We Did It...

Wildcats for Brett (WFB) finished 2nd overall and first in the 4 person relay division. RAW provided a truly epic event that we will not soon forget. Similar to the racers, who encountered less than ideal sleeping, and eating conditions, our crew provided outstanding support. Without their efforts, completing the race would have been impossible. In addition, lady luck smiled on us as we did not encounter any mechanical difficulties nor any flats.. The race routed us through remote parts of the southwest with beautiful scenery. As most of you know, the four of us entered RAW for the sake of just finishing and riding to raise money for Huntington’s disease. However, about ½ way through the event, a see saw battle developed with the other 4 man team sponsored by Bicycle John’s, and our focus shifted to well…racing.

Section 1: 12:00pm to 12:00 PM: Oceanside CA to Prescott , AZ

The first 24 hours proved to be exhilarating and adrenalin charged. Never having participated in an ultra racing, WFB quickly learned the little details associated with quick rider exchanges, proper nutrition, planning ahead, and efficiently working the crew. After the start, the course crossed the CA coastal range and dropped down into the desert for the long slog to Prescott AZ. Because of the excitement, each of team/crew member slept only 1 or 2 hours during this 24 hour stretch. Seemed ok at the time, but going into day two and three of the event, the lack of sleep would begin to create issues. Other than a few minor glitches that were quickly resolved, the first 12 hours went according to plan.

Section 2: 12:00pm to 3:30am: Prescott, AZ to 30 miles past Tuba City, AZ

The first leg of the second 24 hours period provided the first major challenge.. Jim and Jay (J & J) departed from Prescott AZ , to Flagstaff AZ. This section of the ride included two major climbs the second of which offered the longest and steepest of the entire course. The first 3 hours J & J conducted exchanges every 45 minutes or so. As the temperature climbed into the high 90’s outside Sedona AZ , a virus Jay had been fighting finally caught up with him and he could no longer ride. The team decided to leave Jim to ride the remaining 30 mile climb with the goal of retrieving one of the Scotts in Flagstaff and placing him on the road for the remainder of the leg.. However, heavy traffic and road closures resulted in the exchange not taking place for three hours. By that time, Jim’s glycogen stores had been depleted and he “bonked” just past the top of the last climb. With little sleep from the night before, low energy, and witnessing a motorcycle accident while riding, this was the low point of the ride. From Flagstaff , the two Scott’s began their leg hoping that J & J would recover by the next morning. Scott and Scott (S & S) soldiered on for 6.5 hours and covered 110 miles through vicious headwinds, 40 degree temperatures and the dark of night. At 3:30 in the morning, S&S rolled to a stop on the Navajo Indian Reservation outside Kayenta , AZ. With S & S now exhausted from the gruelling effort, and J & J still recovering, WFB realized they could completely stop racing and still achieve the time cut-off. Easy decision, everyone went to sleep. At 6:00am the next morning, during a spectacular desert sun rise, the other 4 man team in the event rode by. It is at this point all of us realized we had a chance to beat this group. J & J awoke and had recovered sufficiently to continue. It was game time.

Section 3: Kayenta AZ to Pagosa Springs CO

Not wanting to waste a second, Scot S hopped on his bike and began the ride to TS 10 in Kayenta. J & J quickly prepared to ride the 115 miles to Montezuma Creek UT (MC). At time station 11, WFB had fallen 30 minutes behind the team sponsored by Bicycle Johns. During the next 6 hours, J & J clawed back time and placed WFB in the lead by about 1 minute at MC. S & S then rode for the next six hours gaining elevation and all the way to Durango CO . By that time, WFB had amassed a 45 minute lead. J & J then began the ride to Pagosa Springs CO . Everything seemed to be proceeding well until Jay began feeling nauseous. Jay rode for a few more miles but go no longer continue. With 200 miles to go, WFB had to revise its strategy of alternating two man teams to get to Taos as fast as possible.

Section 4: Pagosa Springs CO to Taos , NM

Based on the circumstances, Scott Scott and Jim decided to leave the comfort of our RV to the crew and our ailing rider and consolidate to a single team of three riders. Each would ride 45 minute stints and rotate through the 3 man cycle through the night and next day to the finish. This rotation would allow 1.5 hours of rest for every 45 minutes of riding, which would permit two riders to “sleep” while one team member rode. At 10:00pm, the crew converted the back of our chase vehicle, a Chevy Suburban, into our rolling motel for the next 12 hours. The crew removed all of the back seats and placed sleeping pads and bags into the rear compartment. At TS 15, our 45 minute lead had dwindled to only 8 minutes due to a 15 minute penalty (for running a stop sign), and the 15 minutes required to prepare and gas up the Suburban for the final leg into Taos.

Whether or not WFB could hold off Bicycle John’s team would occur in the remaining 160 miles of the race. At midnight, WFB entered into the last mountain range before Taos , NM . For the next 60 miles, the course climbed from an elevation of 6K to 10K feet while ascending and descending several passes requiring a total elevation gain of 9,000 feet. During this stage of the race, the temperature dropped to the low 40s, with no moonlight. The only light included the high beams of our Suburban and bike headlights, as well as the occasional drive by from the Bicycle John’s chase vehicle marking the WFB lead. With the crew resting for the final leg, WFB did not know if the time gap status. The goal during these 60 miles was to leverage the challenging terrain and increase WFB’s lead. WFB reached the top of the final pass at 5:00am, where sleet and rain greeted the team. The effort resulted in WFB’s lead increasing to over an hour. During the descent, a sleep deprived Scott F managed to jam his rain jacket in the rear derailleur and bringing his bike to a complete stop. Fortunately, he did not crash. After a quick wheel change, Scott charged down the pass for the last stretch of the race. With a relatively flat 60 mile section, S S & J conserved energy and rode steadily into Taos . During the night, Jay had recovered enough to put in a strong hour of riding during this last stretch, which allowed S S & J to rest and finish the ride to Taos where WFB entered second overall and won the 4 person relay division.

THE END…