RACE ACROSS AMERICA UPDATE
Friday, June 16th, 2006 -- 2:02 PM
Tom Kingsbury?s Team Volae Wolf Pack exited the Rockies Friday and moved toward the flatlands of Kansas.They reached Kim, Colorado, at 10:20 a.m. Friday morning.
Thursday through early Friday the duo climbed through the Rockies and reached the highest point of the 3,000-mile Race Across America course.
They've completed over 1,200 miles ? that?s over one-third of the course.
Friday morning, News Director Paul Knoff had a chance to talk with Vincent Pham, one of the Team Volae Wolf Packs crewmembers, as Tom Kingsbury and Tim Woudenberg moved through eastern Colorado: Paul Knoff: Watching the splits and everything? it seems they went through some hard splits (Thursday and early Friday)?
Vincent Pham:Yes, yes? yesterday was a rough day. We went through the highest point in all of RAAM called Wolf?s Pass Creek. That was about a 4,000-foot climb. The first 1,000 feet is done over 15 miles, so that?s not too bad, but the last 3,000 feet is done is seven miles ? it goes straight up.
Tom did most of that.
We're done with the Colorado Rockies and we're headed to the flatlands of Kansas, which is a good thing, but we're kind of running into a crosswind that might take away a bit of their speed.
PK: How are their moods right now
VP: Well? ummm? it fluctuates. I can tell you on the way up on Kuchara?s Pass, Tom had a lot of unkind words to say to the mountain and the whole situation itself. But he made it through! It?s just part of the emotional swings of RAAM.
Paul Knoff: I know Tim is the guy with experience racing in this race, but is seems Tom is doing well for himself?
Vincent Pham: Tom is doing great. Tim?s having some stomach problems, he?s not holding down food? some of those problems.
Tom seems like he?s an old pro at this. He?s doing great, so we're all really pleased by that.
We?ve had some minor problems coming through.
Tom had some bike problems? like a flat? which was the first flat we?ve had in over a day-and-a-half of riding ? which is great.
Getting through the desert was somewhat a problem, too? just with overheating.
Tim?s got this little contraption where he puts a camelback full of ice on his chest and he?s got a little hose that runs up to the top of hose that sprinkles water on him.
Sara (Gleisner) put together a contraption for Tom, which is basically socks tied together with ice inside wrapped around his neck.
Paul Knoff: How has the weather been?
Vincent Pham: After we got through the desert, the weather is actually really cold. Last night it was down to 51- or 52-degrees, so we have to get them really warm, because once they start descending those hills, they will get even colder.
Just as a crew member, I was freezing my butt off outside.
On The Web:
[url=http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/Default.aspx?tabid=178]Check out the Time stations and Elevations changes[/url]
[url=http://www.raceacrossamerica.org]Race Across America Offical Site[/url]
[url=http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/files/raam2006/timestations/timestation15.htm]Map of Current Section[/url]
[url=http://stats.raceacrossamerica.org/2006/reports/rider/250.html]Check on Tom?s Progress[/url]
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