Author Topic: RAAM TandemThings 2015 (T409 - Love, Sweat & Gears) (Read 8320 times)

peliroja · « **Reply #25 on:** 22 June, 2015, 07:08:53 pm »

Yay, go Things! You're amazing.

woollypigs · « **Reply #26 on:** 23 June, 2015, 10:49:31 am »

1181 miles done, racing across the flats after the long down hill from the big hills. It is funny to see that they are now getting closer to the tail end of the first bunch of riders. Their release group were nicely bunched up coming out of Cali but now across the Divide they are rather close to the others.

The Things are going! \o/

woollypigs · « **Reply #27 on:** 23 June, 2015, 11:04:57 am »

Update on farcebook - The team got to checkpoint 20, Trinidad, CO @ 1:40 local time. This was the last of the major climbs in the west and they are still keeping up with the schedule.

woollypigs · « **Reply #28 on:** 23 June, 2015, 11:25:55 am »

They will shortly come into Kim, Co. I wonder if they are going to visit Kim's only emporium - Kim's Out Post - https://goo.gl/maps/6ewBG

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #29 on:** 23 June, 2015, 11:51:05 am »

Quote from: woollypigs on 23 June, 2015, 11:04:57 am

Update on farcebook - The team got to checkpoint 20, Trinidad, CO @ 1:40 local time. This was the last of the major climbs in the west and they are still keeping up with the schedule.

After the Wolf Creek Pass the La Veta (between the San Luis valley and Walsenburg) scarcely merits a mention, though I imagine it's enough to slow down even the keenest of Things.

woollypigs · « **Reply #30 on:** 23 June, 2015, 07:11:40 pm »

At last check point (23) 1379.80 miles done (06/23/2015 13:57), Time in saddle 2 d 22 h 43 m, 19.51 adv speed.

They are picking up, very soon, the solo riders who set off four days before.

The Things are really zooming

matthew · « **Reply #31 on:** 24 June, 2015, 09:27:38 am »

Check point 29: 1653 miles in a little under 3.5 days and an average a just shy of 20mph

woollypigs · « **Reply #32 on:** 24 June, 2015, 01:57:37 pm »

There are not in in Kansas any more and over halfway. Go Things!

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #33 on:** 24 June, 2015, 02:09:47 pm »

Quote from: matthew on 24 June, 2015, 09:27:38 am

Check point 29: 1653 miles in a little under 3.5 days and an average a just shy of 20mph

Are they doing without sleep altogether or is there a rolling average considerably higher than 20mph?

LittleWheelsandBig · « **Reply #34 on:** 24 June, 2015, 02:16:38 pm »

The Things are in Team RAAM. There is always a tandem on the road.

marcusjb · « **Reply #35 on:** 24 June, 2015, 02:22:33 pm »

It's pretty amazing looking at Strava - their efforts are short (their longest appears to be around 23km) , but intense (30-40kph typically), and then they have to go again fairly quickly!

Hardcore - like riding lots of 10s every day.

Amazing stuff. Be fascinated how warm up and cool down is performed whilst transferring to the next relay handover point.

LittleWheelsandBig · « **Reply #36 on:** 24 June, 2015, 02:26:14 pm »

Most often with Team RAAM, there is no warm-up or -down as there is no time to spare. It is a case of getting on the bike with cold legs and hitting AT many times a day. Usually a 4-up team works as 2 pairs, each pair swapping out at frequent intervals (to keep speeds high) for a few hours while the other pair eats, sleeps, etc.

marcusjb · « **Reply #37 on:** 24 June, 2015, 02:48:26 pm »

^ ah - that makes a lot of sense. It seems they do have a period where they are on the bike every 30 minutes and then off for a few hours:

15:00 - 7km
15:25 - 9.4km
15:53 - 11.4km
16:26 - 11.2km
16:59 - 7.5km
17:29 - 12km
18:16 - 16.3km

and then off the bike until nearly 23:00

Clever stuff and seriously hardcore!

LittleWheelsandBig · « **Reply #38 on:** 24 June, 2015, 02:50:51 pm »

If you judge it properly, the best climbing pair do more of the hilliest sections and the best flatland pair do more of the fast bits.

Thing2 · « **Reply #39 on:** 24 June, 2015, 05:22:27 pm »

LW&B has it!

(Just waiting for our partner tandem to turn up, and sitting in phone reception for the first time in what seems like days)

Our tracker has had problems since we started and finally died yesterday. Won't turn on and won't charge. Previously it wasn't charging ( so was kept plugged in), and turning itself off every few hours.

It's fun, hard, exhausting, fun and really, really interesting.

Thing2 · « **Reply #40 on:** 24 June, 2015, 05:29:10 pm »

Quote from: LittleWheelsandBig on 24 June, 2015, 02:50:51 pm

If you judge it properly, the best climbing pair do more of the hilliest sections and the best flatland pair do more of the fast bits.

Best laid plans and all that... Our plan held for nearly 24 hours!

nikki · « **Reply #41 on:** 24 June, 2015, 06:29:49 pm »

* Switches to Strava for progress visuals *
* mindboggles *

Go Things!

L CC · « **Reply #42 on:** 24 June, 2015, 09:26:32 pm »

They're AWESOME

Go Things!

woollypigs · « **Reply #43 on:** 25 June, 2015, 07:13:51 am »

First solo rider in 8d 8h 17m and 3004 miles.

Things is at 2080.50 miles, 4d 9h 11m ADV speed 19.78mph

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #44 on:** 25 June, 2015, 03:17:55 pm »

Go Things!

A mate of mine was part of a four-unit multinational Dark Side team a Several of years back (which quickly turned into a three-unit team after one of their number knacked his knee¹ early on). When asked if he'd ever do it again the reply was epic in its sweariness and all the more effective for being delivered in a Norn Iron accent like three Ian Paisleys.

1: Same injury put him out of PBP in 2007, which must be all the more galling for having come all the way from Captain Cook's Mistake and only get as far as Fougères on the outward leg.

woollypigs · « **Reply #45 on:** 26 June, 2015, 08:24:18 am »

Under 500 miles to go, these Things are going \o/

matthew · « **Reply #46 on:** 26 June, 2015, 09:16:09 am »

Quote from: woollypigs on 26 June, 2015, 08:24:18 am

Under 500 miles to go, these Things are going \o/

Wooly, your forgetting they are West Coast based so there is the small matter of 3000 miles home which I assume they are riding.

Ruthie · « **Reply #47 on:** 26 June, 2015, 09:25:09 am »

Brilliant! Go Things!

woollypigs · « **Reply #48 on:** 26 June, 2015, 09:58:29 am »

Quote from: matthew on 26 June, 2015, 09:16:09 am

Quote from: woollypigs on 26 June, 2015, 08:24:18 am
Under 500 miles to go, these Things are going \o/

Wooly, your forgetting they are West Coast based so there is the small matter of 3000 miles home which I assume they are riding.

Naa they are continuing in a strait line next stop Paris

matthew · « **Reply #49 on:** 26 June, 2015, 04:19:39 pm »

Their back into hilly country, the current stage has a couple of 1000' climbs though I have to say I would want to ride the end of the next section

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