RAIN '94 was the best yet for this old man. For the first time in my four crossings I felt obliged to no one; no one I needed to ride slowly with and encourage, to wait at water and lunch stops for and most importantly, no one to worry about except myself when I tried to jump on the back of a fast pace line.
I arrived at the start line early enough to position myself with Dave Tanner, Mike Wasson, Bill Jerden and other members of the BBC BUMS. After starting fast I decided I didn't belong in the lead pack and fell back after the first mile. While riding through Terre Haute I heard a train whistle, hoping it wouldn't cut me off, adding precious minutes to my trans-state time. Little did I know the benefit that train would provide. It stopped the lead pack, not me. The train cleared the intersection just as I arrived at the back of the waiting pack.
With six miles under my belt I decided to "hang with them" as long as I could. Thirty-five miles into the ride and an hour and a half later I was averaging 23 mph. It might have been even farther if the lead pack hadn't run two stop lights in Brazil in violation of RAIN riding rules. Dave Tanner gave the lead group an appropriate verbal blast as they blew through that first light. All the BBC BUMS and about five others stopped at that first light and one other before we cleared Brazil.
Our small group of 10 riders took turns (me included) leading a 28 mph pace line for about three miles until we caught the lead pack which had continued on at their 23 mph pace. Thankfully they didn't have the nerve to pick up the pace and try to drop us completely. When our group finally caught them, I was wiped out and had to drop off the back at the first indication of a hill. I was nearly out of water and had to stop at the first rest stop anyway. I also needed to eat a sandwich. Riding at 23 mph at the back of a triple pace line didn't allow me the opportunity to handle the sandwich let alone breathe, chew, and swallow.
I slowed to 15 mph and leisurely ate my peanut butter and jelly sandwich, stopped at the first rest area to fill my water bottles and headed out after a one minute stop, just in time to catch a pace line traveling at 20 mph. Unlike the lead pack, everyone was expected to take their turn at the front of this pace line, I and most (but not all) others did. I stayed with them until lunch, 80 miles, and was still averaging 21 mph. A five-hour century was definitely within reach but that would jeopardize my crossing because I had no food or water. Limiting my lunch stop to five minutes, I was on the road alone for the next 10 miles. Finally a seven-person pace line caught me and my speed shot from 14 to 20 mph. I just waved at Barb as I passed the 100 mile mark in 5 hours and 11 minutes.
Once again I ran out of water while the other riders in the pace line were being supported from moving vans and cars. Stopping in Knightstown for ice water I set out on my own. Forty-five miles to go and no one in sight, front or back. After 10 miles David Heng of the Evansville Bike Club caught me and I had someone to ride with. David lead most of the time, but I finally gained enough strength to lead on the down hills and some of the flat stretches. Thanks David, for pulling me in those last 35 miles.
The check-in at Ahaus Tool placed me 39th out of 560 riders--8 hours
and 51 minutes--18.8 across the state. I finished ahead of Joe Walker for the
first time ever. If I continue to improve next year like I did from last year (81st
place in 10 hours at 175 pounds) I can expect to finish in 20th place, average over
20 mph and weigh 205 pounds. Carbo loading during the winter is very important
for long distance rides!
(Editor's note: Joe Walker did not participate in this
year's RAIN.)
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