rick martin
RAO- Ricky's veiw.....
Never have i been so excited about a race as much as RAO!
I lived it and breathed it daily!
Bruce Caroll's race report from 2003 got me all freaked on it. I must of
read that everynight till the last day before the race, made my heart rate
race like hell as if i were there then.....anyways here it is...
vehicle and bike inspection- went great in and out
my crew (Ira nad Nikki) were finishing things up....food, batteries,
advil..ect. then off to eat.
Bridgeport brewery on Hawthorn. pasta, beer, and good laugh's. On the way
to Ira's, Nikki gives us some chewing gum, i thought ok sure. four or five
bites and holy moly...it pull's out one of my cap's. I look at it like what
the hell is this and throw it out the window....not knowing it was my tooth
. holy crap! EXPOSURE! and it hurt's really good! man...all i thought was
maybe the pain there will make me forget the pain in the leg's later....boy,
was i wrong.
off to bed- we all crashed at Ira's place and i really could'nt sleep- with
Ira snoring and me thinking about the race, kept me up most the night.
3:30 am- shower, breakfast, and we're off---
everyone's ready, parking lot's full of eager racer's. not too cold really,
just right!
George and Terri have everything under control. went so smooth- something
you don't see much at a race.
Allen and his wife are there filming the whole shebang.....
10 mins. to start
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yea baby!
george is leading us to troutdale and then we're off!
I was talking to mr. pollock till that point and off he went...nice guy! a
quick climb, some roller's and we're on hwy 26! foggy a bit, not bad...we're
all still bunched together..not for long though....the first good climb
comes and split's everyone up. I see Ira and Nikki up ahead waiting for my
first hand off. these two were great! not once did i drop a thing and they
alway's seemed to know what i needed!
about 3/4 to the summit and i see pollock pull out and just take the lead
...just take's off out of knowhere...i was like what the hell? do i go too?
i can't let him drop me like that.....then i realize....whoa! slow down and
chill..he was on his own mission and i wasn't gonna fall for it..almost
(laff).
ok...on passed 35 and here comes benett and barlow. everything's a blur to
me by now as all i wanted to do now was concentrate on eating and riding.
support vehicles cruise by me, then sit off to the side and as i pass them i
can see them timing me...got annoying after awhile, cause i'm thinking me a
threat? blah!
Everyone is smiling, saying good job, and thumb's up ect....whoa! now these
decents, i wish, were actually longer in the begining cause damn! no fear
out there whatsoever!!...just wanted to go faster, faster, FASTER!!
screeechhh!!! tygh valley-
here come's bakeoven rd. clothes shed off, and theheat set's in...not to bad
really. all solo rider's are spread out really good now - oh crap i forgot
- Kenneth passed me alittle after Maupin.He looked great and his crew
cheered me on...see ya Ken...we both pass Saunders Whittlesey, stomach
problems, throwing up, ect. damn that sucks....(snickering) there's one
down, sucks to look at it that way but at the same time it seemed ok then.
no one ever wants that to happen to them thats for sure...did i say he won
the b-m-b race 750 miles in what, i think 48 hrs....whew! and a really nice
guy at that! oh crap! here comes wade baker....that skinny son of a blah ,
blah, blah! just kidding- well not really, cause when your out there doing a
538 mile race, weird things come to mind, like, how in the hell did this old
man catch me?( no disrepect) seem's the older you are the better you
become...Bruce,Wade,Dick and so on....these guys are out to destroy and mow
the competition down. then they look at you and smile like....cya at the
finish...oh yea the race-
there goes Wade..sigh- Ira tell's me not to worry cause he's RQ'd totally
forgot...whew! ok back to bakeoven- not that bad of climb really just
loooong.no other rider's in sight, just me, me, me. oop's and the crew!these
two had it going...talking to me, feeding me, it really made me feel safe.
there's no pain yet that i can remember at this point but, man-0-man, i was
starting to not like the hammer diet at this point. don't get me wrong,
never once did i get hungry or bonk for that matter. the stuff is really
awesome! oh here we go -Shaniko- almost to 2nd time station. Bruce Caroll
caught me somewhere a little before or after this point and he looked great!
tell's me to keep the pace i was at and i'll finish for sure. word's i like
to hear! damn he look's strong---whoooosh!!! cya dood! other than that
...i didn't see anyone else for a loooong time.night time sets in and my
crew are pacing me and driving up to me now. Such a relief! i'm sure for
them too. Now this is where it get's funny cause, pain sets in, eating is
getting to be a pain, and i have no idea where i am. just that, i was
climbing my bitt off and i can see amber light's from afar. jeez who is it
now? - whoa! allen zooms up to me and throw's the camera at me ...(gotta
look good-gotta look good) trying to wipe the snot from my face....look
coool...ok better! he tell's me that i look strong and that the light's i
see are 2 man teams...whew! good to know. i ask him about the other solo
rider's and he tell's me that they probally wish they were at the point i
was then. hmmm - didn't really tell me how far back they were. oh well
better that way i guess. bam! he's gonna to the next rider! as i'm heading
up the summit my left leg is killing. really having a hard time pushing it
on. i stop, and tell my crew i'm not sure i can go on...then out of knowhere
there's George!! talking to me and telling me ..he really want's to see me
finish and that i'm looking good. i sit in the car and George show's Ira and
Nikki how to deal with my pain... massage, pep talk, no more than 10 mins.
in the car. then he vanishes out of sight...i felt good all over again! on
the bike and off i was again to the fossil beds...(laff) this place had me
going bonkers. tall rock wall's, a river, and the road in front. i stop-
Nikki and Ira get out. she rubs the back and shoulders and Ira put's me in
rain clothes with a fender to go.Nikki tell's me to put on the ipod and
listen to music for the time being.i was like oh yea music....a really close
friend of mine (Lindsay) had me download some really awesome music for my
race....thought about her thru the rest of the night.....can't tell you how
much that motivated me! no DNF's here baby! period!
ok then here comes Longcreek-- wow dark as hell here and i really cant wait
to get going again. Ira makes the call and we're all off.
whew! farther into the ride and my leg's, are telling me i'm outta my mind!
and that they aren't gonna make it. Nikki and Ira keep telling me i'm a stud
and that i have to keep going, easy for them to say..(laff) and keep eating
too! cause reall, i'm having a hard time putting the liquids down at this
point...daybreak is slowly rising and i'm going comatose! my crew tells me
to get in the car and take a breather and here comes this huge RV -- team
BAG BALM-- Susan comes up to the car and asked if i wanted some hot coco. i
was like hell yea! mmmm something to warm the hands up and the tummy! she
comes back to the car in the pouring rain like it doesnt even faze her and
hands me the drink. your a stud she says and off she went. Thanks Susan!!
you guys rock! i just wanted to savour it for a bit but, Nikki had another
idea. get on the bike now...but, but, it's raining i said...Nikki almost
made me feel as though i was in boot camp for a time being...(laff) 10 mins.
in the car no more, your not finished till your finished private! 1-2-3-4
pick it up 2-3-4...to funny..really, the attitude she had with me was worth
it! she seemed to keep me motivated and that things were gonna be ok. If i
do this race again , i want here there..period! then there's Ira, feeding
me, changing me,and making sure i don't blow away with the wind! Ira's the
TRANSIOWA winner (300 miles of gravel across iowa) bike messenger and a
great friend! he's really getting off on how my eye's are rolling in the
back of my head while i sit there and try to talk to him....(laff) ..it's
all good! i'm glad someone here is getting a kick out of it cause i sure
would!..oh yea back to the race....the pain now is how do i say
it...hmmm...numbness, no butt left, not that i had much of one anyways...
climbing, climbing, and whoa! Ochoco..sun's out and it's beautiful, cold as
hell and windy. feet, fingers,and my leg's are telling me this story is
gonna be over soon! Ira tell's me the summit is around the bend...oops nope
2 more times and there it is....30 mile decent...yea right! couldn't go that
fast and it was driving me crazy! omg! a little rest stop there ...i stop
there to drain....aaaahhhhhh!! so nice in there , warm, what am i saying!
ok back on the bike and i make to the Prineville maker 16 miles and that's
it. bike on the rack and in the car. homeward bound here we come.
All i can say is this: this is the hardest thing i've ever done and i feel
good about what i accomplished! couldn't ask for a better crew, and Nikki
tell your sister thx for the car! met some amazing people, did the best
climbs ever with some of the fastest decents too! and to all of us out
there doing this race-- we are crazy! and not from this planet! maybe that's
why we all have as much fun as we do.
ooook! off to ( jennifer kramer's licensed Acupuncturist - Therapeutic
Massage 503-774-4291) in Sellwood. She's the best and had me walking in no
time! thx for everything Jen!!
Livin La Vida Loca--Ricky Martin
p.s. thinking about next year already...god- i must be crazy!
gooooooooooo VELOSHOP!