Adventures of Wade Baker
By John Parsons
Last weekend I had a most awesome experience. I drove the “sag” van for a solo entry in the 2005 Race Across Oregon (RAO). Californian Wade Baker completed the 538.7 mile course (which includes 40,000 feet of climbing) in 38 hours, 35 minutes to take second place.
There were 22 solo entries; 11 of then dropped before the end. The winner finished three hours ahead of us; third place came in 27 minutes behind.
Wade is a relatively new ultra-marathon cyclist, but nonetheless finished 6th in last year’s Furnace Creek 508, a similar event in Death Valley, where the temps can hit 90 degrees—at midnight. He is 50 years old.
I connected by email to join his crew, which also included Isabelle Drake of Laguna Beach, CA and Jesse Sowe, sports reporter for the Albany Democrat-Herald. Like me, Jesse is a three-time former RAO crew member.
We left Portland at 5:00 a.m. Saturday, crossed the Cascades to go as far east as Grant County, finally climbing to Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood, in falling snow, at 7:35 p.m. Sunday.
Wade subsisted on a liquid diet during the ride, and probably spent a total of ten minutes off the bike, mainly to change socks. Empty food bottles were usually replaced by handing them through the van window without stopping. He did not stop to sleep. He is the strongest and steadiest climber I ever saw on a bike.
It was a fantastic experience for all involved, not only because our rider did so well but because the crew bonded quickly and were able to focus on the goal without distractions. Isabelle is a long-time riding partner to Wade, and was able to anticipate his needs and mood with uncanny accuracy. She had to remind him at least once, “When you asked me to crew for you, I said I’d do it only if you promised to do what I
tell you to do.”
He did, and it worked.
-John
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