Aliotsy here, posting from noe’s blackberry. Not much time, but just wanted to thank you all for the support, especially your prayers. We have less than 15 miles to go before we meet our police escort into atlantic city, and we know we’ll arrive borne up by the prayers of the saints. Our spirits are high. Our God has been faithful in watching over us, especially in the last two days, which saw many changes to our plans. Gotta go - helping navigate riders to time station 56. Rick riding with Greg for this bit - much excitement and smiles.

Team Donate Life - Grace Valley

June 18, 2007 - 11:24 — Perry Stone

Team Donate Life - Grace Valley is maintain an approximate 3 hour lead over third place Cheniere’s Making Cancer History Team. TDL-Grace Valley has maintained an average speed of 20.74 miles per hour and are working very hard to stay over the 20mph mark and to stay ahead of the rest of the field.

Team Donate Life is dedicated to raising awareness to encourage people across America to sign up on their own state’s organ and tissue donor registry; to find out about your state’s registry, go to: www.donatelife.net. More than 97,000 Americans are on the waitlist for the gift of life; one-third of them will die as they wait. TDL cyclists also encourage fundraising for organ transplant research and public education efforts, as well as forming cycling communities to raise community awareness. To learn more, go to: www.teamdonatelife.com.

I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.  Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever - I Corinthians 9:23-25 

TDLGV arrived in Rouzerville PA at 6:36 AM.  TDLGV is predicted in Hanover PA at 8:30 AM CA time.  They check in at 8:41.  They are predicted in Georgetown PA at 12 to 12:15 PM CA time.  Making GOOD time, 20.71 mi/hr, they check in at 12 high noon CA time!  They are predicted at Del Mem Bridge NJ at 2:10 to 2:30 PM CA time.  They check in at 2:10!  They are predicted at second-to-last time station McKee City NJ at 4:35 PM CA time.  They check in at McKee NJ at 4:37.  Only 14.4 miles to go!  Predicted time to Atlantic City is 5:18 PM CA time!  They cross the finish line at 5:19 PM!  They maintained an average speed across 3043 miles of 20.71 mph.  They are onstage at the boardwalk.  A new TDL record!

Still in Pennsylvania, Erica just interrupted her phone call with me to call out the window to the man driving the Amish buggy, “Your left rear wheel is loose!”  I am not kidding you.  I hope they passed him giving him a wide berth, the horses can be skittish.

8-man Team Type I has crossed the finish line in Atlantic City at 5:28 and with penalty 6:13 AM CA time.  4-man Beaver Creek - Catlin finished at 8:35 and with penalty 8:50 AM CA time.  4-man Team Psycho finished at 11:30 and with penalty 12:15 PM CA time.  TDLGV is in 4th position overall.  The next team predicted to arrive at Atlantic City is Team Donate Life Grace Valley, with no penalties (a goal of team and crew)!  The prediction at this point in the race is arrival between 5:16 and 5:18 PM CA time!  Cheniere’s and ViaSat are very close together 3 hours behind Grace Valley.  The gap between them is not as large as arrival times indicate because Cheniere’s has penalty time.  North Coast is 4 hours behind TDLGV. 

Team ViaSat’s log is an interesting read, they have had some troubles, even had to phone a bike shop owner to ask him to open his shop just to sell them a needed part.  North Coast has a spiritual motivation, to race to show God’s love.  Chelsea Pearson is a North Coast rider along with her husband, and RAAM-famous Pete and brother Jim Penseyres.  Pete’s 1986 long-standing RAAM solo record may be challenged this year.

Race tools:  chart, Google Earth, Race Animation, Team ViaSat live video http://mfile.akamai.com/22774/live/reflector:53345.asx?bkup=57486&prop=n from 3 hours behind TDLGV, Rider hometowns

From Team Type I’s blog:
the Tour de France is 2178 miles in 3 weeks. This has been 3060 miles in 5 and a half days (Matthew Vogel age 31 on the team is from Davis). 

From Chew’s Views posted 5:03 CA time:

Team RAAM:  The time gaps between the teams continue to grow. The overall leading Team Type 1 (8 person) has increased its lead to 2:43 over Beaver Creek-Catlin (4 person) by TS#46 in Parkersburg, WV, with 500 miles to go. The 2nd place 4 person Team Psycho has fallen to 1:12 behind Beaver Creek. The 2nd place 8 person Team Donate Life – Grace Valley has fallen to over 7 hours behind Psycho and 11 hours behind Type 1. The 3rd place 8 person Team ViaSat has fallen to 2:42 behind Grace Valley. The 4th place 8 person Cheniere’s Making Cancer History Team has closed to within 15 minutes of ViaSat. Solo RAAM finisher Dave Tanner’s Hoosiers Team is 8th among 18 four person teams.

In the 2 person team RAAM at TS#37 in Effingham, IL, Swiss Team IWC Schaffhausen (Hape Narr & Urs Samtleben) reduced their lead to 5:15 over the recumbent Team Velokraft. Velokraft is pulling away (increased their lead to 1:06) from their recumbent competition Bacchetta B Team Military Families Foundation.

In the 2 person mixed division, Team Donate Life – Beauty & the Beast built up a 19 hour lead over Team Kitten in Colorado, but Beauty & the Beast’s is down to just one ride – Deborah Georges. She has decided to carry her team, and is proceeding along like a solo rider. With the help of her partner for the first 1,100 miles, can she finish officially? At TS#26 in Pratt, Beauty & the Beasts lead over Team Kitten has shrunken to 13:46. At TS#28 in El Dorado, KS 1,566 miles in, Beauty & the Beasts speed was 13.79 mph. Since the teams left 53 hours after the solo riders, their flat time limit for official finisher status is 10 days flat – correlating to a speed of 12.72 mph. This means that over the next 1,500 miles, Deborah’s speed can only drop 1.07 mph.

Jun 18, 2007 - 09:16 Team Donate Life - Beauty & the Beast

Deborah Georges, the lone remaining rider of Beauty & the Beast crashed earlier today while descending into Camdenton, MO.  RAAM reports that she does not appear to be seriously injured, but she was taken to a local hospital for examination and her race future is uncertain

- Please pray for Deborah Georges, that she is alright, and if possible, can continue her race. 

This just in from TDL crew member Heidi Landis in Atlantic City:

“She had to go to a hospital somewhere in Missouri…broken collar bone and 10 +/- ribs. UGH!!! Not sure if  they’ll drive the rest of the course and meet us here……..crew seemed to think so.”

See other Team Donate Life teams’ blogs at http://www.teamdonatelife.com to see what fellow teams are experiencing.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus - Philippians 3:12-14

The team and crew plan worship together this Lord’s day (staggered services?).  This is a Pilgrim Church (This world is not my home, I’m just a-passin’ thru…).  Happy Father’s Day to the fathers and grandfathers on team and crew.  Your families are proud of you and pray for you…

TDLGV checked into Putnamville IN at 11:50 PM CA time.  Then on to Indianapolis IN at 2:10 AM, and Cambridge City IN at 4:50.  They are predicted in Troy OH at 7:52 AM CA time.  They check in at 7:37 AM CA time speeding 2 mph over-average 22.74 mi/hr this leg!  They are predicted in London OH around 10:30 AM CA time.  They check in at 10:02 making VERY good time.  While we were at church, they checked into Circleville OH at 11:40.  They are predicted in Athens OH at 2:15.  They check in at 2:16 PM CA time.  They are predicted at Parkersburg, WV at 4:10 PM CA time.  They check in at 4:09. They are predicted at Smithburg WV at 6:25 PM CA time.  They checked in at 6:24 PM.  They are predicted in Grafton WV at 8:37 PM CA time.  They check in at 8:48 PM.  The last seven stations before this hilly ground have been substantially over their average speed, the hills slowed them just a bit.  They are now in the hills at night, up and down, up and down, so pray for them.  Is it hills of  Appalachia or Allegeny?  They are predicted in Gormania WV around 11 PM CA time.  They checked in at 11:35.  The hills are tough.  They are predicted in La Vale MD at 1:45 to 2:30 AM CA time. They checked in at 2:03 AM.  They arrive in Hancock MD at 4:17 AM CA time.  The are predicted in Rouzerville PA at 6:38 AM CA time.  Photo of Rick Neptune from Horseshoe Bend Road near Troy OH.

There was a reporting error that had TDLGV skipping a station, and the chart showed them on a pace to catch up with Team Psycho in a station or two!  I printed the chart in the couple minutes before RAAM corrected the error to show Ron what the team accomplished on his shift, just for fun!  Back to reality…

RAAM Video Update 12 with Ron Lewis and Marc Friedheim! The blur above is Adam Abildgaard at a Time Station in Kansas.  See other team and crew members!

RAAM posts a map from Parkersburg to Atlantic City. 

A RAAM fan’s helpful chart to chart teams’ relative positions, distance spread and speed trajectories.  Look for the TDLGV magenta trajectory in fourth place overall.  Other charts.  Scroll down the blog to see Google Earth links, ViaSat live video and more fun features for following the race.

They have raced 2775 miles from Oceanside at an average speed of 20.73 mi/hr.  Now, 24 hours times 20.73 mi/hr is 498 miles per day!  TDLGV is predicted to arrive at the finish line in Atlantic City between 6 and 7 PM ET June 18, which is between 3 and 4 PM CA time, God willing and by grace and mercy.

8-man Team Type I - monitored by: Freestyle all-diabetic team is in first position 10 hours in front of TDLGV.  I understand one Team Type I member is a UCD MBA grad student.  4-man Team Beaver Creek - Catlin is 7.5 hours ahead of TDLGV, and 4-man Team Psycho is 6.5 hours ahead.  TDLGV is in fourth overall position.  Behind TDLGV are 8-man teams Team ViaSat 3 hours behind, then Cheniere’s Making Cancer History Team only 14 minutes behind ViaSat.  The 8-man North Coast Cycling Team is four hours behind TDLGV.  This team includes two 60+ year old brothers, one a RAAM two time solo winner and solo speed (15.4 mph) record holder for 21 years, the other RAAM veteran brother missing part of his leg.  They hail from North Coast Church in Vista, and one pastor is riding and another pastor is on the crew.  They represent North Coast Community Services.  RAAM considered them to be the ones chasing TDLGV to the Atlantic coast in the feature article they wrote about TDLGV, which is on the homepage of RAAM still. 

At Circleville OH Cheniere’s Making Cancer History Team overtook Team ViaSat for 3rd in 8-man division and 5th cross division standing.  They are both riding in excess of 25 mi/hr.  At Athens OH both going 22.23 Cheniere’s clocks in 3 minutes ahead of ViaSat at 4:52 PM CA time.  They soon fell a few minutes behind ViaSat again. Then 5 minutes ahead.

Leader Team Type I received a 30 minute penalty after leaving Grafton WV for 45 minutes total penalty.  They are predicted to arrive in Atlantic City between 7:30 and 8:30 AM ET June 18. 

Team Donate Life news on RAAM -from Chew’s Views:
In Eastern Kansas, we stopped to talk with Team Donate Life – Grace Valley. They have a 12 person crew with 5 vehicles. Shortly before we met them, they rode past an accident site where a vehicle had hit and killed a bull. Solo rider Pete Bajiema hit a bull near the Utah/Wyoming border in the 2000 RAAM, and DNFed at 1,166 miles. Grace Valley also told me that another team saw a grizzly bear in the Rocky Mountains. Back from their 2006 team, Dwight Morejohn rides a 1961 Cinelli with a homemade seatpost.
AND-
Team Donate Life – Beauty and the Beast were such a team they decided to be two teams. Kent Mulkey has joined Team Donate Life-TexOz as a crew member and Deborah Georges is attempting to finish RAAM 2007 as a solo rider.

Kent Mulkey is the organizer of all six Team Donate Life teams.

Team Donate Life Report on the road on RAAM - by Jason Weckworth of Team Donate Life, Inc.  Board of Directors and Rider

Racers Approach Finish on RAAM talks about the solo riders and the three teams in front of us.

Team Donate Life - Grace Valley by Perry Stone at www.raceacrossamerica.org

This GOOD article mentions Dwight’s 40-year old Cinelli bike.  Kate gives the background:

Dwight got it in 1971 from a potter in the hills of San Juan Bautista, CA, who used to be a cyclist/racer and owned the Cinelli and envied Dwight’s Schwinn Varsity and its ability to be a “mountain bike”.  So they traded and Dwight became the proud owner of a 1961 handmade Italian bike - a Cinelli.

I’m writing this from behind a Ford dealership service desk in Washington, Missouri, miles off course from the RAAM route. Why? Boy, is this a story.

The crew transition between Jefferson City and Marthasville was already going to be weird, as Erica and I fell asleep in our respective vehicles (Follow and Rover) and woke up to different drivers and navigators. Let me tell you, it is really odd to fall asleep with Noe and Hanan up front as we cruise over Missouri’s rolling hills, and then wake up with Andy Hill and Scott Grensted pulling off briefly from an interstate a bit later. So when we met up with RVs in a corn field somewhere just up the road from Marthasville, the initial plan was to do an on-the-fly crew rotation somewhere down the road. The Follow vehicle would stay with the current rider, the Rover would pull up behind them, and then it would be fire drill time as everyone scrambles to get to the right vehicles and catch up with the riders.

The RVs are sort of like a home base for everything going on, and in spite of the pounding sun, there was definitely a buzz of energy. We know through calls back home Noe’s Blackberry that Team ViaSat is charging hard to catch us. Rather than discourage us, this gave our riders an extra surge of motivation — there’s no way they’re going to come close without a fight.

As our rider passed the RVs with the follow vehicle, crew and new riders waiting for the Shuttle cheered him on. There was a scramble to get the Rover vehicle ready, as it was going to carry out an entirely new crew for the Follow. While people scurried to bring in boxes of food and water, Ron Cameren fashioned a makeshift clotheline between the two RVs to quickly dry freshly-washed rider clothes in the overbearing Missouri heat.

Suddenly, war whoops and raucous yelling interrupted our efforts as a familiar red Ford Expedition barrelled Dukes of Hazzard-style onto the gravel strip where we were parked. All four doors swung open and our riders burst out to “Taking Care of Business” blaring at full-blast over the stereo system.

Team ViaSat, watch out.

The riders shouted encouragement to crew members and helped with packing the vehicle to make it as quick a transition as possible. The music, the yelling, the excitement, and the hunger to attack Missouri’s rolling terrain energized riders and crew alike, as did Joan’s delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs and cheese with bagels. There was a call for more water for the rider Shuttle and rider RV (RV2), since the late morning heat was already taxing — the riders would definitely need as much hydration as possible to get through the afternoon. Packed up and good to go, the rider shuttle pulled out in a cloud of dust and another round of cheers, gone as quickly as it had come.

Stalled while some of the crew deliberated over who would be the new drivers and navigators for the Rover and Follow vehicles and who would get much-needed rest), we were interrupted by news from the road: one of our vehicles had a flat tire. Andy put the call in from the Follow vehicle, but cell reception was so bad, the call dropped before it was clear which vehicle needed help. Acting quickly, Noe — in spite of coming off a 10-hour shift — took the wheel of the Rover vehicle, followed by Aliotsy, Hanan, and Melissa, who were scheduled to rotate in as new crew, and Mark Thompson, who had chosen to sleep in the Rover vehicle in hopes of getting a better night’s sleep than he would in the bouncing bed of RV1.

Careening over the hills along 94E, we tried raising the Shuttle or Follow vehicles on cell phones, two-way radios, and Nextel push-to-talks, but were completely unsuccessful as signals kept getting lost in the rapid dips and rises. Talking it over, we came up with contingency plans for getting crew in the right vehicles, the tire replaced, and riders back on the road for both possible situations (a flat on the Follow or a flat on the Shuttle). Coming over a rise, we spotted the Follow vehicle pulled into a gravel driveway, with the Expedition pulled a little further up, all its doors open with supplies out — and a flat tire. Andy was already working as fast as he could to raise the Expedition with a jack as Scott came over to help, crew were already clearing out the vehicle, and riders were debating how to get themselves back on the road to spell Marc, who was already on the road. Fortunately, the flat was found during the rider transition, so if we could get everything done in Marc’s 15-minute shift, we just might be able to get our riders back in action without dropping the pace in the race.

A plan was quickly formulated — the Rover, with a spare bike rack, would race ahead to act as a temporary shuttle with two riders and most of the water and food while the spare wheel was put on. As Andy, Adam, and Scott bent over the wheel unscrewing the lug nuts, their foreheads poured large drops of sweat in the dirt as they worked in a concentrate, coordinated, quick effort. The Rover took off quickly, and a remarkable effort by Andy, Adam, Scott, and myself had the tire off and replaced with the spare quickly. Packing the remaining supplies into the Expedition and spares into the follow vehicle, we saw the shuttle off and raced back to the RVs with six people crammed into four seats.

The Rider Shuttle met up with Andy, Mark, and myself in a Marthasville gas station a few miles down the road to get more air in their tires. We were there waiting with a fresh bag of ice, more water and energy foods (more than they could ever need, in fact!), and adrenaline-fueled excitement, the riders couldn’t stop thank us.

“You’re the best crew in the world!” Justin exclaimed as he poured the ice into the cooler, and jumped back into his seat. Marc started the engine, I slapped the hood of the Expedition with a wide grin, and the Shuttle took off to chase down the rider already miles down the road.

RAAM Race Animation Now Available! 

TDLGV is the apple green square token in fourth place team standing behind orange Team Type I, orange Team Beaver Creek - Catlin and magenta Team Psycho (these two may overlap since their places are virtually the same), and ahead of aqua Team ViaSat.   When you get tired of getting dizzy, to see Last Known Position, scroll to the bottom and look for the apple green square token.  At this particular moment 4:40 PM I see it on top of the Mississippi River! 

TDLGV checked in at Collins MO at 2:46 AM CA time, and at Camdenton MO at 5:21 AM CA time.  They are predicted in Jefferson City MO at 8:10 AM CA time.  They checked in at 8:03, and are predicted in Marthasville MO at 11:30, where it is 89 and feels like 92 degrees.  They check in at 11:30, and are predicted at the mighty Mississippi River MO at 2:40 PM CA time.  They check in at the Mississippi River at 2:42 PM CA time and are predicted at Greenville IL at about 4:45 PM CA time.  They check in at 4:45 smokin’ 22.44 mi/hr!  They are predicted at Effington IL at about 7 PM CA time.  They check in at 7:05 PM and are predicted in Marshall IL about 9:30 PM CA time.  They check in at Marshall at 9:25 PM.  They are predicted in Putnamville IN at 11:53 PM.  They check in at 11:50 PM.  It’s in the mid-70s overnight.  Their average speed since leaving Oceanside 2142 miles ago is 20.8 mi/hr. Now, 24 hours times 20.8 mi/hr = 499 miles a day! 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3

A RAAM fan’s helpful chart again helps to track the ranking, distance spread and speed trajectories of the teams.  Look for the magenta tranjectory for TDLGV. Different charts

RAAM posted an update, “Good People, Hard Work” mentioning Team Donate Life and their 32 people on 6 teams, as well as the other teams racing for charity.

First in the standings for 8-man and overall Team Type I - monitored by: Freestyle is 8 hours ahead of TDLGV.  4- man teams Team Beaver Creek - Catlin and Psycho 6 hours ahead of TDLGV are in a dead heat after 1927 miles of racing, checking into Marthasville Mo at 5:36 and 5:37 AM CA time, respectively.  TDL remains in second for the 8-man division and fourth cross division.  8-man Team ViaSat is 2 hours behind TDLGV, followed by 8-man Cheniere’s 3 hours behind and North Coast 3.5 hours behind TDLGV.  The 2-man Swiss team IWC Schaffhausen races 50 minutes behind North Coast.

Team ViaSat cranking up their pace to 22.43 mi/hr at check in point Jefferson MO!  Our guys respond.  Team ViaSat slowed to 20.81 mi/hr at the Marthasville checkpoint.  TDLGV’s speed was 21.71 mi/hr at Marthasville MO and 21.56 mi/hr at the Mississippi River.  They are 2.5 hours ahead of Team ViaSat.  So not only does the mighty Mississippi roll!  Our guys are rolling!

Photo of Justin

Now that it’s daytime, it’s fun to watch Team ViaSat live video from their follow vehicle and see what the scenery is like 2 hours behind TDLGV. Click this or else try copying and pasting this address http://mfile.akamai.com/22774/live/reflector:53345.asx?bkup=57486&prop=n into the File > Open dialog box on RealPlayer (worked for me) or Windows Media player. 

Third day….woke up to find myself in Utah…when the night before I swore I was in Arizona….that same day not long after, we crossed into Colorado, where I was able to watch the rise and fall of the Rockies under the pedals of our talented cyclists. I must admit, Colorado has been the prettiest state we have passed through. From the peaks of the continental divide, to rolling hills and mountainsides, it has been one beautiful drive after another. One town in particular, Cuchara, was simply breath taking. Green hills nestled in between mountains with these amazing rock walls that jutted out like arms embracing the valley full of maple trees…I have never seen such a gorgeous picture, it was evident to me that God’s ‘invisible powers and eternal nature have been clearly seen by what has been made.’
Leaving Cuchara, I was in the position of rover, but had exchanged with the follow vehicle to allow them to get gas, when Scott Grensted and I, while following Justin Morejohn on a descent into a canyon witnessed a little dog who had decided to shoot out of nowhere and attempt to catch up with Justin….its little legs and tiny bark attempted to give Justin a run for his money, but the dog was no match for someone I have clocked going 53-57 mph down steep hills. A couple of honks to the horn and the dog decided it might be better picking on someone its own size. That night I had my sleep shift in the rover, curling up for 5 hours in the last 2 seats of the van until Andy was to wake me for my first 5 hour shift of my 10 hour day. When I woke up…we were in Kansas, no red slippers awaiting me, sadly enough. I got up…shook off my still sleepy self, and helped myself to breakfast that Mrs. Roby had prepared. Within about 20 minutes the riders had arrived and we were off and running; Andy driving, me navigating, and Scott taking my place in the back sleeping. Watching the sun rise with the riders is so nice, and it also means we are one day closer to finishing. The last few days we have not had any cell phone reception and a horrible time finding internet (in case some of you were wondering why we hadn’t called or posted) so it was incredibly surprising to me to find my cell actually working. Communications have been so difficult, these last few days, and the rover has been the sole communications shuttling from one group to another when the 10-mile walkie talkies are out of range, but it makes for interesting stories and getting to see more of the race from different perspectives than most. Today we went through Greensburg, Kansas, not just 6 weeks ago, this entire population of people had all they owned destroyed by a tornado. Driving through the remains of the town, I felt such a sense of loss for the people there. Seeing trees that had been stripped of all of their branches, metal strewn everywhere, the whole town meeting for meals under a tent; I couldn’t fathom what this could be like, let alone see the images of what true destruction actually looked like. RAAM had briefed us on what had happened in this town, and had also asked us for donations for the town, I hope all of this will be a small contribution to restore the town back to its original state. We are heading out of Kansas, after a very eventful day…our team is about to cross time station 29 in Yates Center, and the media crew is here rooting for the underdog of non-professional cyclists with a unified drive and vision unlike any other…to give glory to God, and it is such a huge testimony that we have attracted this kind of attention for His namesake. Praise the Lord…well we are now onto Missouri, and halfway through with this race. I also must add what a blessing it has been for the whole team reading and hearing from all of you on this race….the encouragement, prayers, calls, and thoughts are a wonderful testimony to the community that is watching us during this race, and wishing us all the best, thank you all for your support, prayers, and keeping us all in your hearts

Aliotsy just called. His wireless link died just as he was posting, so he called to ask me to post some video for the fans! These are Aliotsy’s videos, he apologizes for their quality. He says “Just wait for Adam Ray’s amazingly great videos coming soon!” This is Justin Morejohn handing off to Rick Neptune at the crest of the Rockies Continental Divide at Wolf Creek Pass CO June 14:

and Rick Neptune flying down off the crest at Wolf Creek Pass CO June 14:

Team Donate Life Grace Valley checked in at Springfield CO at 1:46 AM CA time.  They checked in at Ulysses KS 4:53 AM CA time.  Their average speed this leg was 23.29 mi/hr.  They are predicted in Montezuma KS around 7:15 AM CA time.  They are 2nd in the 8-man division and 4th team across divisions.  They check in at Montezuma at 7:22.  They are predicted in Mullinville KS at 10 AM CA time.  They checked in at 10:13 AM CA time.  They are predicted in Pratt KS MacDonalds around 12:15 PM CA time.  Reported checkin time was 12:25 PM CA time.  Predicted arrival at Mount Vernon KS between 3 and 3:30 PM CA time. They check in at 3:04 PM CA time.  Good time!  1496.8 miles traveled, 1546.0 to go - they are almost halfway, within the hour!  Their average speed since Oceanside 1350 1500 miles ago is 20.6 mi/hr.  They are predicted at El Dorado KS about 6 PM CA time.  They checked in at 6 PM on the dot!  They are predicted at Yates Center KS at 00:00 Race Time, which is 9 PM CA time.  TDLGV checked in on the dot of 00.00 Race Time.  They are predicted at 11:51 PM at Fort Scott KS.  They checked in at 11:45 PM CA time.  They are expected in Collins MO at 2:45 AM CA time.  Is it Friday?  It must be Kansas.  But if it’s Saturday, it starts out in Missouri.

TDLGV is 5.5 7 hours behind Team Type I - monitored by: Freestyle, an all-diabetic team.  This 8-man team’s trainer is putting up to 3 riders on the road at times especially in headwinds to draft off each other.  This technique is rarely used for fear of rider burnout, but the strategy seems to be working for this team.   TDLGV is 4 4.5 hours behind 4-man Beaver Creek - Catlin, 3 4 hours behind 4-man Team Psycho (Psycho tracks competition Beaver Creek - Catlin relatively closely)  and is in fourth position overall for teams.  The relative standings of the first four teams has been constant throughout the race so far.  But wait! At about 4:30 Team Psycho caught up with Beaver Creek - Catlin at Yates Center KS.  We have to see how they stand at the next station - and Psycho checks in first at 6:47 PM CA time at Fort Scott KS ahead of Beaver - Creek Catlin to take first place in the 4-man team division standings, powering 25 mi/hr this leg.  But wait again!  RAAM just posted the exact same checkin time 10 minutes late for Beaver Creek - Catlin and flipped the first and second standings back to Beaver Creek - Catlin in first place for 4-man division!  So Psycho was in first for about 10 minutes. 8-man Team ViaSat is in 5th position 1 hour behind TDLGV, but accelerating to try to close.

The above was a false alarm.  There was a reporting error that has been corrected.  Team ViaSat is about 2.5 hours behind TDLGV and going at an average speed similar to TDLGV.  I hope TDLGV didn’t get too worried.  As you remember, we all want God’s definition of success.  Team Type I is almost 7 hours ahead at 3 PM CA time.

2-man Swiss team IWC Schaffhausen is in 6th overall, 2.5 3 hours behind TDLGV.  Helpful chart again, useful to see the ranking, distance spread and speed trajectories of the teams.  This chart does not include the 2-man teams, so doesn’t show the Swiss team.  Look for the TDLGV magenta trajectory in fourth place.

Update from RAAM mentioning some TDL teams and the 32 riders for Team Donate Life spread across 6 teams racing for a cause

Google earth RAAM tip from Jay:

Here’s a link to the entire RAAM route in Google Map:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/RAAM-2007-by-raceacrossamerica-org

Use the “hybrid” display option to see both map and satellite/aircraft imagery, then navigate along the route.

For users of Google Earth, click on “Share” at the top of the map and download the .KML (Google Earth) file to “fly” along the route.

Aurelie and Aliotsy spotted these (photo,  photo) of  Steve Jackura and Greg Chapla making his way through gorgeous Colorado.  Dwight (photo, photo) More team road pictures on Keturah’s site

Inspiring story from kidney recipient rider who is having a difficult RAAM

I just heard from Ron Lewis who had a double cheeseburger and fries at the MacDonalds in Pratt KS, that is open 24/7 only during RAAM.  You can see that MacDonalds on video update 9 with the RAAM 2007 sign up.  The RAAM video announcer calls it his favorite RAAM station in the race. 

Ron got a camera and microphone pointed at his face from a car for an interview while riding his turn.  We’ll watch for that video update (photos - I laughed out loud when I looked at this)!   Ron sounded great on the phone (esp. to me his wife)!  He felt he was bonking once and forced himself to eat half a peanut butter sandwich and got totally rejuvenated.  So there are highs and lows as to how they feel  (I purchased this copyrighted picture for personal use only).

I just read  a San Diego Tribune article about the 5th place in the 8-man division North Coast Cycling Team, whose racers and crew include members and the pastor of North Coast Church in Vista.  Their community service charity is separate from but administered by their Evangelical Free Church.  The riders include past record holders in RAAM and some are among the oldest in the race.  They are one of the three 8-man teams closely vying for 5th overall behind us.

Team ViaSat is trying to stream live video and has some commentary of which this is a snippet from yesterday (that’s us they are talkin’ about in the top four) and I hoped they clicked to our compelling tdlgv.org website and read about our Simeon and Joan kidney donation story, and our involvement with Team Donate Life promoting awareness of organ donor registration, which is linked from our team roster, 2007 rider websites list, and a couple of other places on RAAM:

“The top four teams in the race are FLYING - three of the four have pulled into Pagosa Springs, which gives them roughly a 70 mile lead. These teams have average speeds of about 22 mph. In the top four are last year’s overall winner, Team Beaver Creek, and last year’s Corporate Challenge division winner, Team Type 1. Again, if you have a chance, the RAAM website has a lot of information on these teams, and they do have some compelling stories.”

I just tried the streaming video, and it really gave me a feel for riding at night, since the live camera is shooting from Team ViaSat’s follow vehicle.  People had trouble getting timeouts in Internet Explorer, but found it worked by pasting this address http://mfile.akamai.com/22774/live/reflector:53345.asx?bkup=57486&prop=n into the File > Open dialog box on RealPlayer (worked for me) or Windows Media player.  It gives an idea what is happening 2.5 hours behind the TDLGV guys!