Meet the Two Person Teams!

Thursday July 17, 2008 by Terri Gooch

203 Team Bag Balm – Richard Seton, Portland, OR & Scott Salsbury, Seaside, OR – Bag Balm returns for its third RAO. Seton and Salsbury teamed up on both Bag Balm 4 person teams (setting the 4 Person Mixed record in 2006) but decided they wanted to get a little more riding in this time. Seton is on fine form and Salsbury is as fast as ever so, combined with their experience, this will be a competitive team. One thing is for sure – Bag Balm will be saddle sore free and have surprisingly soft udders at the finish line.

205 Team Haul’n Oats: The Man Eaters – Adam Garmon, Portland, OR &
DJ DeAustria, Tualitin, OR – Adam Garmon had a strong solo finish last year. Wanting to participate with a little less pain this year he teamed up with DJ DeAustria to race Two Person. Unfortunately Adam will be racing in plenty of pain as he took a hard spill during a training ride last week. DeAustria is plenty fit as he was planning on racing solo if Adam was unable to race. Garmon recently placed first at Glenn Johnson’s Lewis and Clark 12 hour. If his injuries don’t slow him down too much this will be a tough team to beat.

207 Team Too Dumb to Quit – Doug Peterson, Hillsboro, OR &
TBA – It’s all up to TBA. Peterson is one fast & determined rider. He had one of the most inspiring solo finishes in RAO history overcoming a motherlode of obstacles to nab his official finish. He returned the following 2 years as the title star of the 4 Person Team ‘Doug and the Descenders’ (winning the 4 person open division in ’07). I’m not too sure about TBA’s resume but with Doug’s talent whether TBA is male, female, upright, recumbent or other thiswill be a competitive team.

209 Team Abrupt Edge – Craig Rowley, Portland, OR & Glenn Johnson, Vancouver, WA – This will be Glenn’s third RAO. He raced 2 Person in ’06 and showed what a great teammate he is by soloing in from Prineville when his partner became too ill to ride. Johnson decided to go solo last year finishing second and taking Rookie of the Year honors. We met Craig Rowley at the Lewis and Clark 12/24 where he put in a strong performance. This is a wide open division and we look for some amazing racing among the 2 Person Open competitors.

Relay Team, Two Person, Masters 50+

201 Team Varmint – Mark Newsome, Corvallis, OR &
John Henry Maurice, Keizer, OR – Mark Newsome has been participating in RAO almost since its inception. Mark has raced 4 person for Team HP, Gazette-Times & Half-Gassed Fellows. He’s participated in 3 and 4 Day Training Camps. He knows this course as well as anyone. John Henry Maurice has completed two RAO Training Camps. Both Maurice and Newsome crewed last year for Team She-Cat Flash (Sandy Earl & Patti Jo Struve). Sandy is now crewing for the Varmints. Sandy knows these racers well – She was crew chief for John Henry during his successful 508 solo finish in 2006 and again for Mark for his 2007 508 official finish. The Varmints are in the unique position of being competitive in the open group while chasing the 50+ record of Headhunter Cannibal Kings Bill Nicolai and Michael Frommlet (Nicolai is racing solo this year with Frommlet crewing for him). Bill and Michael set a fast time but John Henry and Mark have a good shot at breaking it.

Relay Team, Two Person, Mixed 60+

260 Team Old Spokes – Fred Boethling, Boulder, CO &
Bobbi Fisher, Burbank, CA – I’m not familiar with Bobbi’s results so I apologize to you and will focus on Fred. While new to RAO Boethling is no stranger to the 2 Man event. Fred teamed with Dan Crain to set 60+ 2 Man records across Utah and at Race Across America. In 2006 Fred broke Peter Lekisch’s 60+ solo RAAM record and had so much fun he decided to become CEO of RAAM, LLC. Boethling is highly competitive and I’m certain he is out to set a record that will be tough to beat.


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