…. there goes May!
May is ending this week. Can you believe it?! MAY IS ENDING THIS WEEK!!! What follows May (and the April showers that all seem to have been pushed into May)? — JUNE! “The month.” The apex. The Big Show. What seemed like such a distant date is pretty much upon us. I’m happy to report that things are really coming together. Our Crew Chief, Kate, sends us daily emails with Race Across America (RAAM) Rules. She reviews rules for the crew (how to safely navigate the route, how to communicate with the RAAM officials, etc) and for the riders (how to do rider exchanges, please don’t act aggressively and throw your bike at bad drivers, etc). I send daily emails to our Crew Chef regarding the ever-important topics of: feeding me.
I was on a plane returning from a work trip and starting writing a list of things I needed to pack for the race. My list was about 200 items. Kate might have something to say about that! (Space is limited in the cars and the RV, and all of the racers and crew got a Kate-approved duffle bag that your whole life must be able to fit in, or else it.isn’t.coming!) I have a thing for cycling caps (to cover my helmet hair), so as long as I can shove about a dozen of those in there, I’ll be satisfied.
The team still has a few events before we parade through Oceanside. Our generous sponsor, Eat’n Park, is sponsoring a dinner for the crew and riders at Six Penn Kitchen in Pittsburgh on June 5, and Merle Reeseman is hosting her infamous Walk PHor the Cure in Pittsburgh June 7th. In other news, my bike, The Cameleon, got her bling on at Fiks:Reflective this past week. Nick was throwing stickers, and she is ready to shine (or, reflect!).
While she was with Nick, I improvised for my RAAM training and took some of the other members of my fleet out. I rode my steel mountain touring bike to my nephews’ soccer game a few towns away and then to a Memorial Day party, did laps of the city park and some hill repeats (up and down and up and down and up and.. you get the picture) on my single-speeds. But, now that she’s back, I want to take the Cameleon out in the dark and show her off! -ry
