ROFTT Comments
Well it was a long night, but now it’s over!
We had fast and furious racing – but only one new solo record:
24 Hour Race:
Overall winner: Keith Kohan (also 24 Hour recumbent winner) 381 miles
2nd Place and first upright racer: Glen Johnson 364 miles
3rd Place Upright Racer: Hugh Gapay 361 miles
1st Place 24 Hour 50+: Jim Karanas 302 miles
12 Hour Race:
Overall winner Men: Chip Keyes 202 miles
Overall winner Women: Martha Walsh 193 miles *New Course Record
12 Hour Two Man Team
OSU Racing: 224 miles *New Course Record
12 Hour Mixed Team:
Bicycle Center: 195 Miles *New Course Record
12 Hour Two Women Team
Pear Bottom Girls: 175 Miles *New Course Record
12 Hour Recumbent Tandem
Hey Look, They Ride 114 Miles *New Course Record
Mike Olson (Olson’s Bike Shop) is crewing for Hugh. Chad Hollister is crewing for Glen (and was also crewing for Richard Seton).
3:10 a.m. Hugh Gapay rolls through 319 miles. Takes a brief stop and heads out into the dark. There is no wind, the temp is dropping, stars are brilliant and and owl is hooting. 5 racers are continuing through the night.
Angela says she may hear a Hugh but she doesn’t listen to him.
Angela Horton “Hears a Hugh” Gapay is upset that I didn’t blog about her locking her keys in her car last year. Sorry Angela, I will remedy that this year. Angela locked her keys in her car two years ago. She learned from her mistake and brought three pair of keys for each vehicle.
Mark Buhzeezerooski is now asking for drugs…from a bunch of cyclists…
Mark Bazaazzarazzaki is proud of his new “compression pantaloons”. He is touting the Dr. Denton effect – compressing his ‘tender parts’. It is getting weird at the Imperial.
Just had a visit from an especially cool Oregon State Trooper. He’s keeping a protective eye on our racers, informed us he’s ridden more than 170+ miles in a day and just happens to be single speed world champ Carl Decker’s dad!!
Unfortunately Tom Letsinger has decided to withdraw. Tom was riding well but when he started his night loops he felt like he lost all his power. After an extended break he felt no improvement and made the decision to pack it in.
James Barhitte has completed the 157 mile big loop – all the while sporting a 20 lb backpack. Thankfully he dumped his pack at the start/finish line and has started his first night loop.
Adrienne Ruggles Interview: How was it sitting directly behind Robert or 12 hours? Smelly…do you really want to hear about the body odor?? So you are the only woman I know who has peed off the stoker position of a recumbent tandem…tell us about your experience? I rested a cheek on the top tube – the right cheek because my let is arthritic….and then I peed…and a car was behind me the first time. Did Captain Robert ever pee off the bike? Sadly no. Adrienne now holds the mixed recumbent tandem and urinating off a recumbent tandem records. We are so proud of your accomplishments Adrienne!!
Women’s 12 Hour Champ Martha Walsh is out having enjoyed dinner and a beer. Martha just broke the 12 hour record that she set two years ago. Walsh currently holds the 12 hour Ring of Fire women’s solo and mixed tandem records.
Richard Seton has called it a night. Great effort from the Bag Balmer in his first 24 hour solo effort. Richard bonked bad on his first loop but gamely finished, took a recovery break and headed out again. Seton was only able to complete another two miles before calling it a day. Seton finished with 186 miles.
Paul Renninger, Brian Smith, Captain Johnson, Sandy Earl and Mark Brrrrzizki or however you spell that name are sitting around enjoying the amazing weather, great beer and awesome ambience of the Ring of Fire Start/Finish line. Captain Johnson and partner Adrienne Ruggles just set a course record for recumbent tandems: CJ interview:What was it like to actually ride a bike rather than crew? We were only off the bike for a total of 17 minutes and considering that we built the bike before the race we feel we set the bar suitably low enough that anyone who wants to take advantage of that is welcome to. Any plans to defend your title/record? This may be the start of something. We prayed for steep uphill or steep downhill – everything else was crap because the bike wasn’t shifting very well so…
Mike & Carol Olson and Chad “Ron Mexico” Hollister are calling a truce to the intense battle going on between their racers’ Hugh Gapay and Glen Johnson.
Ok, It’s hot. Did I say that it’s HOT. I mean REALLY HOT. At least down here on the tarmack at the Imperial parking lot. Mick Walsh got here an hour ago – Keith Kohan has rolled through, Hugh Gapay just rolled – so we’ve got the top 3 24 hour racers already rolling the night loop.
On the 12 hour front, nobody looks better than Chip Keyes – he’s making it look too easy. Martha Walsh is kicking it hard, and is out on her second lap.
Ricke Martin has called it quits with 112 miles – he got a big heart but a sore knee.
Brian Smith is looking tired and feeling dizzy – I guess nobody told him that is what comes from wearing lycra in all this heat!
The teams are really rocking and Kenneth Philbrick of OSU Cycling just pulled down an 1:15 loop —-HOLY SMOKES BATMAN~
The racers are coming in already! It’s hard to believe- it’s actually sort of hot out today, which surprised me since the forecast was for something closer to the mid 70’s. The weather is perfect (although I am sitting in the shade!) And the racing is FIERCE!
Most intense – the Walsh’s – Mick is killing the 24 hour racers and Martha is kicking BUTT in the 12 – and Chip Keyes is putting that PAC Tour trip to good use – a full 30 minutes faster than last year!! Look out everyone, records are going down!!