Race Across America 2004 (RAAM) is being broadcasted by NBC this coming Saturday, January 22nd. Check www.tvguide.com for the time slot for your cable company. In Englewood, NJ, it's on from 2:30 - 4:30 p.m.
If you are looking for some good American cycling coverage and motivation - hop on a trainer and watch this exciting event. Why might you watch it? One of NYCC's own siggies, Terri Gooch, won the two-person team with George Thomas (http://raceacrossoregon.com/info_index.html). Another member, Alex Bekkerman, qualified and raced as well. There's no other event like this one. For more info go to www.raceacrossamerica.org.
While you're surfing, the brevet calendar is up at http://njrandonneurs.com/registration.html. Sorry, registration is not available for another week. Notice, if you are going to be a member of the SIGs, the NYC 200K is July 10th - after the SIGs. Participants don't need to be A riders - just able to keep a consistent 10mph pace.
Cheers,
diane goodwin
America's Tour De France: RAAM on NBC Jan 22
David Walls. C. 1986. In his support crew were NYCCers Steven and Caryl Baron and then NYCCer Michael Toomey.
Alex was obliged, by rules of the race, to drop out in Ohio, being so many hours behind the leader at a certain checkpoint. David finished.
Asked what was the most difficult state in the entire crossing, and expecting to hear the mountains of CO or the vast, dreadfully hot stretches of AZ, his surprising answer was West Virginia--the most difficult hills.
When he left NYC, he was briefly the CFO and a co-founder of the re-newed VeloNews.
"Richard, you took the words right out of my mouth. I remember vividly. The ""club"" then only numbering a few hundred, raised funds . I even created a metal sculpture of cyclist racing .it was raffled off w/ the proceeds going to Dave. By the way, Tony Nappy won the raffle and still has the sculpure. We also donated our cycling couputers for him to use on his bike.( they were a novelty then). And when He arrived ,I believe it was in Washington DC. there was a small contingent of NYCC members to greet him ....Wow those were the days .........thanks for the memories Richard
.,,,,,,,ciao Tony Mantione
"
I too remember remember those days and was part of the contingent that met Dave in Washington.
About that sculpture, though... I have a metal sculpture of of a bicycle that you did. (I recall winning it in a raffle at a club meeting.) And I still have it, a bit rusty from being outside. Was this a different raffle?
Anyone know what Dave is doing now?
Thanks for the heads-up Diane!! My DVR is set.
I remember the first time I saw a documentary on RAAM – I tuned in mid-broadcast and a rider was being gingerly lead out of a trailer. He was in a great deal of discomfort and helped along by 2 handlers. I thought “Oh my, a DNF – poor man.” But I was wrong. He was helped to his bicycle, propped upon it and set off to complete the remaining 1,000 (?) miles! Whoa Nellie!! Later, his neck hurt so badly, he couldn’t keep his head up to ride. His handlers found a tree branch, taped it to his torso and to his helmet – and off he went again.
There are long rides, very long rides, ultra-long rides and … RAAM.
BTW, is it true that Randonneur(e) is French for “too dumb to quit”? Haha.
See you on a 200K brevet, maybe a 300, but I know when to quit.
Regards, John
"JP wrote:
""I remember the first time I saw a documentary on RAAM – I tuned in mid-broadcast and a rider was being gingerly lead out of a trailer. He was in a great deal of discomfort and helped along by 2 handlers. I thought 'Oh my, a DNF – poor man.' But I was wrong. He was helped to his bicycle, propped upon it and set off to complete the remaining 1,000 (?) miles! Whoa Nellie!! Later, his neck hurt so badly, he couldn’t keep his head up to ride. His handlers found a tree branch, taped it to his torso and to his helmet – and off he went again.""
The condition is known as ""Shermer neck."" Michael Shermer was one of the four who raced the first RAAM in 1982 (it was called GABR, the Great American Bike Race, that year); the others were Lon Haldeman (who won), John Howard, and John Marino. Shermer had to abandon the 1983 race in Ohio because of his collapsed neck, since he could no longer hold up his head. It's not uncommon in ultra-endurance riders: e.g., http://www.slobc.org/coaster/jun/p.7.pdf."
What about the Dodge Tour de Georgia?
I missed it. How was the coverage? No Al Trautwig, I hope?
It sounded suspiciously like Jim Lamply. Who sounds a bit like Al Trautwig. . . . or John Tesch.
The impression I came away from it with was the notion of the agony of defeat. The focus was on individual stories, mostly stretching the limits of physical and mental endurance, rather than the structure of the event. These are everyday heros. Their pain is genuine. Life is too hard to spend 90 minutes doting on their breaking points. Reality TV has reared its ugly head. It is not that it was poorly done. Watching it is no substitute for either TdF coverage or a ride to Nyack.
Max Vickers was the directeur sportif of the 1987 Dave Walls RAAM support crew.
Karin F. and Julie S. were two great all around crew members and morale boosters, and Julie was a superb navigator in the pre-GPS era of paper maps.
I was the bike mechanic, but also had to do some car repairs.
Jure Robic practically owned that race for a while. He was tragically killed while training.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/sports/cycling/30robic.html?_r=0
