for those of you who know Homey...

[bikerchick68]

http://raamcyclonauts.com/bitterwater.htm

he and the team are having a century fundraiser to help them with the cost of RAAM! I really want to do this, but I just don't have enough vaca time left to take a day off to drive up...

and those of you who don't know Homey... this would still be a great century... only about 4000 ft climbing... no stoplights and I've heard a nice route... Homey is a VERY nice man, a great rider who CAN race but also enjoys just hanging out and cruising... you're NEVER made to feel like you're not strong enough or fast enough... just a really decent human being!

this is from Homey:

Some stats:
Total Signal lights: 0
Total stop signs: 4
Total Elevation Gain: approx. 4000ft (?).
Total Mileage: 103
Total number of left hand turns: 0

I have fliers available and everyone is welcome. My e-mail address is Bargefamily@tcsn.net. Drop me a note and I'll send you one. All proceeds go to Team Cyclonauts and RAAM 2006! If there are any questions let me know.

I WILL however be near the start in Oceanside CA when RAAM takes off... I promised one of Homey's teammates, Zurichman, that I'd have brownies bagged up to pass to them! LOL...

[caligurl]

awwwww that sounds nice! but isn't paso robles closer to norcal? too far for us to do as a day ride i think....

[bikerchick68]

yeah cali... it's about a 7 hour drive from here IF there was no traffic... on a Friday after work it would be a nightmare to drive up and then ride early... I feel bad, because I would like to ride and support them... hopefully a bag of brownies will make up for me not being there!

[maillotpois]

Thanks for posting that! I wish I could do it but it is DD's birthday that weekend. I think you can also contribute to them directly, which would be nice. Good guys - crazy a$$ long ride.

[bikerchick68]

LOL... yeah...

maillotpois... Homey rode the Lighthouse Century with me as a training ride for the FC 508... he was explaining the race to me... 508 miles in 48 hours... I said, "But when do you sleep?" He said, "You don't." WHAT????? I just can't get my head wrapped around that...

508 miles, 48 hours and no sleep? no motel with hot shower? no snoring? no...no... aaaaaaack!!!!

[snapdragen]

Here an account of FC508 done in 2001. It's a special breed that does this race.

http://www.midcalracing.com/5082001/5082001.htm

I especially like this part:

"About 3 a.m., around 300 miles into the race, while on the climb up Salsberry, looking well up the hill, I could have sworn there were vans lined up on the side of the road with bikes on top. I felt great, thinking I was passing all these riders who had stopped to sleep or recover on the hill. It really did motivate me. However, as I went on, I realized that the car lights behind me were reflecting off the little 4 foot high poles with reflectors on them on the side of the road, which in my mind looked like vans with bikes on top. It's amazing how many I had to pass before I figured this out. Lesson: The mind often sees what it wants to. "

[maillotpois]

Wow - Snap that's scary. I am planning the 508 as a 2 person team this year. This seemed like a good compromise. I think. Still a bit scary. I am going to be consulting with Baldino and Homey a bit on the whole thing. Now that they have progressed to RAAM, it's a whole new scary thing. Can't imagine the hallucinations you get in RAAM.

[Bike Goddess]

Maillotpois- I crewed for Baldino last year, so I can also give you feedback from that perspective if you are interested.

Probably Baldino has already told you- the hill climber of the team should be the one to do Towne's pass. It aint pretty since it's long and steep. (I just did both ways in a car this past weekend and it was interesting to look at the grade from a cyclist's point of view).

Anyway, feel free to contact me if you want a woman's perspective!