Riding (The Last Kilometer) With a RAAM Team

ABRT members were part of two Race Across America (RAAM) teams this year. Several ABRTers were part of the eight rider Team4Mil, while Jeff Gelfand was a member of the four rider doc2doc team (along with Rich Hardart, Garth Smith, and Bill Vickers).

Unfortunately Team4Mil’s RAAM ended abruptly with an RV crash that left them without an RV and with several shaken up (no serious injuries) riders and support team members.

Team doc2doc was more fortunate and arrived in Annapolis shortly after midnight on the 19th of June, just a few minutes behind an eight rider team they had been passing and losing and re-passing all the way across the country.

The wheelsucker had been following both Team4Mil and Team doc2doc on the web and via e-mail, along with other ABRTers was watching doc2doc’s progress closely as they neared Annapolis. With help from Kerri Robbins, team doc2doc’s ETA at the last couple of timed checkpoints was understood. They were expected at the Shell Station on Bestgate road around midnight.

The wheelsucker set his alarm, and when awakened by it, rode out to meet them. Hammering through Annapolis around midnight was fun. Obviously the wheelsucker put lights on his bike (and not so obviously he wore a reflective vest) so he would be seen by the few car drivers on the streets. The evening coolness and quiet was wonderful.

He arrived at the Shell Station on Bestgate Road, (this is the last timed checkpoint and the time to the finish at Annapolis City Dock is not included in the overall time), as the support crew and not-riding-current-shift members of an eight man team that was only slightly ahead of doc2doc arrived and waited for their riding team mates to arrive. Then all eight riders left the Shell station on their bikes, escorted by a RAAM vehicle. Then the doc2doc team support crew and not-riding-current-shift members started to roll in. Everyone was so WIRED to be there at the finish that it initially masked the fatigue, but the fatigue became more evident to the wheelsucker has he watched and spoke with some of them. Support team members appeared even more wired than the riders, particularly two who appeared to have ridden most of thew way across on a Vespa. Then the riders rolled in at a fast pace. There was a short delay to give the eight man team time to get to City Dock and do their ceremonial finish. Doc2doc team member Garth Smith switched to a different bike for the ride to City Dock, using a vintage Colnago given to him by his late brother, which is what started him cycling. There is more about this on the team doc2doc website.

Team doc2doc was joined for the ride to City Dock by ABRTers Kerri Robbins, Ashley Halsey and the wheelsucker. The seven riders followed the official RAAM vehicle down Bestgate road, onto Rowe Boulevard, around Church Circle, down Duke of Gloucester and left to the downtown traffic circle and City Dock. The wheelsucker was trying to convince Ashley to sprint around the RAAM team at the finish, saying he would give him a leadout. But Kerri, Ashley and the wheelsucker pulled off just before the official finish line, letting the four members of doc2doc ride through together.

It was a privilege to meet the team and ride the last short distance with them. The wheelsucker offers his congratulations (and his awe) to the riders on their accomplishment.