RAAM..... so who are YOU rooting for?

[caligurl]

that helps a LOT, mary! thank you!!!!!!!!!

[mary9761]

17:35 RAAM time: Maggie just called and they are near the Summit of Yarnell Grade. "There's no shade on the Yarnell Grade" They are exchanging riders every 1/2 mile as they are climbing a 5 1/2 mile section of 6% grade.
The vehicle carrying Bernie has caught up with the rest of the team and all of the vehicles are now back in normal rotation. I lost connection with Maggie before I could confirm WHERE the injury is but I believe it was his arm. Bernie has been cleared to ride by the doctor at the hospital who basically said he was crazy but he could be able to ride. He received 80 stitches to repair his injury.
He got on the bike to see how he would do and rode for a couple miles until he had a mechanical problem with something to do with the crank [again lost full signal] As of right now he is acting as a crew member until they can hopefully get parts to repair his bicycle at the next TS #7 in Prescott, AZ

[Running Mommy]

The adventure of it all!! It sounds so hard, yet so fun. MAN!! I want to get a team together and do this race!! ANyone else in for team TE??

[snapdragen]

The adventure of it all!! It sounds so hard, yet so fun. MAN!! I want to get a team together and do this race!! ANyone else in for team TE??

****snap runs and hides under her blankets******

[ladyjai]

One of my secret desires is to do the solo RAAM.


RM... i just happen to be in the valley What a thought! Though the only race I have to my name is el Tour de Tucson Though I'd love to join you.

[mary9761]

I just got off the phone with Maggie a bit ago, funny thing about technology.... It's great when it WORKS! Between our cell connections and my computer freezing up on me [ancient pentium 3 with little memory] this is gonna be a rough time.
At 20:32 Team Cyclonauts checked into TS #7 in Prescott, AZ Maggie is riding in the vehicle with Homey and his main goal is to find parts to repair his bike and get him back on the road. The rest of the team is rolling on towards TS #8 in Williams, AZ. They team will have some climbing [3,220 ft.] to do before they reach Williams. By the time they make the next time station, they will have traveled 453 miles and have a total elevation gain of 20,600 ft. Not bad for a team that's been through the wringer in the last 24 hours. As evening approaches it's cooling down again as well, I'm sure that's welcomed by the riders and crew.
Before I lost connection with Maggie again, she was giving me more details about the accident yesterday evening. The vehicle that was involved in the accident did NOT back up into Homey. He was coming down a descent at approximately 35+ mph and the lead/follow vehicle pulled over to the side of the road. The driver thought they had cleared the road and stopped abruptly not aware of how fast or how close Homey was to the vehicle. Basically from what I could get in between the breaking signal was that Homey couldn't stop in time to avoid the vehicle and ended up with a major accident. I was going to get more details when one of our phones dropped signal and I couldn't get back in touch with Maggie.
So, as it stands, Homey is searching for parts, the team continues on and the accident was just that a freak accident. Oh and Larry "ZMan" has great buns.
Mary

[snapdragen]

My boys have hit Flagstaff. This is nervewracking.....

Team2CureHD

[mary9761]

Good morning all,
I've not had any phone contact with the group overnight but it's still early. From the weather reports, the group has had a CHILLY night to ride. It's a cold 46F in Tuba City, AZ at this time so I hope they have their arm and leg warmers with them BRRRRR. The riders checked into TS #10 in Tuba City, AZ at 08:27 this morning. (when I first started typing this they hadn't checked in but I knew they had to be close from the check in at Flagstaff) There will be more climbing in this stage as they ride towards TS #11 Kayenta, AZ coming out of the valley from Flagstaff. I don't know what if any problems they had with the detours around the area with the wildfire.
This is my very first time to be involved with or follow RAAM. It's amazing to me the progress that ALL of the riders in the race have made. Solo Leader Fabio Biasiolo and Solo Eduro Leader Jonathan Boyer are both well on their way to TS #24, Montezuma, KS It's unfathomable to me the distances these riders are covering in such a short time!
Female Solo rider Shanna Armstrong should be approaching TS #20 Trinidad, CO this morning.
As I look at the progress they have all made, I am very Humbled. I know I've not been riding for quite a year, but the endurance and fortitude all of these riders exhibit is phenomenal!!
Mary

[MomOnBike]

The adventure of it all!! It sounds so hard, yet so fun. MAN!! I want to get a team together and do this race!! ANyone else in for team TE??

Odd, I've been thinking the same thing. And then I remember how SLOW I am. (My story, stickin' to it)

I handle sleep deprivation well, though, and can read a map. I'd crew. (I hope nobody heard that...)

[SadieKate]

RAAM News Bulletin – Wednesday, June 14 (Solos Day 4, Teams Day 2)

Another very exciting category to watch is the Four-person Women’s category. This race is far from over, but Team Red Helmets, with three teammates over 60, is now in the lead. They are hoping to break the 4-person 50+ women’s record set by two of them 10 years ago. Whether or not they finish first, this team is truly an inspiration to women everywhere.

I sent this story to my friend Marty. For those of you who don't know her, she is 65 and just rode her first century at the Little Red Riding Hood. She essentially went from 0 to 100 miles in 12 mos. after a severe weight loss program and then a committed training program. An awesome and inspiring accomplishment. Any way, I sent her the link and told her to get training again, that she had another 12 mos for this goal.

She responded, "I'm on it."

[mary9761]

Team Cyclonauts has checked in at TS #11, Kayenta, AZ They arrived at 12:52 and now they are on the way to TS #12, Mexican Hat, UT They have a couple climbs in this leg of the trip, but with have some hairy descents again into Mexican Hat. They will be dealing with rougher roads, cattle and 6%, 8% and 10% grade descents. Let's have a safe journey through this section guys.
I've spent the last hour on the phone to different bike shops in Durango, CO. I must say even the shops that didn't have the part were very helpful and willing to recommend another shop to call that might. I'm not finding the specific part yet, but have located a possible replacement in stock. Still if anyone knows where to locate the specific part please contact me.
Mary

They are looking for a
175 mm triple crank
Tru-Vativ
Non drive side
Crank arm
Isis Drive

[Trek420]

After the ride auctioning off RAAM bikes to bennefit the Breast Cancer Fund

http://www.serotta.com/pages/involved.html#BCF

wouldn't you like to show up for Bike Against the Odds with this?

[Running Mommy]

Ok, so Mom on bike..I have a driver right???
The funny thing is that I mentioned this casually to a couple of family members and they have no doubt that I WILL do this race one day!!
I still say a team TE would ROCK!!!
You see I have this funny thing about "wild hairs" Every few years I get one... Of course they keep getting longer and LONGER!!!

[Shimpie]

I came across this live satellite feed for Team ViaSat. It's coming from a camera on the front of the support truck. I could watch this forever! All the teams should have a live feed.

http://www.viasat.com/raam/

[Shimpie]

The RAAM website just discovered the live feed too. A link just got posted to their website.