PedalFreek

On the first day of RAAM I lost my cell in the rider van. We could hear it ring but couldn’t find it. On the 2nd day after crew rotation we had Louie in the rider van. Louie said he could find my cell. He called it, listened and sure enough he found it. The kicker is Louie’s been blind since birth. He was our navigator and we never missed a turn. Louie has a great attitude and wonder personality. Thanks Louie for being there.

Cocrew chiefs Bernie and Josh. They did an excellent job of managing the race.
Ashley always had a smile with a very sweet disposition.  I know now why her dad called her every day.
Deborah kept the bikes in excellent working order. She even glued a couple of tubulars that had flatted. Excellent mechanic.
Kristen kept the legs working with her massages.
Pam was the all around navagator, driver, cheer leader just a very good crew member.
Louie our main navagator. All around good guy.
Clay just another all around good crew member.
Elaine always willing to help and do what needed to be done.
Ann, she took excellent care of me. Always making sure I was eating,drinking and putting cream on my butt. She always knew where my clorhes etc. were. Ann was my emotional and physical support.
Thanks everyone, best crew ever.

I started 2 man and basically went solo 500 miles into the race. Tim needed 4 hrs sleep the 1st night. I got less than 2. Then he went down from heat/dehydration issues and I rode for 12 hrs. Then 5 PM Tues Tim went to the hospital for hemorrhoid and saddle sores. He never rode again. I tried to keep it going but not enough sleep.

The decision to dnf has been hard to accept. My crew chief Bernie wanted me to go far enough that I wouldn’t second guess my decision. I don’t know…..I could’ve done the mileage but I was too far behind in sleep.

I’m in Kansas. Tim went to the hospital in Ulysses, Kansas for saddle sores and hemorrhoid and he never got back on the bike. At that point I went solo but I had already ridden so much and had so little sleep that I was behind in sleep. I couldn’t ride far enough without needing to stop and rest. It got to the point I had too far to get to the cut off point and not enough time. The logical decision was to stop the torture fest. I’m so disappointed.

I rode the last 7 mi to the summit. On the descent I got super cold. I started to shiver so bad the handle bars were shaking. I got on the flats and couldnt stop shaking. I had to get in the follow van to warm up. same thing happened to Tim a few hours later.

Trying to get out of Colorado. Brutal cross winds at 40 -50 mph

Bad day for PKG PedalFreeks. I felt good the legs felt good. Two major climbs. 8 and 10 miles. Then about 4:30 Tim felt dizzy on the bike. I took over and was on the bike from 5 PM Sun to 6 Am Mon. 2 more major climbs. 1 to Jerome and the 2nd up to Sedona, through Sedona climb to Flagstaff. This morning Tim felt well enough to ride. We think he was dehydrated or had heatstroke

My first pull is in the books 🙂 the legs just needed to be reminded what they’re supposed to do