RAAM 2012

[Minkey Chief]

Things are awfully quiet this year about Sam at RAAM! I see he's got to TS1. I wanted to go down and see the start, but sadly had problems with transport.

http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/raam/r ... _Race_ID=1

Found him in the gallery.

[bonigv]

He is riding at his favorite position. Hopefully will finish properly.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[RNair]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... btHorIfolA

50-59 age group, riding very strong at the moment and look at his average speed!

[RNair]

Btw I am curious. Who keeps a track on how they ride? Is there a volunteer in team vehicles?

[Minkey Chief]

Btw I am curious. Who keeps a track on how they ride? Is there a volunteer in team vehicles?

No. There are marshalls along the route, often positioned so you can't see them. They're especially vigilant at time stations, but are generally driving up and down the route. The idea is that you never know when you're being watched, but there must be hours when you aren't. The teams also monitor each other and are encouraged to report when someone else is breaking rules.

They were experimenting with a GPS tracker the last time, not sure if they've put that in place this year.

[raknair]

Isn't this his 3rd attempt at RAAM ? Not sure why but he gives me an impression that he rides with loads of defensive mindset. Like Boni pointed out, he is riding at his favorite position.

[narayanv]

Jure Robic had a crew just to spy on the contenders to report or video shoot if they broke rules.

And right now the Swiss Reto Schoch is adding fire to the already burning Arizonian Desert having completed 500 miles at some 30+kmph. Thats pretty impressive considering its his first RAAM although he has slowed down considerably in the last 12 hours.The guy seems to have won almost all the ultra cycling events in Europe last year!!

[narayanv]

Make that 600 miles at 30+kmph and the last 70 miles at 35+kmph. Will he burn himself off halfway or will we see a sub 8 day finish this year?

[ameetbhide]

Check out the team "FOREVER YOUNG PAC MASTERS " Age 75+
http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/raam/rcracer.php?s_N_category_group=2&s_N_Race_ID=1&N_webcat_id=109&s_N_Entry_ID=2828&s_N_Year_ID=36

[deepakvrao]

Isn't this his 3rd attempt at RAAM ? Not sure why but he gives me an impression that he rides with loads of defensive mindset. Like Boni pointed out, he is riding at his favorite position.

Didn't get that. What did you mean by 'favourite position'?

[bikeyvenky]

Isn't this his 3rd attempt at RAAM ? Not sure why but he gives me an impression that he rides with loads of defensive mindset. Like Boni pointed out, he is riding at his favorite position.

Didn't get that. What did you mean by 'favourite position'?

^^Last but one. He was there almost the entire ride in 2011.

[RNair]

I don't think he is intentionally riding in his "favorite" position. He is riding as well as he can. I have said this before the standards in cycling are much higher once you leave the Indian shores and it is just normal to see others riding well.

[narayanv]

There seems to be a problem. His last TS was TS 4at 16:44 ( Annapolis time) on 14th and now its 3:00am and TS 5 is 58 miles from 4. There has been no update for past 12 hours. Hope everything is ok as i can see other rider updates came in 30 minutes ago.

[bonigv]

It's a poetry in the making narayan. a verse or a ts here or there lost will always have a sob story behind it.

[bonigv]

On another important note : Mod sahibs,Look at RNair's stars - What is he now a Brigadier General++?

[narayanv]

This is interesting

points to note about the article
- the only asian in RAAM 2012
- Wants to win the gold

http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_ ... 1206140037

[bonigv]

^ I think Samim holds either a Canadian or an US passport. Remember something like that from the PBP days.

[narayanv]

More than the "asian" part which is an error what surprises me is that he wants to win gold according to artilce. And he has been doing 9 -10 miles an hour right the from the word go. What gold is he planning to win? he is not even trying!!

[RNair]

He is trying. It is a lot of hard work and I really feel we should not be telling him what he should do. It is tough and he is riding thru the toughest parts of the country right now. I can only imagine the pain involved in this endeavor. Others are simply stronger and better. It does not mean he is not trying.

Let us not turn into Cricket fans . Cycling is the only sport where fans don't tell cyclists what they should do!

[narayanv]

Rajesh I was talking about the taiwanese cyclists who said he wants to win the gold.

[deepakvrao]

So was Rajesh, I think. Heck, everyone there is doing the best they can.

[Dipankar Paul]

Just a casual progress analysis based on available data :

Important !!! - TS15 - Durango Cut-off time - 81 hrs for 857 kms.

Current status - at TS6 - Congress - ~39 hrs for 394 kms ~10.2 MpH
Remaining till Durango - 42 hrs for 463 km ~ 11.02 MpH

Looking at 2011 performance, it took Samim ~47 Hrs to ride this gap at an average of 9.8 MpH

Looking at 2012 performance, TOUGH RIDE AHEAD!!! Gut feel tells me that he wont even survive till Durango and might have to give up on-or-before 3rd day itself. Still wish that he completes the entire ride without a DNF.

Data based on :
http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/raam/r ... Year_ID=36
http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/raam/r ... Year_ID=34
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=ca ... iBHm7jF_aQ

[Minkey Chief]

The weather in inland Cali and through Arizona is pretty tough, especially for people who come from colder areas. Hot and very dry. I believe it was cooler this year though. Last year quite a few riders really suffered in the heat--one rider had to call it in because of near heat stroke.

Oh three DNFs now!

I remember the Congress TS with great fondness. First place we could get a shower and sleep in a room (though like most of the others, we chose sleeping bags on the floor even though there were beds!).

[stalker]

How come you aren't supporting this year?

[Minkey Chief]

I wasn't asked, and didn't think I would be. Even if asked though, I wouldn't have gone back. Yes, there were differences during the trip, but even without, it was just too draining. They have an RV this year though--that will make life a LOT easier.

(Just to add, there are no hard feelings. I was all set to go down there and ride with Sam in the days before, and even stay over one night and see them off... but ran into deadlines and our perrennial one-car problem. I looked at biking down, but they don't seem to let you ride through Camp Pendleton any more.)

Rajesh AKA Mr. Troll, your best friend is on the crew this year.