I really wish I could blog on the road…most of this, I should have said days ago, but it is really difficult to put more than two coherent thoughts together when crewing RAAM. All you can think about is where are the next 4 time stations? What is the estimated time of arrival for the riders at each of them? Where is the RV going to meet the follow van to make a crew/rider switch? If it is not a Wal Mart parking lot, is there enough room for the RV to get in and out safely? Do we have a hot meal planned for the next full exchange of crew/riders? What are the shopping needs for this and the next 24 hours? What is the weather like now, in 4 hours, in 24 hours? Are any alerts, detours, cautions given out by RAAM HQ still in effect? Does Doug have enough Gatorade, PB&J’s and wafer cookies? Does Lonni have enough blueberries, mini wheats and a can of coke? Where are Mike and Tina’s Ensure, Mountain Dew and turkey sandwiches? How much laundry is piling up, and where and when do we have enough time to find a laundromat? Answering questions on the rules? Making sure that the great suggestion that was just made is doable and will not go against any RAAM rule…and so on…and so on…
This is RAAM crew experience #4 for me, and I am sincere in saying that each crew experience (RAAM or other ultra-endurance/personal challenge event) changes my life. Each time, I get to meet and work with exceptional people who each have unique abilities, personalities and talents which come together for a common goal. This year was no exception.
Dan and Jordan…what an amazing team of big rig drivers/navigators/maintenance/fix it guys/and more. These gentlemen landed the mother-ship (aka the RV) each time in a new location to swap out riders/crew, obtain supplies, and helped to make this RAAM experience one of the safest, calmest and most comfortable ever! Getting sleep and a shower before Day 3 is almost nearly unheard of in my experiences….Thank you, Dan and Jordan! I’d love to think hat I might see you both again one day to crew another adventure. I know though that the best and smartest crew members get the experience, give their all to the end goal, and then back away slowly until it’s safe to turn and run. 🙂 You are definitely smart, so you both may decide to cheer from a distance next time. These guys survived on bagels, coffee, Starbucks fraps and nighttime driving cookies….
Guy and Raoul: These boys worked hard and long shifts…some day shifts in the heat, wind, storms and some at night in the dark, with creepy wildlife running across the road. They reminded their riders to eat even when they didn’t want to or were too tired. Based on the depletion of rations in the RV, these boys survived their follow van shifts on Diet Coke, ibuprofen, pretzels and Fritos. When I told them I could not find any pretzels while shopping in Pratt, Kansas, I received the message that they were turning around for Oceanside.
Brandon and David: These gentlemen also worked incredibly long shifts; sometimes longer than expected due to weather conditions, mechanicals, and other unexpected hold ups. They calmly took everything in stride and handled all issues smoothly and seamlessly. Both were able to do this because they were totally able to turn off and shut down when they stepped back into the RV for rest breaks. I’ve never seen anyone better able to wind down quickly and rest like David and Brandon. Other than Brandon’s Nutella sandwiches and a random turkey sandwich, I’m not really sure what else these guys used to fuel themselves in the follow van.
I consider myself very lucky to have had such and experienced, motivated and dedicated crew. Rest well, gentlemen…you never know what Doug, Lonni, Mike and Tina may come up with in the future…
~Sara~