As I write this Tim Woudenberg is riding solo down the Interstate into Atlantic City. he has been riding solo since yesterday morning at 6:30 am (i.e., nearly 24 hours). And on the day before he pulled close to 12 hours on his own. Not often will you see a team rider ride a RAAM share and then do a Furnace Creek event on the last day.
These two riders showed what can be done with grit and determination. They recovered from some very difficult crash situations on the first night - they gave up 2 and a half hours to Team Bacchetta. Then they clawed that back especially on nights 3, 4 and 5 and put down the hammer through Kansas. The hills of Missouri found the true cost of Glenn's accident manifested in a sore knee. A first visit to an emergency department - during which time Tim rode 4 hours solo during the day - allowed Glenn to put in some blistering riding during the night through Illinois. In one time station segment he gained 22 minutes on the team behind. Waking the next morning was the telling moment with the knee very stiff and painful to ride - with the hills of West Virginia to contend with, it was no surprise that Glenn was again off the bike and Tim was riding solo.
Another visit to Emergency Department in Cumberland Ohio was not enough to get Glenn's knee right. Decision was made to get him off the bike and to finish the race as a solo effort around 350 miles from the end. At 1 am yesterday the whole team pulled up and slept on the roadside until 5 am - the aim was to test Glenn on the downhill and flat sections. That lasted 20 miles before Glenn chose not to risk his future cylcing career and Tim stepped up to the plate to finish this thing. We split the crew up and the majority of us took Glenn down to Atlantic City.
This morning at 4:30 am Tim reached Atlantic City and the team was finished in 7 Days 11 hours beating Tim's time from last year. An amazing feat
June 20, 2007
The middle stages - surging up the field
It's taken time for both riders to recover from the crashes on I10 near Salton City. It's taken time for the crew to get into a good working rhythm ensuring changeovers work well, ensuring riders are properly fed and getting some sleep themselves. The strategy is simple: 1. leverage the design of the Nocom on the downhill and flat sessions and 2. work the nights harder and 3. Don't lose time in the mountains.
The effort up Wolf Creek Pass was the start of this race to close the 2.5 hour gap to Team Bacchetta (it was also the time to stop feeding good information to the web about team situaiton and strength). Glenn and Tim ran short pulls to the summit at 10,500 feet above the snowline with Glenn taking over a half mile from the summit and then taking the descent in the dark. It was pretty hair raising stuff following behind at such speeds. Into South Form average speed wa a little lower than Team B - into Alamosa CO, Glenn was able to run a TS at 24.94 mph (close to a time station record) - over 3 mph faster than Team B - and a pace diffferntial that Tim was able to sustain into La Veta CO. Riding like this on these machines requires a control of fear hard to believe.
Then on the flatter lands of the Colorado/Kansas border the riders put down the challenge with 4 successive time stations averaging over 20 mph - mush of this into a headwind of 8 to 10 mph. In fact the whole journey across Kansas was completed at over 20 mph as the riders pushed relentlessly into the wind. By Collins, Missouri - the first time station over the border the gap over team B had opened to 1 hour and 10 minutes. This is the point that the RAAM gods decided to set up the next challenge for the team - Glenn pushed hard into the Missouri rollers just short of the Illinois border and started to feel pain in his left knee - pushing really hard in a big gear on top of damage sustained on that first night. Glenn checked into Memorial Hospital, Greenvill Illinois to treat his knee. Tim went onto the road and pulled for 3 hours to give Glenn enough time to get back to the race.
And back he came with anti-inflamatory treatment working wonders to mask the pain during his night shift through the flatter parts of Illinois. He was riding like a man possessed at the time we were pacing behind him and the gap started to open up again. The train was back on the road. Well so we thought until Glenn woke from his night rest with severe pain in his knees now that the masking effects were gone.
It became very clear in his pulls after this that any uphill effort was very difficult and that he would have to scale back the effort. And no shotage of uphill in West Virginia and beyond. Tim stepped up again to fill the breach and rode a long spell (6 hours) in the afternoon session while we worked out strategy. the plan was to rest Glenn for 12 hours and test the knee before committing him back to the battle. That plan changed a bit when Glenn chose a further round of treatment in Cumberland Ohio - we got him to ER and back in 3 hours and put him on the road for his 4 hour night pull. the idea was to let him ride as far as he could and rest Tim for 4 hours. On the top of the hills before TS 53 Glenn stopped and the whole team stopped for a 5 hour rest. The first time since the start we had all been together.
The effort up Wolf Creek Pass was the start of this race to close the 2.5 hour gap to Team Bacchetta (it was also the time to stop feeding good information to the web about team situaiton and strength). Glenn and Tim ran short pulls to the summit at 10,500 feet above the snowline with Glenn taking over a half mile from the summit and then taking the descent in the dark. It was pretty hair raising stuff following behind at such speeds. Into South Form average speed wa a little lower than Team B - into Alamosa CO, Glenn was able to run a TS at 24.94 mph (close to a time station record) - over 3 mph faster than Team B - and a pace diffferntial that Tim was able to sustain into La Veta CO. Riding like this on these machines requires a control of fear hard to believe.
Then on the flatter lands of the Colorado/Kansas border the riders put down the challenge with 4 successive time stations averaging over 20 mph - mush of this into a headwind of 8 to 10 mph. In fact the whole journey across Kansas was completed at over 20 mph as the riders pushed relentlessly into the wind. By Collins, Missouri - the first time station over the border the gap over team B had opened to 1 hour and 10 minutes. This is the point that the RAAM gods decided to set up the next challenge for the team - Glenn pushed hard into the Missouri rollers just short of the Illinois border and started to feel pain in his left knee - pushing really hard in a big gear on top of damage sustained on that first night. Glenn checked into Memorial Hospital, Greenvill Illinois to treat his knee. Tim went onto the road and pulled for 3 hours to give Glenn enough time to get back to the race.
And back he came with anti-inflamatory treatment working wonders to mask the pain during his night shift through the flatter parts of Illinois. He was riding like a man possessed at the time we were pacing behind him and the gap started to open up again. The train was back on the road. Well so we thought until Glenn woke from his night rest with severe pain in his knees now that the masking effects were gone.
It became very clear in his pulls after this that any uphill effort was very difficult and that he would have to scale back the effort. And no shotage of uphill in West Virginia and beyond. Tim stepped up again to fill the breach and rode a long spell (6 hours) in the afternoon session while we worked out strategy. the plan was to rest Glenn for 12 hours and test the knee before committing him back to the battle. That plan changed a bit when Glenn chose a further round of treatment in Cumberland Ohio - we got him to ER and back in 3 hours and put him on the road for his 4 hour night pull. the idea was to let him ride as far as he could and rest Tim for 4 hours. On the top of the hills before TS 53 Glenn stopped and the whole team stopped for a 5 hour rest. The first time since the start we had all been together.
June 16, 2007
June 15, 2007
Out of the mountains
It was a priviledge to help our riders into and over the Rockies - on the climbs up Wolf Creek Pass, the pass into La Veta and Cucheras Pass, they fought like men possessed to make up the time lost on that eventful first night. Glenn in particular was determined - you will see the results on the time station into Alamosa Colorado, where the team came close to the time station record - 24.94 mile per hour. The record is 24.99. And riding behind him as he descended at over 60 miles per hour was a real treat.
Wolf Creek Pass was cold - snow lying on the ground below the level we were riding and the waterfalls running strongly. Standing out there in shirtsleeves and shorts was quite something - but then this is the story of RAAM - heroes in every dimension fighting it out against the elements and against themselves. Coming out the mountains this morning was awesome - watching the sunrise from the top of Cucheras Pass alongside two of the solo women's teams was special. The opening views down to the plains above Trinidad Colorado.
It seems that the riders are getting back to good shape - they have got to within 30 minutes of Team Bacchetta and are steadily making their way up the 4 man teams and we note that Team Body Exchange have dropped out. RAAM extracts its retribution. We look forward to seeing what our bikes can do into Kansas headwinds compared with the more upright bikes.
Now we (i.e., the crew working the RV and the sleepers) rest in Ulysses Kansas - looked after very well by Avis Gibbons of Single Tree Inn and orchestrated by Scott Nichols of the Chamber of Commerce. We have seen all manner of places along the way and this one is a real treat.
June 14, 2007
Into the mountains
We started the day heading into Monument Valley a little before darkness broke - for a first time visitor it was an awesome view. Not sure how the riders liked it - we're a bit disconnected with what they are doing when we are positioning the RV for the days provisioning.
Road is a steady climb for about 30 miles though climbing only 3000 feet. As we are coming through quite early the temperatures are not too high - think that will come later in the day though there is a cooling breeze as we sit in Cortez Colorado waiting for the team to arrive.
Team Bacchetta - our two man recumbent rivals came through just as we arrived - we are still paying for the misadventures of the first night.
Onwards and upwards into the Rockies with a lining of snow on them.
Road is a steady climb for about 30 miles though climbing only 3000 feet. As we are coming through quite early the temperatures are not too high - think that will come later in the day though there is a cooling breeze as we sit in Cortez Colorado waiting for the team to arrive.
Team Bacchetta - our two man recumbent rivals came through just as we arrived - we are still paying for the misadventures of the first night.
Onwards and upwards into the Rockies with a lining of snow on them.
June 13, 2007
Toughing it out
Well what a way to introduce the rookies on the crew to RAAM.
Tim and Glenn started out well and made really good progress. We had a few logistical issues to sort out to get the RV ahead of the riders to do crew changes before the darkness shifts. RV route was very pretty seeing the transition from coast to desert in relatively short distance.
Troubles for the team began not long after we reached Interstate 10 and darkness together. Glenn started a procession of misfortune with a small crash - he took off too quickly for a changeover and hit the dirt - elbows gone. The Interstate debris was the biggest challenge. The Nocom is not responsive to evasive action - if you get to see the debris anyway. First part of bike damage. Tim was next to hit the dirt - touched the soft shoulder and down he went. Badly banged up elbows though no serious damage to the bike. Glenn took over and had his turn - this time it was a front flat at high speed (40 mph). He threw the bike down on one side and then pulled it back t the other - result = evenly matched road rash on both cheeks - much worse than Tim's.
Took a long while to get Glenn patched up and back onto the bike to relieve Tim - and we struggled on as best we could. Getting off that Interstate and onto Arizona roads was a relief. As dawn broke we begin to count the cost on man and machine - and hoping that the heat would not be too bad. Seemed to spend a lot of the day going back and forth to patch up this and that.
Heat began to tell and we had to pull Tim off the bike and let Glenn back out there for a long pull - through the pain and all.
They say that when the going gets tough the tough get going. These boys are going to have to be tough - heroic as they have been so far.
Tim and Glenn started out well and made really good progress. We had a few logistical issues to sort out to get the RV ahead of the riders to do crew changes before the darkness shifts. RV route was very pretty seeing the transition from coast to desert in relatively short distance.
Troubles for the team began not long after we reached Interstate 10 and darkness together. Glenn started a procession of misfortune with a small crash - he took off too quickly for a changeover and hit the dirt - elbows gone. The Interstate debris was the biggest challenge. The Nocom is not responsive to evasive action - if you get to see the debris anyway. First part of bike damage. Tim was next to hit the dirt - touched the soft shoulder and down he went. Badly banged up elbows though no serious damage to the bike. Glenn took over and had his turn - this time it was a front flat at high speed (40 mph). He threw the bike down on one side and then pulled it back t the other - result = evenly matched road rash on both cheeks - much worse than Tim's.
Took a long while to get Glenn patched up and back onto the bike to relieve Tim - and we struggled on as best we could. Getting off that Interstate and onto Arizona roads was a relief. As dawn broke we begin to count the cost on man and machine - and hoping that the heat would not be too bad. Seemed to spend a lot of the day going back and forth to patch up this and that.
Heat began to tell and we had to pull Tim off the bike and let Glenn back out there for a long pull - through the pain and all.
They say that when the going gets tough the tough get going. These boys are going to have to be tough - heroic as they have been so far.
June 12, 2007
Teams on the way
It's been a pretty quiet morning. Team had breakfast together and we started the first of the close in briefing sessions. Tim made it down but Glenn was able to get to sleep until 9am.
After breakfast we were into the last minute things - building spare wheels as the parts arrived from LA (thanks Dana); making sure each of the follow vans had food for both riders; getting bike spares and tools properly stashed in the frogger van.
About van support. We have a pace van that follows the riders. During the day this van will be close by. At night the rider must be in the headlights of a van at all times - we will use this van. The frogger van will leapfrog the riders to do rider exchanges. This van carries the retiring rider and the bike spares and bike mechanic and lots of rider food. The frogger van will relieve the pace van for gas stops and in the event of a mechanical issue with the van. The RV acts as the mothership and carries the sleeping crew and sleeping rider at night. RV crew does most of the shopping; reprovisioning of the follow vehicles and does the laundry.
All was peaceful until 12 when the shopping expedition was delayed in returning - a few nerves then. They made it by 1pm - quick unload and down to the start. The start was all about introductions and staging the riders. The race starts with a parade route for 13 miles before racing begins - so this is all pretty relaxed. At least the sun is out. Back to base for last minute things and then up the road we will go. For the RV this is to Salton City (TS2). For the follow vehicles it's off to mile 23 where staged support can begin.
After breakfast we were into the last minute things - building spare wheels as the parts arrived from LA (thanks Dana); making sure each of the follow vans had food for both riders; getting bike spares and tools properly stashed in the frogger van.
About van support. We have a pace van that follows the riders. During the day this van will be close by. At night the rider must be in the headlights of a van at all times - we will use this van. The frogger van will leapfrog the riders to do rider exchanges. This van carries the retiring rider and the bike spares and bike mechanic and lots of rider food. The frogger van will relieve the pace van for gas stops and in the event of a mechanical issue with the van. The RV acts as the mothership and carries the sleeping crew and sleeping rider at night. RV crew does most of the shopping; reprovisioning of the follow vehicles and does the laundry.
All was peaceful until 12 when the shopping expedition was delayed in returning - a few nerves then. They made it by 1pm - quick unload and down to the start. The start was all about introductions and staging the riders. The race starts with a parade route for 13 miles before racing begins - so this is all pretty relaxed. At least the sun is out. Back to base for last minute things and then up the road we will go. For the RV this is to Salton City (TS2). For the follow vehicles it's off to mile 23 where staged support can begin.
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