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!

[maillotpois]

Thanks BG! I will definitely drop you a line as we get closer to the event. My 508 partner crewed for our friend Karen, and then Karen is going to crew for us. So I feel like I am not coming into this totally cold, but any suggestions are welcome!!.

There's also a chance roles could be reversed and I could be riding with Karen and then Stacy would crew - it's a bit up in the air right now! I am also going to have to find another crew member at some point, because my husband can't get the time off for this and plus, then we'd have child care issues. And the LAST thing I want is a 10 year old tagging along on the 508!!!

Anyway, thanks for the support and I will get in touch with you. Are you doing the Solvang double or anything like that?

[Bike Goddess]

I wish! I didn't get enough mileage in at Death Valley to determine if I could do the double. I'm signed up for Cindyella so I'll do that (maybe twice!)