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I've been busy. Not SUPER busy, but busy enough. High summer is here in Oregon – gotta admit my favorite time of the year. The weather is predictable, warm and sunny. What's NOT to like? I've been fortunate to be able to get out and crew a couple of really cool events. First, I crewed David Bradley of Team Raven Lunatics to an STP finish. This doesn't sound so impressive...

Hi all -Now for the hard part. Fundraiser time. I'd love to tell you that I'm independently wealthy, whatever that means, so that I could just write a check for RAAM and be done with it.But I'm not independently wealthy. I'm something just a little bit better than that - I'm dependently wealthy. By which I mean that I'm part of an interdependent community of folks who figure out how to get it done.To raise funds for RAAM - mine, his, and Tim Woudenberg's - my bike sponsor, Dana Lieberman, is...

I finally watched Bicycle Dreams last weekend. About time, right? On the one hand, I'm so fully engulfed in all things RAAM that it seemed really incongruous that I'd not have watched this, oh, I don't know, a dozen times or so. On the other hand – I know how it ends. And I wasn't looking forward to part of it. So – when I had the opportunity to get my hands on a copy of Bicycle Dreams, I jumped at it. And then, I stopped short. Now what? I've got to watch it. And Dr. Bob dies. There. I...

One week out to Sebring. I'll have a trip to the gym today after work, a nice ride on Sunday(on Adrienne's Ti Aero - I've already shipped my race bike off to Sebring), and then it's just a matter of packing, tracking down details, and keeping my legs loose and my spirits high.Now it's time to work the mojo. One of the things that I've learned is that racing - as opposed to "going for really long rides" has a certain badass component to it. The part where you want to, you know, WIN. Not...

Or..."A long-winded tale of a long-winded ride"...for those who didn't know me "back when", the reference to Typhos is apocryphal. My Furnace Creek Totem is Echidna. If you're good with Greek mythology, it's clearer. If not, loose translation: "The wind is my friend". All things considered, a really good outing. I arrived in Sebring just after noon Friday – about what I expected. A bugger of a trip – Eugene – San Fran – Charlotte-Orlando by air, then rented a car for the drive...

 RAAM costs $5/mile! Lots of friends - old and new - have asked how they can help. Buy a cycling cap to support me and my team as we rocket across the US on the wings of a Carbent Raven!You need a new cycling cap this year, anyway. And this one is especially cool: Wicking technical fabric, bike-specific fit, and great graphics.The "Raven"...

Wow. Just dipped below 100 days on the countdown timer. Like the longer days and the crazy crop of drowning worms on the pavement Friday, it's a sure sign that RAAM is getting closer. This definitely feels like a milestone to me, so I'm taking a moment to reflect. How ready am I, really? What needs to happen?I'm feeling strong and ready - but I know I can't lose sight of how much more I want to accomplish between now and June. I feel the same, but changed. I've been marked for life, and I'm...

A Bike Friday customer, Jeff Levenson, sent this link to me. Alice rides her Bike Friday quite a bit, though it's not shown in these pictures.I hope I'm still enjoying riding when I'm 86!Alice Telford – An Inspiration to All Women

RAAM can be lost in the very early going if you're not prepared for desert heat. Since I'm here in Oregon - not widely known as the land of dry heat despite RAO's best efforts - people often wonder how I'm going to deal with this. Simple - fake it. Not "fake it" as in "pretend it doesn't matter", but "fake it" as in creating some simulated heat conditions that will hopefully acclimate me enough that I can respond properly when the time comes. OBLIGATORY WARNING: THIS IS NOT - IS NOT - A GOOD...

Hey - Google Maps now does bike maps. I think that's really, really cool. Good to have it right out there that bikes are...yes! Say it! Transportation. But I've got to admit that my curiosity was piqued. So I put it to the test. My start location? The Strand, Oceanside, CA. And destination? Annapolis City Dock. Try it. I got two slightly different answers, either 3077 or 3081 miles, which seems to be dependent on the address you pick for the City Dock.I was really, really amused at the...

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