As a newcomer to this event and the Gears 4 a Cure team, I have been asking myself that same question as well as several others. What is RAAM? How long does it take? Where does it go? How does the team race work? Why would anyone want to take on this race solo?!?! So, just like any modern day digital user, I turned to Google and Wikipedia for some answers.
Race Across America (RAAM) is an endurance sport for bicycle enthusiasts. It is touted as "one of the most respected and longest running endurance sports events in the world." George Nellis was the first man to push the idea of cycling across the US in 1887. He traveled on a bike with no gears that weighed upwards of 45 pounds (today's bikes are between 15-20 lbs) and the pedals were attached directly to the front wheel. It took him 80 days to cross the country following the railroad routes. I think I would have made it 5 minutes, so I tip my hat to you George.
In the 1970s, John Marino was the first person interested in finding out just how quickly a bike could travel across the country. And in 1982 he was one of 4, obviously crazy, racers that decided to bike from Santa Monica pier to the Empire State Building. This race was headlined as "The Great American Bicycle Race" and covered a distance of 2,968 miles. Today's RAAM kicks off in Oceanside, CA and comes to an end in Annapolis, MD covering a distance of 3,000 miles. The solo racers are given a 12 day window to complete the trek and must qualify to compete. That sounds like an extremely daunting task to me considering it took me three full days to drive from Indiana to LA.
Race Across America (RAAM) is an endurance sport for bicycle enthusiasts. It is touted as "one of the most respected and longest running endurance sports events in the world." George Nellis was the first man to push the idea of cycling across the US in 1887. He traveled on a bike with no gears that weighed upwards of 45 pounds (today's bikes are between 15-20 lbs) and the pedals were attached directly to the front wheel. It took him 80 days to cross the country following the railroad routes. I think I would have made it 5 minutes, so I tip my hat to you George.
In the 1970s, John Marino was the first person interested in finding out just how quickly a bike could travel across the country. And in 1982 he was one of 4, obviously crazy, racers that decided to bike from Santa Monica pier to the Empire State Building. This race was headlined as "The Great American Bicycle Race" and covered a distance of 2,968 miles. Today's RAAM kicks off in Oceanside, CA and comes to an end in Annapolis, MD covering a distance of 3,000 miles. The solo racers are given a 12 day window to complete the trek and must qualify to compete. That sounds like an extremely daunting task to me considering it took me three full days to drive from Indiana to LA.
So why get involved in a race like this? I received a phone call from a dear friend back home whose husband is one of the bikers on our team. She informed me that they were looking for people to act as crew members and asked if I would be interested. It definitely sounded like an adventure and I'm always up for those!! But, I wasn't sure what being a crew member meant. I had no idea the planning and preparation that went into staging a race like this. Our team of 8 bikers will be averaging 3 hours of cycling each day per person. Only one cyclist will be on the road at a time, so there is a convoy of vehicles traveling along. The crew will assist in navigation, nutrition, medical needs, repairs, entertainment, hydration, and more. I have been detailed with the task of telling our story. So I guess I'll be busy at least :)
This event takes on a different meaning for each individual and team. There are those who want to prove that they are a superior athlete. Some have signed up to test their own personal physical and mental toughness. Others are looking for the camaraderie of sharing the journey with friends and family. Many just want to get from point A to point B in one piece. In preparing for this trip, I have learned that our journey is about love, hope, perseverance, laughing in the face of adversity, teamwork, friends and education. Gears 4 a Cure MS is riding to raise awareness and funds to find a cure for multiple sclerosis.
Our team consists of family members, friends, students, rookies to the sport and veterans. All share the main goal of educating people about MS and how it affects the lives of those around us. We want people to know what multiple sclerosis is and how they can personally make a difference. In my upcoming blogs I will be posting individual stories about each of our team members and how MS impacts their lives. I look forward to sharing our stories with our readers/followers and I am blessed to be part of a truly amazing experience!!!
This event takes on a different meaning for each individual and team. There are those who want to prove that they are a superior athlete. Some have signed up to test their own personal physical and mental toughness. Others are looking for the camaraderie of sharing the journey with friends and family. Many just want to get from point A to point B in one piece. In preparing for this trip, I have learned that our journey is about love, hope, perseverance, laughing in the face of adversity, teamwork, friends and education. Gears 4 a Cure MS is riding to raise awareness and funds to find a cure for multiple sclerosis.
Our team consists of family members, friends, students, rookies to the sport and veterans. All share the main goal of educating people about MS and how it affects the lives of those around us. We want people to know what multiple sclerosis is and how they can personally make a difference. In my upcoming blogs I will be posting individual stories about each of our team members and how MS impacts their lives. I look forward to sharing our stories with our readers/followers and I am blessed to be part of a truly amazing experience!!!