Jake North Photography

5-time RAAM Champion Jure Robic Killed in Collision with Car

2010-09-25T11:01:00.000-07:00

I learned some very unfortunate news this morning right before jumping into the Austin Tri-Cyclist ride: five-time Race Across America champion Jure Robic was struck and killed by a car just a handful of miles away from his home in Slovenia. Jure was training for his next race and the only comfort is that he was doing what he loved.

My friend Erin at Outdoor magazine informed me via e-mail this morning and had contributed to a story about Jure. Erin was in my vehicle as a journalist during this year's RAAM and we both have a deep appreciation for what's required to finish this event, let alone win it five times. I had the pleasure of serving as a photojournalist for the 2010 race, but spent most of the two weeks covering those racers in the middle of the standings, so saw little of Jure after the first day, but his speed was remarkable and his focus was undeniable.

Best wishes to all who lost an ultracycling legend today.

A Fun Family Shoot

2010-09-22T18:50:00.000-07:00

We were really fortunate to to have the opportunity to shoot the Lopez family recently. Such a beautiful family with some amazing parents.

I haven't worked with parents who are quite so savvy about how to work with their kids.

They knew exactly what they wanted to get, how their kids would react, and were great partners in helping us get the shot. Robert and Michele brought the kind of props we needed to keep the kids interested.

It was so much fun and this is just a snipp of what this beautiful familiy produced!

My Largest Circulation Photo Published

2010-08-26T09:55:00.000-07:00

Great news today that one of my photos is going to be published in a magazine with a circulation of 650,000! It's one of the RAAM photos I took while following the race and it will be used for an article on the 10 toughest endurance events. This will definitely be the most eyeballs I've had on one of my photos, so it's exciting.

The funny part of it is that it's in a magazine I wouldn't have expected. So look for it in the Gametime section of the November issue of Penthouse, available on news stands 10/05!

A Great Racing Weekend

2010-08-22T13:06:00.000-07:00

I didn't think I would get through it, but I've managed to survive the four-race weekend. A great deal of thanks to Josh, John, and Darlene for their assistance in tagging, editing, and uploading photos from the Race Revolutions Emma's Revenge Trail Run, Emma's Revenge Mountain Bike Race, Xterra Triathlon, and the Red Licorice Events Sweet & Twisted Triathlon.

We're putting the finishing touches on today's races, but yesterday's are online and available for viewing. It was a lot of fun shooting with Andrew yesterday, and Josh this morning. I tried something a little different with the finish photos from Sweet & Twisted: I set the 1Ds Mark III low to the ground on a tripod, rigged a Pocket Wizard that was triggering two Alien Bees strobes, and had a remote to trigger the camera. I held this in my left hand along with the 1D Mark III so I could still work the zoom, but fire the other camera with my index finger. It allowed me to cover a lot of competitors with both close-ups and full-framed finish. The results so far look pretty good and I'm looking forward to trying it again. The photos should be up very soon at http://tinyurl.com/29xkpdy.

Hope to see you out on course again soon!

Upcoming Presentation on Sports Photography

2010-08-04T10:53:00.000-07:00

I'm going to be giving a presentation on sports photography for beginners & serious hobbyists on Monday, August 16th. I'll cover the following secrets to success:

Equipment selection
Camera settings
Reading the venue
Positioning and framing for maximum impact
Post production considerations
Money making opportunities

Jake North Photography on the Ox & Ham Podcast

2010-08-04T10:42:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to record a podcast with Josh Baker and Geoff Hammond (Ox & Ham) last week on the topic of sports photography and my experience on the recent Race Across America.

You can listen to the podcast at http://oxandham.com/?p=111. Funny how your voice never sounds like you think it does...

Cougar Country Classic 5k Tonight

2010-07-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

Gearing up for Red Licorice Events' Cougar Country Classic 5k tonight. We'll start with a little margarita at Iron Cactus to get the core temperature down ;-)

This race is a ton of fun with the men starting 30 seconds before the women, with the ladies chasing their prey. Last year's affair at the Domain was a hit and we're hoping for more of the same tonight in the race's new home, the Hill Country Galleria in Bee Cave. Hope to see you there!

Day 12 Finishes

2010-06-20T12:01:00.000-07:00

An exciting day on the road as they coursed through a sobering Gettysburg. We met up with Tony O'Keefe, still riding strongly and with a big smile on his face. He gutted out the Appalachians to finish an impressive fourth place.

Thomas Strebel overcame a knee injury he developed before the Appalachians to finish fifth. Kevin Kaiser also finished strong to bring his 2010 RAAM campaign to an end.

As the clock winds down to the official finish this evening in Annapolis, you can find the individual finish results here and the team results here. We hope to see Rob Morlock, Dr. Michael Nehls, Ferenc Szonyi, and Julian Sanz finish before the cut today.

Dex Tooke is still plugging along with quite a ways yet to ride. Sabrina Bianchi and Michele Santilhano are still legging out their assault on the 2010 RAAM solo. The majority of the teams have completed their races as well, but a few remain out on the roads.

We had the pleasure of sharing the elation Team Arndt shared as they checked into the final time station before the three-mile ceremonial run-in to the dock in Annapolis. These were some happy guys, after just completing the race under the seven day goal they'd set for themselves (by a scant four minutes)!

Media 2 signed off, hoisted a few drinks in celebration and headed back to their respective homes. The 2010 Race Across America is in the books. It is good to be home and it's fantastic not to have miles to cover today. Thanks for reading and I look forward to bringing you more information about Jake North Photography in the future.

12 Miles to Go

2010-06-19T13:18:00.001-07:00

It's going to feel REALLY good to get out of this car!

Coming Home

2010-06-19T06:38:00.001-07:00

We are looking forward to bringing it in today. We are approximately 180 miles from Annapolis and look forward to the bike shop in Mt. Airy and the finish in Annapolis. It's going to feel good to settle into the seat of a purple 737 rather than our silver Kia Sedona.

Savage Course Profile in WV and MD

2010-06-18T19:05:00.000-07:00

To say the course along the scenic highway in West Virginia and Maryland was hilly would be to sell it well short. To say the course profile looked like a saw blade would be a further injustice, to describe the course as a two-person bucksaw or a Wildcat the Swamp Logger s might use is probably appropriate.

The thick part of the RAAM field encountered some of the most savage roads we've seen so far this year. The course never relented on heavy asphalt, broken pavement and drop-off shoulders. When there was a bike lane, it was usually covered in cinder the highway department throws down in the winter months. This makes for treacherous riding because one venture into the bike lane often results in a crash, or at the very least a cut tire.

Team JDRF rolled through the hills of West Virginia and Maryland today in terrain that doesn't favor the heavier two-man rig. Nevertheless, the duos extended their lead in their division over Team 4 Austrian Musketeers.

Tony O'Keefe "Feeling Great"

2010-06-18T11:23:00.001-07:00

Canada's Tony O'Keefe, fourth in the solo male race said he is "feeling great." He looks very comfortable on the climbs, jumping out of the saddle for the steep sections. His pedaling action looks smooth and powerful at this late stage in the race.

When told friends Steve King and Rick Kent said hi, he told us to return the greeting.

Buatois, Allegiant Travelers, Icebreaker Rolling Through WV

2010-06-18T09:28:00.000-07:00

Women's solo leader Barbara Buatois looked confident and comfortable climbing a hill in West Virginia. She's out to a very comfortable lead and should finish sometime tomorrow evening.

Team Icebreaker and Allegiant Travelers were working the downhills in the Appalachians. Allegiant Travelers is having a great race, with no major problems so far and switching riders every 10 miles.

Commerzbank Confident

2010-06-18T09:27:00.000-07:00

Germany's Team Commerbank Hamburg, currently 5th in the 4-person team under 50 is climbing well. Rider Thilo Bock was nearly giddy and very confident they would reach Annapolis. He kissed his wedding ring and asked us to tell his wife he loves her very much.

Strebel Injured

2010-06-18T09:26:00.000-07:00

We just came upon Thomas Strebel, solo men's fifth place. He is soft-pedaling the WV hills and sporting multi-colored Kinesio-tape injuring his knee in a crash yesterday. He looked to be in a great deal of pain and having trouble pedaling. Kevin Kaiser and Rob Morlock are charging from behind and may overtake him. Thomas has ridden consistently for the last 10 days and it's disappointing to see him ceding ground now.

The 4 Austrian Musketeers Take the Race to the Hills

2010-06-18T09:25:00.000-07:00

The 4 Austrian Musketeers, lying second in the 4-person team event are in a close race with team JDRF. The advantage could swing back to the Austrian team as we enter the Appalachians and West Virginia.

The JDRF team is riding tandems and will have to work hard to keep the momentum hauling the heavier equipment over the hills. Nevertheless, if they can maintain speed on the rollers, they might be able to hang on until the declines toward Annapolis

Connor's Hope in Athens

2010-06-18T08:40:00.000-07:00

Team Connor's Hope is cruising into the brick-lined streets of Athen's OH. Quite a few fans on the main street should help push the riders over these "cobbles". Temperatures and humidity are making life tough on the riders. Jared Ellison just came off a shift dripping sweat before making a handoff.

An Overnight Crash for Biking Vikings

2010-06-18T08:24:00.000-07:00

Team Biking Vikings of Denmark leads the under-50 two-man race by a whopping 7 time stations and appears to be gaining momentum, even after an overnight fall. We caught up with Hans Anton Nygaard in the rolling hills of eastern Ohio who went down hard in the early morning hours of last night on the poor roads in Ohio. He was back in the game, but sported a Telfa bandage on his right elbow. Nygaard explained that he caught his front wheel between a gap in the concrete.

We followed team JDRF through the twisting hillside last night and it would definitely have been an easy thing to do. The roads were constantly up and down, narrow, with no shoulder, and numerous wheel-swallowing gaps in the pavement.

Nygaard was still moving along well in the morning humidity. They've been taking relatively long two-hour shifts, but Hans told us they would shorten the interval to one hour as they close out their assault on Annapolis.

Racers Course through Indiana to Ohio

2010-06-17T18:48:00.000-07:00

The bulk of the race made it to Ohio. The racers, officials, and teams (media included) can smell the barn now that we are in the triple digits in mileage to go. Team JDRF pressed on toward TS42 into the failing light towards 9:00 p.m. EST. Team car headlights continue to provide illumination for them, but the numerous twists and turns make it pretty sporty out here. The road condition is also pretty rough, slowing the riders furrther as they excercise caution over speed.

The contrast in spirits and speed continue to be apparent between the individual racers and the teams.

The smiles and conversation come a little easier from the team riders the soloists now. Not surprising, but a finish line awaits all in Annapolis.

Connor's Hope on Course

2010-06-17T11:24:00.000-07:00

Media 2 stopped by TS37 in Effingham once again to thank TS Manager Mike for working tirelessly and acting as a fantastic ambassador for the town. He's been sleeping around two hours a night while keeping things cranking. The great volunteers ensured every rider felt like a hero and greeted them with a chorus of about fifteen cowbells.

The media covering the media

Team RAF Survitec Epic's team RV was pulled up to the TS and Erin grabbed a quick interview. The team currently occupies sixth place in this year's RAAM, but is in a four-way knife fight with Team Sharp4Prostate, Team Commerzbank, and Team Icebreaker for possession of fourth place in the under 50 4-male team race.

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The first team we encountered on the road was a very business-like team Austrian Musketeers. Adam Denton looked over only briefly and then got back to business. Next up in the 8-man team event was Andy Bestwick for Allegiant Travelers. Andy was cranking through the Illinois corn fields en route to Indiana.

We bumped into Team Connor's hope just as Connor was taking over to start a short shift at the front. We stopped roadside and put Brendan in their chase vehicle for an embedded interview and next swapped Erin out (they wouldn't bite on just keeping Brenden until they hit Annapolis) for a quick interview. Look for more on the RAAM Facebook page and on the video blogs coming soon.

Road construction brought the team to a halt and one rider got to practice her track standing joking that it's "good for your core." She was back on her way quickly.

Michele Santilhano continued to soldier on through the oppressive heat and humidity on her way through IL. Her cadence and speed have slowed significantly and the juxtaposition with the tempo set by the team riders just down the road is striking. Santilhano is still holding down second place against a surging Sabrina Bianchi. She's been distanced by France's Barbara Buatois, who has opened up a staggering lead of more than 175 miles.

We just crossed the Indiana state line, into Eastern time. We are now on RAAM official time!

A Hot Racing Day on the Mississippi

2010-06-17T01:16:00.000-07:00

We rolled into Weaubleau, MO last night around 10:30 after a long day of chasing racers. We covered a total of 450 miles and got countless great interviews (a couple of which were the last given by the riders before abandoning the race. No restaurants or convenience stores open, so we split an apple, a Clif bar, and some beef jerky for dinner. The sole motel in town was a real adventure. There was a slug in the bathroom and the rest of the joint was just about at the same level. However, the phrase any port in a storm prevailed.

Team and individual riders have started dropping like flies in the Missouri heat and humidity. Paul Carpenter dropped from the race this morning, along with Spanish Team COANFI Desafin ASPANOA. As the race enters the Ozarks, things are heating up and the humidity will continue to take a toll on the riders.

Team Doc2Doc and Convicts of the road cranked through the rolling hills leading into Jefferson City. Team Doc2Doc lost one of their bikes when it fell from the rack at the back of the team car and the crew lead told us that carbon fiber doesn't bounce well. Two riders on the team are sharing a bike and they are hot-swapping saddles in order to accommodate both riders. Their mechanic is working overtime trying to keep the machines in good condition, fighting derailleur adjustment issues, and swapping chains as they stretch.

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Team Doc2Doc's Garth Smith was hammering through the hills and twists & turns through Jefferson, MO. Despite my best efforts to get the money-shot of Garth in front of the State Capitol, things didn't work out with traffic and lights. We left Garth and Team Doc2Doc as they crossed the Missouri River.

Dex Tooke rode through the night and was disappointed to not have had the opportunity to see the lakes and other beautiful scenery. He continues to be incredibly upbeat, joking with the media team about how he's very used to the heat and humidity. Dex plans to keep cruising along until he hits the Mississippi.

A half mile up the road we encountered Sabrina Bianchi whom we saw come in for a rest in Weaubleau last night around 2300 race time. She was still smiling along and putting up with our bad Italian. When we asked her how her saddle was treating her, she responded with a wave of her hand that it was "medio…" She's also sporting some multi-colored kinesio tape on her right knee.

Team All Wheels 4 Fibromyalgia pressed their advantage in their division (4-person mixed) through Missouri. We last saw them coursing for the Mississippi. They are currently the second 4-man team on the road behind the powerful Bandwidth.com team.

Amy Xu was comfortably cruising along in fourth place in the women's solo race, although it looked like the bunch of flowers her team manager had picked and attached to her head tube yesterday for a little inspiration had been removed. Michele Santilhano looked comfortable on her way to the Mississippi milestone. We were unable to talk with her today because of heavy traffic conditions on the narrow and winding roads, although she has not thusfar not been very effusive with us, instead giving us a wave and staying focused on the task at hand.

Spain's Julian Sanz described the Missouri countryside as "calor," or hot. He resorted to spraying down his head an neck with a bottle of water but said he was otherwise feeling fine. We spotted the team RV of Dr. Michael Nehls at the bridge over the Mississippi, but didn't catch a glimpse of his junta of supports or the good doctor himself. I suspect he is resting, having made a major milestone in the race. His strategy of resting 6 hours each 24 is working well for him.

We spotted Ferenc Szonyi's team at and around TS36 in Greenville, IL, but no sight of the Italian. Szonyi currently resides in eighth place in the solo male division.

As the sun set on another day of racing, we charged towards Effingham, IL in search of the Rob Morlock and the Bandwidth.com team. They left TS36 in Greenville 45 minutes ahead of us and were tearing up the tarmac on the rolling hills. I was hoping to catch them at or before sunset. It's a little challenging to get good shots with the long lens in the evening. The light quality is fantastic, but since the riders are generally eastbound, there's very little light on their faces with a ton of light behind them. The lens I'm using is so long that flash can't reach the riders, so the roadside shots with the big dog were usually silhouettes.

The Whole Story

2010-06-16T14:54:00.000-07:00

I realized I may not have shared all the photos I've taken. Aside from the select photos you on this blog, I'm also posting photos on the Jake North Photography Facebook page, on the Media 2 blog, and posting all my photos along with the other three photographers to a common repository. My files have either JWN or JNP in the filenames.

I'm also in a few of the video blogs either in the background or conducting rider interviews on the road, so you can see me there as well.

Paul Carpenter and Team COANFI Out

2010-06-16T09:28:00.000-07:00

Team and individual riders have started dropping like flies in the Missouri heat and humidity. Paul Carpenter dropped from the race this morning, along with Spanish Team COANFI Desafin ASPANOA after an unforunate incident. As the race enters the Ozarks, things are heating up and the humidity will continue to take a toll on the riders.

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Earl and Payer Abandon Overnight

2010-06-16T08:49:00.000-07:00

Overnight near our location Sandy Earl in the women's solo race has abandoned. Georg Payer, one of your 2010 RAAM male soloists who'd been struggling with a patellar tendonitis problem has wisely elected to end his campaign as well. Both had been riding strongly and we will miss them. Best wishes for a speedy recovery and we hope to see them again soon.

The Night Shift in Missouri

2010-06-16T00:36:00.000-07:00

The field spread out quite a bit and we had the opportunity to catch up with the race as we left Kansas and drilled into Missouri. Holger Rothig has recovered well since his stomach problems of night one.

Some interesting developments in the womens' racese as Sabrina Bianchi, Sandra Earl, and Amy Xu fight it out.

We've had some rumors of saddle sores, surges and an impending change in standings. We look forward to a great finish.

Georg Payer Injury

2010-06-15T18:35:00.001-07:00

We just spoke with Austria's George Payer of Extrem Sport Kohlbach and he is riding upright, unable to make a lot of power on the bike due to knee problems. His team tells him that it's an infection of the patellar tendon. He is determined to continue on to the Appalachians at least, but will continue to evaluate the situation and make a joint decision with his team (no pun intended). He is otherwise feeling great and is understandably disappointed.

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Pattinson Abandons at TS 31

2010-06-15T17:21:00.000-07:00

2008 second place RAAM finisher Mark Pattinson and our third place rider until today has abandoned the race at time station 31. He had dropped during the day from third place to sixth place. Pattinson elected not to continue after reaching TS31 complaining of inability to hold his head up any longer because of neck problems. Referred to in RAAM circles as Shermer's neck, named after Michael Shermer, the first person noted in RAAM history to have rigged a brace for his neck back in the 80s.
Pattinson was in good spirits and is already talking about next year.

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Racing for the MO Border

2010-06-15T16:36:00.000-07:00

We caught team All Wheels 4 Fibromyalgia as Gernot Wolfram pushed the pace, hammering the flats of Kansas and passing RAAM soloist Valerio Zamboni. Wolfram and team were in high spirits and made a rider exchange shortly after passing Zamboni and exchanging greetings. In our rolling interview, Zamboni told us that he'd been having stomach problems earlier, but had since recovered, was feeling good, and hoped to cover about 350 miles today on the flats of Kansas. We are once again looking at the tail end of the weather system that has brought torrential rains to the solo riders over the last three days.

We should cover a little more ground than Zamboni today as we catch up and get the stories and photos from the race that's heating up today. Eric Dufour told us about a little knee trouble that has plagued him over the last couple of days. He was still positive and told us he would soldier on and finish the race.

We happened upon a very interesting scene in Mullinville, KS. A local farmer, sculptor, political satirist has lined his property with this artwork depicting various political figures, historical events, or just random statements. It was truly astounding to think about the man-hours that went into this display. We also happened upon another professional photographer taking some photos with an old full-format camera. He was not very nice, ignoring me and only grunting in response to Brenden's queries. Oh well, the teams on the roads are a lot more fun to hang out with.

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We next caught up with Team Bandwidth.com, Inc. in Kansas where David Morken was laying the smack down on the road, riding a really sharp looking Cervelo P4 with Zipp carbon fiber wheels, resplendent in the powder blue kit. This is a really professional looking team with a delivery-type van, Provost RV, professional drivers, and a sharp crew. We later caught up to the team at TS26 (the half-way point for the 2010 RAAM) and toured their Provost rolling HQ. Really swanky digs!

We also stopped for a quick detour through Starvin' Marvin's BBQ and enjoyed the RAAM discount on some great BBQ. We all piled back in and headed off in search of Team Bandwidth.com. We stopped to get a roadside shot of David Morken hammering it. However, I got back to the car and couldn't figure out why the picture came out soft looking. I had inadvertently hit the stabilizer off button on the lens. Good news is that I was confident we'd see them again. The weather in Kansas was great, with temps in the low 80s, reasonable humidity, and tons of puffy clouds that make for great backgrounds.

Rick Carpenter of Team AFU-Rex Racing (currently lying second in the solo male 50-59 category) was next down the road, having been overtaken by a storming Bandwidth team. He had fashioned what he'd termed a "neck bra" to hold his head up. He told us as he stopped for a stop light that his kneck had been bothering him a little since the dust storm in Alamosa, and the brace was more a preventive measure.

We rejoined Team Bandwidth.com as Sean Matt was wrapping up his shift. He was enjoying the sunny day in Kansas and was happy with the team's progress as they lead the 4-person team competition by two time stations at this point. He was quick to point out that this is a long race and there's plenty of road ahead. We raced ahead to catch David Morken starting his next shift and looking really powerful and focused although he did give us a wave and a smile. The fact that Morken was back on the bike just a couple hours after we last saw him illustrates the team is keeping turns at the front short and fast. A crew member told me they are usually changing every 12.5 miles, although they were taking one-mile turns on Wolf Creek Pass and going flat out.

We reached the closest we'll come to my home town of Austin, TX today when the route crossed over I-35. Tempting to just hop out and grab a Greyhound home, but from what I've heard about Greyhound, I'd probably get there about the same time as I would heading to Annapolis and flying back...

Team Bandwidth.com

2010-06-15T15:06:00.000-07:00

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We caught up with Team Bandwidth.com, Inc. in Kansas where David Morken was laying the smack down on the road, riding a really sharp looking Cervelo P4 with Zipp carbon fiber wheels, resplendent in the powder blue kit. This is a really professional looking team with a delivery-type van, Provost RV, professional drivers, and a sharp crew. We later caught up to the team at TS26 (the half-way point for the 2010 RAAM) and toured their Provost rolling HQ. Really swanky digs!

Starvin' Marvin's

2010-06-15T11:22:00.000-07:00

We're at Starvin' Marvin's BBQ in Pratt, KS, enjoying RAAM-discounted BBQ. Awesome!

First Really Close Call on the Road

2010-06-15T11:18:00.000-07:00

WOW! Pant, pant, pant. We just had our first really close call on the road today. A FedEx Freight truck pulling two trailers just made an extremely risky pass on the road between Greenburg, KS and Pratt, KS. Trailer number P18869. Ran us and oncoming traffic off the road. Amazing.

Ulysses, KS Hosts the 2010 RAAM

2010-06-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

Our plan to lag the field a little in Ulysses, KS worked well. The back of the solo field slipped past us overnight, along with the first of the RAAM teams. Another night in the wonderful Corporate East hotel and a great steak with our friends in Moscow, KS. Internet access for the entire town went out so we were unable to push content last night and we drove home in some of the hardest rain I've ever seen in my life. Our steady driver Chuck got us home safe and sound once again.

We saw very few riders yesterday, as the field was split into two groups, with the majority of the under 50 males 4-8 time stops ahead of the rest of the solo pack. Ross Muecke pushed past us around 9:30 a.m. local time.

We caught up with 50-50 male leader Timothy Woudenberg and crew on the roads outside Ulysses. The wheat fields stretch out for miles ahead of us as we race to catch the entirety of the 2010 RAAM solo field as well as the lead teams as they scorch across the country. They'd had a little team car trouble in Durango, but are still rolling; I'm glad I don't have to have this conversation with the rental car agency.

I would be willing to bet the teams catch the lead soloists by this evening. Team Type I has already covered 1500 miles since the Saturday start, averaging better than 23 mph. That's almost 10 mph faster than our individual leader Jure Robic of Slovenia. The teams have the advantage over the individual riders because they never sleep. The 8-man teams are able to rotate the riders frequently and even place specialists on the road for different types of terrain, for example putting their climber on the front of the race for the climb up Wolf Creek pass, or their heavy-hitting time trialist on the flatter roads of Kansas.

We're eager to catch up to the race, but we'll miss all the great volunteers and fans manning the time station in Ulysses, KS. The injection of the fresh blood into the race as the teams catch the soloists has added a little excitement and enthusiasm. More from the road soon!

A Little Excercise While Watching a LOT of Exercise

2010-06-14T09:28:00.000-07:00

We bedded down in Ulysses, KS, population 5700 last night. We arrived around 6:00 p.m., checked into a great hotel with scary-fast internet, laundry, exercise room, great breakfast and super clean. We had already wrapped our stories for the day and the next riders were a ways off.

Click on image thumbnail to see a larger photo (every photo on this blog has a larger version)

I decided to jump at the opportunity to get in my first run since I left for Oceanside a week ago. Since we've started covering the race, I've witnessed incredible, superhuman amounts of exercise, while doing very little of my own. The plains of Kansas go on forever. I started running toward the horizon where I saw a crop-duster down tight turns and decided I'd go check it out.

I ran at about 7:00 min pace for about 40 minutes and noticed that I'd covered only about half the distance. Cars on the road seemed to loom for hours before they were next to me. I turned around and went with the tailwind back to the hotel and was treated to some big storm cells dotting the otherwise sunny landscape. This also happened to be the first time in a week I didn't have my camera with me. Getting just a little exercise, sleep, and shower have significantly improved my outlook on the day.

Meanwhile, a number of the riders we've been covering rode past this time station in the night. We were treated to a 4:00 a.m. pass as the battle for 7th place raged between Canada's Tony O'Keefe and Spain's Julian Sanz. Whoever said this race doesn't start until you cross the Mississippi hasn't shared that with these two riders and we are the better for it.

The morning brought a strong (20+ mph) tailwind for the riders and we expect to cover a few of the riders farther back in the standings today before we sprint ahead again tonight. Our driver is checking on a softening tire on the van and I'm running across the street to shoot Woudenberg as he races by on the recumbent, banking time with the tailwind.

A Downhill Kind of Day

2010-06-13T21:28:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Race Across America continued today, the sixth day for the women soloists and the fifth for the solo men. It's also day two for the RAAM teams which left Oceanside in teams of two, four, and eight yesterday and are rocketing across the West, likely to catch the first solo racers tomorrow. After climbing from the coast to the top of the Rockies, the solo racers have the opportunity for a little payback as the Time Stations from Kim, CO to Maize, KS are overwhelmingly downhill. A total of about 350 miles of steady decline greet the riders, and not surprisingly the riders we caught up with were in a relatively good mood.

We first spotted Thomas Strebel as he rolled out of Trinidad time station with a smile and a wave.
We caught up with Sabrina Bianchi next and she gave us her usual smile and told us things were going "pretty well" [translation from her Italian may be a little off].

Next up the road was the team of Julian Sanz. He appeared to be moving along well and we exchanged a little rough Spanish that revealed he was feeling OK.

Kevin Kaiser rolled along and gave us a quick roadside interview. He told us he's feeling a lot better now that he was past the mountains. When asked how he liked the cool weather, he told us that he was now "in my wheelhouse," and enjoying it immensely. Kevin's had just a scant 5 hours of sleep since we left Oceanside, but it is definitely in his race strategy.

Kaiser lost a spot overnight to Georg Payer of Extrem Sport Kohlbach, who looked cool and stoic as we passed. The Austrian has looked solid and business-like the entire race.

We caught up with Rob Morlock who, if you'll recall yesterday's photo of the day, was seen powering through the mighty dust storm on the road to Alamosa, kitted out with a surgical mask. In his moving interview, he told us he was happy to be out of that dust storm and the fog, rain, and wet roads he faced yesterday after the headwind killed his anticipated mileage. As he gnoshed a banana, a rare departure from his usually liquid diet, he told us he'd wanted a shave, but his crew talked him out of it.

Rob indicated that he slept a little longer than he'd intended (still a scant 90 minutes) as a result of the tough conditions, but was feeling good again. Morlock was outfitted in tights and arm warmers and when asked whether he was liking the unseasonably cool temps said he was, and that what he was wearing was usual Connecticut-weather garb for cycling.

Rob also shared some interesting tales of the fatigue-induced hallucinations he's starting to experience, ranging from moving roadside plants to "elf shoes" on the side of the road. He asked us to tell him what was happening at the front of the race and the battle that was developing. He was all smiles as moved on in search of more interviews and photos.

We were fortunate enough to pull up to Matthew Warner-Smith and team with the RV and chase vehicle pulled off the road after a quick fuel and rest stop. Warner-Smith was just heading out on the road again. He looked extremely comfortable and confident as he rolled away, joking with his team over his shoulder as he pulled out onto the tarmac. We talked a little bit with his crew and they were very impressed with how well their rider was faring so far. We said our goodbyes and pushed hard to catch back up to him.

Warner-Smith was flying along on a nice-looking Cervelo R4 standard road bike with carbon fiber wheels. His mechanic keeps his machine looking and sounding great and his crew keeps him in all-white kit that never seems to look dingy. If I could get a grip on his collar, I'd be willing to bet it's neatly starched…

Matthew was kind enough to grant us an interview in transit and besides looking strong he comes across as extremely comfortable and confident. When asked about the appalling conditions yesterday, he replied that yesterday was "pretty ordinary." His crew told us that he was talking about a big steak in Annapolis, but when asked what he was craving, his response was a more focused ask for "a stronger tailwind." Despite riding strongly to this point, he related to us the same wisdom that many veterans share: this race doesn't even start until we get to the Mississippi. We look forward to seeing him uncork it; as it should be impressive.

Cloudy skies and cool temps gave way to broken clouds and warm temperatures as Warner-Smith rolled through Pritchitt, CO. The storm that has been dogging the lead riders as they moved across Kansas revealed itself on the horizon in Walsh, KS, where we found some local cycling talent. By Manter, KS, light drizzle and fog obscured the road and cooled the air once again. The rain appeared patchy at best with bright white grain elevators bathed in sunlight dominating the otherwise gray skies.

Michelle Santilhano was not looking completely comfortable when we caught her on the run-in to Ulysses, KS. Her team car was up ahead and she was riding alone. She gave us a wave, but was not in the mood to talk with us. I later spotted her passing out hotel just past TS 23 in Ulysses, KS as I was unloading gear and she gave me a wave, indicating that she is still very much mentally sharp and in the race. I was quite a way from the road and was impressed that she even recognized me at that distance, but I guess a 420mm lens is probably the dead ringer...

As we rolled into TS23 in Ulysses, KS Mark Pattinson's (third place overall male RAAM solo) RV and part of his crew were awaiting his arrival. However, the railroad construction on the route force Mark and follow vehicle around the time station at the McDonald's. We raced ahead to capture some images and an interview as he charged ahead, making a run on Gerhard Gulewicz's second place. The usually enigmatic Pattinson was in a good mood, though wrapped in a Balaclava against the unseasonably cool weather and rains that dotted the route through Kansas.

Our plan is to stay put tomorrow at this nice hotel to take advantage of the power availability, wicked-fast internet connection, and proximit to the time station to stream video and let some of the riders farther back in the pack to pass us. Lasted RAAM 2010 individual standings and team standings are updated in real time as the riders pass the various checkpoints. More coming to you soon!

A Few on the Side

2010-06-13T14:02:00.000-07:00

Invariably, you give a photographer a little time between photographing riders and he or she will start finding other interesting things along the route to shoot. Give a photographer a tour of the United States with a dedicated driver, and you're bound to get a couple shots along the way that make for interesting viewing. My team is also settling into a bit of a routine and the operation's a little more streamlined.

I stumbled into a somewhat interesting stories at the start line. For example, this young lady and her boyfriend ran into a little trouble with their kite. I guess firemen get kittens and lifeguards get kites as minor annoyances.

Our driver, Chuck, has a fondness for windmills and I've taken to convincing the team to stop and shoot an interesting scene or two. The riders are spread out over hundreds of miles now, so the occasional one-minute stop between riders doesn't put us off mission too far. I'm also messing around with editing on these shots to get a little more creative look.

We started out shooting every windmill, but came to the conclusion after a day or two that there are a LOT of windmills in the West. We are becoming a little more selective with the once we shoot now, really only stopping when something really eye-catching comes along.

I'll bring you more in the midst of shooting the race from time to time.

Awaking to a Cold and Rainy Day in Trinidad

2010-06-13T08:14:00.000-07:00

We got what seemed to be the the only hotel room left in Trinidad last night. Smoking was all they had. The hotel had a sign in the lobby (where the clerk was behind bullet-proof glass) that read "If you spent the entire night in the room, no refund can be issued." The really sweet part was the part penciled in after the comma was "or are in the room for at least 20 minutes".

Yes, this place was nice! We also met up with Media HQ in Trinidad and the three of them piled into our tiny, smoky room as well. It's a tight fit, but it was nice to get together and plan next steps.

It's a cold and rainy day and the storm system touching us here looks to stick with us through Kansas. However, it will still be shorts weather!

A Shootout is Shaping Up

2010-06-12T19:27:00.000-07:00

A very exciting, yet brutal day in the RAAM today. After covering the RAW single-speed (fixie) winner in Durango, Media 2 set out to catch up with a number of riders who set out early. We saw very few initially, but the crowd quickly bunched up and the day would be the most exciting I've seen so far.
First on the menu: a thousand foot ascent into Pagosa Springs, CO. Main course: the climb up Wolf Creek Pass with a side of chilly descent into South Fork, CO.Dessert was a sweet dose of 41 mph SSW sustained winds with 50+ mph gusts, with a light dusting of Alamosa dirt, that saw many crews diving into the follow vehicles in search of surgical masks or bandanas to cover their rider's mouth and nose. The after-dinner run-in to La Veta, CO through thick fog and drizzle on the descent. Altogether the most punishing day we've witnessed in the RAAM so far and one in which the riders faced an almost complete range of weather extremes.

To start the day, many riders who had rested a little overnight in Durango after riding through some substantial rains on the ascent emerged from their RVs or hotel rooms. Julian Sanz of Spain headed out at daybreak to tackle the adventure, with the morning portending rain. The rain would stay away until the racers crested the La Veta Pass.

We caught up to Ferenc Szonyi at the base of the climb to Wolf Creek pass and he looked strong despite the high, thin air.We stopped at a roadside waterfall to take in the scenery and catch a roadside shot of Szonyi. We also caught up with Julian Sanz, Tony O'Keefe, and Dr. Michael Nehls along with his enthusiastic and sizable support crew.

We topped the climb and waited as each of the riders donned more clothing for the chilly descent down the back side of Wolf Creek Pass from an altitude of more than 10,600 feet. Down the road a mile at the ski resort we captured a couple images and seconds of footage of the riders plunging down the decent before heading on.Some other riders spotted after the descent were Kevin Kaiser, Ross Muecke, and Georg Payer, the latter receiving a bottle and a little spray-on sunscreen from his support team at a stop light on the outskirts of Alamosa. The big story of the day were the punishing winds between South Fork and Alamosa. The wind picked up dust from the many farms in the area and blew punishing salvos at the riders. Rob Morlock, working to improve upon his current position, donned a surgical mask and leaned hard into the crosswind, but still powered on.The conditions shuffled the standings of the women's race as Sabrina Bianchi caught and passed Amy Xu for fourth place. Third place Sandy Earl stopped at the roadside as Bianchi continued to charge ahead, buffeted and leaning heavily against the crosswind. The next update to the standings may show more changes to the women's leaderboard. Bianchi looked to be in fine spirits despite the tough conditions, even managing a pleasant smile as she passed. Her crew appeared to share her good mood, offering a wave and a cheerful thumbs up.Men's third place rider Mark Pattinson had made it through the storm in Alamosa but looked battered and battle-tossed. Typically focused and quiet, he offered no commentary on the conditions as we passed. He still had the ascent to La Veta Pass before the foggy decline toward quaint La Veta.

Conditions improved quite a bit in the town, but the 65 miles that separate it from the next time station in Trinidad, CO offered the riders a mix of thick fog, drizzle, darkness, sunshine, downpours and even pea-size hail heavy enough to pile two inches deep at the roadside.

It was in this little valley that we happened upon Michelle Santilhano pushing through the fog and drizzle. Her team was in good spirits, and told us that she'd plugged along through the wind on the way to Alamosa and continued to motor along like a diesel. She said hi to us as she passed, and as we left her and exited the valley, the clouds opened to reveal bright sunshine and a rainbow. It must have been a leprechaun's trick because all I found at the end of this rainbow was a Media 2 van containing two other grumpy, poorly rested, and slightly smelly photo journalists…Trinidad's as far as we go tonight, as we've all but caught the leaders and need to hand coverage to Media 1 and Media HQ. It will be nice to settle in some place with a high-speed internet connection because the wireless coverage has been infuriatingly inconsistent the last two days. We'll get plugged in and caught up soon.

A Rare Moment of Downtime

2010-06-12T09:38:00.000-07:00

I missed a quick-snap to the RAW finish, but Brenden and Chuck were able to get up there to capture video of the guy on the fixed gear who just finished the Race Across the West. He lost his two bikes he was planning to ride for the race on the 405 and they were both totaled by the car behind him.

For those of you who haven't seen the route from Oceanside up to Durango, it's hilly. Doing it on a fixed gear is almost inhuman. This dude is tougher than boiled owl!

Anyhow, I took a moment to go back and look through a few photos I've taken along the way that aren't necessarily related to RAAM and haven't seen the light of day on the RAAM media site. Nonetheless, kinda nice.

My favorite sharp turn in the West, on the way to Borrego Springs

Borrego Springs from the top of the Glass Staircase.

First Wet Day in CO

2010-06-12T06:56:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was a long day that saw the first rain since the riders left Oceanside. We watched the fourth through seventh place solo RAAM riders on course throughout the day as we covered 250 miles from Flagstaff, passing through Kayenta, AZ, Mexican Hat, UT, Montezuma Creek, UT, Cortez, CO, and finally finishing in Durango. It was a great day to talk with the support teams and see all these teams do to support their riders. Here, one of Matthew Warner-Smith's crew members attends to his bike while the rest of the team scurries to provide food, fresh clothing, and encouragement.

We arrived late in Durango, CO in anticipation of the winners of the Race Across the West 50+ team and the solo male (completing a course record). Rain slowed the riders on the climb. Brendan and I waited for the winners to arrive close on each other's heels at around 1:15 a.m. local time, 0315 race time.

The riders are really starting to spread out and we are catching some of the women we haven't seen since Tuesday. In order to let some of the riders catch up and place themselves in front of our lenses again, we'll remain in Durango for the next couple hours, allowing us to do a little laundry. We are still getting a very little sleep and hope Brenden especially can catch a quick nap while we await the mid-packers.

Headed for Durango!

2010-06-11T18:00:00.001-07:00

Time for a little laundry, a little sweet, sweet micro-brewed beer and a shower before the Race Across the West finish around 11:00 p.m. Photos coming soon!

Colorado Rains and an Impending Winner Tonight in the Race Across the West

2010-06-11T15:57:00.000-07:00

What a difference a hotel bed and a shower make! We woke up this morning with a much better outlook on the day. We wired another power inverter directly to the van's battery to keep all the power-sucking equipment happy while in route.

Chuck, Brendan, and me in the Media 2 van departed Flagstaff this morning after a quick interview with Thomas Strebel. He and his team were in good spirits.

We headed for Kayenta, AZ and the start of the largest internet and cell phone dead zone this side of Siberia. Brenden got to do a ride along with the JDRF team supporting Mark Metcalfe and got some great scoop.

We followed along and then headed for Mexican Hat, UT as the riders entered the breathtaking Monument Valley area. We staked out a location to catch Spain's Julian Sanz in front of one of the many rock formations.

We caught up to the Race Across the West leader Thomas Lavallee as he extended his lead over Metcalfe. He continued on through Mexican Hat and Montezuma Creek on his way to Cortez, CO. The riders got their first dose of rain in Colorado, which was probably a welcome change from the dusty conditions they've faced since they left Oceanside.

Lavallee is expected to be crowned the 2010 Race Across the West winner this evening in Durango, CO around 11:00 p.m. local time, barring any problems or a strong finishing surge from Metcalfe. We'll be there to witness the action and bring you images and video. Until then, take care!

The Mountains of Arizona Are Behind the Riders

2010-06-11T07:13:00.000-07:00

The riders face another day of heat and climbing as most left Flagstaff in the night after tackling the tough climbs and taking a quick nap.

The Media 2 team got a much needed shower and nap before heading out to chase down the race. I can't tell you how much more comfortable a bed was than the sidewalk from the night before. We all smell tolerable as an added benefit.

Here's a shot or two of the dreaded Yarnell climb and the riders stealing themselves prior to attempting it.

Our driver, Chuck, mounted a power inverter directly to the vehicle battery, so we should have fewer blown fuses and plenty of power to keep this media team moving and posting. More to come as we catch the riders as they course through Kayenta, AZ, Mexican Hat, UT, and on into CO!

Time Station 6 in Congress

2010-06-10T13:27:00.000-07:00

A long road leading to a really long climb from Congress, AZ to Yarnell, AZ took the riders 4000 vertical feet, before a brief respite before an additional 3000 vertical feet before they start the descent toward Prescott.

Time Station 6 was manned by the Bullshifters club and they put together a great stop, complete with baby pool, early 20th century motorcycle and great spirits.

Dr. Michael Nehls actually brought his own camera crew and support staff of 12.

I also learned an interesting factoid: more people have stood atop Mt. Everest than have completed this race as a a soloist...

Sunrise Day 2 on the RAAM

2010-06-10T13:24:00.000-07:00

This photo made the photo of the day for the RAAM home page

2010-06-10T07:20:00.000-07:00

Interesting first true day out on the road. We left town with the individual males and Race Across the West participants and headed East. I got a little antsy sitting around at Lake Henshaw for three hours again while the video teams edited and posted. I was able to post about 100 more photos, but ultimately was sitting around more than I would have liked.

We had a quick dinner at Time Station 2 in Brawley before heading toward TS3 in Blythe. We were able to get some sunset and night photos of the racers on the way. I didn't have room for the Alien Bee strobes, so I'm just shooting with on-camera speedlight. It's a little under-powered and doesn't provide a modeling light. That means the auto-focus on the camera can't hook up. It was challenging, but I managed to maneuver to get them caught between our headlights, the chase vehicle's lights, and my flash. Still spotty success.

We rolled into TS3 at Blythe, CA around midnight, wrapped up a few things and stretched out on a sidewalk for a couple hours sleep. I noticed in the morning the building I was sleeping in front of the Social Security administration; the irony wasn't lost on me.... Starbuck's, a Clif Bar, and a Colgate Wisp waterless toothbrush for breakfast. On the road again…

We made AZ this morning and should hit UT and possibly CO by day's end. Will be nice to get out of the desert heat.

Shooting the RAAM

2010-06-09T17:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Mr. Wilhelmson for capturing this photo of me shooting the RAAM start.

2010-06-09T16:41:00.000-07:00

RAAM Solo Males Are Off!

2010-06-09T16:37:00.000-07:00

The men set off today from Oceanside and quickly knifed their way through the hills to Lake Henshaw. We paused to upload this morning's photos and videos and you can catch them on the RAAM web site under Live Coverage / 2010 Photos.

We are about to press on through the Glass Staircase where the riders will plunge 4000 in a couple miles through the rocky bouldered landscape and on into Borrego springs.

RAAM Day 1

2010-06-08T23:47:00.000-07:00

After a couple hours sleep, we met in the hotel lobby for breakfast and content management setup. The 60+ men and individual women began their assault on the 2010 RAAM at noon today from the Strand in Oceanside, CA. A total of six riders today, the remaining individuals leave tomorrow at noon, and the teams leave Saturday.

We got some great shots of the riders out on course, regrouped the three media vans at Lake Henshaw and uploaded photos and video. We choked down a burger at the cafe there and headed back out to get some night shots.

The night shots were challenging because we weren't able to get up alongside the riders on the busy highway and auto-focus wouldn't work shooting from the roadside. We're hoping we'll be able to get alongside the riders on less busy stretches of road so we can bring you some night coverage and play around with some blur.

Actually our biggest challenge is internet connectivity. The portable base stations we brought are slow and we're finding we can't get content uploaded. It looks like we might plan a couple one to two hour stops each day at the nearest free wi-fi hotspot. Looks like lots of McDonald's and Starbuck's are on the menu for this week…

Power is another tough thing to manage. We blew out a fuse at the cafe we adopted as a makeshift base today. Between the seven of us we had every outlet filled. On average, we were charging a MacBook, an iPhone, and some accessory related to photo or video. As we drive, we have an average of three inverters connected to every lighter socket in the car. We are a hoard to power-sucking locusts!

We're really fortunate to have a great crew. My car, Media 2 is a ton of fun. Brenden, my videographer is hilarious and our driver Chuck is a lot of fun, and an extremely valuable asset, having served as an official for the race in years past, and having a son in the race this year.

The three other media vehicles covering the race have great teams as well. We hook up with the other teams occasionally, but we will probably see less and less of each other as the race spreads out.

Tomorrow should be a lot of fun with the greater number of riders starting. We will spend quite a bit of time shooting in an area called the Glass Staircase outside of Borrego Springs. It's a twisty, rocky descent that plunges several thousand feet from the lake down to the desert valley below near sea level. It will offer some spectacular views and I'm going to work the hell out the 300mm lens. More to come tomorrow!

You can see my, and the media team's, photos here. I'll also be appearing in a number of the video blogs. My RAAM Media 2 blog can be found here. Look for me to present a couple segments on bicycle design, aerodynamics, etc. More stunning photos to come tomorrow!

RAAM Day 1

2010-06-08T23:29:00.001-07:00

We got some great shots of the riders out on course, regrouped the three media vans at Lake Henshaw and uploaded photos and video. We choked down a burger at the cafe there and headed back out to get some night shots.

The night shots were challenging because we weren't able to get up alongside the riders on the busy highway and auto-focus wouldn't work shooting from the roadside. We're hoping we'll be able to get alongside the riders on less busy stretches of road so we can bring you some night coverage and play around with some blur.

Actually our biggest challenge is internet connectivity. The portable base stations we brought are slow and we're finding we can't get content uploaded. It looks like we might plan a couple one to two hour stops each day at the nearest free wi-fi hotspot. Looks like lots of McDonald's and Starbuck's are on the menu for this week…

Power is another tough thing to manage. We blew out a fuse at the cafe we adopted as a makeshift base today. Between the seven of us we had every outlet filled. On average, we were charging a MacBook, an iPhone, and some accessory related to photo or video. As we drive, we have an average of three inverters connected to every lighter socket in the car. We are a hoard to power-sucking locusts!

We're really fortunate to have a great crew. My car, Media 2 is a ton of fun. Brenden, my videographer is hilarious and our driver Chuck is a lot of fun, and an extremely valuable asset, having served as an official for the race in years past, and having a son in the race this year.

The three other media vehicles covering the race have great teams as well. We hook up with the other teams occasionally, but we will probably see less and less of each other as the race spreads out.

Tomorrow should be a lot of fun with the greater number of riders starting. We will spend quite a bit of time shooting in an area called the Glass Staircase outside of Borrego Springs. It's a twisty, rocky descent that plunges several thousand feet from the lake down to the desert valley below near sea level. It will offer some spectacular views and I'm going to work the hell out the 300mm lens. More to come tomorrow!

You can see my, and the media team's, photos here. I'll also be appearing in a number of the video blogs. My RAAM Media 2 blog can be found here. Look for me to present a couple segments on bicycle design, aerodynamics, etc. More stunning photos to come tomorrow!

Surfers

2010-06-08T09:04:00.000-07:00

Found myself killing a little time before the race briefing yesterday and decided to shoot a couple surfers with the 300mm. Nice lens!

Race Starts in less than 2 hours!

2010-06-08T08:15:00.000-07:00

Race briefing last night, a quick photo of the Race Officials, and the Women start the RAAM and all competitors start the Race Across the West today at noon Pacific, 3:00 p.m. Eastern.

The media team is working through official blog posts and content management for photo uploads. Itching to get out on the road and start shooting!

Race Across America!

2010-06-06T14:33:00.000-07:00

Gear's packed and ready to roll out the door! I head out for Oceanside, CA tomorrow with the Race Across America and the Race Across the West. The individual women start Tuesday, the men Wednesday (along with the RAAW competitors), and the RAAM teams Saturday.

The course will take the racers (and me) across the US to Annapolis, MD. Over 3000 miles total in just under two weeks. The winning teams will do it in about a week, the individual winners a day or two longer. Everyone in to Annapolis by the 20th. I'll be following in one of the media vans covering the race, along with a driver and videographer. We'll be just five vehicles in total, populated with photographers, videographers, journalists, social media coordinators, and race officials will blanket the field as they spread out across the country. The race caravan includes team cars for every team.

This is going to be my first time to truly travel coast-to-coast by road and the route will take us past some spectacular landmarks. Among them (but certainly not all of them) the Valley of the Gods in Utah, Durango, CO, and the Ozarks. The course will be a challenging trip over the Rockies and Appalachians (and did you know Kansas isn't flat?). The race organization has done some incredible preparation for the race and it will be a pleasure to see it work out according to plan, although there are bound to be some inevitable problems (hence the phrase: "something always goes wrong in Kansas...").

Tomorrow will be a great opportunity to meet the teams, the individual racers, and all the great supporting cast that make this unbelievable feat possible. I'll be bringing you daily updates and photos from the race and will provide you with the URL to the official RAAM site, with a complete slate of photos, videos, stories, and real time race standings as the racers course across the US.