Cat Berge - Will she finish the RAAM?

[annie]

Reading the tragic news about Bob Breelove yesterday, I could not stop crying. As a fellow Iowan, I've always kept track of his biking feats. He has been an inspiration to so many Iowa bikers. Not only did one always read/hear about his amazing biking ability, but always about what a wonderful person he was. He has been an icon here in Iowa for so many years. I can't begin to guess how mnay people have been helped and influenced in a positive way by this man. His death is a huge loss.

That said, and cliche tho' it may be, he died doing what he loved. He'll never suffer from old age or a deteriorating body. He won't end up in a nursing home. There are worse ways to go than -boom!- in a bike accident.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and all who knew and loved him. They are the ones who are suffering.

annie

[maggieH]

Cat moved into 9th place today. Fourteen of the 25 solo men riders are still in the race, so there's 8 men ahead of her and 6 behind.

[maggieH]

Great photos of Cat on Day 8.Like it says in the sidebar, "Does this look girl look like someone who has just ridden 2000 miles? No way!"

[MomOnBike]

Cat's going to finish, and look good when she gets to the end.

What a race to follow. It seems like Cat and the 18-YO kid from Alaska are the two sentimental favorites this year. They always have a smile in their pics. (Hmmm)

"My" recumbent teams aren't doing as well as I'd like this year, but, oh well. As my daughter puts it, that's why God made Next Year.

MomOn(RAAM site and)Bike

[aka_kim]

I hadn't been following the teams until I saw a blurb on the home page yesterday. Most teams are riding for charity, including two promoting organ and tissue donation. On the roster for one of these is a kidney transplant recipient; on the other a kidney donor and a group of physicians from the Davis/Sacramento area including Eric Heiden. You can get to the team websites from the RAAM race roster to make online donations.

[emily_in_nc]

I just read the last couple of day's updates on Cat's website and was interested to read that her crew has not told her about Bob Breedlove's death. I am sure that is for the best, as hearing of a fellow racer coming to a tragic end on the race would make it very hard to continue, I'd expect. But it also seems as if it would be difficult to keep her from hearing somehow - a phone call or from another rider (the site mentions her being passed by and then passing a solo male rider, and speaking to him). I can only imagine how she is going to feel when she finally finds out. It's such a tragedy.

I am enjoying following Cat's ride virtually, though. She is truly an inspiration!

Emily

[Jo-n-NY]

I was wondering the same as Emily, if Cat would hear the news from a fellow rider. hmmmmm, I guess it is a Catch 22.

But yes, she is absolutely and inspiration.

On another note, I have been reading Denise's journal and as of yesterday, it sounds like so far, so good for Denise's tour!

~JoAnn

[emily_in_nc]

On another note, I have been reading Denise's journal and as of yesterday, it sounds like so far, so good for Denise's tour!
~JoAnn

I just finished catching up on Denise's tour journal a little while ago myself! It is so much fun to follow her progress vicariously. Now that I have done a self-supported tour with Barry last fall, I can really put myself in her place and imagine how she is feeling and how her days are going. I am envious of all the good seafood she is getting to eat in Maine, and of her being able to tour once again - hopefully I'll be able to do that again next year myself. She is my inspiration since this is her first tour after a crash. Go Denise!

Emily

P.S. Sorry for the off-the-Cat-Buerge-topic post!

[MomOnBike]

Re: Telling Cat

When Younger Daughter travels with school bands and orchestras overseas, we parents are told not to contact the kids in the case of a family tragedy - like a grandparent's death. There's not much the kid can do about it, and it will just spoil their trip. Hard hearted as it sounds, that's good advice. Let Cat finish the race, then she can move on to other emotional things.

Now if there were a clear and imminent danger to the cyclists...

As for Denise, she sure knows how to tour, doesn't she? I want to ride by an ocean, too.

[maggieH]

I need links! Who is Denise? What tour? And where did you read that Cat doesn't know about Breedlove? you said "her website" -- is there a different site than the one I linked to? catharinaberge.com

~maggie

[SadieKate]

While we have many touring members, Denise Goldberg is probably our forum tour guru.

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journ...se2005downeast

[emily_in_nc]

I need links! Who is Denise? What tour? And where did you read that Cat doesn't know about Breedlove? you said "her website" -- is there a different site than the one I linked to? catharinaberge.com
~maggie

That's the one. The comment is buried on this page:

http://www.catharinaberge.com/id70.htm

It says "I chatted with both Lissa and Patty, crew members for Cat, for almost 25 minutes. They wanted me to post this message to all of you: DO NOT tell Cat about Dr. Bob Breedlove if you get the chance to talk with her. She does not know and they do not plan on telling her. They have been screening calls a bit, until I had a chance to post this message.'

Also, just to correct a typo in the above post, Denise's last name is Goldberg. She is a regular here on the TE forum with many helpful posts! Like me, she has a Bike Friday (actually, she has two!) She's done a lot of self-supported tours but did not get to do one last year due to an accident.

Hope this helps!
Emily

[maggieH]

Thanks! Denise's recent posts are particularly interesting to me because our family (children, spouses, and grandchildren) will be celebrating my husband's 75th birthday by spending a week together in Acadia National Park, July 9-16. Our daughter Sue tours, so when she gets back from Ireland ( solo touring) next week, I'll point her to Denise's posts about biking in Acadia.

Last January when Sue got back from her solo tour in the Andes she became too busy to write a blog. But I did create a site while her trip was happening -- as I got each email from her. You might find it interesting. 19DaysinChile.htm

[maggieH]

Cat is expected to arrive at the finish line around midnight. It's only 60 miles from my home. I could be back home by 3 a.m. Am I crazy?

[MomOnBike]

You're not crazy. Go. Take pictures. Share. Tell me (us) all about it.

But go early, I understand that parking isn't exactly friendly, and you need to find the finish line.