated over and over again. I remember Reggie, Herman and Shari everyone chipping in to comfort me after a pull with a soup or a sandwich or a cup of Ensure. Thank you Reggie, Herman and Shari.
To everyone who washed bottles, made bottles, prepped my bike, aired up my tires, ran around looking for headlights and tailights that worked at every night pull you guys/gals were great. Thank you.
To the drivers and navigators who kept me safe and on course. I want to say thank you for protecting as we entered Interstate Hwys and metro areas. I felt a level of comfort and safety knowing that you were there shielding me from the crazy road rage drivers. By and large people were supporting me as they drove by with thumbs up but it took nerves of steel to flare out wide enough to protect me from 18 wheelers that were bearing down on me at 4x my speed. Many of you did your duty while sleep deprived and yet I wasn't ever lost or run off the road. Many crew reports talk about that very thing and that didn't happen to us. Thank you I am home safely because of you.
Crew
It goes without saying that this massive undertaking, racing across America, could not be done without the support and dedication of the crew. I can't imagine why they would volunteer for what always ends up being a thankless job. Their dedication of support to complete strangers was amazing. I am so glad there are selfless people out there because without them Rick and I would not have finished. Thank you crew!!
It had been pre-arranged that the crew chief would fly back because she is a single mom to the three children. Unlike many of the crew the crew chief has three children: Marcellus age 4, Avery age 6 and Gavin age 8. All three of the children are out of school for the summer so they need a lot of attention. She had arranged child care until the Thursday June 21st.
We began to run behind schedule and that caused a lot of stress on her and her home life. The father is non-existent he comes around once a week and only for a couple of hours. Many of the crew are not married, no children and quite a few are college students off for the summer months. Many of them if not all are unemployed, retired, semi -retired, laid off or between jobs. There is a huge difference between the crew chief's responsiblities at home than the rest of the crew.
The children were being watched, reluctantly, by the children's grandmother, who was displaced from her home in Arizona and more than anxious to get home. The sooner the crew chief could get home the better for the children, the grandmother (that didn't want to be there) and issues between the father and her would be.
We appreciate the financial support from zamcharles and for allowing me an opportunity to explain the crew chief's restrictions.
It had been pre-arranged that the crew chief would fly back because she is a single mom to the three children. Unlike many of the crew the crew chief has three children: Marcellus age 4, Avery age 6 and Gavin age 8. All three of the children are out of school for the summer so they need a lot of attention. She had arranged child care until the Thursday June 21st.
We began to run behind schedule and that caused a lot of stress on her and her home life. The father is non-existent he comes around once a week and only for a couple of hours. Many of the crew are not married, no children and quite a few are college students off for the summer months. Many of them if not all are unemployed, retired, semi -retired, laid off or between jobs. There is a huge difference between the crew chief's responsiblities at home than the rest of the crew.
The children were being watched, reluctantly, by the children's grandmother, who was displaced from her home in Arizona and more than anxious to get home. The sooner the crew chief could get home the better for the children, the grandmother (that didn't want to be there) and issues between the father and her would be.
We appreciate the financial support from zamcharles and for allowing me an opportunity to explain the crew chief's restrictions.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Photos
From the 360cycling.com website this morning...
"The photos are a bit lopsided with George right now due to the fact the crew chief was with George all the time and was the only one that had access to upload."
Just another clarification post here.
1. I was George's primary support person during RAAM. It was no secret to anyone that I was going to fulfill this role, so the fact that I was "with George all the time" shouldn't be a surprise.
2. There are pictures on flickr that were uploaded the very first day of RAAM, when we had speedy internet access and a chunk of time on my hands. Until yesterday, those were the only photos on the site.
3. I am home now and will be uploading more pictures throughout the day. Yes, they are mostly of George because he was the one that I was following primarily. I can imagine that if Rick had the same primary support person throughout the race, that their pictures would represent that as well.
4. I was not the only one with access to upload. Flickr uploader was on several of the team computers, but all of us were faced with slow internet speeds throughout the race. Our main photographer James takes amazing photos, but the high resolution originals are large files that take a long time to upload even at home, let alone on the road when what we were worrying about more was taking care of these riders. At one time we tried to get him to a Wi-Fi location in La Veta, but the library was just closing when we arrived.
5. I am doing what the blog readers have asked and getting pictures up here now that I have a fast connection at home. I apologize that Rick is not well represented at this time, but the amount of pictures that I took is very minimal in comparison to the others and those will be posted as soon as it is possible.
"The photos are a bit lopsided with George right now due to the fact the crew chief was with George all the time and was the only one that had access to upload."
Just another clarification post here.
1. I was George's primary support person during RAAM. It was no secret to anyone that I was going to fulfill this role, so the fact that I was "with George all the time" shouldn't be a surprise.
2. There are pictures on flickr that were uploaded the very first day of RAAM, when we had speedy internet access and a chunk of time on my hands. Until yesterday, those were the only photos on the site.
3. I am home now and will be uploading more pictures throughout the day. Yes, they are mostly of George because he was the one that I was following primarily. I can imagine that if Rick had the same primary support person throughout the race, that their pictures would represent that as well.
4. I was not the only one with access to upload. Flickr uploader was on several of the team computers, but all of us were faced with slow internet speeds throughout the race. Our main photographer James takes amazing photos, but the high resolution originals are large files that take a long time to upload even at home, let alone on the road when what we were worrying about more was taking care of these riders. At one time we tried to get him to a Wi-Fi location in La Veta, but the library was just closing when we arrived.
5. I am doing what the blog readers have asked and getting pictures up here now that I have a fast connection at home. I apologize that Rick is not well represented at this time, but the amount of pictures that I took is very minimal in comparison to the others and those will be posted as soon as it is possible.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Clarification post
When I said it would have been easier to do Solo RAAM what I meant was the following:
1. By no means do I believe that I had trained enough to do the full 3000 miles alone. That goal is still years away. I was grateful to have Rick and his help. We both knew going into this that I had the Ultra experience and Rick could provide the intensity and speed that I lacked.
2. I was referring to the logistics involved.
3. The amount of crew involved--much less needed for Solo
4. The irregular sleep patterns that a two person team has to adopt--on this event I couldn't get any sleep for the first four days. I believe if I ride 18-20 hours I would be tired enough to sleep when I would put my head down.
5. The lack of pressure to perform as part of a team--in other words when I wasn't feeling well and during the time I was sleep deprived--- if I was riding solo I would just have myself to blame for a slow average speed. In this case, I always felt the pressure that I was slowing Rick down because I couldn't get sleep and he was busting his ass to get me some.
6. When riding solo you ride when you want you stop when you want.
7. Solo RAAM is also easier on the crew because when the rider decides to stop EVERYTHING stops the crew, the vehicles, the rider everyone shuts down and sleeps and then they resume again. With a relay the crew is constantly "on". There is always a rider on the road and the wheels are always rolling.
8. No need for rolling exchanges and/or coordinating multiple vehicles and crew members.
9. The lack of cell phone communication through many states also wouldn't be an issue -- one rider one follow vehicle ...simple. The lack of communication and accurate information created very hectic and disorganized rider exchanges and crew exchanges for that matter.
10. I think many of you are misreading and misinterperting what I posted. Please don't read into it. It is not a "slap in anyone's face". I am a solo rider. I train alone, race alone and eventually will do Solo RAAM.
1. By no means do I believe that I had trained enough to do the full 3000 miles alone. That goal is still years away. I was grateful to have Rick and his help. We both knew going into this that I had the Ultra experience and Rick could provide the intensity and speed that I lacked.
2. I was referring to the logistics involved.
3. The amount of crew involved--much less needed for Solo
4. The irregular sleep patterns that a two person team has to adopt--on this event I couldn't get any sleep for the first four days. I believe if I ride 18-20 hours I would be tired enough to sleep when I would put my head down.
5. The lack of pressure to perform as part of a team--in other words when I wasn't feeling well and during the time I was sleep deprived--- if I was riding solo I would just have myself to blame for a slow average speed. In this case, I always felt the pressure that I was slowing Rick down because I couldn't get sleep and he was busting his ass to get me some.
6. When riding solo you ride when you want you stop when you want.
7. Solo RAAM is also easier on the crew because when the rider decides to stop EVERYTHING stops the crew, the vehicles, the rider everyone shuts down and sleeps and then they resume again. With a relay the crew is constantly "on". There is always a rider on the road and the wheels are always rolling.
8. No need for rolling exchanges and/or coordinating multiple vehicles and crew members.
9. The lack of cell phone communication through many states also wouldn't be an issue -- one rider one follow vehicle ...simple. The lack of communication and accurate information created very hectic and disorganized rider exchanges and crew exchanges for that matter.
10. I think many of you are misreading and misinterperting what I posted. Please don't read into it. It is not a "slap in anyone's face". I am a solo rider. I train alone, race alone and eventually will do Solo RAAM.
Pictures for last 248 miles
The first batch of pictures are posted. They are for the last 248 miles where George had to go solo. As the crew makes there way back to California from Atlantic City we should have more and more pics.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Done
George here
I want to tell you how much I apprecitated all your comments and well wishes. I of course did not have the time to post or read the blog. I was too busy riding or trying to sleep. Doing a two person relay is a very demanding way to compete in RAAM. I didn't know what to expect but I know now that I think it would be easier to do Solo RAAM. I will have a full race report to post here and on my website www.epictrain.com or blog. But for now I will be attending the banquet tonight with my head held high because tonight I am an Official Finisher of RAAM "the world's toughest endurance bicycle race"
official time 9 days 18 hours and 55 minutes.
BTW they posted this article on us.
http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/team-beat-cancer-www-coastalsportsmedicine-com
I want to tell you how much I apprecitated all your comments and well wishes. I of course did not have the time to post or read the blog. I was too busy riding or trying to sleep. Doing a two person relay is a very demanding way to compete in RAAM. I didn't know what to expect but I know now that I think it would be easier to do Solo RAAM. I will have a full race report to post here and on my website www.epictrain.com or blog. But for now I will be attending the banquet tonight with my head held high because tonight I am an Official Finisher of RAAM "the world's toughest endurance bicycle race"
official time 9 days 18 hours and 55 minutes.
BTW they posted this article on us.
http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/team-beat-cancer-www-coastalsportsmedicine-com
10 miles toTS 56!
George is still rolling, putting in a lot of effort out here. You can tell from looking at him that he is just exhausted. He is asking for Coke, Go Girl Energy Drinks and Red Star Energy right now, just trying to make it to the next TS and then to the finish.
He's bringing it home for the team and I can't wait to see both him and Rick cross that finish line in Atlantic City!
He's bringing it home for the team and I can't wait to see both him and Rick cross that finish line in Atlantic City!
TS 55
We're in and we're out! George has been hauling ass. He switched to the P3 after the hilly start of the last section and he's flying. He looks great out there, he said he's moving on straight adrenaline. I'm so proud of him!!!!!! He's still in great spirits, our navigator is shouting one liners out the window to him as he speeds down the 40 toward Atlantic City and he's responding via nods and shaking his booty for us. :)
Keep the team in your thoughts...we're 60 miles away. 60 miles...it's just a club ride from here!!!
Keep the team in your thoughts...we're 60 miles away. 60 miles...it's just a club ride from here!!!
Thank you to Alex from Vintage Velos...
for all of the super high end wool clothing! George is looking resplendent in his Vitadello jersey and his wool baselayers are keeping him warm on this chilly night. Pictures coming soon of George on Wolf Creek Pass where he proudly wore his wool!
http://www.vintagevelos.com/clothing1.html
http://www.vintagevelos.com/clothing1.html
Crossed the Susquehanna River...
and we're into "Horse and Buggy" country. Unfortunately it's too dark to take in the sights.
George is feeding me info to blog, he said that he hopes I don't mind, but that it's keeping him awake. I told him "absolutely not sweetheart, whatever it takes!" So expect some more blogging as long as I have connection!
George is feeding me info to blog, he said that he hopes I don't mind, but that it's keeping him awake. I told him "absolutely not sweetheart, whatever it takes!" So expect some more blogging as long as I have connection!
The rest of the team...
We're hoping to see the motor home up ahead at the next time station. Hopefully Rick is getting some rest and he is feeling better. It would be really cool if he could ride the final stretch into Atlantic City with George. If not, we'll proudly escort him on foot.
These two guys are amazing and have pushed through more than most people would ever dare to dream about.
These two guys are amazing and have pushed through more than most people would ever dare to dream about.
3:09 a.m. race time...
we just rolled again after an hour of sleepy time off of the road. George is coughing badly and I'm not sure that he got much if any sleep. He's exhausted and just wants to be done. I sent him off with a big hug and a kiss and told him that I'm so proud of him and that the rest of you are too...and that we all know that he can do this. Keep sending positive thoughts his way!
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Rick is done...
George and I were with our driver and navigator at McDonalds in Mercersburg, PA when the RV pulled up telling us that we needed to double back and George needed to take over. Rick's achilles tendon has been giving him a lot of trouble since early in the ride and he says that it snapped at the beginning of the big climb between TS 51 and TS 52. He thinks that he might be able to ride the final parade leg into Atlantic City if it's absolutely flat. We're hoping so...he has worked so hard!!!
Positive thoughts for George, he has 234 miles to take on before Atlantic City. Keep your comments coming, I'll be at his side the whole way and he loves your support.
Positive thoughts for George, he has 234 miles to take on before Atlantic City. Keep your comments coming, I'll be at his side the whole way and he loves your support.
Mystery solved...
If you know George, you know that he lives to ride. Even more so, he lives to climb. Show the man a mountain and he's ready to take it on. Yesterday while taking on the stage that led into Athens, Ohio one of my crew members mentioned that he thought that George had gained strength over the course of the ride and my reply was...
No, that's just George Vargas you see right there, that's how he rolls! I explained that the riding they had seen thus far from George just wasn't typical, that the sleep deprivation and being sick had really gotten to him.
Well, it seems that he's back...again! We pulled up alongside him after the bypassed exchange and he starts saying...
"Floyd Landis, stage 17, 2006 Tour de France, he dominated and whether he doped or not, no drug could make him that much stronger. He's my hero"...that's what is getting him through this stage of RAAM, right here, right now. He's laughing, he's joking, he's smiling, and damn it...he's kicking the ass of these Maryland summits.
Keep the comments coming, I'm yelling them out the window to him. Thank you for posting Kim...it means the world to him that Nick is watching!!
No, that's just George Vargas you see right there, that's how he rolls! I explained that the riding they had seen thus far from George just wasn't typical, that the sleep deprivation and being sick had really gotten to him.
Well, it seems that he's back...again! We pulled up alongside him after the bypassed exchange and he starts saying...
"Floyd Landis, stage 17, 2006 Tour de France, he dominated and whether he doped or not, no drug could make him that much stronger. He's my hero"...that's what is getting him through this stage of RAAM, right here, right now. He's laughing, he's joking, he's smiling, and damn it...he's kicking the ass of these Maryland summits.
Keep the comments coming, I'm yelling them out the window to him. Thank you for posting Kim...it means the world to him that Nick is watching!!
Change in plans...
Rick and his crew were waiting for us in Flintstone and George decided at the last minute to keep riding. When we pulled alongside him he said that his legs felt great after aching at the beginning of this pull and that he was finally awake...thanks to two Cokes and a Mountain Dew. He wants to keep climbing! He told me to just keep feeding him Cokes. This stage has 4340 feet of elevation gain.
Rick's crew was caught off guard as much as we were, but the upside is that Rick will get some more rest while George takes this one on.
Rick's crew was caught off guard as much as we were, but the upside is that Rick will get some more rest while George takes this one on.
Time Station 50!
310 miles to Atlantic City, baby!
We had a long night in the van last night, letting most of the remaining crew, we're down three now for a total of nine, get some sleep. We worked both of the riders out of the follow van and sent the shuttle and motor home ahead. We're into some very hilly terrain and swapping riders out every 15 miles worked well for us and we made our way through at least three time stations working that strategy.
Rick and George were spent after that, so we parked it at TS 49 when we rolled in around 4:50 a.m. and let them sleep for a couple of hours. Rick took the first 30 miler this morning and George is in the middle of his right now. We'll exchange again in Flintstone which is about 15 miles from here. After that we have some nasty climbing that we will break up, working Rick out of the shuttle vehicle and George out of the van. Hopefully we can time our exchanges well and make up some time.
BIG thanks to race officials Mike and Cindy. They are like little angels looking out for us, calling to check in on us, listening to our woes, cheering us on and greeting us with smiles and hugs everytime we see them. I'm getting all choked up writing this, they have no idea how much seeing them lifts our spirits. This morning while getting ready to exchange, George says "I miss Cindy" and not two minutes later my phone rings and guess who it is...Mike! We took a few minutes to visit with them at TS 50 and we look forward to seeing them again soon. :)
We're getting there! This entire team has worked so hard, we've had our ups and more than our fair share of downs, but we'll make it!!!!!!
We had a long night in the van last night, letting most of the remaining crew, we're down three now for a total of nine, get some sleep. We worked both of the riders out of the follow van and sent the shuttle and motor home ahead. We're into some very hilly terrain and swapping riders out every 15 miles worked well for us and we made our way through at least three time stations working that strategy.
Rick and George were spent after that, so we parked it at TS 49 when we rolled in around 4:50 a.m. and let them sleep for a couple of hours. Rick took the first 30 miler this morning and George is in the middle of his right now. We'll exchange again in Flintstone which is about 15 miles from here. After that we have some nasty climbing that we will break up, working Rick out of the shuttle vehicle and George out of the van. Hopefully we can time our exchanges well and make up some time.
BIG thanks to race officials Mike and Cindy. They are like little angels looking out for us, calling to check in on us, listening to our woes, cheering us on and greeting us with smiles and hugs everytime we see them. I'm getting all choked up writing this, they have no idea how much seeing them lifts our spirits. This morning while getting ready to exchange, George says "I miss Cindy" and not two minutes later my phone rings and guess who it is...Mike! We took a few minutes to visit with them at TS 50 and we look forward to seeing them again soon. :)
We're getting there! This entire team has worked so hard, we've had our ups and more than our fair share of downs, but we'll make it!!!!!!
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Apology to our sponsors
We have had spotty internet coverage throughout the race and uploading pictures has been difficult. We have thousands of images that will be available to you once we return, we were not expecting to encounter difficulties with upload times.
Good morning Ohio!
After a little bit of sleepytime, we're back on the road. Rick had a 63 mile pull and upon his return, he asked if we were in Iowa...close, it's another four letter state...Ohio! He was happy to see the food that Bike Forums member John (R900) had brought to us. Who knew that chicken casserole would taste so good at 5:00 a.m.?
George is riding right now, climbing, climbing, climbing a slight grade. We just passed the shuttle vehicle on the side of the road and they were sleeping, so George pulled off, I jumped out and we sent the follow vehicle back to wake them up, with the instruction to use the usually dreaded "siren" mode on the mega-phone. Wish I could have seen that reaction!
Thanks to R900 (John) for the yummy food that he delivered to the time station in Cambridge City. We've been blessed with the kindness of friends, old and new, across the country.
George is riding right now, climbing, climbing, climbing a slight grade. We just passed the shuttle vehicle on the side of the road and they were sleeping, so George pulled off, I jumped out and we sent the follow vehicle back to wake them up, with the instruction to use the usually dreaded "siren" mode on the mega-phone. Wish I could have seen that reaction!
Thanks to R900 (John) for the yummy food that he delivered to the time station in Cambridge City. We've been blessed with the kindness of friends, old and new, across the country.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Goodbye Indy...
We took the team off of the course for a much needed break. One of George's customers, Scott Brooks, invited us in to his home for showers, sleep, an amazing home cooked meal and massages for the guys. What a treat! We're a clean bunch now and we're rolling right when we anticipated that we would. Unfortunately George didn't get much sleep and he has a headache, but after his 54 miler, Rick will take a long pull and George should be able to sleep some more. Right now, we're going north for another three miles and once we turn east again, he will welcome the tailwind he was enjoying a few minutes ago.
Thanks to Scott and his family and friends for the hospitality. We truly appreciate it!
Additional thanks to the people of Illinois and Indiana. We have had more people here cheering the boys on, and it is so encouraging to them!
Thanks to Scott and his family and friends for the hospitality. We truly appreciate it!
Additional thanks to the people of Illinois and Indiana. We have had more people here cheering the boys on, and it is so encouraging to them!
Indy here we come!!!!
We just left TS 39!! These guys have been kickin' ass. We switched to 20 mile pulls and it's just enough time to hammer and not push them over the edge. One more Time Station and we make the final cutoff!
George is out here right now and Rick will be on again in about an hour. We are on our way to a homecooked meal and SHOWERS at Scott's house which in on the route, just past the Indy Time Station. We can't wait!
George is out here right now and Rick will be on again in about an hour. We are on our way to a homecooked meal and SHOWERS at Scott's house which in on the route, just past the Indy Time Station. We can't wait!
Monday, June 18, 2007
Racing the clock...
to get to Indy and our next cutoff. We had a day of rapid exchanges where Rick took the rollers which were really hurting George with his respiratory issues and George took the flats on the P3, which were incidentally, hurting Rick with his knee/achilles issues. Teamwork at it's finest!
George was finally able to get some significant time off of the bike and some good rest. I'm currently following him and he is hauling ass on his 50 mile pull, averaging 19+ the entire time so far. What a difference from this morning, he looks GREAT out there! He stopped once to ask for Rolaids and I noticed that he was coughing up a little bit of blood when he was spitting, but it's dark and I couldn't tell how much. I have a call into our team doctor right now.
Rick keeps on keepin' on. He said tonight that he's having the time of his life out here! With Shari supporting him now, he is really being taken care of and is able to recover and get out there and do it over and over again.
The crew has really pulled together after our meeting yesterday and the operation is running much more smoothly. The rest of the crew are really helping Shari and myself out, knowing that we are down to sleeping whenever the riders do, which isn't much! It is so nice to finally see everyone working together toward a common goal...getting these guys to Indy...and ultimately to Atlantic City!
I know that I always end this way, but it's worth repeating again and again...
I couldn't be more proud of these guys. It's truly amazing to watch them put their bodies through living hell pull after pull.
George was finally able to get some significant time off of the bike and some good rest. I'm currently following him and he is hauling ass on his 50 mile pull, averaging 19+ the entire time so far. What a difference from this morning, he looks GREAT out there! He stopped once to ask for Rolaids and I noticed that he was coughing up a little bit of blood when he was spitting, but it's dark and I couldn't tell how much. I have a call into our team doctor right now.
Rick keeps on keepin' on. He said tonight that he's having the time of his life out here! With Shari supporting him now, he is really being taken care of and is able to recover and get out there and do it over and over again.
The crew has really pulled together after our meeting yesterday and the operation is running much more smoothly. The rest of the crew are really helping Shari and myself out, knowing that we are down to sleeping whenever the riders do, which isn't much! It is so nice to finally see everyone working together toward a common goal...getting these guys to Indy...and ultimately to Atlantic City!
I know that I always end this way, but it's worth repeating again and again...
I couldn't be more proud of these guys. It's truly amazing to watch them put their bodies through living hell pull after pull.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Quote of the day...
I think they found the one hill in Kansas!~George
I just pulled up next to him and he told me that was quotable and asked if I was blogging. Just so George...lol. ;)
I just pulled up next to him and he told me that was quotable and asked if I was blogging. Just so George...lol. ;)
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Oh look...we're still in Kansas!
George started this pull between TS 23 and TS 24 at mile 41.2 and he was exhausted and feeling sick. He's been trying to fight off a cold that's been coming on and I've been pumping him full of supplements and Airborne, but he's getting no recovery and he's just wearing down. The current pull is 35 miles and the next one will be 42 miles. He has asked for Nyquil so he can sleep and the plan is to give it to him about 5-6 miles before the exchange point at the end of his next pull. He's been off of the bike twice so far during this pull and he's just looking exhausted. While the shorter pulls and exchanges have been going smoothly for the crew and racers, I'm fearful that George is going to slip back into that sleep deprivation mode that he was in a couple of days ago. The motor home is constantly on the move with these rapid exchanges and sleep is scarce for him.
Rick is dealing with some achilles tendon issues and he spoke to Dr. John who has him resting and sleeping with a brace on his foot. He is icing it after every pull and we're hoping that the brace will help. At the last exchange he also mentioned that his knees were bothering him. This morning he was in a caloric deficit, but he has consumed a good amount of food since then and is feeling better. I'm amazed at this man's ability to recover. I haven't seen much of him since I'm George's primary support, but I have watched him twice go from being carried and not able to walk to kickin' ass on his next pull. Rick is totally rockin' it.
Big props to our crew as well...we've really pulled together in the last day and our rolling exchanges are really working great. Thanks to Jason for the suggestion, it came at the perfect time. Oh, and James gets super huge props for emptying the pooper on the motor home. It's much more bearable in there now! ;)
AGAIN...these guys are amazing and I am so very proud of them. Please keep the comments coming. When they get discouraged, that will pull them through.
Rick is dealing with some achilles tendon issues and he spoke to Dr. John who has him resting and sleeping with a brace on his foot. He is icing it after every pull and we're hoping that the brace will help. At the last exchange he also mentioned that his knees were bothering him. This morning he was in a caloric deficit, but he has consumed a good amount of food since then and is feeling better. I'm amazed at this man's ability to recover. I haven't seen much of him since I'm George's primary support, but I have watched him twice go from being carried and not able to walk to kickin' ass on his next pull. Rick is totally rockin' it.
Big props to our crew as well...we've really pulled together in the last day and our rolling exchanges are really working great. Thanks to Jason for the suggestion, it came at the perfect time. Oh, and James gets super huge props for emptying the pooper on the motor home. It's much more bearable in there now! ;)
AGAIN...these guys are amazing and I am so very proud of them. Please keep the comments coming. When they get discouraged, that will pull them through.
Kansas!
Rick just crossed the border from Colorado into Kansas a few minutes ago!
Yesterday after George took Wolf Creek Pass alone (which he said was a huge mistake in judgement on his part) he was in desperate need of sleep, so Rick offered to take another 100 mile pull. Just short of 80 miles into it and a mile from La Veta Pass Summit, Rick was off the bike. He had been hallucinating and the crew carried him into the van.
We shuttled George up to start his pull early and he ended up with an 85 mile pull with some help from Rick during one section on Cuchara Pass. Yes, Rick who had just been pulled off of the bike was recovered and ready to ride. What a stud! George enjoyed the short rest and looked strong on the remainder of the climb, though he was tacking just shy of Cuchara Pass Summit, which he reached at 2:25 a.m. The altitude had gotten to him and any effort was really hurting him so he had taken this climb easy. The descent down this section had a lot of rollers and took a lot of effort. At Valdez George was falling asleep so we gave him some Red Star and let him choose his music...Dr. Dre. This perked him up and he was able to finish the pull.
This morning we changed some crew strategies and made rolling exchanges our priority. This will definitely help us to make our cutoff in El Dorado!
Special thanks go out to some wonderful and amazing people in La Veta, Colorado.
When the motorhome arrived there yesterday, I woke up and walked outside, only to look up and see a sign for a massage therapist. I ran straight there and Diana Camp promised to help us out. She ended up postponing a previous appointment so she could work on George and then on Rick when he came in. THANK YOU DIANA!
After arranging massages for the racers, I walked over to the motorhome and saw that Phil was repairing a mountain bike tire for two ladies. I told him about the massages and mentioned that I wasn't sure how I'd pay for it. I then asked if they could run me up to the grocery store and they said yes! As I got into the car after grabbing my bag, Deborah hands me a check for $100 and says that it is for the massages. I was near tears at this point, I couldn't believe the generosity of this total stranger. Deborah drove me to the store and then back to the motorhome...THANK YOU SANDRA AND DEBORAH!
I woke up for my next shift to find that someone had delivered some home made chicken spaghetti casserole to us. I realized shortly after I started eating that it was Roger from Bike Forums. What a treat...that totally hit the spot and we all really enjoyed it. THANK YOU ROGER!
Okay...that's it for now. I'll update soon, we seem to have good access in Kansas so far!
Once again, I couldn't be more proud of these guys!
Yesterday after George took Wolf Creek Pass alone (which he said was a huge mistake in judgement on his part) he was in desperate need of sleep, so Rick offered to take another 100 mile pull. Just short of 80 miles into it and a mile from La Veta Pass Summit, Rick was off the bike. He had been hallucinating and the crew carried him into the van.
We shuttled George up to start his pull early and he ended up with an 85 mile pull with some help from Rick during one section on Cuchara Pass. Yes, Rick who had just been pulled off of the bike was recovered and ready to ride. What a stud! George enjoyed the short rest and looked strong on the remainder of the climb, though he was tacking just shy of Cuchara Pass Summit, which he reached at 2:25 a.m. The altitude had gotten to him and any effort was really hurting him so he had taken this climb easy. The descent down this section had a lot of rollers and took a lot of effort. At Valdez George was falling asleep so we gave him some Red Star and let him choose his music...Dr. Dre. This perked him up and he was able to finish the pull.
This morning we changed some crew strategies and made rolling exchanges our priority. This will definitely help us to make our cutoff in El Dorado!
Special thanks go out to some wonderful and amazing people in La Veta, Colorado.
When the motorhome arrived there yesterday, I woke up and walked outside, only to look up and see a sign for a massage therapist. I ran straight there and Diana Camp promised to help us out. She ended up postponing a previous appointment so she could work on George and then on Rick when he came in. THANK YOU DIANA!
After arranging massages for the racers, I walked over to the motorhome and saw that Phil was repairing a mountain bike tire for two ladies. I told him about the massages and mentioned that I wasn't sure how I'd pay for it. I then asked if they could run me up to the grocery store and they said yes! As I got into the car after grabbing my bag, Deborah hands me a check for $100 and says that it is for the massages. I was near tears at this point, I couldn't believe the generosity of this total stranger. Deborah drove me to the store and then back to the motorhome...THANK YOU SANDRA AND DEBORAH!
I woke up for my next shift to find that someone had delivered some home made chicken spaghetti casserole to us. I realized shortly after I started eating that it was Roger from Bike Forums. What a treat...that totally hit the spot and we all really enjoyed it. THANK YOU ROGER!
Okay...that's it for now. I'll update soon, we seem to have good access in Kansas so far!
Once again, I couldn't be more proud of these guys!
Friday, June 15, 2007
Long time, no blog!
Sorry everyone! Internet access on the road has been scarce and slow when we've been lucky enough to have it. I'm sitting here in the motor home in Pagosa Springs, CO and George is currently climbing Wolf Creek Pass. He wants to do this climb alone, but we're hanging back here behind him in case he feels that he bit off more than he could chew. He's STILL not sleeping. The best sleep that he got was when he came in directly off of a pull and went straight to bed without eating. Given that, I've decided that he needs to start his recovery on the bike and his last two pulls before the exchange will be Endurox so he can go to bed with some calories and then eat something solid before the next pull starts.
Both Rick and George had their ups and downs yesterday, but they keep going and I'm so proud of them. I supppose it's just the nature of RAAM, ups and downs. When we came into time station 14 in Cortez, we found out that Rick had endured a really tough pull from Montezuma Creek. When we arrived he asked me about the possibility of a massage and the crew went to work trying to find one. They were unable to at that hour but he was able to soak in a spa for about 30 minutes and that really helped him. He's been a total SUPERSTUD this whole journey! He hammered the first half of his last pull this morning in Pagosa Springs and came in looking strong, yet a little fuzzy eyed from the cold. We'd like to thank team 205 for their help last night in Cortez and for their cheers on the road!
We'll update again soon...we need to do some shopping, some laundry and hopefully some wifi for James to upload some of his amazing pictures. We've taken a ton, we're just having issues with internet being too slow to upload.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!!!
I have to say that I couldn't be more proud of Rick and George. They are pushing through the pain, the sleep deprivation and anything else we throw at them. They're truly amazing!
Both Rick and George had their ups and downs yesterday, but they keep going and I'm so proud of them. I supppose it's just the nature of RAAM, ups and downs. When we came into time station 14 in Cortez, we found out that Rick had endured a really tough pull from Montezuma Creek. When we arrived he asked me about the possibility of a massage and the crew went to work trying to find one. They were unable to at that hour but he was able to soak in a spa for about 30 minutes and that really helped him. He's been a total SUPERSTUD this whole journey! He hammered the first half of his last pull this morning in Pagosa Springs and came in looking strong, yet a little fuzzy eyed from the cold. We'd like to thank team 205 for their help last night in Cortez and for their cheers on the road!
We'll update again soon...we need to do some shopping, some laundry and hopefully some wifi for James to upload some of his amazing pictures. We've taken a ton, we're just having issues with internet being too slow to upload.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!!!
I have to say that I couldn't be more proud of Rick and George. They are pushing through the pain, the sleep deprivation and anything else we throw at them. They're truly amazing!
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Sleep? What's that?
George and Rick aren't sure what that word means at this point. It's been difficult to sleep in the motorhome, and George has been awake pretty much since Tuesday at 5:00 a.m. save for 20 minutes here and there. The boys have been pushing through extreme exhaustion and the typical answer that I'm getting from them is "I feel GREAT, I'm just falling asleep!" They both have good legs, the sleep deprivation is just catching up with them.
Both George and Rick took a 60+ mile pull each, then a 40+ mile pull each. George had planned on 30 miles for his last pull, but we asked him to take a 46 mile pull to get some more rest for Rick. He really suffered on this last pull but we are so proud of him, he really came through for the team.
Hearing that George was really suffering with lack of sleep, Rick put on his SuperStud cape and volunteered to take a 100 mile pull. I was going to ask him to extend his planned pull of 32 miles to 44 miles and when he volunteered to do 100, I must have asked him four or five times if he was sure he wanted to do it. This is going to be such a tremendous relief for George, we are currently getting gas and water for the motorhome and we're going ahead 100 miles to get park and wait.
I have to say that all of you would be proud if you could see these guys. They are really showing a lot of respect for one another and pulling longer when the other one needs it.
Freaking studs!!!!!!
Both George and Rick took a 60+ mile pull each, then a 40+ mile pull each. George had planned on 30 miles for his last pull, but we asked him to take a 46 mile pull to get some more rest for Rick. He really suffered on this last pull but we are so proud of him, he really came through for the team.
Hearing that George was really suffering with lack of sleep, Rick put on his SuperStud cape and volunteered to take a 100 mile pull. I was going to ask him to extend his planned pull of 32 miles to 44 miles and when he volunteered to do 100, I must have asked him four or five times if he was sure he wanted to do it. This is going to be such a tremendous relief for George, we are currently getting gas and water for the motorhome and we're going ahead 100 miles to get park and wait.
I have to say that all of you would be proud if you could see these guys. They are really showing a lot of respect for one another and pulling longer when the other one needs it.
Freaking studs!!!!!!
No you may not...
stop to pee on the interstate! Sorry...you'll have to wait another five miles. George, who normally doesn't drink much when he rides is definitely hydrating well on this one. When we finally let him stop (rules state no stopping, so we have to wait for the exits) he was in great spirits and all smiles.
Keep the emails and comments coming for the racers, they love hearing that you're cheering them on!
Keep the emails and comments coming for the racers, they love hearing that you're cheering them on!
Motorhome is back in business!
Rick just finished a pull with a "hill that never ended" and George just rolled out for what we plan to be a 60+ mile pull so that Rick can finally get some sleep in the bed. George is being motivated right now by the promise of a hot meal and a bed once we hit Quartzite. Once the motorhome reaches Rick we'll be able to swap crew for the first time...just over four hours behind schedule. Such is RAAM!
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Motor home...
has a flat tire and is off course right now attempting to find a place to have it fixed. Unfortunately this means that we're supporting the racers out of the Camry and the follow van right now and that we've missed our first crew exchange. The racers are trying to get some rest in the back of the Camry when they are off the bike. Not ideal, but it is what it is. Right now we're between TS2 and TS3 and I'm in the follow vehicle with Phil and Paul and George has about 10 miles before he exchanges with Rick.
More later...hopefully news that the motorhome is good to go!
More later...hopefully news that the motorhome is good to go!
Here they go!
We're off!! I broke my own rule, no crying on RAAM. When the boys rolled out I got all teary eyed, but it was short lived. Had to run back to the vehicles and get ready to leave the start line to meet up with Rick. But wait. What's that? The follow vehicle won't start??? No problem, jumper cables and a few minutes of effort and we're out!
Big huge thanks to Jim from Red Star Energy. He came down to see the start, drop off more Red Star and as he was leaving he thanked me for letting him be a part of Team Beat Cancer. I told him he wouldn't be thanking me when I called him from Kansas to hit him up for more money for the food budget, and the man not only opened his wallet and gave me everything that he had...he went to the bank to get more and met us on Coast Hwy to hand it off. WE LOVE YOU JIM!!!!!
Rick just called...George has a headache so we have the ibuprofen ready for him. The boys should be on the parade route right now and we'll Rick at mile 13.1. He should get a little rest before his next pull.
Thanks for checking in! Don't forget that you can email the racers and crew at teambeatcancer@yahoo.com and we will pass along your messages.
More soon!
~B.
Big huge thanks to Jim from Red Star Energy. He came down to see the start, drop off more Red Star and as he was leaving he thanked me for letting him be a part of Team Beat Cancer. I told him he wouldn't be thanking me when I called him from Kansas to hit him up for more money for the food budget, and the man not only opened his wallet and gave me everything that he had...he went to the bank to get more and met us on Coast Hwy to hand it off. WE LOVE YOU JIM!!!!!
Rick just called...George has a headache so we have the ibuprofen ready for him. The boys should be on the parade route right now and we'll Rick at mile 13.1. He should get a little rest before his next pull.
Thanks for checking in! Don't forget that you can email the racers and crew at teambeatcancer@yahoo.com and we will pass along your messages.
More soon!
~B.
Late start...
We're on our way from Poway to Oceanside and it's 9:18 a.m. Good thing we called an early meeting time! I haven't had a chance to brief the crew yet, we'll have to do that in Oceanside.
Thoughts so far...
14 people=lots of stuff.
More soon!
Thoughts so far...
14 people=lots of stuff.
More soon!
Quote of the morning...
Terry: Wow...there's a LOT of stuff in here!
Rick: I said no "chick packing" and I put a chick in charge of packing!
Okay, so I might have bought a lot of food at Sam's Club yesterday. Rick doesn't understand the need for all of the food, since his plan is to survive on Hammer Nutrition's products for the entire race and eat no solid food. Yeah, we think he's nuts too...we're giving him two days before he starts begging us for food. :) I have 12 crew members and one racer who loves to chew that I need to feed, so I went all out.
We're currently on our way to gas up the three vehicles and then to Kontron to meet with our crew. Race plan is that both Rick and George will ride the parade zone and then George will take the first pull to Harrah's. The weather in the desert is looking favorable today!
More updates soon!
Rick: I said no "chick packing" and I put a chick in charge of packing!
Okay, so I might have bought a lot of food at Sam's Club yesterday. Rick doesn't understand the need for all of the food, since his plan is to survive on Hammer Nutrition's products for the entire race and eat no solid food. Yeah, we think he's nuts too...we're giving him two days before he starts begging us for food. :) I have 12 crew members and one racer who loves to chew that I need to feed, so I went all out.
We're currently on our way to gas up the three vehicles and then to Kontron to meet with our crew. Race plan is that both Rick and George will ride the parade zone and then George will take the first pull to Harrah's. The weather in the desert is looking favorable today!
More updates soon!
Monday, June 11, 2007
It's really happening!
I'll make this one short, it's time for the last good night of rest before RAAM begins tomorrow. Today we had vehicle/bike inspections, photos, racer interviews and the mandatory meeting with RAAM.
Reggie and I spent the day shopping for food and supplies and the RV is loaded! It should be interesting to see how long the food lasts. The racers are both in bed, thank goodness and I'm headed there myself.
More updates tomorrow. The crew is meeting at 8:00 a.m. and I should have some time to blog once we reach Oceanside.
Thank you for all of your support and keep checking back in!
~Brandy
Reggie and I spent the day shopping for food and supplies and the RV is loaded! It should be interesting to see how long the food lasts. The racers are both in bed, thank goodness and I'm headed there myself.
More updates tomorrow. The crew is meeting at 8:00 a.m. and I should have some time to blog once we reach Oceanside.
Thank you for all of your support and keep checking back in!
~Brandy
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Want to keep track?
We are providing you with links to both the Time Stations and a worksheet if you choose to keep track of us and our goals.
Here is the Route with Time Stations from the Race Across AMerica
These are our Time Station goals. Print this out and fill in the blanks ---keep track of us you might have fun doing it.
Here is the Route with Time Stations from the Race Across AMerica
These are our Time Station goals. Print this out and fill in the blanks ---keep track of us you might have fun doing it.
Family and friends...
I just spent the last fifteen minutes teaching my daughter Avery, who will turn seven while I am crewing RAAM, how to use yahoo email. I set her up with an email address, carefully wrote the ID and password on a piece of paper, along with my email address and pinned it on the calendar right above the computer. I promised that I would email her from the road whenever I got a chance and that both her and her brothers could send me email anytime that they want to talk to me. This will be the longest stretch of time that I have spent away from my children, ever. Thankfully they will be with their Nana who they are excited to spend time with.
Going through this process with my daughter, it brought my thoughts to all of the people that will be missing us from home while we are on this journey. The people who have made it possible for all of us to participate in Team Beat Cancer. On behalf of the racers and the entire crew, I would like to express heartfelt appreciation to our family and friends at home. We will miss you!
Going through this process with my daughter, it brought my thoughts to all of the people that will be missing us from home while we are on this journey. The people who have made it possible for all of us to participate in Team Beat Cancer. On behalf of the racers and the entire crew, I would like to express heartfelt appreciation to our family and friends at home. We will miss you!
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Thank you Team Velosport!
We would like to thank Team VeloSport for their generous donation! Please visit their website www.teamvelosport.com for more information about this Orange County based team and watch for George in his VeloSport gear on RAAM!
We have to fit all of that where?
In those three vehicles? Hmmm...this should be interesting.
We gathered at Rick's house today to prep the bikes and vehicles for our inspection which is Monday and more importantly, the 3,043 mile journey that begins on Tuesday. If there was an open storage space in the RV, Camry or follow van, we managed to fill it with water, donated food, medical kits, spare wheelsets and liquid fuel for the riders. It will be a tight squeeze to get the luggage of twelve crew members into the RV, but we'll manage on Tuesday when everyone arrives.
Dr. John Martinez of Coastal Sports and Wellness briefing the crew on the med kits...
We had some hardworking crew members out there today, who we are truly grateful for. Their commitment doesn't officially begin until Tuesday, but Jason H., Phil, James V., Will and Jason K. were all there to help out with all that needed to be done.
George isn't sure what to think of the Compex machine...
Special thanks to Jason H. and James V. who put countless hours into creating signs for our sponsors.
Last but not least, our biggest helper, Alexander!
See additional pictures on our Flickr page!
We gathered at Rick's house today to prep the bikes and vehicles for our inspection which is Monday and more importantly, the 3,043 mile journey that begins on Tuesday. If there was an open storage space in the RV, Camry or follow van, we managed to fill it with water, donated food, medical kits, spare wheelsets and liquid fuel for the riders. It will be a tight squeeze to get the luggage of twelve crew members into the RV, but we'll manage on Tuesday when everyone arrives.
Dr. John Martinez of Coastal Sports and Wellness briefing the crew on the med kits...
We had some hardworking crew members out there today, who we are truly grateful for. Their commitment doesn't officially begin until Tuesday, but Jason H., Phil, James V., Will and Jason K. were all there to help out with all that needed to be done.
George isn't sure what to think of the Compex machine...
Special thanks to Jason H. and James V. who put countless hours into creating signs for our sponsors.
Last but not least, our biggest helper, Alexander!
See additional pictures on our Flickr page!
Friday, June 8, 2007
Vehicle prep begins!
Crew member James Vogl reports...
Jason came over today, and we spent 9 hours hunched on the floor of my
garage and, using his MAD SKILLS, taught ourselves how to make vinyl
graphics for the team vehicles.
Jason came over today, and we spent 9 hours hunched on the floor of my
garage and, using his MAD SKILLS, taught ourselves how to make vinyl
graphics for the team vehicles.
Thank you Red Star Energy!
Huge thanks to Jim of Red Star Energy. They are our latest sponsor and have supplied the team with both a donation and their exciting new product to keep us awake on the road!
What is it?
RedStar Energy is convenient and easy way to get nutrients that assist in the production of energy and help with mental alertness and concentration. Two chewable wafers provide a significant level of nutrients to provide a noticeable “boost” in mood, energy and alertness without the “crash” commonly associated with energy drinks. That’s because RedStar Energy relies on the proven science of combining amino acids (Taurine and Glycine) with Glucuronolactone and specific B vitamins (B-6, B-12 Pantothenic Acid (B5), and Niacin (B3)) rather than relying on large doses of caffeine and sugar for a “quick” shock to your system.
Who can use it?
RedStar Energy can be used by anyone who wants to improve their mental alertness and concentration. It’s great for students, truck drivers, athletes, business people or anyone looking for an “edge” in their performance and everyday activities. Not recommended for pregnant women or nursing mothers. Do not use more than four times a day.
What can I expect?
RedStar Energy acts in minutes and lasts for hours. Keep your “10 AM” feeling and power through those afternoon doldrums. You just feel great, without risking a case of the “jitters” or other unpleasant side effects. Try it and see for yourself.
How many servings can I take each day?
RedStar Energy is a chewable tablet that acts in minutes and lasts for hours. As with any energy tablet or energy drink, every individual will have a slightly different reaction to this product. We recommend that you take no more than two chewable tablets every four hours, with a maximum daily consumption of six chewable tablets (three servings) per day.
Why does it work so well?
RedStar Energy is a highly concentrated, chewable tablet rather than a carbonated drink, capsule or pill. This allows for more of the ingredients to be introduced quicker into the blood stream. The Absorption of the chewed particles begins immediately in your mouth and continues rapidly through your digestive system. So, you get more of the benefits of the RedStar Energy ingredients sooner, resulting in a faster acting and longer lasting experience without the artificial blast of too much caffeine or sugar. And that means no jitters and no crash!
What is it?
RedStar Energy is convenient and easy way to get nutrients that assist in the production of energy and help with mental alertness and concentration. Two chewable wafers provide a significant level of nutrients to provide a noticeable “boost” in mood, energy and alertness without the “crash” commonly associated with energy drinks. That’s because RedStar Energy relies on the proven science of combining amino acids (Taurine and Glycine) with Glucuronolactone and specific B vitamins (B-6, B-12 Pantothenic Acid (B5), and Niacin (B3)) rather than relying on large doses of caffeine and sugar for a “quick” shock to your system.
Who can use it?
RedStar Energy can be used by anyone who wants to improve their mental alertness and concentration. It’s great for students, truck drivers, athletes, business people or anyone looking for an “edge” in their performance and everyday activities. Not recommended for pregnant women or nursing mothers. Do not use more than four times a day.
What can I expect?
RedStar Energy acts in minutes and lasts for hours. Keep your “10 AM” feeling and power through those afternoon doldrums. You just feel great, without risking a case of the “jitters” or other unpleasant side effects. Try it and see for yourself.
How many servings can I take each day?
RedStar Energy is a chewable tablet that acts in minutes and lasts for hours. As with any energy tablet or energy drink, every individual will have a slightly different reaction to this product. We recommend that you take no more than two chewable tablets every four hours, with a maximum daily consumption of six chewable tablets (three servings) per day.
Why does it work so well?
RedStar Energy is a highly concentrated, chewable tablet rather than a carbonated drink, capsule or pill. This allows for more of the ingredients to be introduced quicker into the blood stream. The Absorption of the chewed particles begins immediately in your mouth and continues rapidly through your digestive system. So, you get more of the benefits of the RedStar Energy ingredients sooner, resulting in a faster acting and longer lasting experience without the artificial blast of too much caffeine or sugar. And that means no jitters and no crash!
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Thank you Detour Bars and Go Girl Energy Drink!
I would like to thank our latest sponsors! Both have generously donated their products and we are grateful and excited to have them on the road with us.
RAAM Fun Facts
* The 2007 Race Across America route is about 3,043 miles long. Collectively, the 2007 Solo finishers will travel a combined distance equivalent to circling the Earth at the equator four times.
* This year's race spans a wider range of elevations than it has for nearly 20 years. Riders descend to 170 feet below sea level (in Mecca, California) and climb to 10,550 feet above sea level (Wolf Creek Pass in central Colorado). This elevation range exceeds two vertical miles.
* Each solo RAAM finisher climbs nearly 108,600 feet, which is roughly the distance from the ground to the edge of space, three times the altitude flown by commercial jetliners and almost four times the altitude of Mt. Everest.
* Only 164 solo and tandem riders have officially finished solo RAAM at least once, compared with over 1,300 individuals who have climbed Mt. Everest.
* Austrian adventurer Wolfgang Fasching has won solo RAAM and climbed Mt. Everest. “Everest is more dangerous, but RAAM is much harder,” Said Fasching.
* Among those who have finished solo RAAM are a one-legged cyclist with a prosthesis (Jim Penseyres) and a one-armed cyclist (Benny Furrer). Two blind cyclists completed Team RAAM on tandems (Ray Collins and Kathy Urschel). Last year a six-rider team of handcyclists from Austria raced — using arm-power to climb the 108,000 feet!
* Riders from 15 countries are racing in RAAM 2007: 35 solo racers, 126 team competitors, and 27 24-hour racers.
* Solo racer Juré Robic holds the UltraMarathon Cycling Association 24-hour road record of 521.975 miles (21.75 mph). Marko Baloh, also racing solo, holds the 12-hour track record of 281.316 mi (23.44). Fred Boethling, racing solo, holds six cross-state records, more than any other rider. Dan McGehee, racing on a four-person team, holds the 200 mile road record of 9 hours 2 minutes 41 seconds (23.89) and the 100-mile road record of 4 hours 10 minutes 9 seconds (23.99 mph).
* This year’s racers will sprint across 15 different state lines, 16 if you count two visits to West Virginia and 18 if you also count three visits to Maryland. The race crosses California for the 21st time, yet in 2007 it follows the 2006 route influenced by the Oceanside start.
* The northernmost point is just outside Urbana, Ohio. Riders never get farther south than the starting point on the Oceanside Municipal Pier.
* In addition to the start and finish, the race passes through time stations in 56 different towns and cities. The largest time station city is Indianapolis, Indiana, (TS 40), which has a population larger than one of the states through which the race passes (Delaware). The smallest time station is Chiriaco Summit, California (TS 3), whose year-round population is similar in size to the population of the Indianapolis time station.
* The straightest and flattest section of the course is 22 miles. In the London Marathon after completing 22 miles, runners can view the Big Ben. On this stretch of RAAM road between Wenden and Aguila, Arizona, many riders have reported seeing "Big Ben" but were beyond telling the time.
* RAAM crosses the five longest rivers that are entirely in the US: the Mississippi, Missouri, Rio Grande, Arkansas and the Ohio.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Eastern Sierra
George and I headed up to Bishop, Ca. on Friday for the Planet Ultra Eastern Sierra Double Century. For George, this one didn't go quite as planned. Just shy of mile 70, on Mammoth Scenic Loop, George went off the road and hit a snow stake. Thankfully, he walked away with some minor bruising and swelling. The carbon handlebars on the Cervelo Soloist didn't fair so well.
Click here for additional pictures.
The SAG vehicle had pulled up alongside of me on Mammoth Scenic Loop and when I realized that George was in the car, I knew right away that he must have crashed. What was probably less than ten minutes, seemed more like an hour, as I finally reached the place that they had pulled off to let me know what was happening. My initial concern was of course, for George. Second concern...we're 10 days out from RAAM! He assured me that he would be fine and sent me off to finish the double century. Timmer, our friend and the SAG driver who had picked George up, made sure to update me as I left the lunch stop and let me know that George would be out on the course to cheer me on. Talk about role reversal. ;) He was out there at the last two rest stops helping out and encouraging other riders, it was great!
The swelling and bruising looked much better this morning and he is feeling much better. Thank goodness!
On another note, the Team Beat Cancer kits came in and they look amazing!
Click here for additional pictures.
The SAG vehicle had pulled up alongside of me on Mammoth Scenic Loop and when I realized that George was in the car, I knew right away that he must have crashed. What was probably less than ten minutes, seemed more like an hour, as I finally reached the place that they had pulled off to let me know what was happening. My initial concern was of course, for George. Second concern...we're 10 days out from RAAM! He assured me that he would be fine and sent me off to finish the double century. Timmer, our friend and the SAG driver who had picked George up, made sure to update me as I left the lunch stop and let me know that George would be out on the course to cheer me on. Talk about role reversal. ;) He was out there at the last two rest stops helping out and encouraging other riders, it was great!
The swelling and bruising looked much better this morning and he is feeling much better. Thank goodness!
On another note, the Team Beat Cancer kits came in and they look amazing!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
12 days...
What looks like SweetPlus, Equal, Splenda and sugar packets to the untrained eye, was serious business at a crew lunch meeting today. I asked Jason, James and Phil, three of the crew members to join me to go over some logistics and planning, as well as help me to create a crew rotation schedule. All of those sweeteners represent different groups of crew members filling various roles and the coasters...those are the vehicles. We ended up with a rotation schedule that seems very workable, though we will remain flexible and roll with the punches once the race begins.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
14 days!
There's something about the point when you stop counting weeks until the start of the race, and instead, begin counting the days. When it seemed last week like there was plenty of time to tie up loose ends and finalize the details, suddenly you're wondering if you can slow the time down, if not a lot, by just a tiny bit.
The team email list is abuzz with messages about the little things, like how much to pack. "No chick packing, please" was the word from Scrooge who justifiably, is worried about how we're going to fit the luggage of twelve crew members into a small space. Riders and crew are pouring over the 50 pages of rules and studying the penalties that the various teams received last year. We're hoping that going in prepared will help us to avoid making errors that could earn us a penalty.
Food planning has started, which reminds me that I need to ask George again (in an email this time because verbal requests for any of us these days are beyond our capabilities) for a list of things that he wants to chew on. Unlike Rick, who plans to fuel mainly with liquids and some fruit here and there, George likes to chew when he's off the bike. I have a good idea of what he likes to eat most of the time, but in case there's some obscure thing that he'll be craving at 3:00 a.m. in the middle of Kansas, it will be nice to have it on hand instead of sending crew members searching for it.
I would like to thank everyone for checking in with us on the blog. The plan is for daily updates up to and during the race, whenever possible. There may be a lag this weekend when we're up riding the Eastern Sierra Double Century, but I will post upon my return. During the race, updates will be at least daily, if not more often and will include pictures from along the way. The support that we have received for the team so far has made a huge impact and we want to share this journey with you.
The team email list is abuzz with messages about the little things, like how much to pack. "No chick packing, please" was the word from Scrooge who justifiably, is worried about how we're going to fit the luggage of twelve crew members into a small space. Riders and crew are pouring over the 50 pages of rules and studying the penalties that the various teams received last year. We're hoping that going in prepared will help us to avoid making errors that could earn us a penalty.
Food planning has started, which reminds me that I need to ask George again (in an email this time because verbal requests for any of us these days are beyond our capabilities) for a list of things that he wants to chew on. Unlike Rick, who plans to fuel mainly with liquids and some fruit here and there, George likes to chew when he's off the bike. I have a good idea of what he likes to eat most of the time, but in case there's some obscure thing that he'll be craving at 3:00 a.m. in the middle of Kansas, it will be nice to have it on hand instead of sending crew members searching for it.
I would like to thank everyone for checking in with us on the blog. The plan is for daily updates up to and during the race, whenever possible. There may be a lag this weekend when we're up riding the Eastern Sierra Double Century, but I will post upon my return. During the race, updates will be at least daily, if not more often and will include pictures from along the way. The support that we have received for the team so far has made a huge impact and we want to share this journey with you.
15 days!
I wanted to share George's Heartbreak Double Century report. As I said in the last post, despite suffering much of the day, he managed a 5th place finish! This earned him a spot on the "short list". Only ten people completed the Planet Ultra King of the Mountains series by riding the Mulholland Double and Heartbreak Double. These are two of the toughest doubles on the calender in any given year!
Heartbreak Double Century 202 Miles and 17,000 feet. I had a bad day on the bike. It was my worst race day on the bike this year. I went out with the lead group and suffered quite a bit. By mile 25 I was dropped and 6 riders went away. It continued to get hot during the day and I knew I was going to meltdown eventually. It happened sometime before the lunch stop. I was overheating and feeling miserable. Mile 104. 6 --At the lunch stop I soaked my head twice. Once when I got in and once before I left.
I stopped consuming calories after my first century. I then started drinking sodas. I had a Mountain Dew at lunch, at Mile 119--Vanilla Cola at the base of the Heartbreak climb and then 1 bottle of water over from Mile 126.7 until Mile -171.4 where I had 1/2 an Orange Sunkist (knock-off).
The last 30 miles I hooked up with another rider who helped me get through the next 14 miles and then I helped him get to the finish. I was not feeling good all day and lost valuable time climbing Old Ridge Route --two years in a row I have faded there.
My goal was sub 14 hours I finished 13:28 for 5th place. I'm quite happy with the end result but the process to get there was one of the most challenging days on the bike in recent memory.
Heartbreak Double Century 202 Miles and 17,000 feet. I had a bad day on the bike. It was my worst race day on the bike this year. I went out with the lead group and suffered quite a bit. By mile 25 I was dropped and 6 riders went away. It continued to get hot during the day and I knew I was going to meltdown eventually. It happened sometime before the lunch stop. I was overheating and feeling miserable. Mile 104. 6 --At the lunch stop I soaked my head twice. Once when I got in and once before I left.
I stopped consuming calories after my first century. I then started drinking sodas. I had a Mountain Dew at lunch, at Mile 119--Vanilla Cola at the base of the Heartbreak climb and then 1 bottle of water over from Mile 126.7 until Mile -171.4 where I had 1/2 an Orange Sunkist (knock-off).
The last 30 miles I hooked up with another rider who helped me get through the next 14 miles and then I helped him get to the finish. I was not feeling good all day and lost valuable time climbing Old Ridge Route --two years in a row I have faded there.
My goal was sub 14 hours I finished 13:28 for 5th place. I'm quite happy with the end result but the process to get there was one of the most challenging days on the bike in recent memory.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
16 days and counting...
On Saturday, George rode the Planet Ultra Heartbreak Double Century. He went out with the lead pack and pushed a very hard pace, arriving at the 50 mile checkpoint just minutes behind the four riders who held the lead position. It was a very tough day out there, George struggled with going out so fast in the beginning, and then with the heat. Two of the doubles riders that were expected to be in the top 10 ended up DNF'ing and nearly everyone out there suffered with the high temperatures. Last year it was the opposite, extreme cold and headwinds and George had a time of 15:23. His goal this year for the 202 mile, 17,000 ft elevation gain ride was 14:00 and despite feeling awful for much of the ride, he managed a time of 13:29, which was a 5th place finish! Official results here.
Next up: Eastern Sierra Double Century on Saturday June 2nd.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Rick's training...
It has been interesting to hear how the two riders, Rick and George, have been training for Race Across America. Here are some words from Rick on his training as of late...
My hill work lately has been to climb the 2.5 mile 7-9% grade out to HWY 67 on Scripps / Poway PKWY twelve times in a row, then head down to outer torrey for seven repeats and finally on the hill I live on, less than 1/2 mile but 400ft of climbing, it's 8-10% for another 4-7 repeats. I have been getting over 11,000 feet of climbing in less than 90 miles. Not tracking numbers as closely as George, I can only say that I am feeling fine on the climbs. The only thing I am keenly aware of; I do not let my HR go into zone 5 for nothing right now and won't on the ride either.
I will have a four day weekend this weekend. I am off on Fridays, Monday is a company holiday. I plan to ride four consecutive 160 mile days as my last big preps for RAAM and then start my taper towards the event.
My hill work lately has been to climb the 2.5 mile 7-9% grade out to HWY 67 on Scripps / Poway PKWY twelve times in a row, then head down to outer torrey for seven repeats and finally on the hill I live on, less than 1/2 mile but 400ft of climbing, it's 8-10% for another 4-7 repeats. I have been getting over 11,000 feet of climbing in less than 90 miles. Not tracking numbers as closely as George, I can only say that I am feeling fine on the climbs. The only thing I am keenly aware of; I do not let my HR go into zone 5 for nothing right now and won't on the ride either.
I will have a four day weekend this weekend. I am off on Fridays, Monday is a company holiday. I plan to ride four consecutive 160 mile days as my last big preps for RAAM and then start my taper towards the event.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
...and then there were 12!
With less than three weeks to the race start, I am happy to announce that our final crew has been assembled! Today we welcomed Jason, James and Paul to the crew and with that, final preparations including crew rotation and schedules along with meal planning, can commence.
Welcome to the crew, guys!
Welcome to the crew, guys!
Friday, May 18, 2007
Crew meeting...
On Thursday night I took the opportunity to gather some of our crew members, along with George, Rick and his wife Terry, at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas. Reggie, one of our new crew members, was in town from Arizona and it was our first chance to meet him before we embark on this adventure. Jason also brought along Will, another new addition to our crew.
This would be the last chance to meet before the prep weekend in three weeks...did I say three weeks? Could we really be that close to RAAM? It is hard to believe that we'll be on the road in three and a half weeks. Where has the time gone? Since both George and Rick will be riding tubulars for some of the race, George thought ahead to bring one of his tubular wheels and give the crew a lesson on changing them. I'm not sure what I expected, but the process ended up being much easier than I had envisioned. I was thankful for the instruction, though not difficult, this was definitely something that I didn't want to have to learn on the road.
This would be the last chance to meet before the prep weekend in three weeks...did I say three weeks? Could we really be that close to RAAM? It is hard to believe that we'll be on the road in three and a half weeks. Where has the time gone? Since both George and Rick will be riding tubulars for some of the race, George thought ahead to bring one of his tubular wheels and give the crew a lesson on changing them. I'm not sure what I expected, but the process ended up being much easier than I had envisioned. I was thankful for the instruction, though not difficult, this was definitely something that I didn't want to have to learn on the road.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Our crew is shaping up!
We're up to eight crew members at this point! My goal is to have our full crew assembled in the next week, and I'm hoping to have two more for a total of ten.
Here we are in all of our glory...
Jason aka Chucklehead
Shari
Lauren
James
Herman
Phil
Brandy
not pictured...Reggie!
Here we are in all of our glory...
Jason aka Chucklehead
Shari
Lauren
James
Herman
Phil
Brandy
not pictured...Reggie!
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Vireo is in flight...
George Vargas, one of our RAAM riders, is off on a 63 mile night training ride. He left Huntington Beach shortly after 10:00 p.m. and will ride down the coast to Encinitas. This is the start of the sleep deprivation/ride/rest/ride/rest/ride training that he is doing in preparation for two person Race Across America. His plan is to arrive in Encinitas, get a couple of hours of sleep, train and ride with a client early Sunday morning, rest for two hours, go out for another two hour training ride, rest for two hours and then another 63 mile ride up the coast to Huntington Beach.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Scrooge is actually happy
The crew have kicked in the fund raising effort in a big way, the Bike Forums group of people have contributed very well. George has good news, hopefully more on that later. I am finally starting to relax a bit on money. We still have some things we would like to address but things are looking good.
The way things are going I am going to have to figure out something else to whine about.
The way things are going I am going to have to figure out something else to whine about.
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