What this is all about -

You may ask why are we signed up and trained for such a race. For our team, RAAM is not just a Race Across AMerica, it is a race to better our community. Our charity is North Coast Community Service (NCCS), which teams with 11 nonprofit organizations in San Diego County to make a difference in people’s lives. In the past 12 months, 5,500 NCCS volunteers have completed over 450 unique service projects. There is a broad spectrum of support which include the following: feeding and providing shelter for the homeless, assistance to a drug and alcohol recovery program, a home for people disabled by HIV/AIDS, support of military families by providing: financial support, home improvements, baby supplies, childcare, and counseling, outreach to nursing home residences, help to pregnant teenagers and adult women, help for homeless kids, and non-profit resale for foster children. This is just a short summary of the help provided by the organization we are raising money to support. If you feel compelled to join us on our journey and support making a difference in this world, you can make a tax-deductible contribution to our team. Please follow this link Support NCCS RAAM 2008.

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Alphabet Blocks and RAAM

So I hope this narrative *may* help to explain the rider rotation we are planning for use with the motor home this year. We will be taking three vehicles on the course; a 32' motor home and (2) 15 passenger vans. All riders will spend 18 hours per day in the follow or rider vans and 6 hours per day in the motor home. When riders finish their once per day sleep period in the motor home, one of them will go into the follow van and the other will go into the rider van. For the first 6 hours of their 18 hours of "active duty", they will be on "ready reserve" in case of unforeseen problems. If they need more sleep, they can sleep in one of the beds in the follow or rider vans. Otherwise, they can help drive or navigate the van they are in.

For the next 12 hours they will join the "road gang" and complete about 1.5 hours of riding during each of the next 6 hour segments. For the first 6 hours they will be sharing the riding with the 2 riders who have already completed the first of their 6 hour segments on the “road gang” and they will share the second 6 hour segment with the 2 riders who have just completed 6 hours of "ready reserve".

During the 12 hours of being on the "road gang", each rider will spend about 6 hours driving or navigating, 6 hours riding alone, resting or riding in a 2 person pace line with another teammate.

Thus each pair of riders will be part of the “road gang” with the two pairs of riders just ahead and just behind them in the schedule. Conversely, each pair of riders will only have transitional time with the pair of riders who are two pair ahead (or behind--it's the same either way) of them in the schedule.

This is one of the main advantages of using a motor home rather than motels. Each rider will routinely see 5 of the other 7 riders every day for at least 6 hours. Another advantage is having the rolling bedroom/shower for 6 hours each day and getting a hot meal for “breakfast”, though it will occur at different times of the day for each pair of riders.

Sorry for the poor pictures (thx camera phone) but this is how we walked through the rotation at one of our meetings.


The follow vehicle must always have the rider in the headlights at night.


Training so far for the week
Monday AM - Could not get out of bed
Monday PM - 15 mile run/1:45
Tuesday AM - Rained out believe it or not
Tuesday PM - 42M/2:15
Wednesday AM - Rained out 2 days in a row
Wednesday PM - 30M Bike
Thursday AM - 30M Bike
Thursday PM - 20M Bike
Check back this weekend for another update.
Until then -
NJB


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