We're sitting at the dock ready for Team ViaSat to come through the finish line. Type I is celebrating yet another victory with interviews and beers at 5 o'clock in the morning. It seems early for a drink but for them it's the end of a very long day. Kevin and Larry are making their way through the last couple of time stations while the rest of the group is showering, eating, and getting ready to roll down Dock Street as a team. This will be the first time everyone has been together since leaving Oceanside last Saturday. For eight cyclists that barely saw each other over the last six days, Team ViaSat easily fell into a rhythm they were able to maintain across the entire United States. Despite some sickness and plenty of exhaustion, Larry, Kevin, Jeremy, Andrew, Ryan, Tobias, Brad and John pedaled their hearts out. And despite long hours with little rest, the 2010 crew busted their butts to keep up with the riders. Thanks so much to all our sponsors and followers for helping to power us through! Everyone is anxious to celebrate another successful year at the Race Across America.
Be sure to check Facebook and the ViaSat site for finish line photos:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/ViaSat-Racing/123151281053738?ref=ts
http://www.viasat.com/raam
Friday, June 18, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Meet the Crew
For all the training and discipline it takes on the part of the cyclists to participate in RAAM, Team ViaSat would not get past the California state line without a huge effort from the crew. Their jobs include, but are not limited to, driving, keeping time, navigating, calling in at time stations, filling water bottles, getting the riders fed, keeping the cars fueled and maintained, communicating with the rest of the team, knowing and following all the RAAM rules so the riders don't get penalized, putting up with tired, edgy cyclists, gauging the threshold of tired, edgy cyclists, and keeping everyone safe. It's an exhausting job, but the crew members for ViaSat's 2010 RAAM team wouldn't have it any other way.
Ed Danly (Andrew's dad)
We're not sure how Andrew convinced his dad to drive him across the country when he couldn't muster a ride to college (see rider bios), but Ed seems happy to be part of the race, and handles the chaos with a sense of calm.
Austin Bice (Larry's son)
Austin's dad has been involved in RAAM since ViaSat first created a team in 2006. It was only a matter of time before Austin joined the insanity. Although he modeled as a kid you shouldn't let his good looks fool you--he's no stranger to hard work and he's been taking good care of his dad and Kevin along the way. He stays awake on the road with 5 Hour Energy and Rock 'n' Roll.
David Casterton
Crewing for RAAM in 2009 was one of the "most interesting and exhausting experiences" for Dave; he just couldn't pass up the opportunity to shuttle his friends across the country a second year in a row. When Dave's not jumping out of the car every five minutes to pump up a slowly leaking car tire with a bicycle pump, he eats twizzlers and gummy bears to stay awake.
Matt Butler
Matt finds himself at RAAM--for the third year in a row--against his will. John and Brad must have impressive powers of persuasion as they're responsible for talking him into being their driver. Matt plans to make it to Annapolis on caffeine and adrenaline.
Chuck Pateros
For chuck, RAAM is "more fun than a barrel of monkeys," or is it a car full of monkeys? Perhaps the animal antics are what keep Chuck awake while driving. Either way, they must make RAAM look like more fun than the circus because next year Chuck hopes to be one of the bicycle riding monkeys.
Wei Sun
Wei thrives on sleep deprivation and low driving speeds: It gives him time to "ponder the relevancy of Milton Friedman's neo-classical economic theory when juxtaposed to Keynesian economic principles in light of recent events." Be sure to ask him what conclusions he comes to by the time he hits Annapolis. Additionally, Wei is taking notes from the cyclists as he hopes to join the team as a rider in 2011.
Izzy Sandoval
Izzy is skipping his 10-year high school reunion in order to stare at "eight dudes from behind for an entire week." He was so inspired after crewing last year that he signed up for a spin class when he got home. He's been hooked on cycling ever since. Izzy plans to stay awake with Starbucks Double Shot Espresso and hourly sing-a-longs to Don't Stop Believing and Eye of the Tiger.
Zach Waller
All Zach wanted was a RAAM T-shirt, but when he asked John Tyner how to get one, Tyner roped him into doing crew in order to earn it. As a remote ViaSat employee based in Florida, Zach is slowly getting closer to his home time zone.
Ron Grayson
Ron signed up to crew because it was the "cheapest way to get to the East Coast." Beyond catching a flight back West, however, we're not sure what he plans to do when he gets there. Normally a bike commuter, this is the most time Ron will have spent in a car in the last year.
Desi Klaar
Just as cheerful on two hours sleep as she is on eight hours of sleep, Desi draws energy from just about everything (and everyone) around her. She's made friends with the Italian and German racing teams, a solo rider from Australia, the waitress at Aunt Toadie's and a bum in Brawley. Her ability to power through long days and extended driving shifts is reminiscent of an Ironman athlete...oh, wait a minute, she is an Iron(wo)man!
Ed Danly (Andrew's dad)
We're not sure how Andrew convinced his dad to drive him across the country when he couldn't muster a ride to college (see rider bios), but Ed seems happy to be part of the race, and handles the chaos with a sense of calm.
Austin Bice (Larry's son)
Austin's dad has been involved in RAAM since ViaSat first created a team in 2006. It was only a matter of time before Austin joined the insanity. Although he modeled as a kid you shouldn't let his good looks fool you--he's no stranger to hard work and he's been taking good care of his dad and Kevin along the way. He stays awake on the road with 5 Hour Energy and Rock 'n' Roll.
David Casterton
Crewing for RAAM in 2009 was one of the "most interesting and exhausting experiences" for Dave; he just couldn't pass up the opportunity to shuttle his friends across the country a second year in a row. When Dave's not jumping out of the car every five minutes to pump up a slowly leaking car tire with a bicycle pump, he eats twizzlers and gummy bears to stay awake.
Matt Butler
Matt finds himself at RAAM--for the third year in a row--against his will. John and Brad must have impressive powers of persuasion as they're responsible for talking him into being their driver. Matt plans to make it to Annapolis on caffeine and adrenaline.
Chuck Pateros
For chuck, RAAM is "more fun than a barrel of monkeys," or is it a car full of monkeys? Perhaps the animal antics are what keep Chuck awake while driving. Either way, they must make RAAM look like more fun than the circus because next year Chuck hopes to be one of the bicycle riding monkeys.
Wei Sun
Wei thrives on sleep deprivation and low driving speeds: It gives him time to "ponder the relevancy of Milton Friedman's neo-classical economic theory when juxtaposed to Keynesian economic principles in light of recent events." Be sure to ask him what conclusions he comes to by the time he hits Annapolis. Additionally, Wei is taking notes from the cyclists as he hopes to join the team as a rider in 2011.
Izzy Sandoval
Izzy is skipping his 10-year high school reunion in order to stare at "eight dudes from behind for an entire week." He was so inspired after crewing last year that he signed up for a spin class when he got home. He's been hooked on cycling ever since. Izzy plans to stay awake with Starbucks Double Shot Espresso and hourly sing-a-longs to Don't Stop Believing and Eye of the Tiger.
Zach Waller
All Zach wanted was a RAAM T-shirt, but when he asked John Tyner how to get one, Tyner roped him into doing crew in order to earn it. As a remote ViaSat employee based in Florida, Zach is slowly getting closer to his home time zone.
Ron Grayson
Ron signed up to crew because it was the "cheapest way to get to the East Coast." Beyond catching a flight back West, however, we're not sure what he plans to do when he gets there. Normally a bike commuter, this is the most time Ron will have spent in a car in the last year.
Desi Klaar
Just as cheerful on two hours sleep as she is on eight hours of sleep, Desi draws energy from just about everything (and everyone) around her. She's made friends with the Italian and German racing teams, a solo rider from Australia, the waitress at Aunt Toadie's and a bum in Brawley. Her ability to power through long days and extended driving shifts is reminiscent of an Ironman athlete...oh, wait a minute, she is an Iron(wo)man!
Monday, June 14, 2010
Day 2/3 Update
The ride through Arizona, Utah and Colorado was gorgeous. Red rocks, sandstone cliffs and good light made for some fun photos--check out the albums on facebook. Riders were having fun and keeping a steady pace through Sunday night and into Monday morning. Kevin and Larry motored through the night, and then handed off to Jeremy and Andrew who carried Team ViaSat into the San Juan Mountains and over Wolf Creek pass at 10,857 feet. Meanwhile, Tobias was attempting to get some energy back after a long night of severe gastrointestinal distress. With two 9,000-foot summits looming ahead he wasn't quite ready to take the reins, but he suited up and did what he was out there to do--he pedaled anyway. Luckily Ryan was feeling good and stepped up to the challenge, taking longer turns in the climb over 9,413-foot La Veta pass and 9,941-foot Cuchara Pass.
A big decent brought the riders into La Veta where they handed off to Larry and Kevin who finally got to see a little bit of daylight on their shift. Leaving the mountains behind Kevin and Larry headed into the flat lands of eastern Colorado and Kansas, and yet again into the night.
A big decent brought the riders into La Veta where they handed off to Larry and Kevin who finally got to see a little bit of daylight on their shift. Leaving the mountains behind Kevin and Larry headed into the flat lands of eastern Colorado and Kansas, and yet again into the night.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
How it Works
So how does a team of eight riders get all the way across the country while giving themselves enough time to rest and eat? Of course the terms "rest" and "eat" are relative. Every team has a different strategy; this is how Team ViaSat does it.
Team ViaSat splits into four cars with two riders and one driver in each car. Each car takes a five-hour shift on the course while the other cars drive ahead to eat, sleep, etc. The car that is on the course has two riders that take turns sprinting three- to six-mile segments. When these guys are riding, they are giving it everything they've got.
Here are the groups of two (and their drivers)...I listed them in the order that they rotate:
Jeremy and Andrew (with Ed Danly driving)
Ryan and Tobias (with Dave Casterton driving)
Larry and Kevin (with Austin Bice driving)
Brad and John (with Matt Butler driving)
Additionally, there are "follow" vehicles that take turns helping out with the crew that is racing. They literally follow the rider to make sure he doesn't run into any trouble. At night, the follow vehicle must keep the rider in their headlights. During the day, the follow vehicle is not required to follow right behind the rider unless he deems the rider is in an unsafe situation. The follow vehicles have their own rotation similar to the rotation of the rider vehicles.
Team ViaSat splits into four cars with two riders and one driver in each car. Each car takes a five-hour shift on the course while the other cars drive ahead to eat, sleep, etc. The car that is on the course has two riders that take turns sprinting three- to six-mile segments. When these guys are riding, they are giving it everything they've got.
Here are the groups of two (and their drivers)...I listed them in the order that they rotate:
Jeremy and Andrew (with Ed Danly driving)
Ryan and Tobias (with Dave Casterton driving)
Larry and Kevin (with Austin Bice driving)
Brad and John (with Matt Butler driving)
Additionally, there are "follow" vehicles that take turns helping out with the crew that is racing. They literally follow the rider to make sure he doesn't run into any trouble. At night, the follow vehicle must keep the rider in their headlights. During the day, the follow vehicle is not required to follow right behind the rider unless he deems the rider is in an unsafe situation. The follow vehicles have their own rotation similar to the rotation of the rider vehicles.
Day 1: Update from TS 3 - Blythe, CA
Team ViaSat has one goal: be the first to make it to Annapolis, MD. They are fast and strong, but there is one team that is going to give them a run for their money: Team Type I--last year's winners. Jeremy and Andrew got Team ViaSat off to a strong start pulling through time station 1 about five minutes ahead of Team Type I. About 60 miles in Andrew took a spill coming around a turn. He walked away with a good road rash and torn cycling kit but good spirits. Ed, the driver didn't miss a beat and we were able to get Jeremy back on the course while Andrew fixed his chain. Meanwhile Type I gained some ground, coming into TS 2 neck and neck with ViaSat. Ryan and Tobias took over at 8 p.m. PST, heading into the desert at dusk. They passed through TS 3 right before midnight, seven minutes behind Type I.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Meet the Riders
Some of them are veterans, some of them are new but one thing is certain: they are all fast, and proud to be part of the 2010 ViaSat RAAM Team.
Larry Bice
Also known as The Godfather of Team ViaSat, Larry seems to enjoy pain. A competitor in both 2006 and 2009, this is his third year racing. This year, however, he is bringing something along that he's never had on the course before: his son Austin will be driving the car.
Kevin Hunter
Kevin is always looking for a new adventure, and it seems the more challenging it is the more fun Kevin has. He has run/hiked the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim in a single day and he plans to do a Badwater to Mt. Whitney summit ride/hike in August. This is his second time competing in the Race Across America and he hopes to improve on his 2008 time.
Andrew Danly
Andrew has been riding bikes ever since his dad refused to drive him to college. He is inspired by "free raffle tickets, face painting, Olympic Speed Walking and people that belt out Eye of the Tiger while accomplishing mundane tasks." He was told he would get free raffle tickets if he rode his bike across the country as fast as he could.
Jeremy Gustin
Jeremy often uses his commute from home in Point Loma to work in Sorrento Valley for training. Don't bother trying to keep up, he flies out of sight before you even realize he passed you.
John Tyner
A cyclist for the past six years, this is John's fifth year involved in RAAM as either a racer or a crew member. Why is he doing it again? He "did not have the will power to say no". He is uninspired by questions about what inspires him, but it's possible his wife and 7-month old son help fuel his motivation.
Brad Exmeyer
Brad insists he is the smallest guy on the team despite Andrew's affectionate description likening him to a gorilla. Brad has been cycling for eight years and joined Team ViaSat this year because riding across America (with seven other sweaty, sleep deprived cyclists) "sounds like fun."
Tobias Panek
Tobias figured out how to get paid for riding his bike when he co-founded Granfondo Cycling Tours. When he is not racing across America, he is taking other cyclists on rides around the globe.
Ryan Denner
Ryan started out as a mountain biker but realized he could go faster on skinny tires, so he took up cycling. Rarely seen without his bikes (Peanut and Butter), Ryan has been known to turn grocery store trips into sprint training sessions. He joined Team ViaSat this year because he wanted to be part of the "fastest team in ViaSat history."
Larry Bice
Also known as The Godfather of Team ViaSat, Larry seems to enjoy pain. A competitor in both 2006 and 2009, this is his third year racing. This year, however, he is bringing something along that he's never had on the course before: his son Austin will be driving the car.
Kevin Hunter
Kevin is always looking for a new adventure, and it seems the more challenging it is the more fun Kevin has. He has run/hiked the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim in a single day and he plans to do a Badwater to Mt. Whitney summit ride/hike in August. This is his second time competing in the Race Across America and he hopes to improve on his 2008 time.
Andrew Danly
Andrew has been riding bikes ever since his dad refused to drive him to college. He is inspired by "free raffle tickets, face painting, Olympic Speed Walking and people that belt out Eye of the Tiger while accomplishing mundane tasks." He was told he would get free raffle tickets if he rode his bike across the country as fast as he could.
Jeremy Gustin
Jeremy often uses his commute from home in Point Loma to work in Sorrento Valley for training. Don't bother trying to keep up, he flies out of sight before you even realize he passed you.
John Tyner
A cyclist for the past six years, this is John's fifth year involved in RAAM as either a racer or a crew member. Why is he doing it again? He "did not have the will power to say no". He is uninspired by questions about what inspires him, but it's possible his wife and 7-month old son help fuel his motivation.
Brad Exmeyer
Brad insists he is the smallest guy on the team despite Andrew's affectionate description likening him to a gorilla. Brad has been cycling for eight years and joined Team ViaSat this year because riding across America (with seven other sweaty, sleep deprived cyclists) "sounds like fun."
Tobias Panek
Tobias figured out how to get paid for riding his bike when he co-founded Granfondo Cycling Tours. When he is not racing across America, he is taking other cyclists on rides around the globe.
Ryan Denner
Ryan started out as a mountain biker but realized he could go faster on skinny tires, so he took up cycling. Rarely seen without his bikes (Peanut and Butter), Ryan has been known to turn grocery store trips into sprint training sessions. He joined Team ViaSat this year because he wanted to be part of the "fastest team in ViaSat history."
Monday, June 7, 2010
How to Follow the Race
1) Check up on Team ViaSat RAAM at http://www.viasat.com/raam where we will post regular race updates including blogs, photos, videos and more.
2) Become a fan of ViaSat Racing on Facebook
3) Follow Team ViaSat on Twitter: http://twitter.com/teamviasat
4) During the race, you can check the RAAM results page for estimations on when your team will pass through a given time station.
5) Become a fan of RAAM on Facebook
2) Become a fan of ViaSat Racing on Facebook
3) Follow Team ViaSat on Twitter: http://twitter.com/teamviasat
4) During the race, you can check the RAAM results page for estimations on when your team will pass through a given time station.
5) Become a fan of RAAM on Facebook
What is RAAM?
RAAM, or Race Across America, is a 3,000-mile bike race starting in Oceanside, California, and ending in Annapolis, Maryland. RAAM is one of cycling's toughest tests. Team ViaSat will cross 14 states in less than 6 days, climb 100,000 feet of elevation, and check in at 53 time stations along the way. They will battle wind, rain, heat, cold, altitude, sleep deprivation, nutritional deficiencies, and more in an all out sprint to the East Coast.
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