OK, it’s on. Toughest endurance event in the world. Rooting for my boys from Kern Wheelmen to put out a good effort, but there is some stiff competition in the 4 man category.
For solo, it’s hard to bet against Jure Robic to take the win again.
Your picks? http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/Default.aspx?tabid=151
Race Across AMarillo, the touhest endurance event in the world?? 
(the toughest endurance event in the world is in july btw…)
I’d vote for RAMM (solo) as the toughest. Look how small the field is. Most of us can’t even dream of doing it. It’s about the same length as the tour but it’s not a stage race. You stop when you have to.
Solo, yes. The 4 man is tough as well. I was invited to participate in the Kern team but my fitness is off this season, I considered the 24 hr coporate challenge with Swamis but I decided to not race at all this season until the fall (for the first time in 6 years of racing).
it’s not the course that makes a race tough, it’s a combination of course and who you’re racing against. Hawaii is not the hardest IM course, but the course + who is there makes it the hardest. Same with the Tour
Did you catch the start on local NBC Gary? I missed it, suppose to be broadcast here in SD though.
I rode up the 101 yesterday and say a few support vehicles all decked out with the speakers and horns on front, lights up top, and signs on the back! Was hoping to see some competitors out for a spin, but if they were, I missed them.
-bcreager
no, I missed it, I am riding the 101 to Oceanside and back this morning (if I can drag my self out of here) and then some TT training at Fiesta Island this afternoon, I saw those vans last year everywhere it seems … but they are on their way to AZ right now
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Rode Mira Mesa to Oceanside yesterday. Goregous day to be out…today looks like more of the same. Plus plenty of eye-candy out on the road…bikes and babes.
Lots of traffic around Del Mar and the Fair, depending on what time you go. Watch out for people pulling illegal U-Turns…amost got nailed in the bike lane yesterday.
-bcreager
FREAKIN A…>THE RACE IS ON!!!
SO geeked (can you tell?)
Hope Cat has a strong race (if you have never seen her on a tandem bike–you really should, she is wicked strong!!!), Randoneur extraordinaire Mark Metcalfe from TX I hope makes it strong all the way across, and of course Chris Hopkinson from England…hope he is sporting his KISS MY ASS disc 
at least in some parts of USA-the dude is unreal on two wheels.
Picks…anyones game. Trevino has a very strong fire in him, Robic is going to throw the hammer down against him, and I can’t think of the guys name that won Heart of the South (Mark?). Chris Hopkinson and him will do a great battle for the Rookie field.
ROB KISH—just love him #20 STUD OF STUDS!!!
Italians Alessandro has the mental side nailed, and hope Fabio has a safe crossing. (have to always include the Italians, just love Italians)
The guy that lost his feet climbing the mountains (David Haas?) I hope he makes it across safely this time.
May they ALL have a safe race, few dog chases, and a STRONG tailwind!
Not a problem, I wear bright shoe covers, Cyclo-vets kit, and I like to spit a lot, ride in the drops and yell out at cars - quite a sight - typical roadie, but I am just trying to keep up appearances.
One fun thing I like on the 101 is I get to practice track stands at the lights … these are fun … unless I fall over.
As for the scenery, if not careful I may ride into the back of a parked car, so I try to focus on the riding as much as I can. I can be a bit hairy on the 101, but it is more fun than riding east county, especially when going solo. When I do the 7+ hour club training rides - we go east county into the sticks and into the foothills.
gary, so that explains why a few of the big-guns were not at the cbr t/t yesterday…(like kevin, joe, etc…)
on a side note, the winds were very very tough yesterday gary!!! the headwind coming back was brutal!!!
who won the 3’s? did you PR out there?
I miss it man, cant wait to get back on the horse, training up, next race is the Fiesta Is TTT and maybe I will do a Piru TT in Aug for practice
Kevin and Joe are out racing RAAM … hard to believe that Kevin is getting FASTER this year (Joe and Kevin are racing RAAM using Rotor Cranks)
I’m not sure who won the 3’s??? I didn’t PR at all… At the USCF t/t(a few weeks ago), I did a 54:29… so, I thought that I would probably do a PR at this race.
But, the wind was brutal… I was undergeared going out(53x11 heading out). I really wish I had a 54 or 55. Coming back, I was 53x13/14ish just plowing into the wind. I just broke an hour 
got 2nd in the masters.
Not too many people could break an hour yesterday. My bike was getting blown over when it was leaning against my van!!! I don’t know how people could handle deep sections and tri-spoked fronts yesterday?? By far, that was the worst wind I have seen in years out there!!!
I meant our AG the M 30-34, which I will likely race again in 06
It sounds like worse conditions than last year. I moved to 55/42 and 11-23 gearing, that way I have all the bases covered.
My disc/80mm front would have been tough to navigate through the wind it seems, but I am not exactly a lightweight, so I could probably manage it OK.
Who won the 30-34’s … let me guess … same guy as last year?
Yeah, same guy won this year in our group!!! In fact, he had the overall fastest ITT time of the day… He is smokin’ fast this year!!! He did a 53’?? this year in that wind.
He’s a Cat 1 and has been racing pro/1 stage races this year. Also, he raced with a broken hand yesterday???(he broke at Tour de Utah) he’s on fire, to say the least!!! He used a 55 going out and was 21 minutes at the u-turn…(I was 23 minutes using my 53 and spun-out… needed a bigger cookie up front…lol)
Well Gary, we’ll have our day soon… we’re getting faster an faster too
Oh yeah, I’m doing the CBR state TTT in August…
I’ll see you up at one of the Piru TT’s this fall,
You averaged 32.4 MPH for 20k … needless to say that you needed a 55T out there … wouldn’t it be great if that was your average speed for the entire course?
I guess you would be lining up at the Tour next month if you were pushing that for the full 40k.
-g